385th Auction

1801,"Post Paid/Fort St George", L2, usual strike on entire letter, written April 10, to Kistnagherry. Very fine and fresh.

1817, "LUCKNOW POST PAID", clear black oval handstamp on reverse of entire letter to Calcutta with adjacent arrival mark. Very fine and scarce.

1846, "INDI " (without A), boxed handstamp in red on entire letter from Calcutta in May 1846 per overland mail via Marseille, to Bordeaux

1864, Entire folded letter from Calcutta to Port Louis, Mauritius, dated inside "Calcutta 2 Mai 1866", endorsed on front per steamer "ST JOSEPH", adjacent superb strike "6 d- TO PAY", reverse transit cds. "REUNION 4 JUIL. 66" and arrival "MAURITIUS JY 7 66"; very fine, a delightful and scarce maritime entire

1852, 'Scinde Dawk' ½ a. white, clear to large margins, used with manuscript 'star', still with original gum and some hinge remainders. A fine and scarce stamp.

1852, 'Scinde Dawk' ½ a. white, clear to large margins, unusually cancelled  with five pen crosses, fine and scarce.

1852, 'Scinde Dawk' ½ a. white, good embossing and large margins, used with diamond of dots and pen cross, two vertical creases, still fine.

1852, 'Scinde Dawk' ½ a. white, clear to large margins, used with pen cross on small piece, vertical crease at left, still fine.

1854/55, ½ a., die I, ample to large margins, used with diamond of dots on entire letter with adjacent boxed "BIRODA Paid" with manuscript date "12-12 54", to Bharuch with frontside negative seal "POST OFFICE BROACH". Very fine.

1854/55, ½ a., die II, vertical block of 20 showing almost complete watermark 'coat of arms', unused, faint vertical crease in the third row (one stamp with small paper break), otherwise fine. A scarce multiple.

1854, 4 a. blue/red, 2nd Printing, Worn Head Die II, two cut-to-shape examples, and 1 a. dull red, four very good margins, tied by losange of dots to an envelope to Jersey, alongside red cds. "(LONDON) 1855 17 AU BN" and crescent shape "INDIA PAID", reverse framed boxed "BANGALORE 1855 JUNE" and arrival cds. "JERSEY AU 18 1855 A". A fine and attractive cover with a scarce destination, certificate RPSL (2023)

1854/55, 8a. blue/red, 4th printing, head die III, cut two shape, tied by numeral “B1” to small envelope with adjacent boxed "INDIA PAID" to Leamington, with transit and arrival marks, minor aging, a very attractive and scarce cover, certificate RPSL (2023)

1854/55, 8a. blue/red, 4th printing, head die III, cut two shape, tied by numeral “238” to small envelope to London, with transit- and arrival marks, backflap reduced, minor wrinkles due to transportation, an attractive entire, certificate RPSL (2023)

1854/55, 8a. blue/red, 4th printing, head die III, cut two shape, tied by numeral “1” folded letter with adjacent red boxed “INDIA PAID” and desptach cds. “BOMBAY SE 7 1858” to Scotland with transit- and arrival mark, minor soliing, otherwise fine and scarce, certificate RPSL (2023) 

1854, 2 a. green, horizontal strip of four with ample to mostly large margins, with four strikes of diamond of dots on entire to Shanghai, showing on reverse red boxed dispatch mark "CALCUTTA G.P.O. SHIP LETTER 18 NO 1854" and transit "HONG-KONG 8 DE 1854". A very fine and rare letter with a most unusual destination.

1854, 2 a. green, good to large margins, tied by octagonal "B/127" to letter sheet to Rangoon, showing on reverse red Moulmein GPO cds. A fine and scarce entire.

1854, 2 a. green, ample to large margins, tied by octagonal "B/5" to letter sheet to Rangoon, showing on reverse red boxed "AKYAB  SHIP LETTER /1859 JU 1/PAID" and oval "FORWARDED BY JOHN OGILVY HAY & Co./AKYAB". Very fine and scarce.

1865, 8 p. lilac and 1866/78,  4 a. green in pair, tied by duplex "BOMBAY 2 OCT 70" to envelope to London (14.11.) with clear adjacent framed "INSUFFICIENTLY PREPAID / FOR BRINDISI ROUTE / DEFICIENT POSTAGE 3d.", which was used for a short period during the closure of the route via Marseille due to the Franco-Prussian war. PROFI has recorded only one further entire with India franking showing this handstamp.

