Sikkim Rocket Mail
Proof from defaced plates
Sikkim Rocket Flight nos JC 1-7
Press Cutting from The Star of India, October 12, 1935, writing about the Sikkim Rocket experiments nos JC 1-7.
Press Cutting from The Herald, November 3, 1935, writing about the Sikkim Rocket experiments nos JC 1-7.
NIC
Transcript of letter from Sikkim Government with details of experiments conducted there by Stephen H. Smith.
 Sikkim Rocket Mail Experiments
JC S1a: Stamp, blue and yellow – 2000 printed.
JC S4a: Stamp, green – 2000 printed.
JC S5a: Stamp, red – 2000 printed.
JC S7a: Stamp, blue– 2000 printed.
JC S1 – Date 7th April 1935
Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016, Lot# 856
Yellow and blue stamped Complete Sheet by Stephen H. Smith. Unlisted as a complete sheet in JC.
JC S1 – Date 7th April 1935
Cover with the 3 sh. Rocket fee stamp and cancelled with the commemorative (private?) cachet ROCKET MAIL EXPERIMENT, SIKKIM, and also bearing a 9 ps India Postage stamp, cancelled GANGTOK, 7 APR 35 and signed by Stephen H. Smith, but not addressed, and obviously not sent through the postal system. Verso bears a GANGTOK, 7 APR 35 arrival mark as well. Unusual find.
On 7th April, 1935, a rocket containing 200 covers was fired by Mr. Stephen H. Smith from the compound of the Gangtok Post office to the Durbar High Scheeol. The covers were franked with the special two rupees rocket stamp in blue and yellow, which was tied to the cover by an ornamental cachet Rocket Mail Experiments Sikkim. The letters were then posted and have a postmark reading Gangtok 7 Apr 35.
It is autographed by Stephen Smith,
No. S1: Flown Cover – 200 carried.
(a): Stamp, blue and yellow – 2000
(b): Proofs of stamps
JC S2 – Date 8th April 1935
The second rocket experiment was carried out on 8th April, 1935 from the Sir Tashi Namgyal Field to the Post Office compound. This rocket was fired by His Highness the Maharajah jimself and carried six official covers and 410 blue green specially printed cards.
The cards have two cachets: (1) On Sikkim Darbar Service and (2) Tashi Namgyal Field 8/4/3 in twi lines. As two cards were not posted later on, they do not have any postmark.
It is addressed to Stephen Smith, as seen on reverse.
No. S2: Flown Cover – 6 carried.
(a): Flown card – 410
​Note: The Maharajah had autographed three of these cards and also gave permission to Mr. Smith to have a cut made of his signature and impress it on all the other cards.
JC S3 – Date: 8th April, 1935
On 8th April, 1935 another rocket carrying 338 specially printed orange-gold cards, as illustrated was fired by the Maharajah. It was a test for vertical firing high in the sky. The cards have two cachets: (1) On Sikkim Darbar Service and (2) Tashi Namgyal Field 8/4/35 in two lines. There are no postmarks.
On verso, it is addressed to Stephen Smith.
No S3: Flown card – 338 carried.
JC S4 – Date 9th April 1935
Provenance: The lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 889
Green stamps, signed Complete Sheet by Stephen H. Smith, Unlisted as a complete in JC.
JC S4 – Date 9th April, 1935
On 9th April, 1935, the fourth rocket experiment in Sikkim State was carried out from the Dak Bungalow ground to the Post Office compound in Gangtok. The rocket was fired by Mr. F. Williamson, the British Political Officer in Sikkim State and carried 175 covers. All the letters were franked with a two – rupee green stamp tied with an ornamental cachet, as illustrated and have a postmark reading  Gangtok 9 Apr 35 on both sides.
No. S4: Flown Cover – 175
(a): Stamp, green – 2000
(b): Without black overprint, in pair with normal – 6
JC S5 – Date 10th April 1935
Provenance: The lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 854
Red stamps, signed Complete Sheet by Stephen H. Smith.
Unlisted as a complete sheet in JC.
