The John Minns East Africa: Zanzibar: 1896 Sultan Hamad-bin-Thwain: Essays: Artist's sketch with photographic vignette affixed to card (75 x 77mm) with suggested frame denominated 21/2a. hand-drawn in ink. A most important item, originally enclosed with a letter (not present) dated Oct. 1 1895 from the Zanzibar Government to the Foreign Office and forwarded to De La Rue with the request, "I am directed by General Sir Lloyd Mathews, K.C.M.G., First Minister of His Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar's Government, to enclose a rough sketch of a postage stamp and I should be glad if you will prepare from it a design for Postage Stamps for the above-mentioned Government". At foot may be seen two enlarged inscriptions, "The Arabic characters in the two lower corners of the sketch are reproduced below on a large scale so that you may see them quite clearly". Illustrated in "The De La Rue History of British & Foreign Postage Stamps, 1855 to 1901" by John Easton (1958), Plate 41. Photo. (Image1)

The John Minns East Africa: Zanzibar: 1896 Sultan Hamad-bin-Thwain: Essays: 1r. composite essay with photographic vignette and frame, the flags handpainted in red, Sultan's background and turban retouched in sepia, affixed to card (90 x 114mm) dated "Nov. 18th. 95", endorsed "BB." and "Dupl.", the design accepted subject to revision of the Arabic inscription. Ex De La Rue archives. Photo. (Image1)

The John Minns East Africa: Zanzibar: 1896 Sultan Hamad-bin-Thwain: Proofs: Stamp-sized undenominated master die proofs for the two sizes, in black on unwatermarked wove paper. Ex Knight. Photo. (Image1)

The John Minns East Africa: Zanzibar: 1896 Sultan Hamad-bin-Thwain: Covers: 1896 (Dec. 24) large Postmaster General's printed envelope registered unusually to Burma, franked at 8a. rate by 1/2a. (2), 2a. and 4a., Zanzibar Reg c.ds. cancellations, redirected from Haka to Kalewa then Meiktila, arriving Feb. 13, vertical fold. Photo. (Image1)

The John Minns East Africa: Zanzibar: 1896 Sultan Hamad-bin-Thwain: Covers: 1897 to 1903, four registered items comprising 1897 (June 4) 2a. registered envelope size J to London (ex Rossiter) bearing 4a., 5a., others at 41/2a. rate 1897 (Oct. 28) to Germany 1900 (May 17) to Tanga amd 1903 (Mar. 10) to Rome. (Image1)

The John Minns East Africa: Zanzibar: 1896 Sultan Hamad-bin-Thwain: Covers: 1898 envelope to Cheltenham initialled at lower left and addressed by Arthur Cornwallis Madan, missionary schoolmaster at St. Andrew's Boys School in Kiungani franked 21/2a. tied by squared circle with June 28 arrival backstamp. Also an unused p.p.c. of Madan with the Kiungani football team. Arthur Cornwallis Madan (1846--1917), linguist and Anglican missionary, was a noted researcher and translator of the African languages and served as schoolmaster at St. Andrew's Boys School in Kiungani. Photo. (Image1)