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Jammu & Kashmir. 1889 Registered cover from Srinagar, sent within the state, the reverse bearing 1881-83 1/2a orange single + strip of four tied by numeral cancel, triple ring Srinagar c.d.s alongside, the front with a boxed registration handstamp, a little roughly opened at right edge, otherwise fine. Photo on Page 80. £120-150
| IRAQ
(Also see lots 109, 110, 112, 351-359, 625, 1114) | |
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1842 Entire letter signed by Colonel F.R. Chesney, posted from Woolwich to London, the stamp missing. Chesney, Commander of the Euphrates Expedition, writes to the Royal Geographical Society about books and "correcting the proof sheets". A good example of this scarce autograph; Chesney carried the first overland mails via the Euphrates route in 1837. £120-150
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1904 Registered picture postcard to France bearing Turkey 20pa rose and 1pi blue tied by bilingual Baghdad datestamp (Coles and Walker 9) with handstruck framed "R". An unusual registered postcard. Photo on Page 80. £180-220
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1908 Registered cover to England bearing India QV 1/2a, KEVII 3p block of four, 1/2a pair and 1a (2) all tied by "BAGDAD / REG" datestamp with boxed "R / BAGDAD", fine and attractive. £100-120
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1915 (Apr 21) Cover to London with India KGV 1/2a pair each tied by "EXPERIMENTAL P.O / B. 503" c.d.s. This c.d.s was used at Busra in 1915 following the occupation of the city by British and Indian troops and prior to the civil Indian Post Office reopening. Fine and very scarce. Photo on Page 80. £250-280
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1916-21 Covers from (6) or to (4) H. St. John Philby, two covers sent in 1920-21 with Iraq stamps, the others all from 1916-17 with four stampless O.A.S covers, two internal covers to Philby at Amara and two covers from G.B to Baghdad or Basra. Philby was attached to the Political Dept. in Iraq, and served with the British Mission in the Nejd from November 1917 to July 1918. (10). £100-120
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1917-58 Mint and used collection on pages and in a stockbook including 1917 Baghdad British Occupation 1/4a on 2pa (S.G. 1) mint; Baghdad British Occupation with crescent obliterated by hand in violet, 1a on 20pa rose (S.G. 21) and 1a on 10pa on 20pa claret (S.G. 23, fault) both mint; Mosul issues; 1918-21 British occupation sets with 10r mint (6); 1923-25 set to 10r mint and used; 1931 1/2a - 10r mint; 1932 2f - 1/2di surcharges mint; 1932 set mint and used; 1934-38 set; 1948, 1949 and 1953 miniature sheets; Official issues with 1920-23 no watermark set mint (no 2r, 10r stained) and used Multiple Script set mint, 1923 and 1924-25 sets mint and used, 1932 3f - 1/2di surcharges mint and used, 1932 and 1934-38 sets mint and used. Also 1918-34 Revenue overprints (40) and a few later revenues. A good lot. S.G. £6,500 (approx). (100s). Photo on Pages 64 & 146. £400-500
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1919 (Jan 23) Registered O.A.S cover to London with India KGV 2a tied by "AMARA" c.d.s, with a British censor label. A scarce and unusual use of an unoverprinted India stamp in Iraq at this late date. £140-160
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1920 Registered cover to England bearing British Occupation 1/2a (3) and 1a (2) tied by Kut datestamps, blank type registration label with "KUT S.O" handstamp; and a 1919 stampless O.A.S cover to India with "MA'QIL (IRAQ)" datestamp. (2). £70-80
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Wreck Mail - S.S "China". 1920 (Aug 9) Stampless O.A.S cover to London endorsed from Major General C.R.A Julian, circular "M" authorising handstamp and Lower Baghdad c.d.s on reverse, some water damage, handstamped "DAMAGED BY SEA / WATER". Hoggarth & Gwynn recorded two other covers with this cachet, posted in India in August 1920, known to have been carried on the S.S "China", though nothing is known of the incident that caused the damage. Very unusual from Iraq. £150-180
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Overland Mail. 1924-26 Covers from Iraq to England, two with red "Overland Mail" labels, one registered but still handstamped "T" and marked "3d to pay" (5), also a "Riviera Palace Hotel, Nice" envelope to Baghdad endorsed "By Overland Mail Haifa-Baghdad" and dated "17.10.25", apparently hand carried with the royal party of King Faisal who returned from London by the overland route leaving on October 9th and travelling via Paris and Nice. (6). £120-150
