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

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

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

1904, ½a. pale-blue, horizontal pair and three singles tied by cancel to reverse of registered cover, few faults, attractive entire

1904, ½a. pale-blue tied by cancel to reverse of local cover, fine 

1904, 2a. green, complete sheet of 12, mint never hinged, some separations, otherwise fine

1866, ½ a. grey-black (toched/cut into), used with violet seal cancel on small cover, dated by Masson March 14th, 1867

INDIA - SARDINIA: 1856, lettersheet from Calcutta to Genua, franked with 1856/64, 8 a. carmine (short corner perf), showing on front red boxed "INDIA PAID" and "D.A.a.L." (Diritto Austriaco austriache Lire), charged upon arrival with "10" decimes. (SG 36)

INDIA (BURMA) – DENMARK: 1858, complete printed matter (timetable of vessels leaving Rangoon), franked with India DLR 1 a. brown, tied by octogonal "B/156" of Rangoon, to Copenhagen with adjacent "INDIA PAID" and clear Trieste tax mark "3/4" for the conveyance to Denmark. Very fine and rare; supposed to be the only entire with the elusive "3/4"-handstamp.

1858, komplette Drucksache (Fahrplan von Schiffen ab Rangun), frankiert mit Indien DLR 1 A. braun, sauber entwertet durch "B/156" von Rangun, nach Kopenhagen mit nebengesetztem "INDIA PAID" und klarem Triester Taxstempel "3/4" (Groschen) für die Beförderung nach Dänemark. Sehr schöne einwandfreie Erhaltung. Eine große Seltenheit, vermutlich der einzige Beleg mit dem seltenen Tax-Stempel.

INDIA (BURMA) – DENMARK: 1858, entire letter from Moulmein to Altona, part paid to Alexandria and franked with 2 copies each of India DLR 1 a. brown and 4 a. black , tied by unclear octogonal with adjacent red "MOULMEIN P.O. …1862" and boxed "INDIA PAID" next to tax stamp "6" of Trieste for the conveyance to the Danish border and manuscript charge of "30" skilling total postage due at Altona. On reverse Calcutta and Hamburg transit marks and arrival mark of may 5th. A fine and extremely rare letter.

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.