Used White Scinde Dawk

with cancellation type A

Blue Scinde Dawk

Hence embossing on surface printed Blue with an extra ring around the design

was replaced. Due to poor visibility in candle light of White Scinde Dawk, it was

decided to change the colour to blue. De La Rue & Co. were placed with orders

to emboss them in blue. A new ring was added to the design which at times

has been seen with faint blue dividing lines.

The Scinde Dawks were printed by De La Rue & Co. upon the request of Sir

Bartle Frere in England. If one draws the conclusion from the references

available, such as the John Martinean's book on "The Life and letters of Sir

Bartle

Frere",

there

is

a

specific

mention

of

these

stamps

being

manufactured by De La Rue Co. and also from the various letters written by

the Post Master of Sind mentioning of having received 10,000 stamps from England, ordering fresh

supply from England, etc.. A white and a blue Scinde Dawk stamps are in the De La Rue's Official

Collection Vol 35 at page 0001380 now in the British Postal Museum.

The Scinde Dawk stamps were first issued on July 1, 1852 and were withdrawn on September 30, 1854 the

remainders being destroyed. They remained in use only in the province of Sind which had considerably

improved communications than the other parts of India, and had laid down various postal lines

throughout the province. The order was apparently not carried out well and the the last remaining batch

of Scinde Dawks could only be destroyed by 1856, two years after the issue of the regular stamps of India.

In spite of several thousands of Scinde Dawk stamps having been used during 1852;1854 they are very

scarce. The ‘red’ rarely comes un;cracked, being a brittle wafer± unused white & blue examples are

extremely rare as well.

Early Indian Essays & Proofs (Trials conducted in 1853±54)

In 1850 a Commission was appointed by Government of India to report on the working of the Postal

system. As a result the Post of Director General was created. The other highlights of the Commissions

recommendations were the total abolition of the system of franking and prepayment of postage by means

of stamps to be obtained from London. The other suggestions were that the stamp should be similar in

design and colour to those then in England and differing only in inscription.

Front & Reverse of a Blue Scinde Dawk

Sir ±artle Fere

Nine Types of Cancellation

Recorded