379th Auction

1892, Cover franked on reverse with India ½ a. green, tied by squared circle "BAHRAIN OC 6 92" to Bushire with frontside boxed "POSTAGE DUE / ONE ANNA" and arrival mark of October 9 next to the stamp; fine and rare, the earliest of 2 recorded such combinations

1893, British India postcard ONE ANNA on 1½ a. blue from Bahrain (July 9th 1893), posted at "BUSRAH JL .. 93" and sent to London with frontside "SEA POST OFFICE JL 28 93"; fine and very scarce early mail

1903, British India postcard with prepaid answer 1 a. blue + 1 a. blue used with text from "BAHRAIN 27 DE 03" via "SEA POST OFFICE JA. 9 04" to Berlin with arrival mark on front. A very rare card; apparently the sender sent several of these cards each with part of text of his travel descriptions; we have recorded 2 further such cards from Bahrain

1908, British India envelope ONE ANNA on 2 a. 6 p. orange with return address "Mason Memorial Hospital / Bahrein, Persian Gulf" and clear postmark "BAHRAIN 17 OC. 08" addressed to the Seaman Hospital, Greenwich, S.E. The writer expected to benefit of the soldier's concessionary rate, but since the envelope was not countersigned by an officer it was taxed, showing 2 strikes of "T" in circle struck in Bahrain, plus British "3d/F.B.". The envelope opened out for display with slight toning at the edges. Unique usage of this envelope at Bahrain and to our records only recorded use of the "T"-tax stamp at Bahrain

1912, Edward 3 a. orange-brown, tied by cds. "BAHRAIN 18 FE. 12" to reverse of registered envelope with provisional registration label to Bombay with adjacent arrival mark; cover opened on 2 sides, very fine and rare early registered mail

1 r. with 3 p. (12) and George VI 1 a. (2), used on reverse of airmail cover from "BAHRAIN PERSIAN GULF 27 NOV 39" to Copenhagen, Denmark with white label "OPENED BY CENSOR", fixed with staples and tied by the cds., leaving 4 stamps underneath the label uncancelled. A most attractive and very rare censored letter

2 r., tied by cds. "BAHRAIN 2..AUG 34" to registered airmail cover via Cairo to germany with transit- and arrival marks. A fine and rare cover.

5 r., horizontal marginal pair tied to commercial airmail cover from "BAHRAIN 17 NOV. 45" to San Francisco with adjacent red "O.A.T." (Onward Air Transport). A very rare usage of these stamps and highest recorded franking of this issue

½ a., 4 copies, tied to reverse of cover to Tchahbahar, underpaid by ½ a. and taxed on arrival, franked with 2 copies Iran 1938, 50 d., tied by Tchahbahar cds.; a very rare combination cover

4 a. in combination with India 1945, Victory 1½ a., used on commercial registered airmail cover from Bahrain to Bombay with arrival mark of 16.9.1945. A very scarce usage of the Indian Victory issue at Bahrain; just few covers recorded

1948/49, ½ a. (2), 1 a., 1½ a. and 2½ a., tied by 3 strikes of cds. "EXPERIMENTAL P.O. K-121" (Muharraq post office) to airmail cover to England; one ½ a. slight transportation marks, otherwise fine. The experimentals K121-postmark is the rarest postmark of Bahrain, according to Donaldson just one further cover has been reported

2 r. on 2 s. 6 d., 2 copies with 3 copies 1 a. on 1 d., tied to registered parcel label to Switzerland with adjacent "PASSÉ en DOUANE à Genève"; usual slight transportation marks, still very fine and rare

1948, Olympic Games 2½ a. on 2½ d. with variety "surcharge double", unused with original gum and light hinge mark, very fine and rare

1952/54, Elizabeth II., ½ ANNA on ½ d. with variety '½ omitted', marginal block of 9 with sheet number, unmounted mint

½ d. with "½" omitted, together with 1 a. on 1 d. tied by cds. "MUHARRAG P.O. BAHRAIN 21 NO 51", locally used; a very fine and rare cover, certificate BPA (1959)

3 a. and 3 a. 6 p., each in pair, together with 1 r. and 1942/45, 3 p.-1 a., 2 a., 4 a., 8 a. and 12 a. as additional franking on registered letter George VI 3 a. + 1½ a., as registered airmail cover from "BAHRAIN 24 JLY. 45" via Lagos, Nigeria to the US with several transit marks; fine and remarkable cover with scarce franking

1956/57, Elizabeth II. 1 r. with overprint double, lightly used, very fine and rare, certificate BPA (1976), SG 5000£

1959, unissued set Petro-Chemicals 25 np. and 50 np., imperforated photo-essais from Bradbury Wilkinson record books

196, Definitives Salman bin Hamed al Chalifa 40 f. , typo die proof in Royal Mail sunken frame, unique

1964, Definitives 1 r, and 5 r., imperforated photo-essais in 2 different stages, from Bradbury Wilkinson record books

1966, Definitives 5 f. (2 different) and 1 d., imperforated photo-essais in unissued designs, from Bradbury Wilkinson record books

1969, Satellite Earth Station Ras Abu Jarjour 20 f., unique artist essay, photographic and hand painted with overlay in sunken presentation card of De La Rue Co. A marvellous item

1970, Gulf aviation first flight 30 f. - 120 f., imperforated proofs on Harrison and Sons presentation cards; one of 3 sets recorded

1971, Independance Day 30 f., imperforated proof similar to the issued design but with additional red map of Bahrain (rejected because inaccurate), mounted on Harrison & Sons presentation card; very fine and rare

"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

1934, Registered envelope 3 a. + 1 a. 3 p. used abroad with cds. "C-POST OFFICE 2 .. JUN 47" (Basra Margil) with adjacent violet "R No. "c" base P.O." to England, little roughly opened, very rare

1852/57, 3d. red, clear to large margins, used with central target, very fine, signed Georg Bühler

2003, flowers 30 p.-54 p., imperforated proofs in horizontal pairs, unmounted mint

2008, Lord Nelson anniversary, ships 40 p..-49 p., imperforated proofs without "II" in royal cypher, all sheet corners, unmounted mint, very rare

1889, Victoria 20s. value tablet and inscription in black, Sperati forgery type B, duty cliché, signed in Pencil and handstamp "REPRODUCTION INTERDITE", fine

1852 Scinde Dawk ½ a. scarlet used on piece with small remainders of another stamp which was applied next to it, lightly cancelled by diamond of dots; nice fresh colour and sharp impression, extremely fine and choice, surely among the finest used examples recorded of this elusive stamp.

Reference: Edition d'or XX, The Jochen Heddergott collection

1870, "STAMP OFFICE BOMBAY" 23rs. revenue die proof in greenish-black, some manuscript notes including date "April 28, 1870", fine

INDIA USED IN DUBAI: British India Georg VI. 1a3p. block of four and ½a. tied by cds. "DUBAI 1 MAY 44" to reverse of registered and censored cover to Bombay, fine and attractive

1905, British India Edward ½ a. green, horizontal pair tied by cds. "BAHRAIN 22 MY. 09" to reverse of small envelope to Bombay with arrival mark, vertical fold not affecting adhesives, somewhat toned

1939, ¼a. orange-yellow horinzontal pair and 1a. blue, each with straight edge at top, tied by cds. to reverse of cover, fine and attractive entire

FISCALS: 1924, Forest Deparment Revenue 6p. blue and 8as. red, each as complete sheet of 24, mint never hinged, fine