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1934 Cover from Teheran to Switzerland franked 30di strip of five, with superb bilingual "MISSENT TO BAGHDAD" cachet in violet. £100-120
| Air Mails | |
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1919 G.B. to India first through Aerial Mail flown by R.A.F. Handley Page aircraft "Old Carthusian", India 1/4a postal stationery postcard to India, written on January 12th when the "Old Carthusian" was at Bandar Abbas, endorsed "on active service", the message reads "by first aeroplane postal service between England (Ipswich) and India. Pilots: Genl. McEwen & Major McLaren, Passengers: 1 B.O and 3 mechanics. H.M.A "Old Carthusian", 12-1-19". Cancelled upon arrival at Karachi (Jan. 17) with the magenta three line cachet "FIRST THROUGH AERIAL MAIL / GREAT BRITAIN TO INDIA / KARACHI 14-1-1919" (altered to 17-1-1919 in manuscript) with circular "PASSED CENSOR / 3 / KARACHI". A fine and rare card flown from Bandar Abbas, the flight cachet probably applied at Karachi, where the card was put into the post. Photo on Page 80. £1,200-1,400
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"Old Carthusian" and Ross Smith Flights. 1919 (Jan 10) Stampless India Field Service postcard to a nurse at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Sydney, Australia, signed B. Clement and written by Bruce Clement from Baghdad, the message including "just slipping this along per aeroplane today from here ..... hang on to this as a novelty & keep, note when you receive it", inscribed "Received 20.3.1920". The card was flown by the "Old Carthusian" from Baghdad to India, then carried by ship to England by Ross Smith or Jim Bennett, and flown by them on their record breaking 27 day flight from England to Australia. The card is signed upon arrival "J. Bennett, Darwin, 12.12.19" and subsequently had the "FIRST AERIAL POST / ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA" vignette applied, tied by the oval "FIRST AERIAL MAIL / RECEIVED / 26. FEB. 1920 / GREAT BRITAIN TO AUSTRALIA". 30 Covers or cards from Mesopotamia, mostly from members of the Australian Wireless Squadron, were handed to Brigadier General MacEwen and flown on the "Old Carthusian" subsequently being carried on the Ross Smith flight, probably in the care of Sgt. Bennett who signed 25 of them after arrival at Darwin. Some of these 30 items no longer survive, and most show no indication of their origin, simply being stampless O.A.S covers. A little minor creasing, otherwise fine. A rare and important card carried on two famous pioneer flights. Photo on Page 80. £3,500-3,800
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1919 (Feb 24) Stampless O.A.S cover to England signed S.A Winson, Capt., with F.P.O 55 c.d.s and magenta boxed cachet "POSTAL SERVICE, M.E.F / AERIAL MAIL, BAGHDAD-CAIRO / BY. 31ST. WING. R.A.F., MESOPOTAMIA", backstamped at Cairo with Army Post Office SZ10 skeleton c.d.s (Mar 1), inscribed "Received March 12 in Oxford". Flown by two RAF DH4 aircraft which left Baghdad on Feb. 25 piloted by Major O.T Boyd and Capt. F. Nuttall; the flight was delayed by rain at Damascus, whilst both planes were forced down by engine trouble and were finally delivered to Kantara by rail, the journey taking five days. A fine and scarce flight cover. Photo on Page 80. £750-1,000
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1919 (Mar 13) Stampless O.A.S cover signed J. Gibson, addressed to his wife at Inquanduli, Tembuland, S. Africa, with F.P.O 55 c.d.s and violet boxed "POSTAL SERVICE, M.E.F / AERIAL MAIL, BAGHDAD-CAIRO / BY. 31ST. WING. R.A.F., MESOPOTAMIA", partial A.P.O arrival datestamp. Flown by two RAF DH9 aircraft piloted by Capt. A. Styran and Lt. J. Mills of 142 Squadron, who left Baghdad on March 14th and arrived in Cairo two days later on March 16th, calling at Ramadi and Damascus en route. Kimpton records just seven covers from this flight. A fine and rare cover to a very unusual destination. Photo on Page 80. £900-1,200
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R.A.F Baghdad-Cairo Air Service. 1922-26 Covers comprising Iraq to G.B (6) or Egypt, France to Iraq, or G.B to Iraq (2, franked 9d or 5 1/2d), also two 1924-25 covers from Damascus to Cairo bearing air mail stamps, both carried by the overland service to Baghdad and then flown to Cairo, and various notes. (12). £150-180
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R.A.F Emergency Air Service. 1923 (Oct 1) Stampless postcard to "F/O Pritchard, No. 84 Squadron R.A.F, Shaibah" endorsed "By Official Mail Air, Baghdad-Shaibah. 1-10-23" and signed by the pilot A.C Harrison P.O, also signed by Pritchard on the same day, with oval cachet "AIR MAIL CENTRE / ROYAL AIR FORCE / 1 OCT 1923 / HANAIDI". The reverse has the pencil note "a solitary official mail for Govt correspondence". A scarce R.A.F flight, very little mail believed to have been carried, the few known cards all sent to Pritchard. £150-180
