1922 Cochin interstate Revenue Hundi (Bluish green) acknowledgement receipt from Trichur to Trivandrum, Travancore Government Press.

1922 Cochin interstate Revenue Hundi (Bluish green) acknowledgement receipt from Trichur via interstate transit stations of Ernakulam & Alwaye, to the Superintendent, Travancore Government Press. Scarce.

 

1935 Privileged mail... Imperial Service envelop sent free by Registered, thru' Anchal Trivandrum office to Cochin State.

Privileged mail from the allied office of the Resident.

As revised from the Travancore Anchal Regulation of 1089 M.E., in 5th Feb 1919, Rule 112 (quoted from the Regulation and Proclamations of Travancore Vol. 111) states about the free transmission of letters and other service articles from the Resident and associate administrative offices, through the Anchal Department, within the state and to the State of Cochin. 

These service articles should bear the superscription 'On Sirkar Service', and to be signed by the head clerk of the despatching office. 

And if such articles were to be sent registered, the Anchal offices used to affix the Registeration handstamp, and as stated above, free of cost.

1935 British India printed (ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE) service envelop (240x120mm), superscribed 'Sirkar' and sent through local Travancore Anchal Department (T.A.D.) of Trivandrum 

This stampless Service letter duly signed by the authorised signatory clerk (left bottom) was posted free of charge thru' Travancore Registered post (in manuscript..155/4....(No: 155 & Wt: 4 tolas) addressed to District Court Vakil, Wadakkancherry, Cochin State. 

 

TRIVANDRUM/T.A.D. 

VADAKANCHERI A.O.

Red waxed '... Office of the Resident of Madras State' seal on the reverse.

Red wax seals were commonly used during this period for securing registered, high level confidential, or official diplomatic post by the British colonial administration, particularly on covers by the British India postal service or government departments, to ensure security.

The first Hundi receipt of 1901/02, used later in 1910 from Poonjar to Nattakom

Hundi (money order) receipt used in 1910 from Poonjar to Nattakom. 

Shown here is the earliest Hundi watermarked receipt form printed in Malayalam used from 1901-'02. Not recorded in Dr N S Mooss's book of Travancore.

The Hundi receipt format presumably changed from 1910 onwards (shown page bottom). 

Type 1...1901/02 to 1910

 

Shortened version, from 1910 onwards, probably to save paper.

Interesting to note that the receipt has changed to bilingual from the vernacular language of Malayalam. 

Type 2...1910 onwards bilingual.

Type 3.. 1940 onwards..in English. 

a) Elongated type 

b)Small size.

For comparison of different type & size..of different time zones.

1901 Wrapper with extra stamp (lost in transit) from Mannanam to Changnacherry

1901 Cash Six Wrapper, affixed with extra adhesive stamp (due to excess weight) which is seen lost in transit, cancelled by indistinct T-80 barred circle of Mannanam (Oct 29), addressed to Changnacherry (Oct 30).   

 

Wrappers with extra stamp (in this case, lost in transit) affixed are scarce to find. 

Extra adhesive stamp are used, when the pamplets or newspapers tucked inside the wrapper are above the specified Anchal weight.

Wrapper Cash Six 
Die: Type 2
Stamp size: 22:26.5
Indent: 19 mm.

Mannanam|Thulam 13|1077.

Changnacherry|Thu 14|77.

 

'5 C' Provisional issue Travancore post cards

 

1931 CHITHRANAGAR & 1936 SRICHITRANAGAR special cancellations

Exhibition post markings of Travancore.

2 types of commemorative special postmarks..

CHITHRANAGAR & SRICHITRANAGAR.

 

CHITHRANAGAR 

This linear rectangular box (48x12mm) 'CHITHRANAGAR' was found used for the cancellation of mails posted at the temporary Anchal offices put up at the Exhibition grounds at Kanakakunnu Palace grounds,Trivandrum during the All India Exhibitions in 1931 & 1936.

In connection with the Coronation (Bala Rama Varma), a 7 day exhibition was conducted at the Kanakakunnu Palace grounds in Trivandrum, with the opening of a temporary Anchal office. Nov 6 - 11, 1931.

Registered envelope to Attungal from Trivandrum. 

Rectangular box (CHITHRANAGAR) black ink marking.

Postage 12 cash..Registeration..3 Chuckram.. Acknowledgement 4 cash.

 

SRICHITRANAGAR

This was employed for the cancellation of mails posted at the temporary Anchal office put up in the SRICHITRANAGAR exhibition ground at Kanakakunnu Palace garden, during the 20 days period of All-India Exhibition (11 Nov to 30 Nov) . This was opened by The Governor of Madras, Lord Eskine..11 Nov, 1936. 

 This special linear rectangular box (65x10mm) postmark 'SRICHITRANAGAR' is always found applied with a 2 ring circular date stamp, bearing  the Experimental office No 16.

Ordinary envelope to Cochin from Trivandrum.

Postage 12 cash (4 cash stamps affixed on the reverse).

Registered envelope to Quilon from the exhibition venue Experimental Anchal office, Trivandrum. 

Signed & dated  (flapside), with the reason, for the delayed delivery by the Anchal man, with a vernacular manuscript of  'കച്ചേരി ഒഴിവു' (Court holiday)'.

1899 CASH FIVE double postcard mint

1899 'CASH FIVE' double postcard (Perf: 10) mint...was in use for a limited period, for it was followed soon by different varieties of Cash Five without legends.  

This mint double card (same as Cash Eight), known to exist less than 10 copies, are supposedly to be branded as 'Rare'.

 

India Study Circle 75th anniversary Diamond Jubilee Book

 Favourite possession (related to Travancore & Cochin shown here), of each philatelists, around the world, came out in print in India Study Circle's 75th Diamond Jubilee Book (168 pages), sponsored by David Feldman, (Switzerland), compiled by Sandeep Jaiswal (USA). 

1936 Travancore to U.K.with official stamps affixed and stamped with Postage Due

 

Envelope affixed with 8 official stamps (110 Cash) posted from Trivandrum Anchal office (15 Medam 1111) & then transmitted to the British India post office @ Trivandrum on the same date (27 April 1936), with Postage Due (horse shoe cancel) to Liverpool, England.

50 centimes taxed hexagon postmark stamped enroute with 4 Penny (2d x 2 stamps) Postage Due from Liverpool.

Normally this envelope would not be allowed to transit by affixing only Travancore stamps, except to Cochin.

 Probably this must have passed thru' the postal authorities, for it's an envelope with Travancore service stamps...an enigmatic item.

Smallest Postage Due (Kooli) folded letter

Small folded kooli (24 cash or 1&1/2 Chuckram) unstamped letter (6.8x4.7 cm) from Thiruvattar to Kottakkakam (Trivandrum) dated 9 /12 /116 (1941). 

Postage rate in 1941 is 3/4 Chuckram(12 Cash)..hence the Postage Due is double the actual postage...ie 24 Cash.

For comparison of its midget size along with a 1890 Thin 8 Cash card.