Some interesting postage dues

What follows are the variations available of two fairly common postage due stamps with the British Protectorate overprint. Somehow one has the feeling that they were contrived. BNBC was up to their tricks again. Nonetheless, nowadays these less common varieties are highly collectible.

The normal stamp has POSTAGE DUE overprinted in the middle as seen. However, this one here is perf 16 rather than 15 and therefore carries a significant premium.

These 2 has the overprint towards the top of the design. The upper item has  part of a Lahad  Datu cancellation and was bought cheaply at the recent SSS auction. The second one on piece has a faint Sandakan cancel. It is highly likely most of these seemingly used items were actually cancellled as favour to dealers and collectors.

Count myself very fortunate with this valuable postage due with a vertical type overprint which has an uncommon nearly full on Tawao cancellation with a full date of 2 OC 1903. There are 5 different stamps of this British Protectorate postage due issue with a vertical overprint and this is the most valuable.

The top item has the overprint in the normal position. The bottom one with the overprint at the top is not that easy to find and probably under priced. Again, it was bought very reasonably at our recent SSS auction. Serious collectors of  these territories are missing a lot by not becoming a member. There is a nice partial Beaufort cancellation here. 

North Borneo 1893 2c and 6c colour trial

The Philatelic Record of August 1893 page 184 stated that a series of values up to 24c was in the course of preparation but that the colours had not yet been settled. It went on to describe designs selected for the various values. All had the designation "THE STATE OF NORTH BORNEO". These stamps were recess printed by Waterloo & Sons at two operations in sheets of 10x10.
This was going to be the first pictorial issue in 1894 after the conventional classical designs by Blades East & Blades previously.

This is a perforated colour trial as opposed to a printer sample sheet adhesive which would have a small hole as well as the inscription for specimen on it as well as the name of the printer Waterloo & Sons.

Two Labuan cards same scene

This postcard looks more recent than the RPPC below. The tree beside the building on the left looks more mature and also a building has been erected just behind it. Otherwise the scene is essentially the same. The back of this card is blank and gives no indication of its origin. It is at least 5-10 years older than the card below which was sent in 1908.

This real photo post card was previously shown. It is a valuable and possibly unique item. It was posted from Labuan in October 1908 and unusually franked by a North Borneo stamp. Labuan joined the Straits Settlements at the beginning of 1907 and it would seemed that NB stamps were still eligible for postal usage for a while longer.  

Labuan SL4 and SL8 paquebots

I will continue to post Labuan material for a while longer. I am slowing building up my collection of Labuan cancellations but my collection still lacks some very significant pieces.

This was one of the sheets that I showed at our Sarawak Specialists' Society meeting in Singapore last month during the World Stamp Exhibition 2015.

The Brunei adhesives represent mail posted on the regular boat service to Labuan. The North Borneo stamps were probably on covers from the south western part of the country where it was more convenient to send mail via Labuan than going north through Jesselton. 

Similarly, there are parts of northern Sarawak eg Trusan or Limbang which are quite far from Kuching compared to Labuan. It would have been faster to send mail through Labuan. These Sarawak stamps are hard to find. The GB and Australian stamps on piece with SL8 were most probably taken from philatelic paquebot covers.    

An uncommon Labuan SL4 paquebot cover franked by a North Borneo stamp. The date is unfortunately unclear. One would assume that the cover was posted on a ship in North Borneo waters on its way to Labuan from somewhere in the south west. SL4 was in use between 1937 and 1941.
Later on today, we shall be on our way to sunny Bournemouth to attend the Sarawak Specialists' Society AGM weekend. There will be displays of material not commonly seen as well as an auction on Saturday morning. It is certainly a highlight of my year of collecting.