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R.A.F Emergency Air Service. 1923 (Oct 1) Similar stampless card to Pritchard at Shaibah with the Hinaidi cachet, pilot signed. Photo on Page 83. £150-180
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R.A.F Emergency Air Service. 1923 (Oct 16) Stampless O.H.M.S cover to "O.C 55 Squadron, Mosul" inscribed "By air" with oval "AIR MAIL CENTRE / ROYAL AIR FORCE / 16 OCT 1923 / HINAIDI" cachet, flown from Baghdad to Mosul via Kirkuk by 45 Squadron. Only a very small amount of official mail carried on these flights, with few covers surviving. £150-180
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Imperial Airways Basrah-Cairo Service. 1927-28 Flown covers including 1927 covers from India (Jan 5) to USA or Canada carried on the second service from Basrah, G.B (Jan 5) to Basrah carried on the first flight from Cairo, registered cover (Apr 4) from Egypt to Basrah carried on the first weekly flight from Cairo, and other mainly commercial covers from Iraq to G.B (4) or Egypt, India to G.B (5) or Egypt, or G.B to Iraq, and various notes. (16). £300-350
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Imperial Airways London - Karachi Service via Iraq. 1929 Covers with first Westbound flight covers from London to Alexandria, Basrah, Baghdad, Bombay or Karachi, Athens to Alexandria, Cairo to Karachi, Basrah or Bushire to Karachi, (Nov.) first flight from G.B to Germany at the reduced 4 1/2d rate, (June) first acceptance from Switzerland to Karachi, (Dec.) first flight from G.B carried on the extension to Jodhpur, and other commercial covers from G.B (5) or Iraq. Eastbound covers include first flight from Karachi to London (3), Basrah, Gaza or Alexandria, Athens to London, Baghdad or Basrah to London, second flight covers from Karachi or Baghdad to London, (Nov.) first flight with the new India airmail stamps (2), (Dec.) first Delhi-Karachi extension, and other mainly commercial covers from India (10), Iraq (4) or Persia. An interesting lot, with various notes. (47). £350-400
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1930-38 Covers sent from, to or via Iraq by Imperial Airway, KLM or other foreign airlines, including 1930 first flight from Jask to Jodhpur, Linga to Athens cover carried on the first flight to Bushire connecting with the Imperial Airways service, Vienna to Teheran registered cover (April 12) sent by first flight on the new route, 1932 Delhi to Karachi extension first flight, first Wednesday service from G.B, 1932 (Oct 1) new route first flights from G.B to Bahrain (2) or Saharjah (2) or onto India, 1933 Malaya extension first flight from Baghdad to Alor Star, 1934 "Uiver" crash, and other mainly commercial covers from Iraq (15), G.B (7), India (3) or Persia (2), also many notes. (39). £400-500
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1934 (Apr 16) Cover to Baghdad endorsed "By Air from Dhiban, R.A.F Mail" bearing a blue By Air Mail label and franked 8f tied by Baghdad Cantonment c.d.s, backstamped with a Baghdad Dely c.d.s an hour later, with the boxed cachet "Aerial Mail, from Dhibban, / Per R.A.F Aeroplane K. 1401". Very scarce. £120-140
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R.A.F Emergency Air Service. 1937 (June 1) Long stampless O.H.M.S cover to "Wing Commander E.J.D Townsend, Aircraft Depot, Dhibban, Iraq" endorsed "By air mail - Hinaidi-Dhibban, No 55 (B) Sqdn aircraft" with the violet 'No. 55 (B) Squadron Orderly Room' cachet on the front and the 'Headquarters Dhibban' cachet on reverse, with an accompanying letter "1.6.37, Dear Wing Commander, Herewith the envelope duly marked as requested. I have asked the ADST to keep any further envelopes for you. I hope to be over fairly soon to view the country home of the future, yours sincerely G.W Hayes". In 1937 R.A.F. units were moved from Mosul and Hinaidi to a new cantonment at Dhibban; the Iraqi Post Office could only offer a limited car service to the new base and and the R.A.F. therefore operated a daily emergency air service for official R.A.F. correspondence between Dhibban and Hinaidi. This service lasted from 31 May 1937 until 8th January 1938 when the move to Dhibban was finally completed. Believed to be the only cover carried on this second flight from Hinaidi to Dhibban. £160-200
| IRELAND
(Also see lots 941, 971, 972, 995, 1138, 1162) | |
