Exchange Offices in Punjab
The Sialkot Exchange Office
BST1a The Sialkot numeral error ‘144’ in a diamond of bars is known for 1859-60. The image is a detail from an August 1859 cover in the Jaiswal collection, where it accompanies Type BST2 below. BST1 proper is the 244 known from the preceding 1855-59 period.
BST2 SEEALKOTE cds in double circle. The image is from the cover mentioned above. It is also known on a cover dated 20 July 1860.
BST3 SEALKOTE straight line + 54 obliterator is known from 25 December 1861 to 16 March 1865. The image is from a June 1864 cover in the Jaiswal collection.
BST5 The 1AS postage due stamp is known for more than a decade, from 08 March 1863 to 11 April 74. It is seen obliterating the Jammu frank in 1863, while the latter date comes from a cover in the Hellrigl collection.
BST6 SEALKOTE in arc + 54 obliterator is known from 02 June 1865 to 31 August 1867. The image is a detail from the Dawson catalogue.
BST7 SEALCOTE in arc cds was known by June 1865 in the pre-stamps period to July 1874 in black. It was used concurrently with BSC2 in October 1866 in both red and black. Type BST7a is for the “red”.
BST8 SEALKOTE in ‘skeleton’ arc cds is known from 14 August to 09 December 1866 in red. It is used occasionaly with BSC2. The image is a detail from a cover in the Jaiswal collection, whereon it accompanied the diamond of dots obliteration BSC1.
BST9 SEALCOTE + 54 circled obliterator is known from 14 April 1868 to 23 April 1874. Detail from a cover in the Hellrigl collection.
BST10 SEALCOTE Triangle unpaid sorting datestamp is known from 14 July 1868 to March 1870. The BST10a covers the “red” variety. The date range could easily extend into and past 1870. The latter image is a detail from a January 1869 cover in the Hellrigl collection.
BST11 SEALKOTE + L-3 obliterator is known from 30 July 1874 to 25 December 1876.
BST12 SEALKOTE straight line cds is known from 30 September 1874 to 25 December 1876.
BST13 SEALKOTE registration cachet. Name stamp on All India registration cachet in red. Date here is 10 November 1872. Cachet redrawn, in black with the same name-stamp is known for 23 April 1874.
BST13a As above but redrawn and struck in black with different name stamps, from 29 January 1875 onward.
BST14 REGISTERED /O. SEALKOTE /N. W. /D. cachet, indented type, is known from 11 November 1876 to 12 February 1878. Detail from Staal Plate 3 (where the collector label on the cover misdates the item.)
New Spelling SIALKOT
BST16 SIALKOT. + L-3 separable duplex is known from 30 March 1877 to June 1880. BST16a is the same but with a shorter name (18mm vs 21mm.) The latter is known for only three days from 30 March 1878 to 02 April 1878. See also BST18 & BST19 below.
BST17
Registration cachet REGISTERED./ SIALKOT./
BST18 SIALKOT cds with name measuring 21mm is known from January 1877 to 28 July 1884. It was used concurrently with BST19 & BST20. The year date was replaced on 30 November 1883.
BST19 SIALKOT cds with name measuring 18mm is known from 22 January 1878 to 15 April 1884. It was used concurrently with BST18 & BST20. It is also recorded in use as an obliterator on 19 November 1883.
BST20 L in circle of bars obliterator, 30 June 1880 to 12 May 1884.
BST21 L in clear rectangle within circle of bars. A late example occurred on 04 February 1890. It is not confirmed as being definitely of Sialkot.
BST22 SIALKOT cds with name measuring 20mm is known from October to 29 November 1883. It was used concurrently with BST18 & BST19. It was also recorded in use as an obliterator on 07 April 1884.
BST22a As above with year date, 30 November 1883 to 07 April 1884.
BST24 SIALKOT in arc cds, used as an obliterator only, 19 May 1884.
BST25 Registered R / SIALKOT name cachet. This is a detail from a November 1887 cover.
Sialkot City Mail Agent
BSC1 Diamond of dots (9 × 9) obliterator is known for September 1866. The image is a detail from a cover in the Jaiswal collection.
BSC2 SEALKOTE in arc cds is known in both red and black and used concurrently with BST7 from 16 October 1866. In red it is reported to 14 July 1868. There is a confirmed report in black on 26 July 1871.
BSC3 U/26 obliterator is known occasionally from 16 November 1866 to 18 December 1868, probably struck at Sialkot City, but not restriced to mail from J&K. Image is from a detail of a cover in the Hellrigl collection. It was also struck in purple, BSC3a; a late example is known for December 1868.
BSC4 SEALCOTE CITY + U/26 obliterator is known from 05 November 1870 to 14 August 1871.
BSC5 SIALKOT CITY obliterator is known from 13 November 1877 to 6 February 1878. This type is known to accompany the L-3/8 obliterator. All mail from Jammu was routed via Sialkot City between November 1877 and February 1878.
Amritsar Exchange
BAM1 UMRITSUR straight line cds is known from 10 January 1860 to 05 August 1863 on a pre-stamp franked cover, detail left. A version in red is shown also for 09 November 1863.
BAM2 UMRITSUR in ‘skeleton’ arc cds in red known between 5 December 1863 to June or July 1965. Lot 11 in the Blue Sale is dated 22 shawâl [12]81 ~ 21 March 1865. Lot 12 in the Blue Sale has safar [12]82, which begins 26 June 1865.
BAM3 UMRITSUR in arc cds is known from 17 August 1865. There are a number of cuttings over the years.
BAM4 UMRITSUR in arc cds + fleuron is known from mid-February 1873.
BAM5 UMRITSUR POST OFFICE cds, 03 June 1872 to 02 July 1874. There are 2nd and 3rd delivery versions.
BAM7 UMRITSUR 2.DELY, from 11 September 1874.
BAM8 & BAM9 AMRITSAR 1.DELY & 2.DELY. The first is known between 26 June 1876 to 14 October 1881. Also shown is the 3.DELY, which is known briefly in late 1877. There are a number of cuttings for each except perhaps the third, which employed one of the implements used in the 1.DEL type, but with the different delivery number insert.
BAM10 & BAM11 AMRITSAR FIRST DELY & SECOND DELY with and without year dates. The FIRST delivery is known from 18 January 1882 to November 1883, after which date the year was added in both cases. There are a number of cuttings for each.