Some Treasures from British Mandate in Palestine

Lot 42, Sale #30

This is a bit of a primer on the stamps of British Palestine. The area was part of the Ottoman Empire prior to 1918 and was divided up at the end of WW1 between the British (Jordan and Palestine) and the French (Syria and Lebanon). With the end of World War 1 in 1918, a British military government was set up. This was replaced by a "Civil Administration" in 1920.  The British were given a "Mandate" to rule the region by the League of Nations beginning in 1923.  The British rule lasted for 30 years, ending with their evacuation in 1948 when Israel won their war for Independence.

The stamps used in the region during British Military period did not say Palestine but were printed EEF (Egyptian Expeditionary Forces). These were used in Palestine, Jordan and other areas of the occupation until 1920 (They were never used in Egypt). #1,3,4 are pictured above, these are known among collectors as "The Blues" and were quickly replaced by a set of 9 values known as "The Typographs". The typographed set without overprint was used until the Civil Administration period in 1920, when trilingual (Arabic, English and Hebrew) overprints were put on the typographed stamps to denote their use in Palestine.

Here is what the typographed set looks like: 

Lot 22, Sale #30

There are shade, perforation and plate varieties which are listed in specialized catalogs for this set, but the real fun begins with the overprinted stamps. As a primer for identifying the overprints, I recommend an illustrated identifier on US dealer Henry Gitner's website. Here is a link to it  

Lot 39, Sale #30

This is a stamp with a story.

 It was never issued, but part of a small run of 'Trial Overprints' done in 1920 when the new Civil Administration under the leadership of Sir Herbert Samuel was just coming into power. Believe it or not, there was controversy between the Jews and the Arabs about the name of the area. 

According to a January 1955 article  in The Holyland Philatelist by S. Resnik of Tel Aviv:

 "The Hebrew overprint adopted 'Palestina EI' resulted in protests from both the Jews and the Arabs. The Jews insisted that the country had never been called 'Palestina' in Hebrew, and was known to them solely as 'Eretz Israel' (hence the EI). The Arabs, on the other hand, regarded even the initials of 'Eretz Israel' as too much of a concession, and they went so far as to take the matter to court."

In a letter dated 14/7/20  from Sir Herbert Samuel to the Postmaster General  pictured in the article the newly (he had only been in the country 2 weeks) appointed  Samuel ordered that the Eretz Israel initials be included at the end of the Hebrew line of the overprint. The Trial Overprint has the 'EI' at the beginning of the Hebrew 'Palestina'.

 It is stated in the Bale Palestine Specialized catalog that

 "Probably 12 stamps (3 blocks of 4, one of them divided) of each value exist. One set of 4Blocks are in the Royal Collection. Trial Overprints per stamp $3500."

Of great interest to me was another note from Sir Herbert which is documented in the same Resnick article.

"Please let me have in due course three sets of blocs of four specimens each of any new postage stamps that may be issued and of any essays for new stamps, to be sent to the King for His Majesty's collection, also one for the Sultan of Egypt." 

The Collections  Egypt's of King Farouk were seized by the military leaders who took over the government in 1952. They were sold at a major auction in Cairo by HR Harmer of London. Dealers from around the world came and partook, among them Jacques Minkus from the US. Minkus marked the back of some of his buys in 1954 in Cairo. 

Here is the back of the Trial Overprint Stamp:

Lot 39 back, Sale #30

So this stamp has a story; from the dicey early days of British rule in Palestine, to Sir Herbert Samuel, gifted to King Fuad of Egypt, handed down to King Farouk, siezed by the Military Government, auctioned via HR Harmers to American dealer Jacques Minkus.

A few more...

I will now give a couple highlights from the regularly issued overprints. They are all one mil brown stamps, the lowest value in the set, all with the 10mm Arabic, and all perforated 14x14. 

One is from the second local overprints (called Jerusalem 2) It is Bale/SG #38, Bale Catalog Value $1600, Dorfman Certificate: 

Lot 51, Sale #30

One is from the 3rd local overprints (Jerusalem 3), It is SG/Bale #58 (only known used, 25 exist) catalog value $3250. This one signed Dr Hoexter. 

Lot 60, Sale #30

The other perforated 14x14 1 mil, called 'narrow setting'. SG/Bale #45 catalog value $75. 

Ex from lot 54, Sale #30

If all 3 of the above stamps look the same to you, don't worry. But you may wish to polish your skills at identifying these, you never know what you will find!

We have numerous other lots from the British Mandate period in this sale, which closes 30 October. You may check it out at www.romanoauctions.com. Also printed catalogs are available to prospective bidders, please email me if you would like one. George Bailey- gbailey15@gmail.com.