Got this cover recently from a fellow member of the Sarawak Specialist Society. This is a commercially used item bearing the correct rate of 20c for a airmail letter to Malaya plus 25c for registration. The stamps are well franked with a fairly clear Papar D4 bintang postmark.
The cover is a bit water stained and weathered which gives it an air of authenticity. It is probably a "flood" cover!
Well, the back of the envelope is even more interesting. Here, we have 3 more very clear Papar D4 bintang cancellations together with transit marks from Jesselton and Singapore. Finally, there is an arrival marking in Penang. The letter was posted on 17th May 1963 and transited in Jesselton and Singapore on the 18th and 19th respectively. It arrived in Penang on the 20th May. It is certain this cover went by air.
Definitely, it was worth paying the extra 25c for the reg label and all those postmarks!
Examining it more closely yielded even more interest. The nice Jesselton star postmark is in fact the more uncommon D38 which was in use for a few months. It was different in being smaller in diameter with the letters of jesselton/north borneo more closely spaced. By drawing an imaginary line by computer from the star touching the outermost of the year numeral on the right, one could see it just about touches the o in borneo in D38. The date of 18th May 1963 is also a month earlier than that recorded by Proud.
Thank you Stuart.
Happy New Year!
No comments:
Post a Comment