Postmark Theme, New, Old, How Or Why.

Yes! StampStudy beautiful postmarks!

The "world's greatest hobby" postmark is a total treasure! Thanks for sharing!

Rod that's a very nice and neat nib-quill cancel!

I can't believe I am old enough to confess I used
nib and inkwell at school

Some of the nib cancels (read Malay states) had
large quantities of sulphur in the ink, which eventually
ate through the stamp (sulphuric acid with moisture)

I have some revenues as example but the scans are very poor.

I was more pleased to find the Prudential opt, quite rare I believe.

Floral CDS identified:
(KG5 yours would be "Launceston")

A total find Rod! Very special! It is so beautiful to see a full crisp example of this postmark! You do come up with the most amazing stamping stuff! Thanks mate!

A paid Madras cancel that was hit pretty squarely:

Very nice strike. British India isn't my area, but I'd guess the cancellation reflects the pre-UPU system, showing that the Indian portion of the postal charges only had been paid. Presumably from a letter to an exotic destination with which India didn't have reciprocal arrangements (but don't ask me for suggestions as to what it might have been!)

Thanks for that! I've read snippets here and there, but I don't recall much regarding the ins and outs of early British India's postal system.

Here is another cancel I've wondered about...anyone have any i.d. information on this? It sure looks like it is going to be a late fee, but I'm not sure.

Most likely 'LATE FEE'. The SPEN at the bottom is probably part of Spencer Street Station - the country and interstate railway station here in Melbourne. I remember, some years ago, still seeing a Late Fee letter box at the station, though whether it was still in use for Late Fee mail, I have no idea. A year or two ago, Spencer Street Station was renamed Southern Cross Station, after a major renovation.

I just love this topic!

Agree with Toney LATE FEE and Spencer Street stn

I have trouble with the India SOTN
does not look to be PAID to me,
care to expand on your suggestion Tony ?

Rod, I have trouble imagining anything else that last letter could be. 'Indian Paid' would make sense as indicating that Indian but not foreign charges had been paid.

But having said that, British India is definitely not my subject.

Just a couple of things of interest I've found recently.

Hamilton Island is a tropical holiday resort in the Whitsundays on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. We have a family member who works there. The eye of a cyclone went over the top of this island some months ago & they experienced the total calm in the middle of the cyclone & it lasted some time. Quite an experience. We have had that experience here. It is very strange.

A nice strike from Tsingtau on a German Kiautschou stamp depicting the Kaiser's yacht Hohenzollern

You won't see a better one than that Cjd! Superb strike.