1882 (pre-adhesive) Letter Receipt from Ambalapuzha (Travancore) to the Dewan of Cochin.

1882 a.d....Official (Sarkar Karyam) Registered Letter Receipt (to be returned)....ഉറപ്പ് കത്തു രസീത് (തിരിയെ അയക്കേണ്ടതു)

1882 a.d....pre-adhesive period  official Letter Receipt (for registered..ഉറപ്പു കത്ത് ), posted late (scroll cancel... Nitepoke), from Ambalapuzha (Travancore) via North Paravur (Thekken Paravur....transit point of Travancore) , addressed to the Cochin Dewan, with the Ernakulam conch black round seal....'എറണാകുളത്തു അ.....'  probably അപ്പിസ്സ്  or അഞ്ചൽ.

...Posted late (reverse side.. scroll type  'Nithepoke' in vernacular language) from Ambalapuzha (1058 Dhanu 4....18 December, 1882) to Ernakulam (Dhanu 6...20 December) via transit station of Thekken(North) Paravur (1058 Dhanu 5....19 December, 1882)

10 years before the launch of adhesive stamps & covers in Cochin &
6 years prior to the release of adhesive stamps & envelopes in Travancore.

Scarce & Rare..only one reported, so far.

Reverse side of the receipt. 

Posted late (reverse side.. scroll type  'Nithepoke' in vernacular language) from Ambalapuzha (1058 Dhanu 4....18 December, 1882) to Ernakulam  via transit station of Thekken(North) Paravur (1058 Dhanu 5....19 December, 1882)

1861 Registered cover from Cochin to Bombay

1861 (Feb 20) registered cover from Volkart Brothers, Cochin to their office in Bombay (March 06) bearing C-130 (in diamond of dots) cancelled on 1 Anna brown & 4 Anna black Victoria stamps...certified by Peter Holcombe.

Very scarce.

 

REGISTERED No

3 types of 'REGISTERED' Rectangular handstamp.

Registration of letters were introduced in the year 1041 M.E.(1865-'66). Rectangular handstamps were supplied in the year 1047 M.E.(1871-'72).

TYPE 1...this rectangular boxed (രജിസ്റ്റർചെയ്തു) handstamp inscribed in Malayalam, which was used in the pre-adhesive period, followed it up (very scarce) to the early years of post-adhesive period (after 1888)..a sample of which, shown below is of 1890 (Kanjirapally...Thi-46). 

Rarely seen used in after 1888.

 TYPE 11..this rectangular boxed handstamp in Malayalam (രജിസ്റ്റർചെയ്തു) with Number (ന... (നമ്പർ ) & Weight (തു.... (തൂക്കം ) measuring in multliple sizes existed over a period of time.

TYPE 111..this rectangular boxed handstamp (REGISTERED) in English, with numerous size & style exists...mostly seen after 1940.

Pre-adhesive period...REGISTER..in manuscript. .1879

1879 Registered (in pen stroke..രജി നമ്പ്ര-ന്ന...Reg No 6) folded letter from South (തെക്കൻ  പറവൂർ ) Paravur  (21/2/55...Sept 08, 1879) to Irinjalakuda.

Registration fee was 7 Chuckram  (registration process of letters was introduced in 1865).

This fee was lowered to 6 Ch in 1881-'82, and subsequently to 3 Ch, when adhesive stamps & envelopes were first issued in 1888.

2 different types of EXPRESS (അടിയന്തിരം) mail markings.

2 different types of EXPRESS (അടിയന്തിരം) mail postal markings.
 
1) അടിയന്ത്രം..vernacular (Malayalam).

2) EXPRESS...English marking.

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 or Urgent 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.

 അടിയന്തരം'... Pre-adhesive period (prior to 1888) manuscript ...requires further study, for it is written  by the sender itself, in order to be delivered ASAP.

1944 Dead Letter Office (D.L.O.) 'Ambulance' envelope

This privelege 'ambulance' (serves the purpose of an Ambulance which carries the deceased to its home)  envelope was used to return the  unclaimed / refused / D. L. O.  letters/envelopes to the office of despatch (only if the senders address is written on the dead cover), for delivery to the sender, free of charge.

An unclaimed envelope addressed to K.Kunjulakshmi Amma, enclosed in the D.L.O. envelope was posted from D. L.O. office @ Trivandrum (19 Vri 1120..Dec 04, 1944) to the Official Receiver, Trivandrum  (21 Vri '20..6/12/'44).

'Detter' for Letter...erroneously printed.

 Very Rare.  

British India 'Postage Due' on Travancore Cash Eight card

1) Travancore to Calcutta. 

1892...Travancore 8 Cash card posted from Tiruvella Anchal office (Medam 11, 1067...April 24) to Changnacherry Anchal office (Medam 12..April 25) ...Pre-stamp era cds.

 & transferred to Changnacherry (manuscript in Malayalam by the Anchal postmaster) Imperial post on April 25  for onward transmission to Calcutta with boxed Postage Due (1/2 Anna..in red manuscript). Delivered @ Calcutta  (April 30).

Postcard rate is 1/4 Anna, hence taxed by 1/2 Anna..twice the deficient.

 2) Travancore green Anchal postbox to Imperial  red postbox.

1893 (13 April) Travancore Cash Eight perforated (10) post card from Kanjirapally (addressed to Appu Ayengar, Sub postmaster of Kottayam Post Office-British India) to Kottayam local Travancore anchal office (15 April) 

& then transferred/posted to British Imperial Kottayam office, attracting a Postage Due fine of One Anna...(normal post card rate is 1/4 Anna,  since this is a (part of) double card..normal rate for double card is 1/2 Anna...hence taxed by 1 Anna).

Travelled thru' the green Travancore post box & red box of British India.