DUBAI
 
Indian Postal Administration
 
(August 19th, 1909 – August 14th, 1947)
 
 
Dubai’s recorded postal history begins on August 19th, 1909, when an Indian Branch Post Office was opened. The opening of the Dubai post office was the result of pressure over a number of years from the trading communities in Dubai and Karachi.
 
 
 
1913 Cover to Bombay franked on reverse by India ½a tied by  “DUBAI PERSIAN GULF / B.O.” cds, dated “21 AU’ 13” with Bombay arrival “31 AUG’ 13” at right.
 
 
Surface mail has been carried by vessels of the British India Steam Navigation Company Limited. The earliest ship for the BISNS was the S. S. Bamora and the modern counterpart of the old mail carrier was S. S. Bombala.
 
 
 
1941 Censored cover to Karachi originating from Dubai with oval handstamp of Dubai trader franked on reverse with Indian unovpt KGV 1a3p violet tied by a superb strike “EXPERIMENTAL P.O. K46” pmk dated  “11 DEC’ 41”.
 
The Imperial Airways service was changed to the Arabian side on October 1st, 1932. Covers that sent from Sharjah to London were franked on reverse strip of 5 KGV Indian unoverprinted 1a3p stamps and tied by violet “DUBAI PERSIAN GULF / B.O.” cds dated “15 OC’ 32”. These covers are specially pre printed. The first flight covers dispatched from London to Sharjah were bearing 6d, tied by “HILTON RD. HUDSON’S PLACE” and dated “1 OC’ 32”. Some covers bearing 6d and 1 ½d, these covers were tied by “LONDON AIR MAIL” dated “30 SP’ 32” and tied on revere by two violet “DUBAI PERSIAN GULF / B.O.”, one dated “6 OCT’ 32” and the other dated “2 NOV’ 32”.
 
 
 
1932 First Flight cover England - India via Arabian Coast (specially pre-printed cover) by Imperial Airways  from England to Sharjah franked on front 6d stamp dated  “1 OC’ 32”.
 
 
 
FRONT
 
 
REVERSE
 
1932 First Flight cover India-England via Oman & Bahrain (specially pre-printed cover) by Imperial Airways for the return flight from Dubai (Sharjah) to London. Franked on reverse strip of 5 KGV Indian unoverprinted 1a3p stamps tied by violet  “DUBAI PERSIAN GULF” cds dated  “15 OC’ 32”.
 
 
Seven cancels used during the Indian postal administration. The first cancel is a new type for the Gulf, which consists of a circle 25 mm. in diameter with the word “DUBAI” round the top and “PERSIAN GULF” round the lower part, the letters “B.O.” stand for Branch Office. The later date known used from Dubai was February 8th, 1933. The cancel is common used during the year 1913 and later but it is scarce prior that year. During the year 1925 it was usually showing the whole or part of the date of the first cancellation inverted, it also appeared to be very confused.
 
 
 
FRONT
 
 
REVERSE
 
 

 
 
Indian Stamps Used In Dubai: -
 

King Edward VII Stamps: -
1902:
3p  gray
1a  carmine rose
 
 

1906:
½a  green
1a  carmine rose
 
 
 
King George V Stamps
1911-23: Wmk. 39
3p  gray
½a  green
1a  carmine rose
1a  dark brown (1922)
2a  dull violet
 
 
 
1931, Feb. 9 : Litho.
¼a  brown & ol grn
½a  green & violet.
1a  choc & red violet
2a  blue & green
3a  car & choc
1r  violet & green
 
 

1932, Apr. 22: Litho.
1a3p  violet.
 
 
 

1934: Typo
½a  green
1a  dark brown
 
 
 

1935: Silver Jubilee Issue; Litho. Perf. 13½x14
½a  green & black.
9p  dull green & black.
1a  brown & black.
1¼a  violet & black.
2½a  brown org & black.
3½a  blue & black.
8a  rose lilac & black.
 
 
 

King George VI Stamps
1937-40 : Typo Wmk. 196
3p  slate
½a  brown
9p  green
1a  carmin
2a  scarlet
2a6p  purple
3a6p  ultramarine
4a  dark brown
6a  peacock blue
8a  blue violet
12a  car lake
14a  rose violet
1r  brown & slate
2r  dark brown
5r  deep ultramarine & dark green
 
 
 

1941-43 : Typo, Wmk. 196
3p  slate (1942)
½a  rose violet (1942)
9p  light green
1a  carmin rose (1943)
1a3p  bister
1½a  dark pur (1942)
2a  scarlet
3a  violet
3½a  ultramarine
4a  chocolate
6a  peacock blue
8a  blue violet
12a  carmine lake
 
 
 
1946, Jan. 2 : Vectory set; Litho. Perf 13
9p  green
1½a  dull purple
3½a  ultramarine
12a  brown lake
 
 
 
1946, Aug. 8 : Perf. 13½x14
3p on  1a3p  bister
 

 


 

 
STATIONERY  ENVELOPES :-
 

King George VI Envelope
1a3p  bright brown
1½a  black
 


Back to UAE  page.
More information about  DUBAI  postal history can be found in the following links
 
Pakistani Postal Administration - British Postal Administration - Back to DUBAI page.
 
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