1879 (May 18) 1/2a Postal stationery envelope cancelled by the experimental barred diamond (Proud type K2, in use 1st Jun 1878 to Jul 1879), with Zanzibar cds below and India bs, slightly reduced at left otherwise fine and rare, only an estimated 30 covers with this cancel (Image)

FIRST DAY OF USE OF THE CANCELLER 1878 (Jun 1) Envelope double letter rate sent to the “Editor of the Christian World” in London, via Brindisi and Aden bearing 1876 6a tied with first ten-bar canceller used at the Indian post office at Zanzibar along with the accompanying date-stamp, rare and very fine. This important cover was used on the first day of use of the canceller; one of only two known covers used on the first day. Provenance: Henry Heath (Image)

EXTREMELY RARE CONSULAR COVER 1878 (Jun 1) Stampless Envelope from the French Consulate at Zanzibar sent to Biol, France, and is signified with standard Indian “T” tax in circle marking along with “6” in black manuscript applied on arrival. The date-stamp canceller is used on the first day use of the Indian post office and is one of only two recorded used on first day. The French Consulate hand-stamp is displayed in blue. Some faults with tear at top and has some toning. Rare, ex Glassco and Rossiter. (Image)

1878 (Aug 19) Incoming envelope from New Bedford, Massachusetts (United States) addressed to Captain David Allen of the whaler “Minnesota” at Zanzibar via Brindisi (4 September) bearing 10c United States Banknote adhesive. Receiving date-stamp (17 October) similar to the first-type canceller date-stamp of the Indian post office at Zanzibar is shown on the obverse, very fine and rare exhibit quality cover, with fewer than four examples of the receiving date-stamp are recorded, ex Walkley Note: Only two examples of this correspondence are known to Zanzibar. (Image)

1878 (Dec 12) Envelope from Josephine Bartlett of the Universities’ Mission at Zanzibar sent to England via Aden (22 December) & Brindisi bearing single 1876 6a (corner perf. fault) tied by first type ten-bar obliterator of the Indian post office at Zanzibar with accompanying date-stamp (without year date). Miss Bartlett lived at Zanzibar until her death in 1895. Fine and rare. (Image)

SIGNED ENVELOPE FROM THE FAMED EXPLORER H. M. STANLEY 1879 (Jun 1) Envelope written AND SIGNED by the explorer H. M. Stanley addressed to his bank in London Messrs Smith, Payne, & Smith. The cover bears the 5a single letter rate postage composed of 1865 1/2a pair and 1866-78 4a Indian adhesives and all tied with the first ten-bar canceller of Zanzibar along with accompanying date-stamp without the year date, some minor foxing around adhesives otherwise fine. Stanley left Zanzibar on 25 May on the ship “Albion” en route to Boma on the mouth of the Congo River. It is surmised that Stanley left the cover with a forwarding agent for mailing, hence the reason for his signature. One of the three key postal history items from Zanzibar. Provenance: Yates (1939), Hinde (1957) and Sturton. (Image)

1879 (Aug 23) Envelope from Josephine Bartlett of the Universities’ Mission at Zanzibar sent to England via Aden (31 August) & Brindisi bearing 5a franking tied with second type canceller of the Indian post office of Zanzibar (Bombay circle with “B” in rectangle of 8 horizontal bars and accompanying date-stamp “BRITISH P.O. ZANZIBAR” and without year date), very fine and rare. This cover is the EARLIEST RECORDED USE of the canceller and was in use from August 1879 until June 1882. The 5a single letter rate to England via Brindisi was in effect from July 1878 until 1 February 1880. Very fine & rare. (Image)

1879 (Oct 13) Envelope from a crew member of the USS “Ticonderoga” on its world cruise, sent to the USA with 1865 1a and 1866-78 4a (perf. fault) tied by British P.O. square duplex (second cancel, type KD4), reverse with Aden, London and Philadelphia cds, fine and rare (Image)

1880 (May 1) Envelope sent to Cutch Mundra, India, via Aden (14 May) & Bombay (23 May) bearing 15a franking for five-times packet rate to India, tied by second-type canceller of the Indian post office at Zanzibar, a rare high franking cover, ex Henry Heath (Image)

ca.1880-82 (Jun 24) Long envelope from Zanzibar to India with three 1866-78 4a green (one faulty) tied by the “BRITISH P.O. ZANZIBAR” duplex (second cancel, type KD4, in use Aug 1879 to Sep 1882), paying four times the letter rate, with Aden, Sea Post Office, Bombay T.P.O Enquiry Office and Mundra ds, some minor imperfections, very scarce, ex Woolley (Image)

1881 (Feb 4) Double letter rate envelope from Walter Thompson of the staff of the Eastern Telegraph Company at Zanzibar (imprint on backflap) via Aden (17 February) and Brindisi bearing 1868 8a & 1865 1a tied by second type canceller of the Indian post office at Zanzibar, London “PAID” receiving date-stamp on obverse in red, very fine Note: The 4 1/2 annas letter rate was applicable for mails to England via Brindisi from 1 February 1880 through 1 January 1891. (Image)

1881 (Mar 4) Single letter rate envelope from Walter Thompson of the staff of the Eastern Telegraph Company at Zanzibar (imprint on backflap) sent to his wife in London via Aden (21 March) bearing 4 1/2a franking tied by second type duplex canceller of the Indian post office at Zanzibar, London “PAID” date-stamp on obverse in red. Extraordinary example for exhibit. (Image)

