Registered Markings
This sampling of British and Native Registration markings is the beginning of a
study, data-gathering for the present. Appreciations
to Anthony Bard for significant orientation; more dating detail can be found in
The Bard Papers on site.
The earlier unindented form of the REGISTERED cachet in red (here for 28 April 1871 with “Seereenagger” in manuscript). On the right, the same in black with the more usual “Kashmir” in manuscript, dated four years to the day later. The type was a long-lasting institution, known for at least fifteen years to well into the New Colors period. For part of the period (spring to spring 1878-80) the name KASHMIR was rendered with a name-stamp. The cachet, which demands O[rigin], N[umber], W[eight], and D[ate] is known as the “All-India” type. There were many cuttings and many locations.
A Manuscript “Cashmere” registration cachet, May 1872. Collection Hellrigl.
All-India type in red with SEALKOTE name stamp, 10 November 1872.
Recut type and different name stamp, known from early 1875.
Indented type, 11 November 1876. Detail from Staal Plate 3 (where the collector label on the cover misdates the item). This indented type also occurs with “Kashmir” in manuscript, which see, but always in a different cutting:
Indented form of the REGISTERED cachet for Kashmir/Srinagar in manuscript. This detail is from a cover in the Hellrigl collection. (The AMRITSAR cds without delivery notation at the top of the marking is a scarce type.)
Later types appeared with the name incorporated into the design, in the new spelling SIALKOT. As for the date range of the type shown on the left, the latest we know is the example here, 14 November 1881. We stole the image from somewhere; here’s our thank-you, whoever you are. A “26 Chet 1935” is seen on Plate 14 of the Haverbeck sale Lot 1281, which Masson converted to 13 April 1878, thus giving an erroneous early date. That should be redated to 6 April 1879. The current record for earliest date is 10 May 1878 (Bard). We have no dating information on the 3-band example on the right.
The Big-R Type
The R/LEH is known between 1885 and 1900 (the example here being Poh 1943 ~ December 1886 according to the notation in the corner). The R/SIALKOT is a detail from a November 1887 cover (date range here unknown). The R/KASHMIR is known between 1886 and 1891.
The R/JUMMU. This detail was taken from a 30 March 1903 OnHMS cover ("On Kashmir State-Service.") Earliest date not here known. There is also a R/TAVI JAMMU-STATE, known in early 1891, and a R/GULMARG, with date-range here unknown.
Circular Date Stamps
This very narrow-set SIALKOT/REG is known from March 1884 to possibly the following spring when it was superseded by the same type with year date showing. Neither type is listed in Séfi-Mortimer. The stamp is the 4a, the correct registration rate. The curved SIALKOT/ REG in small format on the right is not mentioned explicitly by Séfi & Mortimer. It was evidently alive on a day in February 1888.
The KASHMIR is known from spring to spring 1889-91. The JUMMU counterpart may also have appeared in spring 1891. The example shown above is a detail from a July 1894 Punch cover. How or why these markings contended with the emerging hegemony of the “unified” 3-rings during their period, we do not know. In any case, they outlasted the 3-rings, for the latest we have seen is on a March 1903 service (OnHMS) cover.
Spurious Use. Larger diameter registration types of the 3-ring cds appeared in 1892 for Jammu, Srinagar, Gulmarg, and others. Srinagar takes the spelling SIRINAGAR. The item here shows the latter cancelling 8 annas (on a small letter). Usually its a pair of same, as these are all philatelic concoctions for the unwary collector. The implement that produced the strike on the left, which is only there for enhancing decoration, is conspicuously missing from the collection of implements held at the postal museum at Srinagar and so there is no Staal-Sharma restrike of the type.
Examples for Bhimbar and Jasrota also exist. We have seen the Jammu type in postal use on a Kishtwar cover, of all things, dated October 1891. The vazn and nambar translate the English.
Native PO Registration Cachets
This type of registration seal, rendered in Dogri script, was seen sporadically throughout the 1879-90 period. This example was struck at Jammu in April 1880. There were at least a dozen types, but despite evidence of wear most are not known in postal use. The top line reads something like rajisţarī. The second and third lines are asking for a number (lambar) and the weight (tolā). The last line wants something else, which we assume is a date (tarīkh?) Others of the kind want a seal (mohr) or signature in this position.
Examples in the form of Staal-Sharma restrikes.