1852, Scinde Dawk Issue, 1/2 d. white, used, large to very large margins, cancelled by ink pen strokes, strong embossing, tear to top into rim of design and another smaller tear at the left margin, however a rare stamp especially with such fine appearance. Cert. Sismondo (2009). Gi = £3,000. rnrnProvenance: The 'M' Collection of India and Indian Feudatory States, Spink, 23 June 2022, Lot 1012. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

1860, Electric Telegraph, set of three Proofs, printed in black, on glossy card, imperforate, comprising 4 a., 1 r. and 4 r. values, very attractive and rare, these were the world's first Telegraph stamps. (Image 1) (Image)

1860, Electric Telegraph, 4 a. reddish-purple, used, cancelled by punched holes, heavily creased and faults, however exceptionally rare example, seldom offered. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)

1860, Electric Telegraph, set of three values, 4 a,, 1 r. and 4 r. reddish-purple, overprinted "COURT FEES" in red, used, cancelled with punched holes, imperfection and the 4 r. has a repaired lower right corner and a crease, rare examples from the post 1869 remainders used fiscally. (Image 1) (Image)

JAIPUR 1904: First issue ½ anna grey-blue and ultramarine, two used copies with the SG 2b on piece, both with usual indistinct seal cancels. SG 2022 = GB£850. rnProvenance: Hasse Brockenhuus von Löwenhielm sale, Koehler 2021, ex lot 5134 (Image 1) (Image)

Sale No: 309
Lot No:1148
Symbol:Cat No:Collection

Feudatory States, Poonch 1877 (Sept. 19): India ½ a. blue stationary envelope from Poonch via Kahuta and Rawalpindi to Amritsar, the indicium cancelled "L-6/7" in square of bars at the Imperial post office and showing on reverse a near perfect strike of the 30 mm circular intaglio seal handstamp with four lines Dogri script "By the grace of Shri Ragunath. Seal of the Poonch State Post Office. Samvat 1933" and in the lower half the same phrase in Persian, also KAHUTA (Sept 23), RAWALPINDI (Sept 24), and "AMRITSAR DELIVERY" (Sept 26) cds's. The envelope with few minor stains, primarily around the indicium, though not unattractive and the earliest recorded example of Poonch's Postal History and the only Poonch pre-stamp cover. rnrnNote: This four-line seal was used to endorse outgoing mail until at least 1880. It was used to obliterate the early stamps of Poonch until June 1887. A manuscript date on the front shows that this cover was posted on 5 Assu S. 1934, corresponding to 19 September 1877, and thus predates the earliest recorded use of Poonch's stamps by 10 months.rnReference: Displayed as figure 2 and described in detail in the article "Punch: The Postal History" by Anthony S. Bard in London Philatelist 1270 (Nov. 1999), pp. 295-304.rnProvenance: Collections Sir David Masson; H.D.S. Haverbeck (1973); H. Garratt-Adams; and A. S. Bard. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3) (Image)

Feudatory States, Poonch 1886 (May 24): India ½ a. green stationary envelope from Srinagar via Sialkot and Kahuta to Poonch, the indicium cancelled in transit at the Imperial post office by SIALKOT cds (May 27), bearing on reverse Jammu & Kashmir 1883 ½ a. adhesive and showing a superb strike of the circular intaglio seal handstamp with four lines Dogri script "By the grace of Shri Ragunath. Seal of the Poonch State Post Office." followed by small "1939" corresponding to 1882-83, and in the lower half the same phrase in Persian, also KAHUTA transit (May 29) cds. The earliest recorded incoming mail to Poonch.rnrnNote: The existence of another Punch seal had been hinted at by the occasional covers seen addressed to Poonch, postdating the introduction of the new square obliterator, which bore faint impressions similar in diameter to the Poonch seal. Originally, it seemed that the first seal had been retained for the sorting of incoming mail. However, this cover provides irrefutable evidence of the second type, which is known to have been used almost exclusively for sorting purposes, and never as an obliterator.rnReference: Displayed as figure 5 and described in detail in the article "Punch: The Postal History" by Anthony S. Bard in London Philatelist 1270 (Nov. 1999), pp. 295-304.rnProvenance: Collections H. Garratt-Adams; and A. S. Bard. (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image)