Ste. Marie de Madagascar

1894 Scott 7 20c red/green "Navigation and Commerce"

Quick History
Sainte Marie de Madagascar (Sainte Marie Island, St. Mary's Island, Nosy Boraha (Malagasy)) is in the Indian Ocean just 5 miles (8 km) off the northeast coast of Madagascar.

Ste. Marie de Madagascar

The island is 37 miles (60 km) long, and had a population of ~8,000. It was reported that there were less than 50 literate people on the island in 1890.

It became a French colony in 1894. (The other French colonies in the area were Diego Suarez (1892), Nossi-Be (1894), Mayotte (1892), Anjouan (1892), Grand Comoro (1897), Moheli (1906).)

In 1896, Ste. Marie de Madagascar was attached to the colony of Madagascar, and the island's own stamp production ceased. (By 1911, all of the above named French colonies were part of Madagascar & Dependencies.)

Ste. Marie de Madagascar was bounced around the French administrative sphere throughout the 19th century.

France initially took possession in 1750, but then ignored the island from 1754-1818. It was attached to Reunion in 1818, then Mayotte in 1843. 

It was used, at least in part, as a penal colony during this period.

It was a separate French colony between 1853-1876.

It was then attached to Reunion in 1876, then Diego Suarez in 1888.

In 1894, it again became a separate French colony.

What Ste. Marie de Madagascar is "famous" for these days is the past history (17th & 18th century) as a haven for English, Portuguese, French, and American pirates, which would prey on the silk trade ships passing nearby.

There is still evidence of pirate history on the island (see below).

Pirate Cemetery on the Island

Into the Deep Blue
The 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 catalogue has, for Ste. Marie de Madagascar 1894, thirteen major descriptive numbers. The stamps consist entirely of the French Colony 1894 "Navigation and Commerce" issue. Of those, three are CV $1+-$5, with four more @ CV $10+.

A closer look at the stamps and issues
100 Centimes = 1 Franc

1894 Scott 2 2c brown/buff "Navigation and Commerce"

Name of Colony in Blue or Carmine

A thirteen stamp issue of the "Navigation and Commerce" was produced in 1894. CV ranges from $1+-$70+.

Perforations are 14 X 13 1/2 (Forgeries have 13 1/2 X 14).

Ste. Marie de Madagascar Postmark

Using the retroReveal website, that is hosted by the University of Utah, I extracted the postmark on this 2c stamp. 

It should be noted that the stamps, if used, might have postmarks from Madagascar, as they were also valid there.

25c black/rose "Navigation and Commerce"

 Cut Square

My internet research revealed that, in 1892, definitives were prepared for all French colonies for postal stationary. This apparently is an example for Ste. Marie de Madagascar. The Scott catalogue makes no mention of postal stationary for the French colonies.

Deep Blue

1894 Issue in Deep Blue

Deep Blue (Steiner) has one page for the 1894 stamps of Ste. Marie de Madagascar, and all the major numbers have a space.

Ste. Marie de Madagascar in Big Blue

Big Blue

Big Blue '69, on one line of one page (shared with St. Lucia), has six spaces for the stamps of Ste. Marie de Madagascar. Coverage is 46%.

The stamps are entirely from the 1894 "Navigation and Commerce" issue, the common design of the era for French colonies.

Coverage is certainly reasonable for a "representative" album.

There are three stamps with CV $10+.

Checklist

1894

1,2,3,4,5,(9),

Comments

A) Expensive stamps ($10 threshold)

1894 Scott 4 5c green/greenish ($10+)

1894 Scott 5 10c black/lavender ($10+)

1894 (Scott 9) 30c brown/bister ($10+

B) (    ) around a number indicates a blank space choice.

1894 Scott 1 1c black/lilac blue

Out of the Blue

If one was not a classical era WW stamp collector, I suspect there would be little chance one would be aware of this little island. ;-)

Note: Map and "pirate cemetery" and "church" pic appear to be in the common domain.

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First Church built by the French in 1899