Sarawak Sibu Linotype

I bought this short BMA set at our recent society auction. It is clearly philatelic with a combination of corresponding values from North Borneo and Sarawak. The British Military Administration looked after Brunei, Labuan, North Borneo and Sarawak as a single region. The BMA overprinted stamps were eligible for use throughout the area. No Brunei were overprinted in this way. It was said that there were no spare sheets of mint stamps left after the war which I do not think was true.

You can see the setting is the reverse of that for Sandakan. There are 3 main subtypes of this linotype. This is type 1 and is quite common whereas types 2 and 3 are difficult to find. Type 2 has smaller numerals and has a slightly different setting. Type 3 does not have the year and both day and month are in numerals.

We have a clear common date of 17/DEC. 1945 and in fact this is the date on cancelled for favour sets and covers. The above is rather unusual and attractive with combinations of NB and Sarawak adhesives on piece.

North Borneo BMA set with Sandakan Linotype

These few weeks I will try to include things that I shared or bought at our recent annual meeting. This set of BMA stamps which is mostly in pairs was a lucky break. I really should not get into the details how it came about. It was part of my short display at the meeting.

The Sandakan Straits Linotype cancellation is by no means uncommon but it would be rare to see a full BMA set with this cancellation. There are 2 main sub types from my recollection and it is to do with the position of the 3 lines with each other. Sandakan is probably the commonest of the linotypes from North Borneo. The others are Kudat, Lahad Datu, Tenom, Beaufort and Jesselton. The last 3 are rare and Jesselton is available only as a proof copy.

These cancellations were used as a temporary basis while awaiting the more sturdy cancellers which are the so called Australian types to arrive. The linotypes were assembled in Singapore and the replacements were presumably made in Australia. According to Proud, the range of use for Sandakan was between 31.12.45 to 21.6.46 . The date on this cancelled by favoured set is MAR. 1946/20. The stop or period after the month is not shown in Proud's book.

This is a much clearer version from my collection but alas the stamp is imperfect.

Two North Borneo newspaper wrappers

I feel that I owe readers a good post this week. And thank you for your support meanwhile. One of the wrappers below is fresh off the auction at our annual meeting of The Sarawak Society last weekend in Bournemouth. It was very enjoyable meeting a good number of members with similar interest and attitude. And the auction, which is the main draw, offers a wide variety of items from our territories of Brunei, Labuan, North Borneo and Sarawak at sensible prices. This is because we only have to pay a 3% buyers premium as compared to 20% for most auction houses. No worries about forgeries. The members would see to that.

Really if one is serious about collecting these areas, it is definitely easier to progress by being a member of the society. I have only been an active member for the past 5 years. The annual fee is held at 15 pounds sterling which really does not cover the cost of the 4 journals that we send out. A member is also allowed to partake in our auction, write for the journal and of course join us at our Spring and Autumn annual meetings where you will be made to feel very much at ease.

Alright, back to these 2 newspaper wrappers. You would have noticed that they were addressed to the same person which was my main reason for buying the bottom item last weekend. There was competition but I was prepared to go much higher than anyone else. I believe the second version is much more uncommon.

The first issue of The North Borneo Herald and Official Gazette was printed and published on 1st March 1883 by Thomas James Keaughran at Office No.1 Dent Road, Kudat. This was the first capital of North Borneo. By the time of the issue in April of 1885, the name has changed slightly to The British North Borneo Herald and Official Gazette. It was then published at the Government Printing Office at Sandakan by William Jacob Rozario. The capital had moved to Sandakan at the end of 1883 or early 1884.

By 1892, the Borneo Official Gazette was published separately as the back pages of The BNB Herald became popular with advertisers. It was a pity because a lot of information was present in the Gazette especially official announcements and appointments. These two news sheets were sent out separately as seen by the above examples. Earlier wrappers were endorsed for postal passage by the uncommon Lion cds and subsequently the undated circular Lion 1 cent cancellation. Examples will not be shown here due to a recent attempt at forging the latter cancellation on cover which fooled even some experienced collectors.

Ps I have updated one of my recent post. You can read it by clicking here.

Update Just some information on Alleyne Ireland Esq (1871-1951). He was an American commentator who visited the Far East early in the early 1900s. From the observations of his travels, he wrote a book The Far East Tropics. Chapter 3 was devoted to North Borneo where he was critical of some aspects of government as well as the building of the railway. This was mostly the responsibility of the board of directors in London. However, he was full of praise for the ability and dedication of the various officers.

Two recent Sabah covers

Here are a couple of covers which I had cancelled by helpful staff at 2 post offices in Sabah recently.
I make no apologies for showing them as someone has to record these modern postmarks. And also I am too busy to prepare anything too detailed. This weekend, we are off to Bournemouth for the annual AGM weekend of the Sarawak Society which would include a very good auction as well as displays from various members.

This is the cancellation for the mini post office at Bandar Kim Fung at mile 2.5 Labuk Rd Sandakan. It should read PPM (pejabat pos mini) Elopura. 

The international airport post office cancellation LTA Kota Kinabalu has remained the same since I last obtained a cancelled cover there 2 years ago. But the postal rate is now $2 for overseas ordinary mail as compared to $1.50 for registered post 2 years previously. You can see my related post by clicking here.

Beaufort D3 year "9"

From not having any, I managed to get hold of two over a couple of weeks.

Service resumes albeit a bit late this week. I was in Sabah and then Hong Kong. We stayed in Mongkok and watched part of the general student sit down protest at first hand. The air was never cleaner as long stretches of Nathan Rd was closed. The crowds were out as usual.

Well back to these two beauties. The Beaufort D3 only has "9" for a large part of the year 1909. The reason is unknown but perhaps they have lost or ran out of some the numeral inserts. But anyway it was replaced by D4 in Dec 1909.   

It definitely looks unique and interesting. I would like a copy on the 1909 issue of pictorials. We have clear dates here of  20 MAR 9 and 14 JUN 9.