- £75.00
Thailand. (Siam Steam Navigation Company - Postmarks). Circa 1918. Siam SG 169, 10s olive and black cancelled by large double ring 'S.S. "Boribat" with name in center in black.
The company was formed as the 'Danish East Asiatic Company' 1n 1897. The company had a steamer calling port to port from Bangkok down the Malay Peninsula with passengers, goods and had a contract to carry the mail. More vessels were added until the 'Siam Steam Navigation Navigation Co.' was founded in 1909. The steamers would carry mail from port to port in the ships mail bag. Loose letters were cancelled by the Purser's fancy rubber hand-stamp and mail cancelled on board ship is very rare indeed.
The 'S.S. "Boribat' (563 tons) was built in 1902 and was added to the fleet when the 'Siam Steam Navigation Company purchased the 'Danish East Asiatic Co.'. The 'S.S. "Boribat" collided with another steamer on 16th March 1923 and broke her stern, for most of 1927 she was stranded on a sandbank near Trengganu by a monsoon.
Ex John Garner collection. John made a wonderful study of these elusive items for over 50 years. He wrote an article for the P.A.T. Journal in 2009 on the history of the little shipping lines that traded along the coast of the Gulf of Siam.
