Eight Cash...thin card ..1889 with delivery cancel on the reverse.

22 July 1889...Eight Cash...'thin' post card written from Mulagumudu, posted from Colachel (as there is no Travancore post office then, in Mulagumudu. ..only British India post office) to Puthukkada, but was undelivered at Puthukkada (cancel not seen), probably the recipient Priest was at Kuzhithura (Kuzhithura cancel seen on the reverse).

 Another interesting fact is that it was delivered on the same day itself (22 July 1889), probably by the same Runner mail man, who must have found en-route, that the Priest is not at Puthukkada, have taken it straight to Kuzhithura. 

What is unusual, the delivery franking are seen on the reverse, instead of the obverse of the post card. Very rarely, delivery franking are seen on the reverse, rather than on the obverse...and it is mandatory that it should be on the face of the card.

Travancore first issued stamps & cards in October 1888.

'FOUR CASH' hand stamped in violet on Five Cash post card..Provisional issue

1902 a.d....'FOUR CASH' (rubber stamped in violet) surcharged on Five Cash (Perf:10) post card...hardly in use for a few months (2 to 4 months). Very Scarce.

These surcharged cards ceased to exist with the issue of the new Four Cash postcard, with the portrait of the Maharaja Sree Moolam Thirunal in 1902.

The despatch /delivery cds cancel of Trivandrum was uncatalogued in Dr Mooss's book of Travancore. This franking was a revised form of earlier cancel (with the day & time - used only for delivery, which was in use, from 1899 to 1902...day & time).

 

 

 

Travancore Instructional Markings...Express (അടിയന്ത്രം) ..2 different ..in English & Malayalam.

These instructional 'Express'(അടിയന്ത്രം) markings were seen affixed on registered postal articles which are meant to delivered urgently within few hours of posting.
The postal fees were calculated on the basis of distance per mile.
As these 'Express' delivery system were not accepted by the public, due to the high postal charges, they were seldom seen used on postal articles.

 These markings were never found used as cancellations, but only as directions to the postman as to the the importance of its expedite delivery.