1930 D.L.O. King George V envelope to Colombo from Nagercoil

1930 British Travancore registered  King George V One Anna with 2 Anna stamp affixed envelope from the District Court, Nagercoil (signed by the clerk) to British Occupied Colombo, Ceylon. 
Addressee ' Not Known' in  blue manuscript (obverse) along with UNCLAIMED  (boxed), sent to D. L.O MADRAS...returned to Nagercoil on 4 Oct 1930 



 

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.

 

Travancore Letter Cards of 1898 & 1903

One Chuckram Letter card in an ornate design in lithographed (perforated - 12) with different shifts in design, size & colour of cards, as shown below.

These cards didn't survive long as they were not accepted by the public, unlike other cards.

 

'UNCLAIMED'..in rectangular black boxed postmark .

'UNCLAIMED'..in rectangular black boxed postmark...applied by the delivery post office, when a registered letter is undelivered after several futile attempts by the postman, to find the addresee, to get it delivered. 

At times, the addresee will unclaim it, fearing it might be an Injuction order / Intaas from the court. 

Most of these 'UNCLAIMED' markings are seen on the registered articles from the Judicial Court.

 Several reasons will be written by the postman on the cover for non-delivery...not found, death of the addresee, out of town, reluctant to take delivery etc etc. 

This marking is uncatalogued in Dr Mooss's book on Travancore. Here we find 4 different types..differences in the size of box & lettering.

 

1935 Postage Due..Taxed (T) envelope from Koravilangad to New York, USA.

1935 unpaid envelope from British Travancore Koravilangad (Postage due 2 Annas...in horse shoe cancel) to New York, USA with 10 Cents due cancel.