I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1879 (c.) essays for the original Conch shell design, with Malayalam inscriptions and initials R.V. (Rama Varma, the Maharaja), stamp-sized and perforated. One in green on horizontally-laid paper, the other in blue on coarse wove paper, the latter with some perf faults, very rare (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1879 essay for the original Conch shell design in greeenish blue, affixed to piece. With Malayalam inscriptions, without the Maharaja's initials, slightly less than stamp-sized, perforated with top margin. The piece bears the oval personal chop of Nanoo Pillay/Dewan alongside, apparently in the same ink as the stamp, dated 30 JAN 79. Some slight ageing, the rightmost portion of the chop cut off but present; extremely rare Nanoo Pillay (c.1827-1886) was Dewan of Travancore from 1877-1880, effectively the state's chief official and right-hand man of the Maharaja, and widely recognised as a fine administrator XXX (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1899 2ch pale pink, watermark 2A sideways, fine o.g. showing the stamp printed double. With original SG sales card. SG 7bb, £300; Scott 6c (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1904-20 3ch violet, watermark B, vertical strip of three, imperforate between (and at foot), fine used with neat CDSs. Rare. ISES Certificate (2010). SG 17b, £425 (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1921 5ca olive-bistre horizontal strip of three, imperforate between, unused without gum, toned and with marks on the reverse from previous hinge. Also 1924 10ca pink vertical pair from the top of the sheet o.g. (unmounted, but with typical patchy gum) imperforate between, the scarcer variant on wide-spaced watermarked paper, leaving the top stamp without watermark. SG 24b, 37b var; Scott 21 var, 23 var (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1939 (9 Nov) "Devasya" first day cover (with Maharaja's portrait) to Quilon, franked by 1939 set of seven, tied by five mostly fine part to full strikes of large "T R.A.S. / IN" Railway CDSs dated "23 THU 15" (M.E.), with next day arrival backstamp. Most attractive and unusual with this Railway CDS. SG 64-70; Scott 36-42 (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1939 3ch brown perf 12½ very lightly used, the stamp doubly printed. Minor faults (light crease, short perf, minor toning). SG 67a, £375; Scott 39 var (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: Official. 1937 (c.) 6ca brown-red perf 12, complete folded sheet of eighty-four (14 x 6), lacking right margin from the late composite setting combining overprint Types O8 (18mm) on the top row, with Type O6 (16mm) on the others, fresh unused. A scarce and interesting item, which also shows clear overprint double, one albino on all stamps. SG O43, 66A; Scott O22 var. Also another unused sheet of SG O43 with Type O6 overprint (no side margins), R5/11-2 inverted 'O' (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: Official. 1930-9 6ca perf 12½, top left corner block of four, fine unused. Top pair overprinted Type O8 (18mm spacing). lower pair Type O6 (16mm). Together with 4ch perf 12 top marginal vertical pair, fine unused, upper stamp Type O8 and lower stamp Type O6. SG O66Aa/Ba, O69A/O48; Scott O22 var, O32 var (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: Official. 1932 6c on 5ca olive-bistre (Type O2 overprint) with surcharge inverted, pair with faults; 1ch8c on 1¼a claret, pair with surcharge double. Unused, no gum as issued. SG O74b, O84d; Scott O36b, O38b (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: Official. 1932 12c on 10ca pink, overprinted Type O2, unused without gum, as issued. Corner block of four, lower left stamp with 'c' omitted, and a pair with overprint inverted, right stamp with left 'S' also inverted. SG O76, a, i; Scott O40, b, var (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: Official. 1939 27th Birthday 2ch orange horizontal strip of three with interpanneau margin at right, left stamp with R6/5 LP SESVICE error. Unused without gum, as issued, uncommon in a marginal piece. SG O89, a, £186; Scott O47, a (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: Official. 1939 3ch perf 12½ block of four, lower right stamp with R6/5 LP SESVICE, unused, some short perfs; and 1941 1ch perf 12 block of eight (4 x 2, margins both sides) from left pane, the left three pairs with double overprints. Part overprint on left margin as well, which has a pen annotation, otherwise fine unused. SG O90a, O96ed; Scott O48a, O45Hb (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: Official. 1946 8ca 34th Birthday perf 12½ lower left corner block of four with the stamps doubly printed, unused without gum as issued. Unusually obvious, due to the doubled lower jubilee line. SG O108ca, £240; Scott O60e (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1924 (c.) metal watermark bit (W2C) with six raised Conch Shells; an unusual and scarce artefact, with various impressed numbers including '20 x 15' (Image)

I.F.S. TRAVANCORE: 1924 (c.) metal watermark bit (W2C) with four raised Conch Shells; an unusual and scarce artefact, with impressed numbers 'B2070', '15 6 23' and '20 x 15' (Image)