- £75.00
Thailand. (Siam Steam Navigation Company - Postmarks). Circa 1920. Siam SG 217, 10s yellow brown and black cancelled by straight-line 'S.S. "Valaya" in violet (struck twice).
The company was formed as the 'Danish East Asiatic Company' in 1897. The company had a steamer calling port to port from Bangkok down the Malay Peninsular with passengers, goods and had a contract to carry the mail. More vessels were added until the 'Siam Steam Navigation Company 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 cancelled on board ship are very rare indeed.
The 'S.S. "Valaya" (1311 tons) was built by the "Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company' in 1918 for the 'Siam Steam Navigation Company'. She was sunk by a mine on 13th January 1944 during WW2.
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.
