ILLUSTRATIONS of the CANCELLATIONS
on Stamps of INDIA used in ADEN
1855-1937

These illustrations are all taken from "The Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps Vol.III", published by Robson Lowe, 1951. The information was also taken from here as well as from "Numbers in Early Indian Cancellations 1855-1884" by D.R.Martin. The illustrations are not to scale.

ADEN POST OFFICES

More information as well as a couple of useful maps may be found in the
Sandafayre Stamp Atlas.

Aden is a peninsular about three miles long joined to the mainland by an isthmus. At the western end Steamer Point is a good harbour; at the eastern end the Crater, a long-extinct volcano, is where the military barracks were first built when
Aden was annexed to British India in 1839.
The first Aden post office opened in the Crater in 1839. In 1858 main Aden office was moved to Steamer Point while the Crater office became the Aden Cantonment or Aden Camp sub-office.
Between 1871 and 1893 both Cantonment and Camp cds were used, but after 1893 only Camp cds are known.
Steamer Point cds were used between 1858 and 1876 concurrently with the normal Aden cds but are much rarer.

There were several other sub-offices all of the cancellations of which are rare:

DTHALI. - In the northern Aden hinterland. A post office operated 1903-07.
KAMARAN. - An island off the coast of Yemen. Cancellations known from 1925.
KHORMAKSAR. - On the Aden isthmus. Office opened 1892.
MAALLA. - Between the Crater and Steamer Point. A Post Office operated 1924-31.
PERIM. - An island in the narrow strait between Arabia and Africa. A post office existed in 1895 and was closed in 1936. Cancellations before 1914 are unknown.
SEIYUN - Cancellations known from 1923.
SHEIKH OTHMAN. - A village about 15 miles north of Aden. A post office opened in 1891 and closed in 1937.

BOMBAY CIRCLE CANCELLATION TYPES

Type c1 Type 4 Type c3 Type c4
(Type 4 Duplex)

Type 9 Duplex Type 8a Type 8b

Type c8 Duplex

NOTES TO THE BOMBAY CIRCLE TYPES

Type Dates used Scarcity Further Info

c1 1854-55 Rare Not unique to Aden; used all over the Bombay Circle

4 1855-72 Common

c3 1868 One example
reported Also known in red as a backstamp with Type 4.

c4 1868 Rare Duplex

9 1870-73 Rare Duplex

8a 1871 Rare Aden Cantonment ERROR ('125' had been assigned to Sassour (Poona)).
Usually in blue and accompanied by a blue datestamp.

8b 1871-72 Very Rare Usually in black and accompanied by a black datestamp.

c8 1872-74(?) Common Duplex. Also "ADEN STEAMER POINT" which is scarce.

ALL-INDIA CANCELLATION TYPES

Type 17 Duplex Type 17d Duplex Type 18 Type 19

NOTES TO THE EARLY ALL-INDIA TYPES

Type Dates Scarcity Further Info

17 1875-85 Fairly Common Used in duplex and also separately. Several varieties

17d 1876-79 Scarce used in duplex and also separately

18 1880-96 Fairly common Accompanied by date stamp to identify place of use.
(ADEN, ADEN CAMP, ADEN CANT)

19 1884-1908 Scarce ditto ADEN. Two sizes known.

Type c13 Type c14 Type c15 Type c16 Type c17 Type c18

Type c19 Type c20 Type c21 Type c22 Type c23 Type c24

NOTES TO THE LATER ALL-INDIA TYPES

Type Dates Scarcity Further Info

c13 1884-98 common Several varieties; one with four bars at each corner
(1884-86) is scarce.

c14 1893-94 scarce ---

c15 1897-99 very rare ---

c16 1892- common Sub-types for special purposes with "REG', "PAR", "INS", "DEP"
above date. Also "ADEN CAMP". "SHEIKOTHMAN" is rare.

c17 1895-1907
1919 common Also "ADEN CAMP". "DTHALI" (1903-07) is scarce.

c18 1907-22 common Showing hour of cancellation. Also "ADEN CAMP" (1907-24).

c19 1909 Scarce Used also as transit mark.

c20 1904-15 Rare Also without "ADEN".

c21 1914-17
1922-36 Scarce Minor differences between period types.

c22 1913- Common Also "ADEN CAMP" (1927- ).

c23 1915- --- "ADEN", "ADEN CAMP" and subtypes for special purposes as in c16 are common. Other sub-offices are scarce.

c24 1923- --- "ADEN" and "ADEN CAMP" are common. "KAMARAN" and "MAALLA" are scarce.

