Mysterious Bicycle Stamp
WHAT IS IT?HOW MANY VARIETIES ARE THERE?
(Click on any image for hi-res version)
WHEW!
So WHAT IS IT?
If all you want to see is the catalog, it starts about half-way down the page -
scroll down past the text.
More recently I believed, based on the exchanges below, that these
stamps are from India, and were used by a bicycle messenger service there.
But lately, considering how few of the examples I have seen have any sort
of cancel, and the fact that the stamps have no currency indicator (yen, rupee, etc.),
and no brand or company name, and that none has been found on any sort of mail, I have started to doubt that.
I even wrote to Linn's (6/29/2020 issue) and published a brief version of this page there, but the only
replies I got were from collectors as puzzled as I am.
One Linn's reader, though, collector Karen Fraser, suggests they are revenue stamps, since some
of them are on paper watermarked with
a symbol that occurs in the design of the stamps. Watermarks are expensive to produce, and imply
security paper. So they could have been used to pay a tax on bicycle parts.
That strikes me as an important insight, which had not occurred to me - watermarks are not
used casually.
If you want to know what collectors think about the origin and use of these stamps, keep reading.
Then sometime in 2004 I stumbled on a "weird stamps" web blog (now defunct) with
a stamp resembling mine, though no additional information
about it. The consensus of the contributors was that its origin had never been
determined. The image rang a bell, though, and I started looking through my
philatelic library. Eventually I found a series of items in issues 26 though 30
(published 1987-1990) of "ATALAYA," a bi-annual magazine (in English) devoted to
Cinderellas, published by Christer Brunström of Sweden. I subscribed for a
short period in the late 1990's, and ordered all the back issues he had at that
time. Mr. Brunström's readers had contributed information revealing that
their were four "denominations" of the stamp - 4, 5, 6, and 7 - in red, green,
and blue, and that the "6" occurred both with and without the large numeral in
the top right corner. Most significant, however, was the information from a
collector in England (a member of the Bicycle Stamp Club), who said that he
owned the remains of a box which had contained a pair of rubber bicycle pedals,
with a dark green example of the bicycle stamp stuck to the cover. The collector
dated his find in the 1938-1950 era, and believed the origin to be India, as
Indian companies produced bicycle products for the British market at that
time. I emailed the collectors named on the "weird stamps" page, one of whom sent
me the e-dress of Norman Batho, who had originated the inquiries in ATALAYA(!)
None of them had learned anything new, but Mr. Batho sent me high-res scans of
all the stamps he owned. The "weird stamps" site is no longer active, so I
decided to create this web page, in hopes it will generate further information.
Based on all the above, then, the theory at that time was that these stamps were
used by an Indian manufacturer of bicycle pedals, as size labels on its boxes.
That seemed plausible, but with only the one box to go on, certainly not conclusive.
My own opinion now is that the stamps were either postage for a package delivery service,
or revenue stamps to pay a tax on bicycle parts,
which would explain the one on a box of bicycle pedals.
The next section of this page is the history of discoveries and opinions
from 2011 to date.
Following that is a table that lists (with illustrations)
all the known "denominations," colors, and types of
the stamps. Some of the color images were contributed by Mr. Batho, while the
B&W ones are reproduced (with permission) from ATALAYA, and many more have
been acquired from eBay and other collectors, all of whom are credited.
If any viewer can supply scans of designs or colors not shown here,
or further information concerning the origin and use of these stamps,
please email the author of this page at
wmsenkus@gmail.com.
I wrote and asked the seller (ozphila) what he knew about the stamp.
He replied as follows:
So for what it's worth, I am adding that here. The item sold for AU $69.90 (US
$70.63)!
But Aranya added "I have not found this reference in any old gazette of India."
It has a "denomination" of 15 - a new find!
Below is the scan - note the square stamps at top, which definitely look related, but
no bicycle, and no numerals.
Bicycle stamp collector Arnoldt sent me the following comment by another eBay
seller
"drjoeo"
who was offering an example of the "red large 6" -
LATER the same day - I just came across an old deck of "bicycle" playing
cards, and noted
an interesting similarity of the design on their backs to these
stamps.
3/6/2016 - Arnoldt (aka Bike Max) sent these images from "the 5th issue
(autumn 1988) of "Bicycle stamps" - the club magazine of the Bicycle Stamps
Club."
