Sarawak - Bud's Big Blue

1871-1908 Sarawak in Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

(From Jim: Bud is well, but has a lot of non philatelic obligations and responsibilities at the moment. With his permission, I will upload  country pages in his complete '69 Big Blue that so far has not been shown. He might add his observations later. Enjoy!)

Jim's Observations

Sarawak was located in northwest Borneo, west of Labuan and North Borneo (now Sabah). 

As a reward for helping to put down insurrection and piracy, the Sultanate of Brunei (Raja Muda Hassim) awarded the Kingdom of Sarawak to Sir James Brooke, a British adventurer, in 1841. He became the first White Rajah of Sarawak. 

The United States (1850) and the United Kingdom (1863) both recognized the sovereignty of Sarawak.

The Kingdom of Sarawak become a British Protectorate in 1888.

The first stamp for Sarawak was issued March 1, 1869 with a portrait of Sir James Brooke, posthumously, as he died August 18, 1868.

As Sir James Brooke never married, the second White Rajah in 1868 was Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke, his nephew and sister's son.

Sir Johnson Charles Brooke appeared on all Sarawak's stamp issues between 1871-1908.

With his passing in 1917, his son, Charles Vyner Brooke became the third (and last) White Rajah.

Vyner appeared on Sarawak's stamps between 1918-1947.

Big Blue '69, on one page, has 50 spaces. Total coverage is 23%. Subtracting the post 1940 issues in the 1840-1940 catalogue (93 stamps) brings the coverage up to 41%. Still, I found some 28 stamps CV $1+-$5 that could have been included. 

And there is a curious omission of no coverage of the 1875 issue, three stamps of which are CV $4-$5.

There are five stamps CV $10+ that are required by BB. 

For much more on Sarawak, click on the link below.

Sarawak Blog Post & BB Checklist

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