1895 (July 23) cover to France with five good to fine strikes of the framed 'PINE CREEK/JY23/95/SA' cds on 1d green x6, very fine curved 'REGISTERED/No ("924") h/s below, transit b/s of 'SINGAPORE' & French 'LIGNE N/PAQ FR No5' and Paris arrival b/s & '4/20' delivery h/s, somewhat aged/soiled. [Goldmining]
1942 Australian Comfort Funds 'ACF' envelope sent registered airmail to West Tamworth (NSW) with QE 1d green & 9d Platypus tied 'FIELD POSTAL UNIT/24MAR1942/7.M.D.' oval d/s in violet with a better strike alongside tying blank blue R label plus another strike on the reverse, signed censor cachet on face & back, transit & arrival b/s, a couple of minor blemishes. [Because of the Japanese air raids on Darwin, the Base PO had moved to Katherine on 26.2.1942; Phil Collas at p101 records this d/s used as a backstamp only]
Alice Springs East (1): 'RELIEF No15./-3AU48/SOUTH-AUST' very fine strike alongside KGVI 2d purple & 3½d Newcastle tied by another lesser partial strike on registered cover to Victoria with blank blue R label endorsed "Alice Springs/East" in manuscript pen on day after official opening. PO 2.8.1948; closed 3.3.1950. Alice Springs East (2) PO 13.8.1951; closed 4.9.1968. The Handbook speculates that a datestamp inscribed 'NORTH-AUST' was used in this first opening period, but no strike has been recorded. A datestamp inscribed 'NT-AUST' is recorded from 1952 onwards.
Elliott (1): 'ELLIOTT/3-JA49/NORTH-AUST' light but largely very fine strike on QE 1d, Princess 1d & KGVI 3½d blue on registered cover to Victoria with blank blue R label endorsed "ELLIOTT" in manuscript pen on day after official opening, another largely very fine b/s alongside 'DALY WATERS/NT' transit. Unrecorded in the Handbook. PO 2.1.1949; closed 5.1.1952. Elliott (2) PO 1.5.1952; closed 3.12.1955. Elliott (3) PO 29.11.1965. No postmarks are recorded from the first opening period; the Handbook speculates that it opened using a RELIEF cds, which was not the case; a datestamp inscribed 'NT-AUST' is recorded in the second opening period from June 1952 onwards.
POSTMARKS: Duplicated selection including 'ALICE SPRINGS SOUTH/NT-AUST', 'BIRDUM/NORTH AUST', 'CHARLOTTE WATERS/NT', 'DARWIN/N. T.' (no arcs), 'POWELL CREEK/NT', 'QUORN-ALICE SPRINGS/TPO' x3, 'CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN RAIL' on 1970 cover with provisional R label, 'QUORN-ALICE SPRINGS TPO/SOUTH AUST' on cover & commercial piece, 'TR HEAD CAMP/SA' squared-circle x4, etc, quality of the strikes is quite variable with many being on single stamps only.
(Qty 70+) (Image1)
