Great Britain and British Commonwealth GILBERT & ELLICE ISLANDS
Sale No: 4
Lot No: 904
Symbol: **/*/
Cat No: 1-7
Selection mostly unmounted including 1911 overprints on Fiji set (7) SG 1-7, 1911 Pines set, KGV 1912-24 Multiple Crown CA Watermark ½d to 5/- with shades (the 1d scarlet & 3d *; the 2/6d used) and 1922-27 Multiple Script CA Watermark ½d to 2d, also 1935 Silver Jubilee set, KGVI Pictorials set plus Perf 12 3d & 1/-, Silver Wedding £1 and QEII 1956-62 Pictorials set, a few with minor gum tropicalisation, Cat £550+ (for mounted to end of KGV).
(Qty 73)
POSTAL HISTORY: 1945 cover from "Sun Cheng/Cable Station/Fanning Island" (return address on the flap) to the USA endorsed "By Air Mail/Via Honululu" with KGVI 6d Coconut Palms tied by fine 'POST OFFICE/ 9APR45/FANNING ISLAND' cds, slightly smudged strike of the boxed 'GILBERT AND ELLICE/ISLANDS COLONY/ PASSED BY CENSOR/No.1' cachet on face, couple of minor blemishes. [Proud states at p52 that the Pacific air route was re-opened for civilian airmail in 1943, with service from Hawaii to the continental USA presumably provided by American Army Transport flights on a 'space available' basis]
POSTAL HISTORY: 1955 airmail cover to Central Pacific Union Mission in Fiji with KGVI Pictorials 1d x2 & 1/- x2 tied 'TARAWA/13JN55/...' cds, carried via Samoa with 'APIA/-7JL55/WESTERN SAMOA' transit b/s, minor blemishes & small part of the flap missing. [Although ANA carried airmail between Canton Island and Fiji, this item appears to have been sent by seamail to Samoa as a more expeditious route than waiting for a ship to take it to Canton Island]
POSTAL HISTORY: 1960 cover registered airmail to Australia with QEII Pictorials 2/- 'solo' tied light 'CHRISTMAS ISLAND/25JAN60' cds and boxed 'G.& E.I.C./CHRISTMAS IS./R. No ["11"]' cachet in violet alongside, American-type 'REGISTERED' h/s in purple on face, Sydney '-2FE60' arrivalb/s, minor blemishes.
