myStampJourney

Forgot that I had this in my album, but this North Borneo stamp had an interesting rectangular handstamp in violet that was partly on the stamp. It was no doubt 'KIMANIS' but since I could not make out what the second word was, I am inclining towards 'KIMANIS Estate'.  North Borneo 1909 4 cents scarlet, ISC144 As usual in every attempt to obtain as much information from a scan, this was processed in RetroReveal.  Upside down, 'KIMANIS E'. It looked like an 'L' but there were indeed three strokes which makes it an 'E'. If it were an 'L', perhaps it could also be narrowed to 'KIMANIS LTD' For a clearer view If you noticed, surrounding the word 'KIMANIS' is another faint rectangle around it besides the double-barred rectangle that makes the frame of the handstamp. I think this might have been imprinted on the handstamp during inking when hit hard - one could always hear how hard handstamps are struck on letters in the post of

Numerals, or better known as 'numbers in rosettes' remain one of the more extensively printed stamps throughout the German Empire, in fact it is present in such an excess that mint sheets are still commonly found.  I am in the process of sorting and scanning some of these, and thought it would be great for a short write-up. At the moment I have quite a few of 3pfg stamp that has these flaws.  This is the normal 3pfg stamp, MiNr. 338. Plate flaws exists when a specific set of stamps are printed in an amount so excessive that flaws arise through all the wear and tear throughout the printing process. Depending on the catalogue referred, only major errors are documented while minor flaws and print defects are often excluded.  In this scan, the stamp in the middle is the unflawed normal stamp. The stamp on the left (1) has a flaw where the line/dash has merged with the upper right horn ornament. Stamp on the right (2) has a minor line break. (1) Enlarged. Notice that the line has me

In exploring various unique covers, and amongst the many paquebots and ship mails, the Tin Can Mail is a good conversation starter.  Like the name suggests, mails were delivered in a tin can in Tonga.  Why? Did the Tongans have no proper postal service?  To address the latter question, yes and no. The Tonga Post Office was established in 1882, however, means to communicate with the 'outside world' was made much more challenging considering that the geographical features of the doughnut-shaped island of Niuafo'ou did not permit ships to anchor.  The creative idea of the Tin Can Mail materialized in the early 19th century, which came out of desperation for William Travers, a plantation manager, to send and receive mails abroad. With harboring ships out of the question, mails were sealed in a biscuit tin before throwing it into the shark-infested waters. Swimmers from the island would then swim out to retrieve the floating tin can, and later swim out to hand over another tin c