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

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

STRAITS SETTLEMENTS – HAMBURG: 1857, letter sheet to Hamburg, franked with India 1855, 4 a. black on bluish in horizontal pair, tied by octagonal "B/172" with corresponding red "SINGAPORE P.O." on reverse. On front boxed Trieste tax mark "6 ¼" groschen, for the conveyance from Alexandria to Hamburg, to be paid by the recipient and noted on front as "8 ½" Hamburg currency. A very fine and rare entire.