India, Travancore (present-day Kerala), early 20th century. - Lot 300

Lot n° 300
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Estimation :
80 - 150 EUR
India, Travancore (present-day Kerala), early 20th century. - Lot 300
India, Travancore (present-day Kerala), early 20th century. Postal stationery card of the Travancore State Anchel — the independent postal service of the princely state of Travancore, operated separately from the British Indian post. "Anchel Card" of eight cash, the imprinted stamp bearing the sacred conch shell (sankha), emblem of the princely state, within a decorative cartouche, with printed inscriptions in both English and Malayalam. Postally used, with a black circular Malayalam datestamp, probably of Kottar (കൊട്ടാർ) (?), and a further partial strike. The reverse is entirely covered with a dense handwritten message in Malayalam, covering the whole of the correspondence. Condition: foxing, an ink smudge on the front and some pencil annotations, otherwise sound. An interesting testimony of the postal and linguistic history of Kerala during the colonial era — Indian princely state (feudatory) postal stationery in Malayalam script is seldom offered complete with its full contemporary message. Keywords: philately, marcophily, postal stationery, Indian states, feudatory states, princely state, Anchel post, conch, sankha, Nagercoil, Kerala, cash currency, Malayalam calligraphy. The descriptions are based on our interpretation of the postmarks and handwritten inscriptions, which are sometimes difficult to decipher; they are provided in good faith and without guarantee.
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