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Tibet Cover with Mount Everest Stamp, ebay results

Printed From: Rainer's Stampcorner
Category: Tibet
Forum Name: Tibet Postmarks and Postal History
Forum Description: Please use for the discussion of Postmarks and Postal History
URL: https://fuchs-online.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=195
Printed Date: 29 March 2024 at 11:03am
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Topic: Tibet Cover with Mount Everest Stamp, ebay results
Posted By: Rainer
Subject: Tibet Cover with Mount Everest Stamp, ebay results
Date Posted: 29 April 2014 at 5:27pm

The shown cover was sold some days ago at ebay for about US-$ 3200.

 

Why that high result? Do I miss something?

 



Replies:
Posted By: Brian Smith
Date Posted: 05 August 2014 at 4:50pm
Hello Rainer,
 
Yes, you missed a lot! I cannot believe no other collector has responded to you.
 
This cover from the 1924 British Mount Everest Expedition was  sent by runner to Pharijong and then forwarded to Gyantse.  It is addressed to Capt.Nevill (Assam Political Officer), who was accompanied by Major F.M.Bailey and Medical Officer Major Hislop. These three were travelling to Gyantse and arrived there on on 3 July 1924 (the same date as this cover was received in Gyantse). Bailey was on his way to visit the Dalai Lama in Lhasa to discuss the Mount Everest Expedition and other matters with him. 
 
This cover is a priceless artefact from the Everest story (English climbers George Mallory& Andrew Irvine had disappeared on their summit attempt on 8 June 1924).
Myself and another UK collector made bids but were hopelessly outbit.
Whether reference to this fact was made in the letter is not known.
 
Two similar covers addressed to Bailey from the Everest Expedition are illustrated in the book by Frealon Bibbins "A Philatelic Story of Lt.Col.F.M.Bailey" 2003 (pp 54 & 55).
I hope this helps.
Brian W Smith


Posted By: Rainer
Date Posted: 18 August 2014 at 5:47pm

Dear Brian,

sorry, I missed your answer.

No, i was not aware about that..., therefore thanks for the detailed clarification.





Posted By: Snow Lion
Date Posted: 31 August 2015 at 4:46pm
To twist the knife in the wound, yes, we missed something ! I also remember to have been outbid for this item and another similar one, despite rather unreasoned bids !Those items prooves that philatelic-minded people were already busy in the first half of the twenties, making souvenirs for the future. And despite the existence of other souvenir items of a lesser interest bearing the "local Everest blue label",those are of higher interest,and were well hided until presented for sale nearly 90 years after their design. In fact, they were not posted from the slopes of the Everest. The date of 28th June is the last day the members of the expedition were in Tibet. (After that date, they were returning, firstly to Sikkim, then to India). Therefore, there was no need neither for a "postal runner" nor for a "local Everest blue label" northwards from Phari to Gyantse. Nevertheless, those covers, were meticulously prepared for a seemingly postal travel between Pharijong and Gyantse, but, with unuseful "Everest local blue label", unuseful british-indian stamps if carried by the Tibetan post, or otherwise unuseful tibetan stamps if carried by the british-indian post ! Moreover, the one illustrated is a "crested on the back" cover with the name of the expedition. So I guess: carried "by hand" from a post office to another, requesting clear postmarks /cancellations and backstamps. (Unfortunately, the one on the "Everest label" is not so clear, why ???).
Well, GREAT ITEM even as "philatelic". Just hope that other discoveries appear after 90 years. All is possible in Tibet.
Best.



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