George VI Era Cochin - Mostly Used

You have a few nice things here, Thomas.

The SG 27a (First Raja 3 Pies, perf 14x12½) appears to be a D (= Dewaswom) perfin. D is the most common perfin, but I only have it on the SG 27.

SG 48 (the 2 Pies surcharge on the Fist Raja 3 Pies): There were a lot of broken letters in these surcharges. I think you have a nice example of the broken 'e' in Pies.

SG 48b (the perf 14x12½ variety): I have a pair of SG 48b + 48ba, but they're heavily toned. I will replace the pair when I can find a better one.

SG 50: I'm still looking for a used copy of this ONE ANNA surcharge on the Second Raja 2¼ Anna. Gibbons prices it at £6.50 mint and £12 used, but I think genuine used are rather rarer than that.

SG 87: (Fourth Raja 4 Pies, sheet watermark) Gibbons prices the used at three times the mint. I've only got one used, and the postmark looks a bit questionable.

SG 88a: (Fourth Raja 6 Pies, sheet watermark) Is that a scuff under the 'S' of SIX, or is it a plate flaw? I couldn't find it on any of my copies, though.

The perfins are an interesting study. Hyderabad was the only other State to permit perfins, and they 're much plainer and simpler than the Cochin. Well worth taking further - that is, if you aren't already!

Hi
Thank you Tony for your inputs!
A few more of the lot.

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SG98ab

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SG104a

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SG124a


Thomas

Those Fifth Raja types make a perfect little self-contained study on their own. Covers



used in the right period seem to be particularly difficult. And of course, the 4 Pies



is a major headache mint, and even nicely used copies are hard! Again, I like the prospects for nice covers of any of the perforation varieties.

Hi
Now the Official stamps

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SGO14

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SGO18

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SGO30

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SGO33a

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SGO43

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SGO44

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Thomas

Dear Thomas

didnt knew that you were here in kerala, anyway happy to se your new additions . The O44 seems to be O56 ;note the Oval " O " in "ON"
Rgds
George

Hi
George - I suppose you are right - type "O10" instead of type "O6".
I was in Kerala for a short trip - from 28th Dec to 2nd Jan. Next time may be we could meet. Suresh Babu had told about you. My email thomastholath at gmail dot com.

A few more of the Officials:

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SGO46

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SGO47b

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SGO48a

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SGO50a

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Thomas

I think George is right: here are the two One Annas, SG O44 on the left and O56 on the right:



These Service printings of the Third Raja stamps take some picking through, but the effort is well worth it in the end.

I always check the perforations of the Second Raja types with my Instanta. Gibbons lists the perforations known to exist for each value etc, but the lists are not complete. You can still make discoveries there.

Talking of the Service overprints, the other day I picked up these proofs of the Gibbons TO3 overprint:

Hi
Tony - nice samples of the Third Raja 2 Anna Officials !

Thomas

And the next batch of Official stamps

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SGO53

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SGO54

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SGO55

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SGO56a

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SGO56b

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SGO56c

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SGO56d

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Thomas

I'm afraid your SG O56a is in fact an SG O44. SG O56/a has to be a litho printing, but your copy is a recess print.

Hi
And the last of the lot

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SGO58

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SGO61

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SGO68a

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SGO81b

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SGO101

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SGO104b

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Thomas.

Hi
A few blocks which I had bought recently.
SG27


SG29


SG51


SG65


SG95


SG97


SG115


SG126


Awaiting your feedback !
Regards
Thomas.

It may be the way colours show on my screen, but you seem to have a bit of toning, or tropicalisation, on some of those blocks, particularly the SG 27. My copies of SG 27 and the surcharges on it also are rather toned.

I've also noticed that SG 65 often seems to have backing paper adhering to it. The gum on that stamp must have been particularly unsuitable!

The block of SG 115s is very nice indeed, though. Gibbons prices these at £100 each mint. As they're only £1 each used, few collectors can have bothered to buy them when they were current. The commonest Travancore-Cochin 3 Anna, SG 6a (the 3 Anna surcharge on Travancore 7 Chuckram pale blue, perf 11) is priced at £6.50, so it's easy to see what collectors were buying around 1950!

Incidentally, there's a good flaw on the Cochin SG 115: a line from the Maharaja's mouth:



It's constant, on both the normal and Service overprints, and worth looking out for. Of course, all these 6th Raja stamps have numerous plate flaws, but this is a particularly striking one.

Hi
And a few blocks of the Official stamps.

SGO33


SGO37


SGO43


SGO64 ? or SGO67b ? Guruji Tony - your verdict please


SGO80


SGO83


Awaiting your inputs !

Thomas.