--- Thanks, Arnoldt.
I emailed eBay seller "Bindu," who replied:
I emailed a couple of other people I thought might know, but no replies from
them as yet. Anyone else?
6/11/2017 - NEW FIND - "4" large numeral with "1/2"
courtesy of eBay seller
quan2363.
6/21/2017 - careful examination of all the images I had on file
revealed new types of the "5" large numeral,
and "6" large numeral. See below - both TYPE 3s are new to
this page.
6/30/2017 - Collector Bob Worcester sent an image of a new
find! It is the "5" large numeral TYPE 4 in green -
see below. Thanks Bob.
I am having major doubts about the idea that these are stamps for a private
post, which so many other people say. Why is it that so few of the ones I have
seen have any sort of cancel? Why have none been found on any sort of mail?
Shouldn't there be some sort of currency indication, like rupees or yen or
cents?
7/04/2017 - NEW FIND?
7/22/18 - eBay seller
mhendrickx listed a huge multiple of the Large 5 Type 1 (I think) -
ten high by 15 wide!
AND it has perforations on three sides, suggesting it was part
of an even larger sheet! See below.
1/1/2019 - I sold two of the bicycle stamps from my collection on eBay,
and asked the buyer, renowned paraphilately maven and author Charles Kiddle, what he knew about them.
He sent me copies of a letter and album page scan sent to HIM back in 2016 by UK collector Brian Sole.
Brian's page contained two entirely NEW STAMPS - an undenominated one, and a "33" - plus varieties of known denominations.
I have added those below, with credit to Brian.
And yet again, Brian had no new information to add to the saga. The search continues.
Thanks Charles and Brian!
1/28/2019 - major revision of this page.
Brian Sole sent better copies of the images I had second-hand from Charles Kiddle,
and it turns out the "undenomonated" labels were just the "small six" variety, and too blurry to see the number.
I have deleted the erroneous entries,
added some new examples of known varieties,
and rearranged the text in general for consistency.
6/20/2019 - ADDED "9" stamp
Our accomplice in Germany,
Arnoldt Rehm,
alerted us to an eBay item, a new variety with
denomination "9!" It has been added below. Thanks, Arnoldt!
=============================
HELP SOLVE THIS MYSTERY! All ideas and evidence welcome -
send to CLICK HERE
NEW FIND - 2/4/16 - eBay seller
alphaomegaphilately - Thanks!
(Sold for $20 - 1/11/16)
I totally missed that the central design is not a bicycle -
It's a TRICYCLE! Was someone messing with collectors, or did the company
branch out?
The design is clearly related to the others below.
Central image is of a child's tricycle!
---------------------
1/2/19 - New image from Brian Sole -
overprint in black, "1/2" in circle.
6/11/2017 - New find! Ebay lot from seller
quan2363.
1. Identical to the "4" large numeral above in main elements
(background, central medallion), but with added diagonal bar
and "1/2" in bottom left quadrant.
4 types - note "5's", handle-bars, background pattern
6/29/2017 - new find! TYPE 4 - many differences:
solid background, larger central design, etc.
7/22/18 - eBay seller
mhendrickx listed a huge multiple of Type 1 (I think) - ten high by 15 wide!
AND it had perforations on three sides, suggesting it was part
of an even larger sheet! See below.
At the same time, he listed the item below - which was part of
the group owned by Bindu from eBay seller alphaomegaphilately -
see my post of February 10, 2016, above. Is that just a
coincidence, or are these labels related?
TYPE 2
TYPE 3 a & b
TYPE 4
2 types - note "6's", floral pattern beneath bicycle
--------------
NOTE: These are often reported as "No value" or "No denomination" -
It is my theory that these were the first ones issued, and the large
numerals were added for better legibility.
--------------
NOTES (from ATALAYA)
One collector has a gummed block of 6 (3x2) of "6" with small numeral, red,
with straight edge at left. --------------
4/22/22 - Collector John Lyon sent the image at the bottom, a small 6 green
with slightly different decorations, so I am calling it TYPE 3.
