Sudan Military Telegraph Stamps - Need Help Identifying

I cannot find this in Scott under Sudan and I did check Egypt as well, just in case. To begin with, I thought it was most likely a military issue but the Sudanese listings all describe regular issue stamps with an overprint in this category. I am assuming, therefore, that it is a revenue of some sort despite not really looking like one. Are the perforations up the centre of the stamp an indication that half is used as some sort of counter-foil? Does anyone have a scan or a link that would show the entire stamp?

Sudan military telegraph. A few have appeared here before. (I've put up a few...I'll find a link or two...one was asking the question, "What is that second third camel looking at?")

[edit: Here is a full stamp that I posted in rod's Tribute to Postmen topic:

Great. Thank you and I may snaffle that image as well.

Snaffle the image!?! Why, I never...!



The first series, of 1898, came in four values, with a rosette watermark. The second series, 1899-1901 (or so), had a multiple-star and crescent watermark, and added two high values (10p and 25p), as well as an additional color for the low value (5m).

The colors stayed the same across the series for the shared denominations, so the watermarks become important in order to i.d. them. The 2p from the second series appears to be the rarest variety.

As I recall, the amusing thing about this stamp,
someone wanted to know what the 3rd last camel was looking at :)
There were some humourous suggestions.

It's all in the terminology, CJD. To snaffle is a mild and harmless appropriation among friends. To copy, to pirate, to take, even to borrow, implies a darker and more nefarious intent - not to be taken lightly.

Being the of the upstanding character that I am, I almost always snaffle. :)

Yes, I've been known to snaffle a bit myself. Don't tell rod...he wouldn't approve.

There is one stamp of this design to keep an eye out for in particular.

The initial release on 1 March 1898 comprised four values - 5m, 1p., 2p. and 5p. All were on paper watermarked with a rosette.



An additional 10p. value was released in June 1898. It was printed on paper watermarked with the Egyptian crescent and star. Some 30,024 were printed.

Egyptian crescent and star watermark

In 1899 the whole set, including the 10p. and a new 25p. value were reprinted on Sudanese crescent and star watermarked paper. Like the rosette watermarked examples a total of 30,024 10p. value stamps similarly were printed.

Sudanese crescent and star watermark

Although the 10p. value was printed in equal quantities, less than thirty of the Egyptian crescent and star watermarked examples are known. It is a mystery as to what happened to the rest, but they are a rarity.

Something worth keeping an eye out for.

You've outdone yourself, 'flaw.

I've never seen an image of the Egyptian watermark, and didn't know about the earlier 10p. I've bought a few lots of these stamps over time (they always seem to come in lots of three to five stamps), and I've got some digging to do.

backroads, maybe it is worth changing your thread title to include "military telegraph" for posterity's sake? This is now the definitive thread on them, as near as I can tell.

[edit: as long as we're here, any idea why the star crescent watermark 2p has a huge premium in Byrum? typo? ]

I don't think its a typo Cjd. B&K have it priced in 1980 at £15 for an unused pair or used single.

Okay, then. Thanks for checking.

Nice thread,
juicy info.
I support Cjd in changing thread topic to "Sudan Military Telegraph" :)

Do not support "snaffle", I am English, so "purloin" is more apropriate.

But it just sounds so much more...I don't know...dirtier?

Maybe it's because it rhymes with "her loins"?

In the words of Pete Townshend, I can't explain...

Title changed as per suggestion.

"Abstract" should satisfy all needs of sensitivity, though "absquatulate" has more of a ring to it. Those of certain mind sets may find a suggestion of other indelicacies though.

Everyone is of an agreeable nature this morning.
I had to titter at your last comment
I read you well

I have added absquatulate to my lexicon,
and hoping I can use it somewhere soon,
though I don't think I'll be able to
recall it after a few weeks.

I cannot leave you without some quotes
from Australia's favourite couple, Kath and Kim.

Kim: what about Italian? ' Cause I love Italian names. Cardio. Cardio Infarction

or

Kim: Look at me mum, I look like Britney Spears!
Kath: Yeah yur do, yur do, yur could be her sister asparagus spears!

Oh look, I have half a stamp as well.............