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1831 Entire headed "Commissioners of Fisheries" sent from Moville to "A. Godby Esq., Post Office, Dublin" with Dublin free datestamp and a fine strike of the scarce "Free / Aug. Godby" handstamp, both in red. Godby was secretary of the Irish Post Office and applied his personal handstamp to this letter to ensure it was delivered free of charge. A scarce and attractive free frank. Photo on Page 83. £300-350
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1782-1852 Prestamp and stampless entire letters and covers (41) and fronts (47) including Frees, mileage marks, Dublin Local Post, etc. (88). £120-150
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1841-1900 Covers and cards with QV stamps including duplexs, Maltese Crosses, straight line or undated circle sub-office handstamps, Londonderry 172 scroll datestamp (2), etc. (93). Also a quantity of stamps and pieces with selected Irish cancels. (93++). £150-180
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1844-1900 Entires and covers all with single numeral cancellations, all fine. (68). £140-180
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c.1900-1920s Selected single and double ring cancellations virtually all on picture postcards, also some machines and postage dues, and a few later items and cancels on stamps and pieces. (approx 800 cards/covers). £400-500
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Skeleton. 1903-20 Skeleton datestamps, many double ring types, virtually all on picture postcards, most very fine strikes. (123). £200-240
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Rubbers. 1911-39 Rubber datestamps, virtually all on picture postcards, mainly fine. (36). £80-100
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1921 (Jan 1) Picture postcard of Dublin franked 1d, tied by "FIELD POST OFFICE / W.16" c.d.s, used at GHQ, Parkgate, Dublin. Very fine and unusual on a picture postcard. £70-80
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1934 2d Grey-green, perf 15 x imperf coil stamp, fine used, very scarce. With B.P.A Certificate (2015). S.G. 74b, £1,600. Photo on Front Cover. £600-700
| Ship Letters | |
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1849 Entire letter from Belfast to Liverpool with a 1d red cancelled "62", endorsed "Private Ship" with a "SHIP LETTER / LIVERPOOL" arrival backstamp. £70-80
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Derry. 1866 Cover from Fraserburgh to Toronto with a fine red "PAID / DERRY / COL PACKET / E" c.d.s on the front, used on mail carried by the Allan Line. £80-100
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H&K Packet. 1862 Cover to Mauritius bearing 1855-57 6d lilac, posted and backstamped at Monkstown with the adhesive cancelled by the Irish type duplex "H & K PACT/186", additionally backstamped at London and Mauritius, with red manuscript "4 1/2". An unusual H & K Packet cancel on a surface printed stamp, very fine and scarce. Photo on Page 83. £300-350
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H&K Packet. 1924 (Oct 8) F Size 5d postal stationery registration envelope to London uprated 2d, bearing a blank type registration label endorsed "H&DL Packet", the envelope stamp, adhesive stamp and registration label all with double ring "H&K PACKET" c.d.s. An exceptionally unusual registration envelope posted on the ship. Photo on Page 83. £180-220
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Newport/Dublin /Jamaica. 1756 (July) Entire letters to Leith, both concerning shipments of Rum, the first endorsed "p. the Prince of Wales Packet Q.D.C" with a very fine "JAMAICA" first type handstamp and London Bishop Mark on reverse, charged 2/2. The second entire letter endorsed "p. the Duncanon, Capt Elphenston Q.D.C", landed as a ship letter at Newport, Co. Mayo, handstamped with a fine "SHIP" (similar to Rob. S1a of Dublin but 25x7mm), backstamped "COUNTRY" and a "15/OC" Dublin Bishop Mark and a light but readable "NEWPORT" (Co. Mayo), rates of 9d, 1/9 and 2/7 all crossed out, finally charged 4/1. An exceptionally early Irish ship letter apparently landed at Newport in Co. Mayo, the Ship handstamp almost certainly applied in Dublin, the contents including "the ships sail tomorrow under convoy through the Windward Passage or Gulf". Light file folds and a little soiling to the flap, otherwise fine and a rare Irish ship letter. Newport, Co. Mayo, never had a ship letter, a single manuscript ship letter endorsement being recorded from the port in 1817, whilst the first recorded Ship handstamp of Dublin recorded by Tabeart was in 1769. (2). Photo on Page 83. £300-400
