North Vietnam, Nam Ding Textile Mill, March 9th, 1957, (Michel Nr. 54-56); With the re-building, after the war with the French ended, larger industrial complexes, such as the Nam Dinh Textile Mill, came back on line, which was commemorated with a stamp set. Three values were issued with the nominals of 100D, 200D and 300D. The stamps were again produced in the Vietnam National Bank Printing Works in Hanoi. There were 100 stamps to a sheet. The Vietnamese Postage Stamp Catalogue reports the perforation with 11.5:13.0 but this appears more to be a very rare perforation that probably represents an error as it is nearly impossible to find. Most stamps are perforated 13.0 and the 100D value also occurs in a scarcer version 11.5. The holes used to make the perforation were very small resulting in short and partially irregular perforation. Perfectly perforated stamps warrant a surcharge as such specimens are rare.
Here is a mint set with in perforation 13.0
Mint blocks of four (Perf.13.0)
Postally used stamps are rare, as is usual for North Vietnam and they are about ten times rarer than cancelled to order stamps. This is a postally used set in perforation 13.0
Here is the scarcer 11.5 perforation that only occurs on the 100D value in a mint pair.
Here are two stamps postally used in perforation 11.5. The left stamp represents an exceptional perforation, while the stamp to the right represents the standard perforation.
Here is a yet unlisted perforation variety of a the 100D stamp cancelled with an unusual red cancel. The stamp has a mixed perforation of 13.0:12.5.
Piece cut from a letter featuring one of the 11.5 100D values postally used.
Errors are known, mostly in the perforation of the stamps. Here is a pair of the 100D value that is imperforated on three sides that so far is unlisted in catalogues.
This is a unique rare paper fold on a block of four of the 100D value (Perf. 13.0) that led to a misplaced print of the brown-red color.
Below is a yet uncatalogued pair of the 300D value (Perf. 13.0) that is imperforated horizontally in-between stamps.
Smaller perforation errors include double perforations or perforations in which the perforation comb was missing some prongs.
Block of six of the 300D value (Perf. 13.0) which shows missing perforation holes in the top row of stamps.
In the 1950’s the perforation combs had a tendency to strike in an irregular pattern resulting in smaller and larger stamp sizes. Here is a strip of three of the 300D value where the top stamp only measures 24.5mm in height while the bottom one measures 27mm.
Letters are more numerous than the earlier North Vietnam stamps but not common by any means. Here is a letter to China fro June of 1957 that was franked with a block of four of the 100D value (Perf. 13.0). Note the square and round censor stamps.
Very rare multiple franking of the 100D value (Perf. 13.0) paying a 500D rate mail from Nam Dinh to Hungaria.
Mixed franking with a single 100D value (Perf. 13.0) and two 500D values of Production and Thrift mailed from Hanoi to Paris, France paying an overall rate of 1,100 Dong.
Mixed franking of the 1000D Return of the Government stamp together with the 20D Tran Dang Ninh stamps (2), 50D Liberation of Hanoi and 100D Textile Mill stamp (Perf 11.5) paying an overall postage of 1190D on a registered air mail letter sent by a member off the Czech Embassy from Hanoi to Czechoslovakia in March of 1957. The standard letter rate to Czechoslovakia amounted to 300D, the base air mail surcharge amounted to 260D and the surcharge for registration was 600D. So the letter is either over franked by 30D or was slightly heavier than the 5g that was covered by the air mail base rate.
Mixed franking between normal stamps (including the 100D textile Mill stamp, Perf 11) and the complete set of the official Union Congress set on an envelope sent by a member of the East German Consulate to East Germany in February of 1958. The overall postage amounted to 1,100D.
Original foto mailed in April 1958 from Hanoi to Tzchesolovakia using a single franking of the 200D value (Perf. 13.0).
Very interesting early picture postcard depicting female members of the North Vietnamese Army performing the so called bamboo-dance. The women to the left and right holding the long bamboo stocks would clang the bamboo together in a certain rhythem while the women dancing in the middle would artistically avoid being caught in the closing gaps while performing a dance. The card is franked with a single of the 200D stamp (Perf. 13.0) and was mailed in August, 1958 to Czechoslovakia.
Letter from Nam Dinh to Prague, Czechoslovakia also using a single of the 200D value (Perf. 13.0) mailed in November, 1959. It is interesting that the tariff for postcards and letters were apparently the same. Interesting early machine transit cancel from Hanoi on the reverse.