SOME INTERESTING ITEMS FROM ADEN

Type 4 on 4as. Octagonal Type 4 on pair. Type c4 (17-18) lines. Type 8a, but no date stamp. Type 8b, no date stamp.

A COUPLE OF GOODIES THAT GOT AWAY

These items turned up in eBay auctions recently; I offered vast quantities of cash but, nevertheless, they were both snatched away from me in the last few seconds of the auctions and all I got were these lousy images!

Aden had several sub-post-offices: Kameran, Khormaksar, Maalla, Sheikh Othman, Mukalla, Seiyun, Perim and Dthali cancellations are all scarce or rare. Illustrated on left is a cds cancellation "Sheikh Othman" with part of an "Aden Camp" cds too.

The Aden "SUPPORT THE JUBILEE FUND" slogan cancel of 1935 (on the right) is very scarce on cover.

Return to:
INDIA USED ABROAD

A CENTRE FOR STAMP COLLECTORS

A Continuing Project, First Published 27 December, 2002. Latest revision 02, November, 2003.


Type c1	Type 4	Type c3	Type c4 (Type 4 Duplex)

Type 9 Duplex	Type 8a	Type 8b	Type c8 Duplex

NOTES TO THE BOMBAY CIRCLE TYPES
Type	Dates used	Scarcity	Further Info
c1	1854-55	Rare	Not unique to Aden; used all over the Bombay Circle
4	1855-72	Common
c3	1868	One example reported	Also known in red as a backstamp with Type 4.
c4	1868	Rare	Duplex
9	1870-73	Rare	Duplex
8a	1871	Rare	Aden Cantonment ERROR ('125' had been assigned to Sassour (Poona)). Usually in blue and accompanied by a blue datestamp.
8b	1871-72	Very Rare	Usually in black and accompanied by a black datestamp.
c8	1872-74(?)	Common	Duplex. Also "ADEN STEAMER POINT" which is scarce.

NOTES TO THE EARLY ALL-INDIA TYPES
Type	Dates	Scarcity	Further Info
17	1875-85	Fairly Common	Used in duplex and also separately. Several varieties
17d	1876-79	Scarce	used in duplex and also separately
18	1880-96	Fairly common	Accompanied by date stamp to identify place of use. (ADEN, ADEN CAMP, ADEN CANT)
19	1884-1908	Scarce	ditto ADEN. Two sizes known.


Type c13	Type c14	Type c15	Type c16	Type c17	Type c18

Type c19	Type c20	Type c21	Type c22	Type c23	Type c24

NOTES TO THE LATER ALL-INDIA TYPES
Type	Dates	Scarcity	Further Info
c13	1884-98	common	Several varieties; one with four bars at each corner (1884-86) is scarce.
c14	1893-94	scarce	---
c15	1897-99	very rare	---
c16	1892-	common	Sub-types for special purposes with "REG', "PAR", "INS", "DEP" above date. Also "ADEN CAMP". "SHEIKOTHMAN" is rare.
c17	1895-1907 1919	common	Also "ADEN CAMP". "DTHALI" (1903-07) is scarce.
c18	1907-22	common	Showing hour of cancellation. Also "ADEN CAMP" (1907-24).
c19	1909	Scarce	Used also as transit mark.
c20	1904-15	Rare	Also without "ADEN".
c21	1914-17 1922-36	Scarce	Minor differences between period types.
c22	1913-	Common	Also "ADEN CAMP" (1927- ).
c23	1915-	---	"ADEN", "ADEN CAMP" and subtypes for special purposes as in c16 are common. Other sub-offices are scarce.
c24	1923-	---	"ADEN" and "ADEN CAMP" are common. "KAMARAN" and "MAALLA" are scarce.


Type 4 on 4as. Octagonal	Type 4 on pair.	Type c4 (17-18) lines.	Type 8a, but no date stamp.	Type 8b, no date stamp.

ILLUSTRATIONS of the CANCELLATIONSon Stamps of INDIA used in ADEN1855-1937

ADEN POST OFFICES

BOMBAY CIRCLE CANCELLATION TYPES

ALL-INDIA CANCELLATION TYPES

SOME INTERESTING ITEMS FROM ADEN

A COUPLE OF GOODIES THAT GOT AWAY

A Continuing Project, First Published 27 December, 2002. Latest revision 02, November, 2003.

ILLUSTRATIONS of the CANCELLATIONS
on Stamps of INDIA used in ADEN
1855-1937