TONGA Toga to SWEDEN 1937 Tin Can Mail Canoe Cover NIUAFOOU to Marstrand LOOK,GB

Description: TONGA Toga to SWEDEN 1937 Tin Can Mail Canoe Cover NIUAFOOU to Marstrand LOOK,GB Click images to enlarge Description For condition check all photos ! Click on the images for larger photos ! Fully insured shipping by trackable registered priority airmail ! We combine shipping charges ! Niuafoʻou (meaning many new coconuts) is the northernmost island in the kingdom of Tonga. One of the Niua Islands, it is located in the southern Pacific Ocean between Fiji and Samoa, 574 km (357 mi) north of Tongatapu island group and 337 km (209 mi) northwest of Vavaʻu. It is a volcanic rim island with an area of 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi) and a population of 431 (as of 2021). The volcano is active and has erupted regularly since 1814, with its last major eruption in 1985. The Niuafoʻou language is spoken on the island. Tin Can mail In the early part of the 20th century, philatelists began seeking out postal cancellations from Niuafo'ou, a volcanic Tongan island. Since Niuafo'ou lacked a deep water harbor to accommodate ships, postal deliveries were received via the so-called "Tin Can Mail" system of having mail thrown overboard in biscuit tins and retrieved by local swimmers. To swim mail out, Tongans adopted the traditional fishing technique of using a buoyancy pole, called a fau, to swim out with a biscuit or kerosene tin to visiting ships. Using the pole for support the swim could take several hours. After a shark killed a Tongan swimmer in 1931, swimming was banned and canoes had to be used. The specially marked Tin Can covers of the 1930s and 1940s became collectors items after an Englishman, Charles Ramsey, became the first and only white man to swim out with the mail. A German trader, Walter Quensell, cashed in on what had become a major tourist attraction with visiting cruise ships, by stamping all the mail and sending it on. There was great rivalry between the two men. Ramsay, who was an agent for Morris Hedstrom Ltd on the island, made 112 swims, many of them at night. Frequently, they lasted for hours in treacherous seas. Ramsay started the practice in commercial innocence but Quensell, who was an agent for the rival trading company Burns Philp (South Seas) Pty Ltd was more shrewd. He set up a shed on the shore and cacheted the covers for the passengers on the cruise liners, in a totally unofficial but rather profitable operation. Ramsey, who had given romance and created world interest in the special mail service, was purposefully exploited by his commercial rival. Quensell never made the swim himself, but his sister-n-law, Pauline Hoeft, a champion swimmer in Australia became the only woman to make the swim, occasionally helping the Tongans. Payment Payments must be made not later than 7 days after auction end, unless other arrangements have been made. Please contact us with any questions. Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are on the buyer's responsibility Shipping Shipping to countries with more losses registering is obligatory (please ask) ! We ship by registered mail only for totals above $30 with insurance and tracking code ! Unregistered shipping are on buyers responsibility only ! Presentation material like albums, pages or presentation cards are not part of the auction. We combine items. Please wait before paying until you got our combined invoice. Combined Shipping Rates Registered Shipping Worldwide Priority Airmail Fully Insured Non-Registered Worldwide Priority Airmail Not Insured up to 50 grams / up to 1.75oz $5.20 $2.50 up to 500 gram / up to 17.5oz $7.20 $4.50 Images sell! Get Supersized Images & Free Image HostingCreate your brand with Auctiva's Customizable Templates. Attention Sellers - Get Templates Image Hosting, Scheduling at Auctiva.com.

Price: 249.95 USD

Location: Bochum

End Time: 2025-01-03T18:48:59.000Z

Shipping Cost: 6.2 USD