25c "Triple P" and $1 "Albino stop" 1901 British Protectorate stamps

Christmas Gift 3

This is a rather unusual item with duplication of part of the overprint. Two extra "P"s are seen clearly on either side of the overprint. So we have a largely albino overprint on the left whereas the one on the right would be found on the next stamp. It is not listed in any stamp catalogue that I know of.
In addition, we have a rather nice fiscal cancel from Darby & Co. W G Darby was the most wealthy and influential of the expatriates working there. He literally had a finger in every pie. He later on sold out to Harrisons & Crosfield but still retained overall control. He imported the first car into North Borneo, a Chevrolet Baby Grand, in 1914 to take the few miles from his home on Bukit Merah to his office. This was before the Governor had an official motor. There were only a few miles of metaled road which were probably started around 1910.
There is a date for New Year's eve of 31 DEC 1906. Have a Happy Happy New Year!

I was really excited when I found this. Unfortunately it is not an unlisted missing stop variety that I had hope. Instead there is a "stop" or period which is largely albino with an indentation seen at the back just above and to the left of the star of the dealer's mark. Some of these dealer's marks are really interesting.

Two very early Jesselton items

Christmas Gift 2

The following two items from Jesselton have probably the earliest dates recorded from this post office for a adhesive and postal history respectively.

Here is a very clear Jesselton D2 with a date of 26 SEP 00. I have seen one for October but otherwise this is the earliest date that we have so far. Proud gives an EKD of 27 OCT 00. The district officer transferred from Gantian on 10 SEP 00. The treasury moved on 22 SEP 00 and I think this was the date when the post office was opened rather than the earlier date. The post office was an integral part of the treasury in the early days.
There is another later D3 cancellation of JUN 1904 which intrigues. Fortunately it seems to overlay the earlier cancellation. One possible explanation was that this high face value adhesive was on a fiscal document that was later re-endorsed after a loan was paid off.
Please note that I have called this an adhesive rather than a stamp. By definition, a stamp in philatelic terms is an adhesive that had passed through the postal process and "stamped" by a postally valid cancellation.

This is fortunately more straight forward. This postal stationary card was sent from Sandakan to Jesselton with a Christmas and New Year greeting. Fortunately the initial cancellation was not clear and the receiving postal clerk found it fitting to add an arrival postmark. The date of 19 DEC 00 is the earliest date that we know for a Jesselton cancellation on a cover or card. Also note the day 19 is eccentric in this cds.
See another way, this is one of the earliest Christmas card from North Borneo. Merry Christmas!