Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Cancellations and Covers: The Postal Department Handstamp: It is believed that this undated cancellation (Vernon type 5) was used in Beru, Butaritari, Funafuti, Ocean Island and Tarawa. Undated envelope to the Sacred Heart Mission at Betio franked by Key Plate 1d. cancelled by good strike of the handstamp in violet. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Cancellations and Covers: The Postal Department Handstamp: It is believed that this undated cancellation (Vernon type 5) was used in Beru, Butaritari, Funafuti, Ocean Island and Tarawa. Undated Burns Philp Line envelope addressed to Reinhard in Switzerland endorsed "Schiffspost", franked by Key Plate 1/2d. and Pandanus 1d. (2) cancelled by mainly fine individual strikes of the handstamp in violet, backstamped Butaritari type 1 datestamp of Nov. 28 1912, Sydney Dec. 14 transit and Bern Jan. 17 arrival. Ex Taylor and Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Picture Postcards, a selection of eighteen cards from around 1905 onward, mainly different and most unused incl. German card "Eingeborene von Maiana" sent under cover with interesting comments on reverse from U.S. missionary, Women's Foreign Missionary Society card (2, one used 1906 from Omaha to Kansas), "ILES GILBERT" cards from unnumbered series, Tuck's photographic cards c.1957 for British Forces on Christmas Island (2), etc., good to fine. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Picture postcards, eight cards (two used), incl. Fanning Island, also three photographs. The property of another vendor.

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Ship Cancellations: 1912 envelope addressed to Rev. Thompson at the London Missionary Society in London, bearing Key Plate 1/2d. pair tied by two fair to very good strikes of straight line "S.S. Tambo" ship cancellation in blue-black with Tarawa type 1 "30 AUG. 1912" c.d.s. alongside. Also Pandanus 1d. single (small fault at top) with fine "Tambo" impression in violet. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: The balance collection of covers variously addressed, philatelic and commercial incl. inter-island, and some loose adhesives, showing a range of cancellation types incl. incl. Abaiang types 17, 28, Abemamam type 6 on 1917 cover, Aranuka type 28, Arorae type 28, Beru type 12, type 28 on 1947 and 1950 covers with ms. registration markings, Butaritari type 1 cancelling Pandanus set on 1912 cover, type 20, Christmas Island with B.F.P.O., Funafuti types 2a, 18, 26 in violet tying 1939 set to unaddressed individual N.Z. Patriotic Fund envelopes, 28 cancelling 1d. on local cover, Kuria type 10, Little Makin type 17, Maiana type 17, Marakei type 17 Nanumaga type 28, Niutao type 28, Nui, Nukefetau, Nukulaelae type 35, Ocean Island from 1914 with types 2 and 2a on early covers incl. 1912 bearing Pandanus set, 14a, 15, 27, 1939 cover showing straight line "PASSED BY CENSOR", 1940 and 1941 with type C1 cachet (latter with "OPENED BY CENSOR." label), type 28 on 1949 Silver Wedding registered f.d.c., Onotoa, Tabiteuea type 9, 28 (one in red), Tamana types 16, 28, Tarawa type 2 (1914) and 2a (1927) on registered commercial covers, Vaitupu type 28 (year in ms.), fair to fine. (approx. 200 covers)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Abaiang: The type 17 undated cancellation, fine early state strike (without broken letters) tying Key Plate 11/2d. to envelope to Manchester, later use with broken "N" in "ABAIANG" on 1939-55 11/2d. on cover to Australia, and late use with "N" almost omitted tying 1939-55 11/2d. to censored cover to a member of The G.E. Docks Coy. at A.P.O. 709 (Guadalcanal) with cut-down "PASSED BY CENSOR/No. 8" cachet at left. (3 covers) Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Abaiang: Undated 'Walker' envelope to Seattle bearing Key Plate 1/2d. and 21/2d. tied by fine individual strikes of the scarce type 9 handstamp in black (known used between 1935 and 1938). Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Abemama: Undated envelope locally addressed, bearing 1911 Overprint 1/2d. to 2s. set of seven tied by four good to fine large part strikes of type 59 "Collector of/(crown)/Revenue", the 1d. with damaged corner and part flap missing but rare. Mention is made of this cover by Vernon (p. 3.7). Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Abemama: 1916 (Nov. 30) envelope to U.S.A. endorsed "from/Fanning Island/Oceania", franked by Key Plate 2 21/2d., cancelled by fine strike of type 6 datestamp with Sydney Jan. 4 machine transit on reverse. