Help With A Postmark On A New South Wales Halfpenny Stamp

Hi folks,

The stamp below has a Sydney circular datestamp of 11 November, 1896 and part of the barred NSW of the duplex at the left, the S and W showing.

But what is the postmark/cancellation at the lower right? It looks like CEH or possibly GEH and there are letters to the left that are partially obscured by the bottom of the barred NSW cancel.

Can anyone help with this cancellation?

Any assistance as always is greatly appreciated.

Guess.
Number of the CDS...."44"

Oops, I see what you mean,
Couldn't see the forest for the trees.
CER perhaps

Only bold typeface I can recall, similar comes from
Newsprint : Sydney Morning Herald
Parcel Post strikes (but may too early for those)
Hand struck Queensland Registrations
http://goscf.com/t/27430#235261 br /

Is that an "S" left of date line?

Hi Rod,

Yes, it's a little busy on this stamp!

I think the letters are AFGEH, and after some digging, I've got a feeling it might be a Netherlands cancel, NIET AFGEHAALD, which translates to UNCLAIMED.

I'm hopeful someone can confirm, and maybe show an example of the full postmark.

Part of the barred oval "NSW" duplex strike

Could not resuscitate this link

Not Collected


Bib: Vol. 30.1 - American Society for Netherlands Philately

I did find a nice PDF on Netherlands postmarks here:

https://jdlkremer.angelfire.com/

Bobby,

It appears there are three stamps. I see "AFGEH" in your post. "AF" is obscured by bars. I think the bars are part of a third rubber handstamp.

Over "AFGEH" appears to be "S.P."

for Dutch stamps (this type does not appear), you also have this site with many examples

http://poststempels.nedacademievoorfilatelie.nl/

NSK
as I stated above, it is the RIGHT hand "Killer" part of the barred NSW
steel duplex hammer.

Yes, I see the "W" now.

Makes sense. 1/2 d would not have paid postage from NSW to the Netherlands, so more stamps will have been stuck to that item of mail.

Thank you everyone for your help

Just for illustration, the Sydney 44 duplex is below.

Note: could also have been applied in the Dutch East Indies (Nederlandsch Indië)

I was thinking that too NSK.

I guess it could also have been applied in Transvaal or Orange Free State.

The Dutch East Indies is a very scarce destination from 19th century New South Wales.

I have no knowledge of "Afrikaans." However, my feeling is that "afgehaald" would be limited to the Netherlands, its colonies (Dutch East and West Indies, Surinam), and maybe Belgium. But for Belgium at the time, French would make more sense.

Something tells me the "ge" would not be used in Afrikaans. Also "af," likely, would be "op." "OPHAAL" instead of "AFGEHAALD." Maybe a member from South Africa has more insight into that.

The double strike of the duplex hammer suggests there was another stamp on the left hand side.

Thank you NSK. That is most interesting information!

I think you're right Rod. I have a couple of covers that are missing at least one stamp. I dream that one day they might be reunited.