Sweden. Facit 25i, 21o on cover, 12+2×30 öre on a stunning and recently discovered cover sent from DEJE 21.1.1877, via Marseille, to a second lieutenant aboard the corvette "Gefle" on its long voyage 1876-77 on its visit at Tomatave (Toamasina). This is the ONLY RECORDED franked mail to the KINGDOM OF IMERINA (pre-colonial state), hence the GPU postage to the French colonies did not applied. No postal rate was included in Swedish rate books, only for the island of Ste.Marie de Madagascar. A French postal rate of 1 fr (=72 öre) for mail sent via Marseille to "Côte Orientale d' Africa" (Abyssinia, Cafrerie and Madagascar) was introduced from 1.1.1876, which may explain the postage. Previously the earliest recorded stamped mail to Madagascar was from 1902. FANTASTIC EXHIBITION ITEM! Certificate HOW 2, (3,3,3) (1,2,2) 3 (2023).