Labuk & Sugut postmark

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This week has been a great week where one of the rarest North Borneo postmarks of Labuk & Sugut apperead in ebay. It's nice to know that the final price of the stamps reached $316.00, making it the single most expensive cds of North Borneo in ebay so far this year.

Labuk and Sugut district, which forms part of the Sandakan Residency, is of vast extent and embraces the country drained by the Labuk, Sugut and Paitan Rivers. It joins the district of Marudu in the north and the Interior Residency in the west. The head-quarters of the district were at Klagan (on the Labuk River), seven hours from Sandakan by launch, but owing to the difficulties of the bar and the fact that the station was continually being flooded, it was moved to Beluran in Labuk Bay. With some exception, almost all of the travelling to Klagan HQ has to be done by native boat. The country, a region of vast, gloomy forests, is sparsely inhabited save in the river area, where Orang Sungei (River Folk) are found.


The date of the cds is probably 23 FEB 1907. Proud recorded the dates to be from 6 MAY 1903 to 2 NOV 1907. Examples of cds dated 30 OCT 1912 on 20c and and 25c stamps and 30 OCT 1916, are all possibly CTOs. The picture above shows the Labuk & Sugut postmarks, taken from Sarawak Specialist Society site (ref. Robert S. Cragg). The cds are more obvious and clear, showing similar dates of 30 OCT 1912.

From the same seller, there's also a Brooketon cds on North Borneo and Sarawak stamps, which sells for $162.49.