Fiji-Tonga - April 2017

 

Bruce Davies has just acquired this Tin Can cover. Its size permits an even bigger array of cachets than usual, (eight to the front and eleven to the reverse) in a variety of languages and including Bus Post.

The cover is addressed to Niuafoou, endorsed “Per canoe mail, per Mariposa” and bears a Fijian 2d (1st oz empire rate) which is cancelled with a Suva cds for 2 Jy 35.

 

Recent realisations – November 2016

 

Recent eBay realisations (in £) include the following:

India-UK airmail with 8, 3½, 2½ & ½a - double weight

Lundy, Gerald King "alternative" set

New Guinea-Australia reg with set x3, tripple weight?

Hong Kong set on local FDC cancelled Sai Ying Pun - scan

India set on reg air cover to Australia ex Trichinopoly

Straits set on airmail reg FDC (undeclared) to UK

HK-SA by air, 20c pair + $1.80 in defins via Egypt

HK 5c x3 & 10c on reg advert cover to Shanghai

Gibraltar 3d & 1/- on reg Zeppelin cover to Brazil - scan

Mauritius 12c pair + 14c in defins on reg Rodrigues cover - scan

Ceylon set on airmail FDC (undeclared) to UK

Cyprus FDC ex Lefkara

19.20

9.50

9.24

510.00

186.10

34.15

135.31

95.00

226.82

110.00

52.90

79.00

Hong Kong ex New Hebrides – April 2017

 

Following our earlier reports on these New Hebrides paquebot covers, Bruce Davies has found another example.

This time it would appear to be from a different sender and to someone in Sandwich Island.

B. F. Egypt variety – April 2017

 

A poor example of the Egyptian seal appeared on eBay. It did however boast a cds cancel and showed the variety: chamfered foot to the third M in commemoration.

It sold for £24.

 

Bermuda wrapper – April 2017

 

John Cooper has acquired this label from a consignment of 500 sheets of 1d stamps for Bermuda, dated 11/1/35.

 

I wonder what the parcel’s postage was.

 

Mauritius 1 rupee covers – November 2017

 

Harking back to the Absentee Rupee article, John Cooper sent this example. He notes that the 1 rupee pays the double weight airmail fee to Turkey via Athens but not the registration – hence the Turkish postage due mark in red.

That cover should tick a number of boxes in John’s collection.

 

St Vincent plates – March 2017

 

A recently acquired set of this colony showed the same variety on three of the values: Wv5.7/1, (a short diagonal from the base of the Round tower).

 

This seems to establish plate 5 for the 2½d and confirm it for the 1d and 1½d.

Smoking King – March 2017

 

The so-called “Smoking King” variety is usually only associated with the high value of Barbados but this Ascension high value might suggest His Majesty had quite a smoking habit.

Pioneer Plate 4/ – March 2017

 

This FDC would suggest plate Rv 4/ being used for the first printing of the 2c and 24c of British Guiana so our Pioneer Plates table has been amended accordingly.

Elusive used variety – February 2017

 

Having parted with a sole used Malta ½d Extra Flagstaff, its replacement is proving difficult. Instead, an Extra Flagstaff Partially Removed in a block of four cancelled Valletta Branch P.O. has been obtained.

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