386th Auction

1890, Doppelkarte 10 Pfennig von "DARMSTADT 9.2.97" nach Tanger und zusammenhängend als Einschreiben zurückgesandt, für die Einschreibegebühr frankiert mit Gibraltar 1889, 40 Centimos braunorange (unnötigerweise überfrankiert), mit sauber auf- und nebengesetztem "REGISTERED TANGIER 20 FE 97". Beide Teile mit längerem Text. Ein seltenes und interessantes Stück. 

1886, 10 oere rose, tied by c.d.s. "NORDLANDS POSTEXP. 15/VIII.91" to Nordcap picture postcard, mailed to Melbourne, Victoria, here taxed and 2 copies of postage due 5 d. applied, cancelled by pencil, with adjacent "T10" oval handstamp. According to the Italian & Australian treaty, the postage for the card was 60 c., deduction of paid 10 c. = 50 c., which was doubled  and converted to 10 d.

1840, folded entire to London with fine red crowned “PAID SHIP LETTER / SYDNEY MA(RCH) 28 1840”, reverse scarce red two-line “INDIAN LETTER PLYMOUTH” (Robertson In4) and London arrival cds, charged “8” (pence) in front for incoming ship letter, two vertical archival folds, fine and scarce, signed Todd

1860, Diadem 2 d. blue with Watermark "5" instead of "2", horizontal pair with just one single watermark, shifted to the central top. Ample to good margins, neatly cancelled, very fine.

1862/64, new frame 6 d. grey-black, 2 copies with 1863/81, laureated 4 d. deep rose, perf. 12, tied by barred numeral "81" TARRAVILLE on 1863 registered cover to Ivanhoe, Heidelberg, Melbourne, with adjacent red "REGISTERED / MELBOURNE". On reverse oval despatch (Dec 11) and Warringal transit datestamp (Dec 17). A very fine and most attractive cover. Provenance: Max Watson (Prestige, Melbourne 2005)

1893, 1 d. in pair and 3 d., tied by barred oval "F" with adjacent Freemantle c.d.s., to registered envelope to New South Wales with transit – and arrival marks. Minor transportation marks. A fine and scarce entire.

3d. on 30 pfg. black and orange/buff, fresh color and good perforation, position 4, tied by oval "RABAUL NEW BRITAIN JAN 22 1915" to small piece, very fine, signed Bothe BPP and certificate GPS (1983) (Michel 6I)

1914, 2s. on 2m. blue, fresh color and goof perforation, unused, very fine, signed Champion (Michel 11I)

1892, Cover franked on reverse with India ½ a. green, tied by squared circle "BAHRAIN OC 6 92" to Bushire with frontside boxed "POSTAGE DUE / ONE ANNA" and arrival mark of October 9 next to the stamp; fine and rare, the earliest of 2 recorded such combinations

1893, British India postcard ONE ANNA on 1½ a. blue from Bahrain (July 9th 1893), posted at "BUSRAH JL .. 93" and sent to London with frontside "SEA POST OFFICE JL 28 93"; fine and very scarce early mail

1903, British India postcard with prepaid answer 1 a. blue + 1 a. blue used with text from "BAHRAIN 27 DE 03" via "SEA POST OFFICE JA. 9 04" to Berlin with arrival mark on front. A very rare card; apparently the sender sent several of these cards each with part of text of his travel descriptions; we have recorded 2 further such cards from Bahrain

1908, British India envelope ONE ANNA on 2 a. 6 p. orange with return address "Mason Memorial Hospital / Bahrein, Persian Gulf" and clear postmark "BAHRAIN 17 OC. 08" addressed to the Seaman Hospital, Greenwich, S.E. The writer expected to benefit of the soldier's concessionary rate, but since the envelope was not countersigned by an officer it was taxed, showing 2 strikes of "T" in circle struck in Bahrain, plus British "3d/F.B.". The envelope opened out for display with slight toning at the edges. Unique usage of this envelope at Bahrain and to our records only recorded use of the "T"-tax stamp at Bahrain

1912, Edward 3 a. orange-brown, tied by cds. "BAHRAIN 18 FE. 12" to reverse of registered envelope with provisional registration label to Bombay with adjacent arrival mark; cover opened on 2 sides, very fine and rare early registered mail

1 r. with 3 p. (12) and George VI 1 a. (2), used on reverse of airmail cover from "BAHRAIN PERSIAN GULF 27 NOV 39" to Copenhagen, Denmark with white label "OPENED BY CENSOR", fixed with staples and tied by the cds., leaving 4 stamps underneath the label uncancelled. A most attractive and very rare censored letter

2 r., tied by cds. "BAHRAIN 2..AUG 34" to registered airmail cover via Cairo to germany with transit- and arrival marks. A fine and rare cover.

5 r., horizontal marginal pair tied to commercial airmail cover from "BAHRAIN 17 NOV. 45" to San Francisco with adjacent red "O.A.T." (Onward Air Transport). A very rare usage of these stamps and highest recorded franking of this issue

½ a., 4 copies, tied to reverse of cover to Tchahbahar, underpaid by ½ a. and taxed on arrival, franked with 2 copies Iran 1938, 50 d., tied by Tchahbahar cds.; a very rare combination cover

1948/49, ½ a. (2), 1 a., 1½ a. and 2½ a., tied by 3 strikes of cds. "EXPERIMENTAL P.O. K-121" (Muharraq post office) to airmail cover to England; one ½ a. slight transportation marks, otherwise fine. The experimentals K121-postmark is the rarest postmark of Bahrain, according to Donaldson just one further cover has been reported

1934, Registered envelope 3 a. + 1 a. 3 p. used abroad with cds. "C-POST OFFICE 2 .. JUN 47" (Basra Margil) with adjacent violet "R No. "c" base P.O." to England, little roughly opened, very rare

1893, handstamp “40 PARAS” on ½ d. vermillion tied by cds. “BRITISH POST OFFICE STAMBOUL c FEB.28.93” to cover to London with arrival mark. The cover is vertically folded, the stamp is in fine condition, signed Pavoille, Paris

1883, TWO CENTS on 32 C. pale red, wide S, unused without gum, very fine and fresh. A rare stamp. Certificate BPA (2025)

1857, Victoria 7½ d. green, unused (regummed), rich color and strong impression, ample margins to clear at right, otherwise fine; a scarce stamp. Certificate Greene Foundation (2016) (Scott 9)

1956/57, wm "St. Edward"s crown" 1½ a. on 1½ d. In horizontal pair (separated at base) with 1952/54, ½ a. on ½ d., used on commercial airmail cover from "BAHRAIN .. FE 57" to Doha, Qatar. The envelope with some marginal transportation faults, the pair in very fine condition (partly lifted for inspection of watermark). One of the greatest rarities of the British agencies in Arabia; only one further copy of this rare stamp has been recorded used at Bahrain (also on cover). Certificates David Brandon (1997) and RPSL (2025)

1851, 1 s. reddish mauve on blued paper, fresh color and ample to mostly good margins all around, used with blue oval of bars, a fine and very rare stamp, certificate BPA (2009)