George VI Era Cochin - Mostly Used

I bow to the knowledge of the language master :)

Also cute to hear Thai being spoken with a
good old smattering of English with accent
being placed on odd consonants..

Steak = Sa,take.

Tony
Thanks for your warm welcome.
I am still trying to figure out how to post and how to attach images. I have posted a few times but do not see the posts on the forum. So will wait a bit.
Thanks
Tom

Tom, I find the easiest way to post images here is to open a free Photobucket account (www.photobucket.com). Upload your images there, and you can then copy them into your posts here with just two mouse clicks. This also has the advantage of allowing you to load much larger files than you could otherwise. (I regularly post files of several MB without any problem.)

Tony
Thank you. I will try that.
Best
Tom

Tony
Please find my first image posting. Just figured out how do do it. This is a partial sheet of 3p blue I have. I used to think it could be a forgery since most of the later Cochin stamps I thought were in sheets of 48 (although not sure about the earlier puthan stamps). This is a partial sheet I have which has 9 rows and 8 columns. It has side gutters on two sides. But it does have light umbrella watermark on each stamp, hard to see,but its there. My guess is that one row was used up. Look forward to hearing from the experts. I will write a bit more about myself as I am a new member. Very much appreciate a forum like this is. I am a self confessed addict. I hope you can see the image (next time I will make sure its not upside down) Just bought the scanner too. Thanks, Tom

Well done, Tom! (Now all you need to do is go into Photobucket, and edit your image to invert it.)

I don't know the earlier Cochin issues well enough to speak with certainty, but I'm pretty sure these issues were indeed in sheets larger than 48. John Trowbridge, who is the acknowledged expert on them, wrote a series of articles on plating these stamps and their different settings in the India Study Circle journal, India Post. They're much too long and detailed to post here, but as soon as I have some spare time, I'll see if I can find them for you.

In the meantime, if you're seriously interested in Cochin and any of the other Indian States, and you aren't yet a member, I'd really strongly suggest joining the India Study Circle (http://www.indiastudycircle.org/index.html). The CD archive of 50 years of issues of the Circle journal that new members receive is well worth the annual subscription alone. You'll also find a whole community of fellow collectors of Cochin - very reassuring for a collector of an unusual subject. (I know: being one of two or three collectors of the Indian States here in Melbourne is very lonely!)

hi Tom

A very nice part sheet of this value.one remarkable feature of your item is the fine condition of the paper with less toning. im sure you bought this outside india. in India we dont get such nice quality due to tropical climate and poor storage.

About the stamp the full sheet was with 80 stamps(10 x 8) on thick white paper issued in 1902 making the SG no: 16. of course there are other 3 values which are 1/2 puttan green, 1 puttan pink and 2 puttans violet.
the sheet sizes are as follows
1/2 puttan =48 stamps
1 puttan = 24 stamps
2 puttans = 12 stamps initially and 24 stamps later

George

Geroge
Thanks very much. You are absolutely correct. I did buy this from a person in Israel who had a very old collection. Best Regards
Tom

Tony
Thanks for your suggestions on ISC membership. I have just recently become a member about 1 month ago. I have not had a chance to look at the reference material. I have just received their CD but will definitely look at it. I am not sure how to find others who are Cochin Collectors in the US, but I probably will eventually.
Best
Tom

Congratulations on a wise decision, then, Tom. You'll find membership more than pays for itself.

Unfortunately, the Trowbridge articles aren't on the CD. However, there is enough material on other aspects of Cochin to keep you occupied for many hours! (John?) Warren, the North American Coordinator for the ISC, should be able to help you find the back copies of India Post that carry the articles, and the Membership list will list other North American Cochin collectors. I know there are several.

I'm really only just beginning to take Cochin seriously, and mainly because it's so hard to find new material from my first love, Barwani. Still, if we can't answer any questions you have here, I'm sure the combined resources of the ISC should be able to.

Tony: I am not sure if you can read the languages of Birwani or Cochin and I am truly amazed at how well people rise to the challenge. I can read the language somewhat and still find it difficult.
Best
Tom

Tom, I can manage a few words of clearly printed Hindi, but I admit that the Malayalam of Cochin (and Travancore) is still beyond me. No excuse: sheer laziness!

I am a new member to this community. I am collecting Cochin, Travancore, Travancore - Cochin Stamps.

Recently I have come across an item which is not yet catalogued
I got one V Raja 3pies stamp (SG O84)over printed ON C G S double.

Welcome Thomas, and it's good to see another collector of Cochin, and even more so of Travancore and Travancore-Cochin. The last two seem to be sadly neglected by comparison with Cochin.

Your SG O84 with the double overprint could be very interesting. Can you post a high resolution scan of the stamp, so that we can have a look at it?

Hello to all in the new year, just wanting to wish you all a very Healthy and prosperous 2011
Tom