Postal History
1. Labuan Registered cover 1913 with Straits Settlement Stamp
I thought the cover was pretty interesting in that it is franked with the 1906-12 Straits Settlement stamp SG160. The cds is not very clear but probably shows the date of 20 8 1913. The lower left quadrant is affixed with the Labuan label no 2298. The is also an interesting AR mark on the top aspect of the cover - representing AR for Advice of Receipt. The cover ended in 4 July 2011 with a final price of £232.
2. Uncommon Franking of North Borneo cover, 1889
This cover is interesting because of several reasons. The first one is the uncommon combination of frankings. You don't see SG63 and SG108 being used together very often. It shows a contrast between North Borneo earlier stamps and the beginning of pictorials. The second reason is the neat postal markings - the Sandakan D6 dated 15 May 1899 and the R3 registration mark no 4. The back tells more stories including the transit to Labuan, to Brindisi and to its uncommon destination, Hohenstein, Germany. Ended sale in 10.07.11 with a final price of US$260.55.
3. The Rayoh Gorge PPC from Kudat, 1906
This classic black & white postcard brings that sentimental feeling of being in the steam train running from Beaufort to Tenom, where the Rayoh Gorge would have been seen. Although the picture is quite boring and probably not the best depiction there is, the postcard itself is nicely franked with four stamps overprinted British Protectorate and tied with good Kudat cancels. The card bears the sender's message, written in Kudat in 15 Jan 1906, although not entirely visible. This postcard is one of the few pictured postcards produced by the company and as such bears the Arms of the Chartered Company. Sold in ebay for £118 and ended in 12.07.11.
4. Beaufort to St. Gall, Switzerland censored cover, 1917
This cover is exciting because it is an uncommon cover franked 16 cents , registered at Beaufort,10 FEB 17, to St. Gall, Switzerland. The feint Beaufort strikes are in a blue- black ink. The cover was censored 9 in France) with remnants of censor tape on the front ( tied by 'Ouvert' strike partially over the 10 cents value to the right of which is a violet '17' censor number). The interesting part is the handstamped Registration 'label' dated 10 FE 17 and numbered 183, currently not listed in Proud's. It could represent either R2 or R3. The back has more censor tape also tied with an oval '117' Ouvert strike. There is a Jeselton transit ( 10 FEB 1917), Singapore transit ( 20 FE) and St.Gallen receiver ( 31 III 17). There is the remnants of a black wax seal which may have had a Beaufort Borneo Rubber Company impression. Although has many faults and generally looked messy, the cover reached US$217.50 final price on 17.07.11.
Postmarks
1. Kudat cds ?D2 on $10 stamp
This stamp reached a final price of AU $172.50 on 25.07.11. What's intriguing about this stamp is that it has two marks, one black Kudat cds and another, faint circular violet mark on top right corner. So what is this then? A fiscally used stamp, a postally used stamp or a forgery? The black-ink cds has an uncommon format for D2. The time code (i.e. A) is followed by the month (i.e. MY) rather than the day. The year is unclear but probably "95" i.e 1895. If the date of 23 May 1895 is correct, then there are several anomalies with regard to this postmark. Proud mentions that for D2, the time code is nearly always omitted from 9.6.95 and that from 10.3.94 to 9.6.95, the cancel is usually strucked in blue ink. To add to that confusion is the violet mark on the background. Hopefully, someone with an explanation can elaborate.
2. Kudat Fiscal cancel and blue Government seal?
The first stamp on the lot is cancelled with Kudat fiscal cancellation, possibly representing D5 of Proud. Of note, it is only seen on high value stamps off cover. This cancel is similar to Sandakan fiscal cancel but the letters and cross are rather heavier and the year is a full four-figured number. In this example, the cds is strucked in blue ink with black pen cancel. Another interesting mark is the one on the $2 stamp, it shows part of a large double-ring cancel with the Arms of the Company. This is strucked in blue ink but the inscription is not legible for me, I'm guessing that this could be the Government of British North Borneo seal...
