BANGKOK (Siam, Thailand)

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Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
contact me if you want to purchase them: evert@klaseboer.com.

Stamps of Straits Settlements overprinted with a 'B' were used in Bangkok, Siam (Thailand) for the British Consular Post Office. The first stamps with 'B' overprint arrived in May 1883 (other sources say 1882?). On 30 June 1885 the use of these stamps was stopped. If I'm well informed, these stamps were not cancelled in Siam, but only when they arrived in Singapore (making the identification of forgeries even more difficult!).

Be extremely careful when acquiring these stamps. Many forged overprints exist!

1882 Stamp of India overprinted with crown and value (first issue of Strait Settlements)

image reproduced with permission from: http://www.sandafayre.com

  'B' on 32 c on 2 a yellow

For the specialist: this stamp has watermark 'Elephant head'. I don't know if this stamp exists genuinly used.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
32 c on 2 a	RR	??

1882 Stamps of Straits Settlements overprinted with a 'B'

Image reproduced with permission from: http://www.sandafayre.com 12 c lilac 30 c lilac

  2 c brown
  2 c red
  4 c red
  4 c brown
  5 c brown
  5 c blue
  6 c violet
  8 c yellow
  10 c black
  12 c blue
  12 c lilac
  24 c green
  30 c lilac
  96 c grey

Surcharged

  'TWO CENTS' on 32 c orange

For the specialist, these stamps were issued with watermark CC Crown or CA crown.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
Watermark CC Crown
2 c brown	RR	R
4 c red	R	R
5 c brown	***	***
6 c	**	**
8 c	***	***
10 c	R	***
12 c blue	R	R
24 c	***	***
30 c	RRR	RRR
96 c	RRR	RR
Watermark CA crown
2 c brown	R	R
2 c red	**	**
4 c red	RR	RR
4 c brown	**	**
5 c blue	***	***
6 c	***	***
8 c	**	**
10 c	***	***
12 c lilac	***	***
24 c	R	R
Surcharged
2 c on 32 c	RRR	RRR

These stamps often exist with a Singapore cancel.

Another mute cancel consisting of a large square with small alternating blocks.

Forgeries: the overprint is quite easy to falsify, there exist many forgeries, (by the way, I'm not 100% sure that all the above stamps are genuine), examples:

Forged overprint

Inverted overprint:

Is this a genuine stamp?

Other forgeries possibly done by Oneglia; Both the stamps and the overprints are forged. Note the 'white eye' in these engraved forgeries and the 'bars' cancel.

Postal Stationery

1885 Postcard of Straits Settlements overprinted 'B'

  3 c blue

Fiscal stamp

A 20 c revenue stamp of Straits Settlements was overprinted with a 'B' to be used in Bangkok. I have never seen this fiscal stamp. If anybody posesses a picture, please contact me!

According to http://www.michelhoude.com/BMSM/Bangkok/PresPSSC/P01.html, the following firm chops were used in Bangkok:
A. Bjurling & Cie
Markwald & Co.
Ameeroodin Mahomedbhoymoocha Ld
Falck & Beidek
Falck, Bramann & Beidek
Möeller & Meisner
Götte & Co.
Ramsay & Co. Exporters
Roger Clarke & Co.
The Borneo Company Limited
"Windsor, Redlich & Co Siam" or "Windsor, Rose & Co Siam"

"AMEEROODIN MAHOMEDHOYMOOCHA LD BANGKOK" in an ellipse with date in the center

"FALCK BRAMANN & BEIDEK BANGKOK (SIAM)"

Möeller & Meisner; also note the mute cancel.

"FORWARDED BY THE BORNEO COMPANY LIMITED SIAM" in large ellipse "FORWARDED BY" in the center.

"WINDSOR, REDLICH & CO BANGKOK SIAM"

"WINDSOR, ROSE & CO. BANGKOK. * SIAM. *"

There are also a few Consular Security Markings:
The British Consulate Seal
U.S.Consulate Bangkok
U.S. Legation Bangkok
"Kaiserlich Deutsches Consulat in Bankok" (German Consulate)