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.