1866, fiscal stamp 6 a. with overprint "POSTAGE", with 8 p. purple, tied by Bombay duplex of 29.12.1866 to blue cover via France and forwarder to Edinburgh. A very fine and rare entire. Certificate Holcombe (1987)

1948, Gandhi 1½ a.-10 r. with special first day cancel on two illustrated envelopes, cover with small values very minor aging, very scarce, certificates RPSL (2023)

1992, Bird of Prey 100r. instead of 200r. and wrong nomenclature "Shahin Kohila" instead of "Macchhlimar", mint never hinged, very fine and rare

SERVICE: 1866/72, 8 a. carmine, horizontal strip of eight from the upper right sheet corner with marginal inscription and plate number "5", unused with toned original gum, perforation at top partly separated (SG for singles 440£)

1866, fiscal stamps with overprint "SERVICE/POSTAGE" in green, 2 a., neatly cancelled, very fine. Signed Pfenninger

1866, 4 a. fiscal stamp with overprint "SERVICE/POSTAGE" in green, government imitation, unused with original gum. Certificate RPSL (1978)

“FIRST AERIAL POST U.P. EXHIBITION ALLAHABAD 1911”, good strike in magenta on Postal stationery envelope 1a. on 2a6p. orange, addressed locally with despatch and arrival mark on reverse, fine, very rare and attractive, certificate RPSL (2023) (H&G 7)

“FIRST AERIAL POST U.P. EXHIBITION ALLAHABAD 1911”, good strike in magenta on Postal stationery envelope Edward ½ a. green to Calcutta, reverse with despatch and arrival mark, minor toning, otherwise fine, very rare and attractive, certificate RPSL (2023) (H&G 8a)

“FIRST AERIAL POST U.P. EXHIBITION ALLAHABAD 1911”, three good strikes on two horizontal pairs and block of four Edward 3p. gray and two singles ½a. green on front and reverse of registered cover with boxed registration mark “R U.P. EXHIBITION CAMP ALLAHABAD” alongside to Coimbatore, stamps on reverse tied by arrival cds., adhesives minor imperfections, some aging, yet attractive and very rare, certificiate RPSL (2023)

“FIRST AERIAL POST U.P. EXHIBITION ALLAHABAD 1911”, good strike in magenta on Edward ½ a. green on local envelope with despatch and arrival mark on reverse, the stamp small imperfections, the envelope few faults, yet and attractive and scarce entire, certificate RPSL (2023)

“FIRST AERIAL POST U.P. EXHIBITION ALLAHABAD 1911”, good strike in magenta on Edward ½ a. green on envelope to Bombay with “ALLAHABAD 18 FE 11” despatch and Bombay arrival on reverse, the latter one enhanced, small tear in the backflap closed with scotch tape, minor toning, otherwise fine and scarce, certificate RPSL (2023)

"FORWARDED BY / GILLANDERS / ARBUTHNOT & Co. / CALCUTTA" , blue handstamp on lettersheet to France with blue "CALCUTTA INDIA UNPAID SE 3 72" on reverse; adjacent blue accountancy mark "GB 1F.66c."

"FIELD FORCE PERSIA 5 AU 57" with manuscript "4 as" on envelope to Bombay, with arrival mark. Very fine.

1904, 1/2a pale blue, Type 1, Stone IB, position 4, without gap between “Half” and “Anna”,  tied to native cover by intaglio seal on black, Jaipur (23 Aug) c.d.s. at lower left, typical small imperfections, else a fine and scarce single franking; with 2021 I.S.E.S. certificate.

1904, 1/2a, Type I, Stone IB, redrawn state, partial plate reconstruction of nine, with examples in pale blue or ultramarine, including positions 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, the last showing the variety “double umbrella,” most with part original gum and of fresh colour, typical small thins or imperfections, difficult to assemble, overall fine.

1904, 1⁄2a pale slate-blue, imperforate plate proof from Stone IA, position 5, unwatermarked, without gum as prepared, with left sheet margin, some light bends/creases as commonly found, else scarce and very fine; with 2018 B.P.A. certificate. 

1904, 1/2a trio of covers, with single weight cover to Nizamat Sambher and double weight cover to Jaipur, each with adhesives cancelled by circular intaglio seal, and single franking on reverse of 1/2a Edward VII postal stationery envelope, indicia cancelled by Amru/Moradabad c.d.s. (31 Oct 04) and adhesive by Jeypore/Dak Shan Sadar (2 Nov) c.d.s., mixed condition, the single weight cover roughly opened at bottom, a useful group.

1904, 1/2a, Stone III, group of seven unused multiples, part to large part original gum, displaying both thin and thick paper types in a range of shades including ultramarine, grey blue, deep blue, blue, and pale blue, usual light wrinkles and imperfections, else a fine and most attractive group.