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Abemama: 1940 'Wells' envelope registered to Grimsby bearing Key Plate 1d. strip of four and 1/2d. tied by fine individual strikes of the scarce type 9 handstamp in black (in use from Feb. 1937 to Dec. 1941) with Ocean Island registered cachet at left and transit backstamps. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Abemama: 1946 (July 24) stampless envelope to Suva showing fine type 28 c.d.s. in violet and "Paid 2d" in red ms. with explanatory note on reverse indicating that the P.O. had adopted this expedient as it had run out of stamps. Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Abemama: 1946 (Oct. 6) stampless envelope locally addressed, showing fine type 28 c.d.s. in black and "1d Paid" in red ms. Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Aranuka: 1945, two 'Thompson' envelopes registered to Sydney, franked by 1939-55 adhesives and with ms. registration markings, the first with cut-down "PASSED BY CENSOR/No. 8" cachet and an overpaid 1/2d. left uncancelled. Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Arorae: 1940 (ca.) envelope to Kent, franked by Key Plate 11/2d. tied by one of two circular ms. "GILBERT AND ELLICE ISLANDS COLONY/N.G./ARORAE/ISLAND" improvised due to the poor state of the type 11 handstamp, and with unclear Ocean Island transit backstamp (type 14b known from May 1938 to Apr. 1941). Ex Taylor and Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Atafu: 1862 entire without postal markings, containing three page letter in Polynesian headed "Atahu/Mati 6 162", written by Maka, a Cook Island teacher for the the London Missionary Society, addressed to Mrs. Nisbet in Samoa. Manuscript receiving note confirms 1862 date. One of the earliest of all items from the Gilbert & Ellice Islands and the earliest to originate from Atafu. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Beru: 1944, two envelopes to Auckland, New Zealand with mainly fine strikes of type 27 "CUSTOMS OFFICE" handstamps cancelling 1939-55 1/2d. and 11/2d. on one (slightly stained), the other with 2d., both showing type C2 censor cachet No. 5 in violet (located at Tarawa) initialled and dated "12/6/44", one additionally endorsed "No contents". (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Beru: 1944 envelope to England, bearing 1939-55 2d. cancelled by fine strike of type 27 "CUSTOMS OFFICE" handstamp with type C2 censor's cachet No. 3 in violet (allocated to Funafuti) with number in manuscript (very few recorded) at left, some creasing. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Beru: Undated envelope addressed to a native on Fanning Island, franked by 1939-55 1d. (2) cancelled by fine strikes of type 27 "CUSTOMS OFFICE" handstamp with type C2 censor's cachet No. 5 in violet (located at Tarawa) at left. Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Beru: Undated envelope addressed to a native on Canton Island, franked at internal postage rate by 1939-55 1d. cancelled by fine strike of type 27 "CUSTOMS OFFICE" handstamp with type C2 censor's cachet No. 5 in violet (located at Tarawa) at left. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Beru: Undated envelope to Sussex, franked by 1939-55 2d. cancelled by fine strike of type 27 "CUSTOMS OFFICE" handstamp with type C2 censor's cachet No. 5 in violet (located at Tarawa) at left, some creasing. Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Betio: Japanese Army postcard captured by U.S. Forces, used by member of U66, U191 (11th Naval Construction Unit) on Betio, there being no Japanese Army personnel on the island, signed by the US translator "Huisinga (R-6)" and with fine circular "EXAMINED IN THE FIELD/PASSED BY/JOINT INTELLIGENCE" cachet in red on reverse, slight creasing. Ex Stan Jersey. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Betio: 1943 incoming envelope franked by Japanese 3s. and 14s., recovered by U.S. marine on Betio, addressed to central sorting office for the area at Yokusaka for onward delivery to an engineer at U57 Moen Island, TRUK U60 4th Construction Detachment, a mainly civilian unit, also photograph of installation of naval guns on the island that had been captured at Singapore. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Butaritari: 1911 Overprint set of seven in blocks of four, each with fine central strike of type 1 first day c.d.s. "1-JA 1911" in violet, mainly fine. S.G. 1-7, cat. £1,300+. Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)

Gilbert and Ellice Islands: Butaritari: 1911 Overprint set of seven on pieces, each in a horizontal strip of three except 1/2d. single, all cancelled by fair to fine strikes of type 1 last day c.d.s. "28 NOV. 1912" in violet, chiefly fine. S.G. 1-7. Ex Smith. Photo. (Image1)