An 1857 cover sent from Persia to the British Naval Dubash in Bombay is estimated at $7,727-9,272 ahead of a sale at Spink Hong Kong.
The Alan Parsons Collection of Indian Postal Agencies in the Persian Gulf Area consists of a wealth of covers sent prior to 1923, when the service was discontinued.
 The Indian postal agency opened its first branches in Persia during the 1860s |
The present lot was sent during the Anglo-Persian war (1856-1857) and displays a rare "field force/pd/persia" circular datestamp on the front and an 1854 2a green "131" stamp on the back.
The conflict pitted Britain and Afghanistan against the Persian empire and was fought primarily over control of the city of Herat in modern day Iran.
A cover sent locally in Muscat, Oman in 1871 is expected to make $4,507-6,439.
It features a 1a brown cancelled with a clear strike of the "23" duplex. Very few covers feature this particular cancel, with the present lot being among the finest known.
A cover flown on the first Britain to India flight in 1918-1919, displaying a strong "postal service m.e.f./aerial post basrah-delhi/per/handley-page aeroplane" datestamp, carries an identical estimate of $4,507-6,439.
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