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This seems to be BLOEMFONTEIN R.C.I

Does anyone know what the "R.C.I." stands for?

Logic would suggest it would be River Colony something.

Imperium perhaps? The I in the overprints VRI and ERI are Imperatrix and Imperator respectively.

The initial "O" is cut off; it should be O.R.C.I.


(Image from http://www.michael-hamilton.com/cov...hp?ct=77&sb=)

O.R.C. is thus clearly Orange River Colony. I haven't puzzled out the meaning of the "I" but I'm confident that it's not Imperium. The "I" in VRI and ERI refers to Victoria and Edward being Empress/Emperor of India.

Independent Orange River Colony ?

Thanks for the responses!

Hi Erilaz,

I was quoting from Lowe's Africa p.70

"In March 1900 Lord Roberts occupied Bloemfontein and the O.V.S. adhesives were overprinted "V.R.I" (Victoria Regina Imperatrix) and later "E.R.I" (Edwardus Rex Imperator) and the district became part of the Empire."

Of course this doesn't answer jimjamtwo's question.

Might it be Independant? The Orange River Colony was granted self government in June 1907.

That would be referring to the British Empire as a whole. Victoria was accorded the title of Empress because the various Rajahs and Maharajahs of India were subject to her. The Brits wouldn't have named this podunk backwater in South Africa an empire in and of itself.

Independent, maybe. I was thinking Incorporated, maybe. But neither of these seems to fit. The more usual abbreviation appears to be O.R.C. without the I., as in the handwritten address on the card I posted.

Most all the Bloemfontein Pmks, I saw in searching, (Covers)
had the O.R.C.I. at bottom ring.

I've noticed the same thing, but only in Bloemfontein postmarks. Postmarks from all the other towns that I've seen while trying to solve this puzzle have O.R.C.

Yes, it's quite an enigma.

On page 23 of the pdf I found here https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bi...f?sequence=1 there is another type of Bloemfontein cancel with the I at the base. Might it be a 1 sans serif?

There is an email address for the author on page 1 of the pdf.



The Orange Free State Study Circle might be able to provide an answer:

http://www.orangefreestatephilately...k/index.aspx

Bobby,
we need the link to Part 1, for page 23.

Hi Rod,

Sorry for any confusion. The page numbered 120 on the link I provided has the Bloemfontein image I mentioned. If anyone downloads the pdf it is 28 pages long, so when I said page 23 I meant 23 of 28.

I did find a link to Part 1 here:

https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bi...dRCPart1.pdf

Part 1 deals with the postage stamps of the OFS/ORC

Hope this helps

Thanks Bobby,
well spotted.



I think your suggestion has merit.

I do, however find it strange that an occupational stamp from wartime, 8-9 years earlier would still be franked.

Bingo!

Well done Bobby..........

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