Standard parcel with a typical single stamp

Vacuum cleaner parts travel south

This is a great example how the higher denomination stamps for parcels were supposed to be used. One single stamp and it is done. Swift, fast and an everyday routine. This parcel weighed up to 3 kg and in the fall of 1970 4 kr and 50 öre was needed to cover the postal rate. The stamp is the 4.50 kr red Uppsala Cathedral issued in March 1967. The Uppsala Cathedral stamp was a new kind of definitive stamp series, consisting of only one stamp. (The 4.50 kr Ale Stones from 1966 was the first one of this type.) That was a novelty during the mid 60s and a change of policy. So far stamps aimed for parcels were issued in longer series with several stamps often spanning over decades. The Swedish stamp policy shifted remarkably during 1967. This stamp was soon followed by the 7 kr Gripsholm Castle and the 3.70 kr Lion Fortress was issued in already in February 1967.

Parcel Address Card 1 - 3 kg fee: 4.50 kr
1967, 17 March, 4.50 kr red Uppsala Cathedral. Qty: 22,700,000

Nilfisk is a Danish company that sells vacuum cleaners, they are still around. They seem to have had a sales office in Luleå, it is situated 727 km north east of Stockholm. On Monday 9 November 1970 the local office felt like they had to return some surplus vacuum cleaner parts back to the companies logistics centre in Malmö south of Sweden. At least that is the information the parcel address card hints us about.

The parcel was handed over to the Post Office Luleå 1, 53 Main Street (Storgatan 53). The Swedish Post covered half that block and the post office building with its terminal was built in 1953. This is also another beautiful building built by the Swedish Post. It was such a beautiful building so even postcards were made (below).

Here is the Post Office Luleå 1 at its heydays (postcards).

The parcel went to Malmö and made a stop first at the post office depot Hullkajen (the Hull quay). The next day it reached the post office Malmö 4 at 31 Great New Street (Stora Nygatan 31). Why it first arrived to the depot at the Hullkajen I don't know. The depot Hullkajen was in service between 1965 to 1975 and it belonged to the main Post Office, the Malmö 1. The square stamp on the card put there by Malmö 4 says that the parcel can be picked up at lanes 18 or 19 at the Post Office.

Here are the rates for domestic parcels in November 1970:
- 1 kg - 3 kg - 5 kg - 7 kg - 10 kg - 15 kg - 20 kg
  3.50   4.50    5.50      8.50    12.50   17.00   21.00  kr
[effective since January 1969 and until December 1971]