India: 1854 4a. indigo and red, Second printing, Head Die II, Frame Die I, close to large margins, cancelled horizontal bars on small piece, slightly soiled, otherwise fine. B.P.A. certificate (2018). S.G. 19, cat. £700. Photo. (Image1)

India: 1854-55 4a. Head Die III or IIIA, Frame Die I, used on 1856 cover to London, heavily cancelled by “96” in diamond of bars, small fault at top-right, tear at left, with London Paid and boxed “INDIA PAID” both in red. Photo. (Image1)

India: 1856 (ca.) “EAST INDIA POSTAGE/HALF ANNA” composite essay with handpainted oval frame and head, mounted on engine turned background all in green and Chinese white, design with hand-drawn ‘perforated’ surround measuring 56 x 64mm on paper 91 x 100mm, endorsed “36% Large” and mounted on large board with remnants of 1856-64 1/2a. blue imperforate sheet at top, the remaining impressions with varying degrees of damage, and “DESIGN/Dept. DE LA RUE” label affixed at foot. A unique, attractive item of great character. Photo. (Image1)

India: 1856 (ca.) “EAST INDIA POSTAGE/ONE ANNA”and “EAST INDIA POSTAGE/HALF ANNA” handpainted essays on paper (250 x 130mm), the former with head and frame in red and ochre endorsed “A pattern/35%” below, the latter of oval frame in blue and endorsed “B”, both showing hand-drawn ‘perforated’ surround and also showing at right two examples of rosette machine turned backgrounds, one in deep green numbered “1579” with endorsement “A/large”, the other in deep blue numbered “2775” and marked “B” with “DESIGN/Dept. DE LA RUE” handstamp at upper right. A highly attractive, unique item. Photo. (Image1)

India 1937-40 3a.6p. bright blue, variety watermark inverted, fine used. S.G. 254w, cat. £250. Photo. (Image1)

India: 1948 Gandhi set used on illustrated first day cover, cancelled “TAJ MAHAL/BOMBAY/15 AUG 48” datestamps, the adhesives apparently stuck to tissue paper before adhesion to envelope, fine. Photo. (Image1)

India: 1978 Deendayal Upadayaya 25p. unlisted variety showing mouth open and teeth showing, used, one or two minor wrinkles, with normal mint example for comparison. S.G. 888 var. Photo. (Image1)

India: A collection in an album, incl. 1854 1/2a. used (6), 1s. unused (die I), used (12, one on cover), 1854-55 4a. used (5, one cut to shape), 1854 2a. green unused, used (5), 1856-64 1/2a. block of four mint, 1866 6s. used (3), 1882-90 to 1r. mint and used, 1895 to 5r. mint, 1902-11 values to 1r. mint and 10r. used, 25r. with fine telegraphic cancellation, 1911-23 to 25r. used, 1926-33 to 25r. used, 2a. tte-bche block of eight unmounted mint, 1937-40 to 25r. used, range of officials, etc., also wide range of Convention states with Chamba Gwalior, Jind and Patiala, and Feudatory states from Alwar to Travancore, Portuguese India, mixed condition. (100s)

India: A small selection, incl. Q.V. West India Postage’ 4a. imperforate essays in brown and red, some States, also Muscat, etc. (193)

India: 1831 entire letter written and signed by Ram Mohan Roy, ‘Maker of Modern India’, sent within London from “125 Regent Street/June 2d 1831” to Rev. Robert Aspland (1782-1845) in Hackney, with handstruck “2”, red datestamps on reverse with annotations from a previous owner recording that he had been given the letter by Aspland himself, some repaired separation along folds. In the three page letter Roy responds to recent invitations, apologizing that his state of health will preclude him from attending the Unitarians’ Anniversary meeting in Hull but promising a visit later in the year. Visionary religious, social and educational reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833) was one of the founders of the Brahmo Sabha, the monotheistic reformist movement of the Hindu religion that played a major part in the ‘Bengal Renaissance’ that continued through the work of Rabindranath Tagore and other major figures. Among his many achievements, his work toward the Bengal Sati Regulation of 1829, rendering the practice illegal, has been perhaps the most praised. Photo. (Image1)

India: 1860 (Sept. 16) cover, registered from Cochin to Bombay, franked by 1855 4a. black and 8a. carmine, tied by “130” in diamond of dots, part framed “REGISTERED No.” in red with “COCHIN” datestamp below. Photo. (Image1)

India: 1870 to 1955, a selection of covers and cards in three small folders, incl. flown covers, postal stationery, a few States with Jammu and Kashmir 1891 1/2a. stationery card with 1887-94 1/4a. brown, both with “NOWGONG” squared circles, with pen and ink drawing of a cat and a steaming kettle on the reverse, etc. (89 items)

India: A collection of postmarks in aÊstockbook, incl. early numerals, towns, T.P.O’s, Used Abroad (Aden, Burma, Abadan, Bagdad, Bushire, Goa, Singapore, Zanzibar), range of military strikes with scarce Burma Field Force No. 1, F.P.O. No. 3 and 13, also later Iraq, F.P.O’s and East Africa A.P.O’s. (250+)