1881 (May 7) Envelope from Zanzibar to Bombay franked on the reverse with 1865 1a brown strip of three (one faulty) tied by the “BRITISH P.O. ZANZIBAR” duplex (second cancel, type KD4, in use Aug 1879 to Sep 1882), with Aden and Bombay cds adjacent, minor soiling otherwise fine and scarce (Image)

1881 (Jan) Commercial envelope sent registered to Germany with 1865 1a tied by British P.O. duplex, with boxed Zanzibar registration hs (2nd type) below and German reg’n label, reduced at right causing one stamp to be missing, reverse with Aden, Sea Post Office and Hamburg cds, a rare dated cover with this registration hs as only one other year-dated cover is known (Image)

1882 (Oct 15) Envelope from Zanzibar to England with 1866-78 4a green and 1873 1/2a blue tied by the Zanzibar “B” duplex (third cancel, type KD5, in use Aug 1882 to September 1884), with Aden and Chesterfield bs, some imperfections incl. missing backflap, considered scarcer than the second cancel with less than 40 covers known (Image)

1882 (Feb 10) Incoming single letter rate envelope from Wymondham, England, sent to Reverend H. A. B. Wilson of the Universities’ Mission at Zanzibar bearing 5d franking of 1873 4d grey-brown issue and 1880 1d venetian red tied with “925” numeral obliterator. Zanzibar receiving date-stamp is displayed on reverse similar to first type date-stamp of the Indian post office but is slightly smaller with only three examples are known, some restoration, very rare (Image)

ca.1883-84 India 1 1/2a postal stationery card SENT TO THE SULTAN (message in Swahili) cancelled by the experimental Zanzibar “B” type Z3 duplex, very fine and rare usage, ex Sturton (Image)

1883 (Mar 2) Envelope from Zanzibar to England with 1866-78 4a green and 1873 1/2a blue (perf. fault) tied by the Zanzibar “B” duplex (third cancel, type KD5, in use Aug 1882 to September 1884), with Aden and Oxford bs, fine, considered scarcer than the second cancel with less than 40 covers known, ex Sturton (Image)

1883 (Dec 24) Envelope single letter rate sent to Dobb’s Ferry, New York (United States) via Aden (partial date-stamp) & London (20 January 1884) bearing 4 1/2a franking tied by the “Third Experimental Cancel” of the Indian Post Office at Zanzibar. Ink smudge on left does not detract from this lovely example of Zanzibar postal history to a very scarce destination. Note: This very scarce canceller was in use from October 1882 through September 1884 (Image)

UNIQUE MON. ORDER CANCELLER & DATE-STAMP 1884 (Jan 21) Receipt to Remitter of a Foreign Money Order postal form (Form 2a.) signed by the Postmaster displaying boxed “ZANZIBAR” hand-stamp and previously unrecorded circular cancellation “MON.ORDER / ZANZIBAR / JAN:21” without year date. An amazing item to have survived for over 130 years! (Image)

1884 (May 12) Envelope from Zanzibar to Wales with 1866-78 4a green and 1873 1/2a blue tied by crisp Zanzibar “B” duplex (third cancel, type KD5, in use Aug 1882 to September 1884), with Aden, Sea Post Office and Cardiff bs, peripheral faults incl. small portion missing on reverse, considered scarcer than the second cancel with less than 40 covers known (Image)

1884 (Jul 11) India postal stationery envelope sent to London via Bombay (21 July) with receiving date-stamp (11 August) on reverse, cancelled by third-type canceller of the Indian post office at Zanzibar of “B” in oval of 8 bars with accompanying date-stamp “ZANZIBAR” without year date. Unusual routing as great majority of mail was sent via Aden directly. (Image)

1884 (Sep 16) Indian 4 1/2a postal stationery envelope sent to England via Aden (25 September) & Sea Post Office (26 September) tied by early example of 4-bar squared circle canceller. Light centre crease not detracting from freshness of cover. Note: The earliest example of this canceller is reported at 11 September. (Image)

1885 (May 18) Envelope sent registered to India with 1882-86 1a6p vert. pair tied by squared circle ds, underpaid with “SHIP LETTER / POSTAGE DUE 1a” boxed hs, reverse with “ZANZIBAR” boxed registration hs and Bombay arrival cds, minor toning otherwise fine and very rare, one of only 3 covers known with this registration hs (Image)

1885 (Aug 4) Great Britain 2d postal reply card sent by the British Consul John Kirk to Armagh, Ireland via Sea Post Office (11 August) and Aden (15 August) tied by 4-bar squared circle date-stamp (without year slug). The card responds to an inquiry originally posed to Mr. Kirk and is signed by him, some tone spots, fine and rare postal history item from a influential individual in Zanzibar’s history, ex Sturton. Note: John Kirk CMG KCB was a Scottish physician, naturalist, companion to explorer David Livingstone, and British administrator in Zanzibar. After the death of Livingstone, he pledged to continue Livingston’s work to end the East African slave trade. For years he negotiated with the ruler of Zanzibar, Sultan Bargash, gaining his confidence and promising to help enrich the East African domain through legitimate commerce. The Sultan banned slave trading in 1873 and by 1885, the region was larger and more profitable. (Image)