JC S5 – Date 10th April 1935
A rocket containing 159 covers, franked with a special two rupees red rocket stamp was fired by Mr. C.E. Dudley, the General Secretary to the Maharajah of Sikkim on 10th April, 1935, from Surusma to Ray over the river Ranakhali. The Stamp is tied with the ornamental cachet as before and there are three other cachets : (1) On Sikkim Durbar Service; (2) Over River Ranakhali in two lines on both sides of the cover and (3) April 10th 35 Surusma to Ray, in two lines. The Cover does not bear any postmarks.
It bears the autograph of Stephen Smith on both sides.
No. S5: Flown Cover – 158
(a): Stamp, red – 2000.
JC S6 – Date 10th April 1935
Provenance: The lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 861
The First Parcel Post Rocket in the world was fired at Sikkim on 10th April, 1933 by Mr. C.E. Dudley. The rocket carried a parcel containing bottles of Ganasprin, Dimol, one glass tube of Phenosen, packets of Tea and Sugar, a box of matches etc. besides 50 missives franked with the special green rocket stamp. One hundred of these original green stamps were converted into a manuscripts provisional stamp by cancelling the word “Mail” and writing the word “Parcel” in ink. Fifty of these stamps were used on these missives, which have four cachets, as illustrated, but no postmark.
No. 56: Flown missive (50)
(a): Stamp (100)
JC S7 – Date 10th April 1935
Provenance: The lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 855
Blue stamps signed Complete Sheet by Stephen H. Smith.
Unlisted as a complete sheet in JC.
JC S7 – Date 10th April 1935
A third rocket was tested on the same date,viz., 10 April, 1935 but this time from the opposite direction, Ray to Surumsa over the river Ranakhali. This rocket by fired by Tashi Dadul Densapa, the private Secretary to the Maharajah and carried 186 covers frnaked with the special two rupee blue rocket stamp. The covers have four cachets : 1) the used ornamental one; 2) On Sikkim Darbar Service; 3) Over River Ranakhali and 4) From Ray to Surumsa 10-4-35. As the covers were not posted, they do not have any postmarks.
No. S7: Flown cover - 186
(a): Stamp, blue - 2000
(b): Without black overprint in pair with normal - 1.
JC S8 – Date: 13th April, 1935
The previous successful experiments emboldened Mr. Smith to increase firing range of his rockets, and therefore, he carried out further experiments at a new site at Singtam in Western Sikkim over the river Singtam. The rocket carried over 118 covers franked with the special blue and yellow two rupee rocket stamp, tied with the ornamental cachet to the cover. A two lined cachet Over River Singtam was applied to all the covers and they have two postmarks: (1) Singtam, B.O. Western Sikkim 13 Apr. 35 and (2) Gangtok, P.O., Western Sikkim 13 Apr.35.
The cover is autographed by Stephen Smith on front side. On the reverse side, the cover has the two lined cachet Over River Singtam can be seen. The cover bears the similar postmark Singtam, B.O., 13 Apr 35, Western Sikkim.
No. S8: Flown cover -118
JC S9 – Date: 13th April 1935
Provenance – The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction: 1 December 2016, Lot# 876
On the same date, the last of the rocket in the first series of rocket experiments carried out in Sikkim State was fired by Mr. Stephen Smith over the river and carried 100 covers.
\All the covers have a two-line cachet, “Over River Rungpo” and rae postmarked, “Rangpo, 10 APR. 35” , as illustrated.
No. S9: Flown cover – (100)
JC S9 - Date 13th April 1935
Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 876
Sikkim Rocket Mail Experiments
a) Blue Stamp
d) Red Stamp
e) Blue Stamp overprinted Livestock in red.
i) Purple stamp overprint Parcel.
Sikkim Rocket mail Experiments
Second Series held from 27 September to 4 October 1935
c) Purple Stamp
Sikkim Rocket mail Experiments
Second Series held from 27 September to 4 October 1935
​Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 938
Type (i) Purple stamp overprinted PARCEL in red.
Unlisted in JC as a Complete sheet of 4 stamps.
