385th Auction

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)