373rd Auction

1940, Official envelope "INDIAN POSTS AND TELEGRAPHS DEPARTMENT", sent as registered airmail cover from "BAHRAIN 26 FEB. 40" (on reverse) and register label "BAHRAIN" to England; the envelope with small imperfections. A very rare item, one of 2 registered post department covers recorded

1942, microfilmed "CHRISTMAS GREETINGS" from a paiforce member; very scarce from Bahrain

"BAHRAIN UNPAID 19 SEP. 42", octagonal marking on airmail cover from Canada via Cairo to Bahrain with Canadian and Egyptian censor labels. The only recorded entire with this rare handstamp

1947, "DAMAGED BY SEA-WATER", violet framed marking on commercial airmail cover from Madras to the US, crashed with the Portland Flying Boat in Bahrain; exceptional fine condition for this crash mail

"DAMAGED BY SEA WATER", 2-line boxed marking on airmail cover from "SHANGHAI 18.8.47" to London, crashed with the Flying Boat "Portland" at Bahrain on 23.8.47; a very rare item of desaster mail with Chinese origin

1971, Postal order 65 FILS on 1 sh. with poundage fee 50 FILS on 20 FILS on 3 d., cancelled "BAHRAIN 28 OC 71". Postal order forms of the Gulf area are extremely rare

INCOMING MAIL: 1899, Newspaper wrapper 3 on 4 c. on 5 c. from "MAURITIUS DE 1 99" to Bahrain with transit mark of Bombay and arrival mark of December 31. A very rare and early item of incoming mail

1905, Envelope with original contents, franked with India Edward 2 a. 6 p., tied by square circle "BOUSHIRE 17 MY 05" to Manamah, Bahrain with clear arrival mark; fine and scarce

1853/59, 1 c. dull red, value label type C, horizontal stripe of three, good to large margins all around, used, creasing at top and upper right, very rare, certificate BPA (2020)   

JAPANESE OCCUPATION, ALLIED RE-OCCUPATION: 1944, Coconut Plantation 6d.deep violet/ reddish purple tied by cds. "LUNGA 7 SE 44" to cover to Guadalcanal Island with "PASSED BY NAVAL CENSOR" and manuscript alongside, fine

JAPANESE OCCUPATION, ALLIED RE-OCCUPATION: 1944, Bismarck Scrob Fowl 2s6d. black/violet horizontal strip of four with lower sheet margin and full inscription "THOMAS DE LA RUE & COMPANY LIMITED, LONDON" with cds. "MUNDA" to registered airmail cover to Auckland with oval "passed by Censor" and manuscript entry alongside, fine

JAPANESE OCCUPATION, Barakoma Airfield: 1942, stampless with US cachet 'PASSED NAVAL CENSOR' addressed to Auckland, reverse with senders address "A.W. Silvester, written 2/12/12 Vella Lavella", a scarce cover, fine Referent Silvester was one of 2 Europeans who were allowed to stay in Solomon Islands by the Japanese after the occupation

1942, Stamps of Brunei handstamped, 6c. scarclet, unused, fine, scarce, certificate BPA (for pair, 1966) (SG £600,-)

8c. red tied by violet cds. to airmail cover to Kuching, stamp with corner torn away and roughly opened at right, scarce

12c. blue with double overprint with additional franking including North Borneo 4c. red and 8c. blue tied by japanese cds. "KUCHING 4.9.45" (Proud Type JD4) to part of Japanese music sheet, addressed to Mr. C.S. Ku, Kuching, fine, certificate BPA (2019)

$5 carmine/green with upper margin, unused with part dried gum, fine, scarce, certificate BPA (2019) (SG £1.000,-)

$25 black/green with upper margin, unused with part dried gum, small natural gum bend, fine, scarce, certificate BPA (2019) (SG £1.000,-)

1942, Peacock overprint type 3, 1r. purple/blue, unused, fine, scarce, certificate BPA (2019)

1942, Peacock overprint type 5, 9ps. yellow-green, unused, small surface blemish at top right, otherwise fine, scarce, certificate BPA (2019)

1942, Peacock overprint type 5 on Service stamps, 2a. carmine, horizontal pair, unused, fine, scarce, certificate BPA (for block of four; 1971)

1942, Japan definitives ¼ on 1c. brown, ½ on 2s bright scarlet, 3/4 on 3s. green and 1a on 5s. claret tied by cds. "RANGOON G.P.O. SORTING 22 SEP 42" to local cover, small tears on cover top, otherwise fine, scarce

1942, 4a. on 4+2s. green and red as horizontal pair with the right stamp surcharge omitted, unused, very fine, scarce, certificate BPA (2019)

CHIN HILLS PROVISIONALS: 1942, George VI., 6p. blue, single and vertical pair, 1a. brown horizontal pair, 2a. red, 2a.6p. claret, 3a.6p. blue (two singles) and 8a. myrtle-green, each with provisional OHMS (typed, handstamp resp. 2a. red handwritten), used, 2a.6p. claret damaged, otherwise mostly fine, scarce

2a. red tied by violet cds. "FALAM 15. JUL 42" to cover with another strike alongside (showing the initials of A.G. McCall, who organised the Chin Hills runner post to India), sent from Captain W.P.B. Smart at Falam, Chin Hills (with black embossed logo of the Chin Hills Bn., Burma Frontier Force on flap) to his wife at Delhi, forwarded to Dehra Dun with transit and arrival marks, small faults, some wrinkles and part of backflap missing, but a very attractive cover from the small part of Burma which remained unoccupied by the Japanese after May 1942 Provenance: Collection Gerald Davis  

CHALO DELHI: 1944, 1p. maroon, perf. 11½, block of 10 from the upper left sheet corner, unused without gum as issued, fine

1852/57, 10 d. blue with good to large margins, part of neighbour stamp at left, tied by indistinct postmark to cover from "HAMILTON AU 18 1856" to England with transit marks on front, including "PKT.LETTER PAID LIVERPOOL"; stamp lifted for inspection and re-placed by hinge, very fine, certificate BPA (2019)

1897, Jubilee ½ c.-5 $, 16 values cpl., all in nice fresh colours, unused o.g., 3 small values small thins on reverse, otherwise fine/very fine (SG £ 6.000,-)

1855/63, Perkins Bacon 6 d. pale rose-lilac with good to large margins, tied by triangle to cover from "CAPETOWN FE 2 1860" to Ireland with frontside "PAID DEVONPORT CAPE-PACKET", envelope little stained, otherwise fine

1945, Stamps of Japan overprinted, 5y. on 5s. claret, unused, small gum bend and minor toning at top, otherwise fine, scarce, certificate BPA (2019)

"POSTAGE PAID" violet chop on large-format cover via Suncheung and Canton to Yongkong, fine and scarce (Yang JPP2)

AIRMAIL: 1925, Calcutta-Risalpur Demonstration Flight, endorsed cover to Nowshera with arrival mark

1926, First flight Calcutta-Rangoon by Spanish army aeroplanes; arrival mark on reverse, very fine and scarce

FISCALS: 1890/1910(ca.), Hyderabad Residency Special Adhesive 2a-500r., 14 imperforated De La Rue Die Proofs in black in glazed paper (62x26mm), unused, rare, fine

1909, ½ a., imperforated plate proof in red, horizontal block of 8, ungummed

1887/94, ½ a. orange-red, 2 copies, each as additional franking on British India postal stationery envelope ½ a., one envelope slightly reduced in size, one with stamp replaced by hinge

1917, Obelisk ¼a. on 2pa. claret, unused, fine, certificate RPSL (1975)