Early East India Stamps

The Rarest of East India Stamps

Overview

The Vintage British East India stamps of Queen Victoria had been issued since 1852 by British East India Company, 12 years after the first One Penny Black was issued in Great Britain. However, the first regular issue was the lithographed stamps from October 1854 comprises four values; Half Anna, One Anna, Two Annas and Four Annas. Those stamps have been extremely popular in the market and as well as studied by philatelist for many decades.

Some of them are very rare such as Half Anna Red 1852, One Anna Brown 1854 and Two Annas Green 1856. Despite many of issued have some error and classified as rarest stamps i.e. inverted crown jewel and types of cancellation.

Myla Collection: 1851 to 1876 East India Stamp Collection (Mint/Used)

Note: Stamp No. 1 at first row left is Half Anna Red 1854 Essay in Brownish Red. 

Stamps

The earliest cancellation comprised a diamond of diagonal lines containing the numerical number ‘124’ and following by other cancellation such as various duplex, squared-circle and CDS types.

There are also various techniques in producing East India stamps including line engraving, typography, lithography, photogravure and web-offset.  The stamps had been produced both for postage and service or revenue.

There are three types of stamps as well as imperforated sheets, perforated sheets and miniature sheets.

The issuance of East India stamp was until India's attainment of independence in 1947. The first India stamp was issued on 21 November 1947 depicting the Indian flag.

Early Stamps of India from page of the Scott International Junior Postage Stamp Album 1917

Mint Collection Album

1865 QV One Anna Brown Scott #22, Wmk. 38 Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD3.0

1865 QV Two Annas Yellow Scott #23a, Wmk. 38 Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD80.0

1866 QV Four Annas Scott #26B, Wmk. 38 Type II - slanting line besides mouth up & down, Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD22.50

1873 QV Six  Annas  Bistre, Scott #33, Wmk. 38 Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD6.0

1868 QV Eight Annas  Rose Scott #28, Wmk. 38 Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD30.0

1876 QV Twelve Annas  Red Brown Scott #34, Wmk. 38 Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD8.5

1867 QV Six Annas and Eight Pies Slate Scott #27, Wmk. 38 Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD50.0

1874 QV Nine Pies Lilac Scott #32, Wmk. 38 Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD15.0

1874 QV One Rupee Slate Scott #35, Wmk. 38 Elephant Head,  Mint, CV USD60.0

Classic Versus Vintage Stamps

DEFINE

It is very hard to classify either a Classic stamps or Vintage stamps, unless otherwise you have owned experience and strong database on particular of the said stamps. It may have similarities and differences between what is considered a Classic stamp and what is considered as a Vintage stamp.  However, both are most probably the old stamps, some may be rare and some having a high value, respectively.

As a worldwide stamps collector, Myla Collection has define Classic and Vintage stamps as follows:-

· Classic stamp is a stamp that has stood the past of time that country or state name remaining unchanged because it is flattering on almost everyone and it is never have former names of the said country or state, as-is origin.

· Vintage stamp is usually a Classic stamp, however the past of time that country or state name is no longer have been used nowadays, the name had been used at a specific time period and having a former names of the said country or state, as-now using a new name or else so-called as Dead Country.

SAMPLES 

VINTAGE	MODERN

The Old Stamps of Treaty Port, Shanghai, People Republic of China

Overview

Collecting China classic stamps are very exciting. Besides nationwide stamps many local stamps were issued. One of them is Treaty Ports Stamps of Shanghai, it was issued before 1900. These stamps were issued belongs to cities who have their owned ports at East Coast of Shanghai, China. The cities consists of Hankow, Chefoo, Chungking, Kewkiang, Chinkiang,  Ichang, Wuhu, Foochow, Amoy, Nanking and We-Hai-Wei, in total 11 cities.        

                                                                            

One of Port View in Shanghai, China

Most early stamps of Shanghai (1855 to 1877), depicting a symbol of “Dragon” but without watermarks. However, the lithographed stamps in 1889 was first time using with watermark paper to avoid forgery stamps.

    Myla Asian Collection

 1894 China Small Dragon, 3c
#18 Orange
'Pa Kua' signs in
Shanghai

Watermark Paper (Genuine-Used)
CV$37.50

Treaty Ports Stamps

The Treaty Ports stamps are really more specialist territories and also rather expensive. The particulars of China Treaty Ports stamps are as follows:-

City		Issued
Old Name	New Name	From	To
Hankow	Wuhan	1893	1897
Chefoo	Yantai	1893	1897
Chungking	Chongqing	1893	1897
Kewkiang	Kiukiang	1894	1897
Chinkiang	Zhenjiang	1894	1897
Ichang	Yichang	1894	1897
Wuhu	Wuhu	1894	1897
Foochow	Fuzhou	1895	1897
Amoy	Xiamen	1895	1897
Nanking	Nanjing	1896	1897
Wei-Hai-Wei	Weihai	1898	1899

Album

1893 Hankow 5c (Mint) , #20 Red Brown CV$14.00

1893 Chefoo  ½ c (Mint), #6 Dark Grey Green 'Yan' impressionShows of Chinese Characters on front CV$4.00

1893 Chefoo 5c (Mint), #12a, Brown Orange Shows very clear 'Yan' Inverted impression of the Chinese Character on front Superb gems, Gorgeous

1893 Chefoo 10c (Mint),  #13b? Brown 'Yan' impression on back  Not in the listing Rare EV$200

1893 Chungking 2c (Mint),  # 3  Rose             CV$3.00

1894 Ichang ½ c (Mint) #1, Brown CV$14.00

1894 Ichang 2c (Mint), #2 Olive Brown CV$14.00

1894 Ichang 3c (Mint),  #4   Grey            Shows Issued Date           CV$40.00

1894 Ichang 5c (Mint),  #5    Brown Rose   CV$ 20.00

1895 Amoy 4c (Mint), #5 Brown Perf. 11 1/2 CV$14.00

1896 Amoy 15c  (Mint), #11    Grey Black An Error Stamp * "AMOY" inking problem CV$22.50

                                                     

Myla Asian Collection
1893-1899 Treaty Ports Shanghai (Mint)