Lot 60360 – 1878-89 Official Issues: Highly Specialized Collection

1878-89 Official Issues: Highly Specialized Collection with Sheets and CoversA remarkable and highly specialized collection of the Official issues, representing a field that is not commonly encountered and difficult to assemble in depth. The collection comprises an exceptional range of original sheets, reconstructed sheets, paper varieties, and important official covers, offering significant scope for advanced study. Among the key highlights are: ½ anna black on white laid paper, a very rare printing, together with examples on various wove papers A reconstructed sheet of the ½ anna black, including both used and unused examples on different papers An original sheet of the 4 annas black on toned wove paper, representing Printing State II (c. 1880–1889) An original sheet of the unissued ¼ anna on European white laid paper An original sheet of the 1 anna on creamy laid paper, from State I of the plate, showing an embossed security control mark (one of four known types), here with control number “1884” A notable section of official postal history includes: A registered official cover from Bhimbar, franked with 6 × ½ anna black on thin white wove paper, cancelled by a 3-ring datestamp, with bilingual registration marking introduced in 1885, dated Samvat 1950 (= 1893 AD) An official internal letter bearing 2 × 1 anna (third weight rate), cancelled by Srinagar 3-ring datestamp An official letter to British India (Srinagar to Murree), franked with 1 anna on thin white wove paper, cancelled by Srinagar 3-ring datestamp, with boxed postage due marking for missing British-Indian postage; reverse showing Srinagar transit (28 Dec 1892) and Murree arrival (31 Dec 1892) The 2 anna value is well represented across a variety of papers (white, toned, and yellowish wove), including: Examples from 1887–1894 on thin white to creamy wove paper, in various formats such as single, strip of three, and block of six, including examples with printing irregularities on reverse A reconstructed sheet of the 2 annas black, combining used and unused examples across different papers The collection also features an extensive group of registered official covers, including: An internal registered cover (second weight rate) franked 1 anna + 2 annas, cancelled by Srinagar 3-ring registration datestamp, with bilingual registration marking and additional 2 annas postage due A registered cover in the fourth weight rate (approx. 4 tolas / 45g), franked with 4 × 1 anna and 2 × 2 annas, showing double registration fee due Two registered official covers within Kashmir, bearing 4 annas and 2 × 4 annas, cancelled by 3-ring registration datestamps A registered domestic letter bearing 4 annas (including 2 annas registration fee), position 1, cancelled at Srinagar (dated 29 August 1892) A further registered domestic cover with a pair of 4 annas (positions 2–3 = 8 annas), similarly cancelled on 29 August 1892 A rich and comprehensive assembly, combining rare sheets, control marks, paper studies, and a wide range of official usages. A scarce and desirable collection, ideally suited for specialized study and exhibition. Condition generally fine to very fine. (SG £3000+)