Letter mailed probably in April of 1959 from Hai Phong to Czechoslovakia. Notice that the month of the cancel reads “40” which obviously makes little sense so this is most likely a cancel error. Franked with a single of the 200D stamp (Perf. 13.0).
Small envelope using two of the 200D values (Perf. 13.0) in a rare multiple franking mailed from Hanoi to France. Note that the mail to a Western country (France) was apparently double that of the rate to Eastern Europe.
Mixed franking of the Textile Mill set (all values in Perf 13.0) together with the 300D HCM Birthday stamp paying an overall postage of 1,000D on an international air mail letter sent from Hanoi to East Germany in June of 1957. At that time the surface letter rate for the first 5g was 300D and the air mail surcharge 350D. So this letter must have been quite a bit heavier. The HCM Birthday stamp has an attached empty perforated field. Probably unique.
Another mixed currency franking on a rare Specimen/Printed Matter mailing by Xunhasaba from December 1963. Great Britain was still an unusual destination in the early 1960’s. The 240D worth of the 1957 stamps was devalued by 1,000:1 on March 1st, 1959 so was only worth 24 new xu. Together with the 50xu Animal stamp the overall postage amounted to 74 xu. Note the red Air Mail Hanoi Berlin hand stamp that indicated the routing through East Berlin.
Mixed franking of three of the 200D value with a number of other early NVN stamps for an overall postage of 1,000D. The letter was sent by the Trade Policy Department of the East German Embassy to East Berlin in December of 1958. The base surface letter rate at the time amounted to 300D, the surcharge for East Germany 350D and the air-mail sucharge to 300D. So, the letter appears to be slightly over-franked.
Letter mailed from Hanoi to China bearing the 100D Agrarian Reform plus the 200D Textile Mil stamp paying the surface letter rate of 300D. Note the square Chinese censor stamp on the reverse. Unusual golden decal of sail boat and a lake in front.
Single franking of the 300D value from Hanoi to China paying the proper surface tariff of 300 Dong. Notice the rectangular censor stamp on the reverse.
Letter from Hanoi to Sofia, Bulgaria. This being a destination in Eastern Europe the rate was the same as to China. Golden decal of the Hanoi Citadel on the top left. Sofia arrival cancel on the reverse.
Letter from the trade department (as per a red hand stamp on the reverse) of the East German Embassy to Thuringia in East Germany. Using a single franking of the 300D stamp (Perf. 13.0).
Multiple franking that includes a complete set of the textile mill stamp from a member of the East German Embassy probably paying a 1,000 Dong rate (one stamp has fallen off).
Xunhasaba bulletin mailing introducing the Fish set from 1963 and the Military Free Frank from the same year. The bulletin is franked with a mixture of standard stamps (300D Textile Mill, 20D 12 Years Democratic Republic) and the 500D official Cu Chin Lan stamp for an overall postage of 820D.
Multiple franking featuring a nice three color franking of the complete set sent in September, 1957 to China. Decal of the Hanoi Citadel on the top left. Since the official rate to China at the time was only 300D this letter was either heavier than the standard letter or represents a philatelic franking.
Very similar three color franking of the set addressed to China in September of 1957.
Very rare registered letter sent from Hanoi to Shanghai in China. The letter carries an interesting mix of two currencies. 700 Old Dong that were devalued 1,000:1 on March 1st, 1959 and two values in New Dong. Overall franking of 76 Xu. Shanghai arrival cancel.
Registered letter sent by an employee of VEB Power Systems to his state owned company in October of 1960. The letter carries one of the 12 xu Democratic Republic stamps plus two of the 300D textile mill stamps in a mixed currency franking. The old stamps had been devalued by 1,000:1 on March 1st, 1959 so were only worth 60xu. So, the overall franking amounted to 72 xu. The standard letter rate to East Germany was only 12 xu so this letter must have been quite more heavy than the first weight level of 20g.
Rare Specimen/Printed Matter Xunhasaba mailing from March of 1964. The letter carries a mix of regular stamps (including two of the 300D Textile Mill stamps) plus one of the 80D Official Union Congress stamps for an overall postage of 740D. England was still a rare destination in the early 1960’s.
Printed matter mailing from the North Vietnamese philatelic agency Xunhasaba to Frankfurt, West Germany paying a rate of 400 Dong, Using a single stamp each of the 300D textile mill stamp (Perf.13.0) and a 100D stamp of the 40th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. The bulletin announced the issuance of the two stamps of the Bac Hung Hai Irrigation Project (Michel Nr. 98-99). Notice the propaganda cachet on the right.
Registration Nr. 100042
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