-------
Also reported:
TYPE 2
TYPE 3
3 types - note "6's", background pattern top left, shape
TYPE 2
TYPE 3
2 types - note "7's"
The labels were on watermarked paper. The design of the watermark is an enlargement
of the circular element, which is repeated to form the background in the stamp.
The circle is 2mm. Adjacent circles are roughly 10mm apart.
--------------
NOTES (from ATALAYA)
Note "cancel" on "7", type 2, Stamp is red, with blue cancel. The letters at
the bottom of the cancel appear to read either "N I I" or "I I N".
TYPE 2
NEW FIND - 6/18/16 - eBay seller mondial-postzegelveiling-deventer,
- Thanks!
(Sold for $19 - 6/16/19)
6/27/19 - Size supplied by Arnoldt
eBay auction listing said just "STAMP WITH BICYCLE --UNKNOWN ** MNH --PROOF ? OFFERED AS IS "
I agree, it must be a proof.
I asked the seller for more, he replied just
NOTE THE WATERMARK, which is the same design as the small symbols filling the backgrounds
of many of the stamps on this page. It must have some significance - but what?
NEW FIND - 2/4/19 - eBay seller
alphaomegaphilately - Thanks!
(Sold for $30 - 1/11/16)
NOTE bicycle chains running horizontally top and bottom!
From an eBay auction, 12/9/2014
NEW FIND - 1/2/19
Described as:
Mysterious Bicycle Stamp, Bicycle Tax or Inspection stamp, Japan Bicycle Tax or Inspection stamp,
Japan Bicycle Registration Stamp, India Bicycle registration stamp, India Bicycle messenger stamp,
Old Asia Local Khyber Pass-Hindukush Bicycle Express(!), Private Bicycle post stamp, Local bicycle post stamp,
India 1890 Local Cycle Courier Indus River Area To Amu Darya Valley,
Local post cycle courier stamp, bicycle express stamp, bicycle pedal stamp, etc.
If you just want the answer (What are these stamps?), read on.
When I first created this page, I believed - based on what I had been
told - these were size labels for boxes of bicycle pedals.
The main problem with that idea for me is the small size of the numerals.
Wouldn't you want the key information to stand out more?
SOME HISTORY
Way back in 1990 I acquired a collection of
Cinderella stamps through a philatelic auction. It was advertised as an "old-
time collection of poster stamps and other Cinderellas", and comprised mostly
early 20th century German material, plus assorted U.S., British, and
miscellaneous other items, including the item shown above, which had a label
stating "Chinese (private) bicycle post - $100". I set the bicycle stamp aside,
as I have a friend who had asked me to keep an eye out for stamps with bicycles,
for a friend of hers who is an ardent bicycle rider. She declined the item, as
the purported value was more than she could afford. I forgot about it.
TIME MARCHES ON....
March 24, 2011
On March 15, 2011, I saw an eBay auction for the TYPE 1 small "6" stamp
described thus:
BTW, on 2/22/2011 a copy of the red large "6" stamp
sold on eBay for the opening bid of $7 -
it was described simply "BYCYCLE POST" [sic].
OLD ASIA*LOCAL KHYBER PASS-HINDUKUSH BICYCLE EXPRESS
Light used with faint ink residue.
Sold similar few years for about $15.00 USD. Purchased by India Ebay customer
and
he mentioned that up north in Afghanistan/Pakistan/India they had lots of
bicycle
deliveries by local runner and also lot of buses parcel posts ... this was
listed in
the stamps international magazines in the late 60s in U.K. Cheers OZ.
December 10, 2014
Aranya Dutta Choudhury alerted me to an item on eBay, described
INDIA-1890-LOCAL CYCLE COURIER INDUS RIVER AREA TO AMU DARYA VALLEY -1MNH
STAMP
That's pretty specific!
I have added it to the catalog below. (It sold for $23.50)
I have emailed the seller ("avrolle" of Rhône-Alpes, France) and hope he/she
can provide more info. Stay tuned.
February 4, 2016
"Arnoldt", a bicycle stamp collector from Germany, alerted me to several items
on
eBay, described
Bicycle Tax or Inspection stamp Japan?
all from seller
alphaomegaphilately - they have been added below.
I have emailed the seller to see if they can add anything.
