Travancore O S S Overprint

No: it's been going on for years, and will continue until one of us murders the other.

And here`s a dirty one, with red overprint

Rod222 will be having conniptions.

Wadmalatz, this is an example of the first, narrow, setting of the On S S overprint on, in case it isn't clear, the 1 Chuckram. This is known with two different watermarks from the Gibbons list above:
Watermark B upright: SG O5, catalogue value (2011) 10p
Watermark A sideways: SG O20a, catalogue value (2011) 80p
Don't try too hard to separate the two types of watermark. If the watermark is upright, it's B; if it's sideways, it's A.

It is nice to have my under secretary answer these Travancore
queries, leaves me time to pursue more pressing
admiration of the Travancore catalogue.

I think your example typifies the Majority
of the deep rich colour pigments adopted by this state,
apart from the few carmines and rosy pinks, most
Travancore are earthy deep pigmented colours.
Yours beeing a very deep blue.

The OSS opts however show a very wishy washy
light carmine, reminiscent of the red india ink
I used as a schoolboy when mapping.
(Goodness, that was along time ago)

Take care of your example, shee looks like she has
done service amid the tropical climes of
that gorgeous southern state, west of the Ghats.

Forsooth? I'm really rather afraid Rodney's time up on his roof in the sun the other day must have affected his brain, poor old chap.

The only adequate description I can find for the colours of Travancore is that fine old Australian adjective, daggy, from that fine old English word dag.

Can you hear the sound of sheffield steel on stone, Tony?
I am sharpening..........

The Prosecution rests its case, M'Lud

I would say it was more like the Persecution rests. (and I doubt it)

It's true, of course. Travancore-bashing has been going on since 1888. And with every reason ...