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Warren Point. 1844 Entire from Geneva, New York state, to England handstamped with the very scarce "WARREN / SHIP-LETTER" (Robertson S1, illustrated in his book). Just three ship letters recorded from Warren Point. Photo on Page 83 £1,200-1,500
| JAMAICA
(Also see lots 539, 1227, 1339) | |
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1780-1839 Entire letters all to G.B., two from missionaries, the others mostly concerning plantations or business, handstamps include straight line "IAMAICA", two line "JAMAICA" with date (2) or fleuron datestamps (7), albino straight line "MAY HILL", "FALMOUTH / JA", and Kingston datestamps (2, Foster types K3, K5), one letter received in London during the Uniform 4d Post period. Also 1853 entire letter from Glasgow to Jamaica with an arrival c.d.s, and 1852 entire letter from Antigua with a double arc datestamp. (15). £300-350
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1803 Entire letter from Morant Bay and an 1804 entire, both to London with "JAMAICA" two line backstamps, both clearly disinfected, unusual from Jamaica. (2). £100-120
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Slavery. 1817 Entire letter from "Westmoreland" to Scotland with Savanna-la-Mar handstamp, regarding the recent slave law and the distribution of cloth to the slaves, and an interesting 1830 letter from Grange Hill to Scotland regarding a lawsuit resulting from the incorrect conveyance of slaves, listing the ten slaves with their valuations. (2). £100-120
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1828 Entire to Scotland endorsed "Inland Postage Paid", various rates, the reverse with scarce manuscript "Little River PO" and a Jamaica fleuron datestamp. This manuscript Post Office endorsement is recorded from 1828 until 1831, despite a handstamp being issued to the office late in 1829. £200-250
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1860 3d De La Rue Die Proof, in black on white glazed card, 60x92mm, fine. Photo on Page 220. £200-250
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1863 Cover from Savanna-la-Mar to England endorsed "Ship Letter" and franked 1d + 2d each cancelled "A75". Handstamped "JAMAICA / SHIP LETTER" and red "1 1/2" with red "PAID / LIVERPOOL / SHIP" arrival datestamp, backstamped at Savanna-la-Mar, Kingston and upon arrival at Berwick Station. Two pieces torn from the upper edge, backed with blue paper to improve the appearance. A scarce cover carried on the "St. Thomas". £100-120
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S.S "Bergenseren". 1890 (Feb 18) Cover from Kingston, Jamaica, to London endorsed "per s/s Bergenseren via America" bearing Jamaica 4d pair, a third stamp missing with red boxed "JAMAICA PAID / 22 PE 1870" applied below, the reverse with the explanatory label "This Postal-Packet was contained in the Mail / Bag from Kingston for New York via Port Maria, / Jamaica, for despatch per S.S "Bergenseren," / which Mail Bag was washed away in the "Haughton / River" near Annotto Bay, on the night of Tuesday / the 18th instant, and which was subsequently re- / covered. / FRED. SULLIVAN / Postmaster for Jamaica. / General Post Office, / 21st Feb., 1890", tied by a Kingston squared circle (Feb. 24), a London arrival c.d.s of March 15th. The Annotto Bay to Port Maria mule cart was washed away whilst crossing the Houghton river and one bag of letters intended for the S.S "Bergenseren" sailing to New York was submerged for nearly 24 hours; it was taken to Jamaica where the letters were dried, a number have lost some or all their stamps. Opened out to display the label, edge tear at base, otherwise fine. An interesting item, only about ten covers recorded. Photo on Page 83. £280-320
| KENYA, UGANDA & TANGANYIKA
(Also see lots 26-28, 60, 97, 133, 134) | |
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1890-97 Mint and used issues of British East Africa including 1894 5a on 8a blue and 7 1/2a on 1r carmine both used; 1895 local BEA overprints 1/2a, 1a, 2 1/2a, 3a, 4a and 1r used; 1895-96 India overprint set (less 1a6p, 2r) mint; 1895 2 1/2a on 4 1/2a dull violet used; 1895 2 1/2a on 1 1/2a sepia mint and used; 1897 BEA overprint on Zanzibar set mint; 1897 2 1/2a on 3a used (2, S.G. 89, 91), etc. S.G. £2,200 (approx). (64). £300-350
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1894 (Feb 18) Registered cover to Germany with 1890 4r tied by Mombasa squared circle, backstamped at Aden and Baden Baden, a scarce stamp on cover. £150-180 |
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1895 (Feb) Manuscript "½a" surcharge and "T.E.C.R" on 3a black/dull red, fine mint. S.G. 31, £600. Photo on Page 146. £120-150 |
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