INDIA, 1878, -1/2a Blue. Postal stationery entire used with -1/2a Blue, 1a Brown and 4a Green (20, 22, 24; SG 54, 58, 64), tied by "Virduputty May 13" circular datestamps with "S M-2" in grids and addressed to Palestine, Lebanon, and missent to Labuan, back of cover with plethora of circular datestamps including Bombay (May 17), Galle (May 17), Singapore (May 27), Labuan (May 26), Port-Said (Aug. 5 and 18), Jaffa (Aug. 19) and Beirut (Sept. 17), blue "POSTE FRANCAISE, JERUSALEM" with cross handstamp, manuscript "Missent to Labuan" on back and with clarification of address on front, some slight edgewear but in excellent condition given the circumstances of its journey

VERY FINE. A COLORFUL AND RARE USE FROM INDIA TO LEBANON, WHICH WAS MISSENT TO LABUAN. A PHENOMENAL COVER.

According to an accompanying analysis, the destination was evidently misread by the postal clerk in Bombay, who would have been more familiar with Borneo than with the Levant. It went to Galle and was carried on the P & O's Khedive to Singapore, where the error in sending was also not identified. It was then carried by local sailing vessels to Labuan. In Labuan it was labelled missent, and the address was clarified to eliminate any additional confusion. It then made its way from Labuan to Lebanon. It went thru Port Said on Aug. 5 and may have been undeliverable so went back to Port Said on Aug. 18 on its way back to the sender. In the absence of any return to sender markings it was then sent to Jaffa and then to the French postal agent in Jerusalem, who apparently held it for a month before sending it to Beirut.

With 2004 R.P.S. certificate.

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