Page 156 - The Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia

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1 AUG1957 -7 NOV 1957

MANAMA

Type 30 Type 31

In 1954, Abdul Aziz, the Postmaster at Muharraq, retired and the
office was closed. Since 1948, ordinary mail had been sent to Manama,
and only registered items — and very few of them — had normally been
postmarked at Muharraq. There was obviously insufficient business to
maintain the office any longer — although it later re-opened in 1957 as
a sub-office of the Bahrain State Post Office.
The Q.E.II definitive high values surcharged 2, 5 and 10 Rupees
were issued on September 23rd, 1955. The overprint was type-set on
complete sheets and the only variety is the “Weak Entry” on Row 1/2
of the 10 rupee; this variety on the basic stamp from early Waterlow
printings shows as a ragged right end to the value label at the base of
the stamp. These three values subsequently appeared in 1957—58 with
plate-printed overprints; and the 2 Rupee surcharge was issued in 1960
on De La Rue printings of the basic stamp.
The differences between the two overprints on Waterlow stamps
may be readily recognised on the 5 and 10 Rupees, but are not so
easily seen on the 2 Rupees. The figure “5” of the type-set overprint
is exactly the same height as BAHRAIN RUPEES; whereas, on the
plate-printed overprint, it is taller to the extend that its top cross bar
is above the level of the top of BAHRAIN RUPEES. The 10 Rupees
differ in that the “1” and “0” are spaced 0.9mm. on the type-set and
only 0.6mm. on the plate overprint. On the 2 Rupees, comparison must
be made between the horizontal arms of the letters “E” which are bold
and square-ended on the type-set and tend to taper on the plate over­
print.
In 1956-57, the Mia., 4a., 6a., 12a. and R1 values were released
on St. Edward’s Crown watermarked paper: although there must have
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