February 10, 2016
"Bindu" from eBay seller
alphaomegaphilately replied to my inquiry as follows:
The stamps came to me in a lot from the estate of Jim Czyl, a famous cinderella
collector. It was a lot of 100 bulging binders with stock pages.There were no
notes. Some of the binders contained a single country or entity. Some had
several countries in a binder arranged alphabetically. Jim Cyzl was quite
knowledgeable & was considered an expert on cinderellas of all types. He put
these in the J file & not in the India file. I presumed they were from Japan as
I have seen similar inspection labels of Japan before for other products. I
still have that stock page. It contained some similar looking non bicycle stamps
also. I'll send you a scan of the page. The other labels might have a clue as to
their origin.
The design *could* represent a bicycle wheel, with
spokes and a central sprocket.
The last stamp, "Uganda", is clearly unrelated.
Click for enlarged version.
February 15, 2016
There is much debate about the origin and value of the stamp.
The dealer I purchased the stamp from for $20 said that it was
used in India and he was led to believe it had to do w/ licensing the cycle.
The stamp has a watermark or cancelled paper depression which resembles the
cancel on the 7 value in the Alphabetilately site.
Take care, Dr Joe
Coincidence? Just my imagination? Three variations below - You be
the judge.
Click for enlarged version.
3/22/16 - On 3/16/16 I received the following message from collector Kimmo
Kuikanmäki:
The "cancel" of "7" appears to have two Hindi characters (many other Indian
languages use similar characters and may be used here instead of Hindi). If they
are, then they are on the bottom half of the cancel and the Latin characters
would read NII. Someone who can read Hindi may be able to tell what they stand
for. It is likely to mean the same as NII. This cancel seems to support the
Indian subcontinent connection.
(Scroll down almost to the bottom of the page to see the "cancel" - on the left
side.)
They are stylized hindi but not in any of the styles Hindi was written. It
reads L Ki. The style looks more Tibetian than anything else but that is a subjective
interpretation.
2/27/2017 - NEW FIND - "1" large numeral! New first entry in table,
courtesy of eBay seller
alphaomegaphilately.
Among my accumulated images I found what may be a "5" with small numeral, which
I have added below.
The numeral is obscured by a "cancel" but COULD be a "5" - what do you think?
CATALOG OF MYSTERIOUS BICYCLE STAMPS
Description Colors
Size
(design area)
approx.
Image(s)
(scale varies, see dimensions where known)
No denomination
Blue
43.5x32 mm
"1" large numeral Red 45x32 mm
"4" large numeral
Red 41x29 mm
"4" large numeral with diagonal bar and "1/2"
2. Circular watermark? (top left corner, 2nd scan)
Red 40x29 mm
"5" large numeral
Red,
Blue, Green
23.5x19 mm
TYPE 1
These two are very similar, but not quite identical
"6" small numeral
There is a six beneath the bicycle!
Red, Green
23.5x19 mm
17.5x18mm
TYPE 1
"6" large numeral
Red, Blue
23.5x19 mm
TYPE 1
2/4/16 - Nice multiple! - eBay seller
alphaomegaphilately - Thanks!
"7" large numeral 
Tracing of cancel on second stamp
Red, Blue 23.5x19 mm
41x29 mm
TYPE 1
"9"
"I found it in a big lot of revenues and poster stamps. For me totaly unknown."
Blue
31.5x22.5 mm
"12"
Red
51x20 mm
"15" large numeral
Red
unknown
"33" large numeral
another contribution from Brian Sole.
Red
23x15.5 mm, perf 10.5
If any viewer can supply scans of designs or colors not shown above,
or further information concerning the origin and use of
these stamps, please email the author of this page:
CLICK HERE
ATALAYA is an international magazine
devoted to Cinderellas, "dead" country stamps and other philatelic oddities.
It is published twice a year by Christer Brunström in co-operation with the
Halmstad Philatelic Society in Sweden.
For a sample copy of Atalaya write to:
Christer Brunström, Kungsgatan 23, 302 45 Halmstad, Sweden
and enclose US$3 in cash, or three IRCs.
To contact the publisher via e-mail: ChristerBrunstrom@utb.halmstad.se
Collectors of bicycles on stamps should consider joining the Bicycle Stamps Club, a study unit of the American Topical Association.
Send feedback to the author: CLICK HERE
Created -- 07/27/2005
Revised -- 04/22/2022