JC S10 - Date: 27th September, 1935
A second series of seven rocket experiments (Nos. S10 to S16) was conducted by Mr. Stephen H. Smith in Sikkim State from 27th September, 1935 to 4th October, 1935. The first rocket in this series was fired in the afternoon (4 P.M.) of 27th September, 1935 and was named, MY-ONA., R. 83. Ir carried a parcel of miscellaneous items like toothpaste, box of matches, a cake of soap, liver pills etc. and 190 missives. Once again special rocket stamps os the two rupee value were allowed to be printed and officially used for this second series of experiments, and full details about these stamps are given in A Specialized Price Catalogue of Indian Rocket mails, Stamps and Vignettes, Pg. 92. The My-Ona missives were franked with this special stamp in purple over printed Parcel in red and tied with a moutain cachet, as illustrated. The missives also have two other cachets: 1) Sir TashiNamgyal Field to Gangtok Post Office in two lines and 2) My-Ona., R. 83in one line, They also have the postmark reading Gangtok 27 Sep. 25.
On both sides, it is autographed by Stephen Smith.
No: S10: Flown Missives - 190.
Sikkim Rocket mail Experiments
Second Series held from 27 September to 4 October 1935
​Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 938
Type (e) Blue stamp overprinted LIVESTOCK in red.
Unlisted in JC as a Complete sheet of 4 stamps.
JC S11 - Date: 28th September, 1935
S. Rocket No. 84
The second Experiment of the second series took place at 11 a.m. on 28th September 1935. This rocket named Sikkim R.84 was fired by Mr. C.E. Dudley from the compound of Gangtok Telegraph Office with 155 missives and it also carried one live bird cock bird. The special blue stamp used on the missives was overprinted Livestocks in red. The stamp was tied to the missives with a purple mountain cachet and the missives have two more cachets: (1) From Telegraph Office and (2) Sikkim R.84. The postmark reads Gangtok 28 Sep. 35.
It bears the autograph of Stephen Smith on both sides.
No. S11: Flown Missives - 155 carried.
Sikkim Rocket mail Experiments
Second Series held from 27 September to 4 October 1935
​Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 938
Type (d) Red stamp.
Unlisted in JC as a Complete sheet of 4 stamps.
JC S12 - Date: 29th September, 1935
Rocket No. 85
Comdr. Norcock
On the morning of 29th September, 1935 two rocket named Comdr. Norcock. 85 and Oryon, R 86 were fired at an interval of 10 minutes by the Maharajah of Sikkim, from the Ridge (on road to Tibet) to Euchay Gompa. The rocket Comdr. Norcock carried 170 messages frnaked with a special two rupee red rocket stamp which was tied to the missive by a moutain cachet. The missives had two more cachets: 1) Comdr. Norcock R.85 and Sep. 29 1935 but had no postmark.
It bears the autograph of Stephen Smith on both sides
No. S12: Flown Missives - 170 carried.
Sikkim Rocket mail Experiments
Second Series held from 27 September to 4 October 1935
​Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 938
Type (c) Purple stamp.
Unlisted in JC as a Complete sheet of 4 stamps.
JC S13 - Date 29th September 1935
​Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 822
The rocket "ORYON., R.86" had carried 260 missives franked with the special two rupee rocket stamp in purple, which was tied to the missives by two cachets: (1) "DESPATCHED BY H.H. THE MAHARAJAH" in two lines and (2) "SEP. 29 1935" in a single line. They also have two more cachet: (1) the usual mountain cachet and (2) "ORYON., R. 86" but have no postmarks.
No. S13: Flown missive (260)
Sikkim Rocket mail Experiments
Second Series held from 27 September to 4 October 1935
​Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 938
Type (a) Blue stamp.
Unlisted in JC as a Complete sheet of 4 stamps.
JC S14 - Date 1st October 1935
​Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 850
Two more frings took place on the morning of 1st October, 1935 at an interval of 15 minutes. The rockets were named: "JERONG R. 87" and "CHUMBI R.88." They were fired by Mr. R.P. Rai, the Postmaster of Gangtok from Sir Tashi Namgyal Field to the compound of the British Residency.
The R. 87 Carried 200 missives franked with a set of three special two rupee rockey stamp in blue, purple and red, which were tied to the missives with two cachets: (1) "SIR TASHI NAMGYAL FIELD TO, BRITISH RESIDENCY" in two lines and (2) the mountain cachet. The missives are postmarked : "GANGTOK 1 OCT. 35."
No. S14: Flown missive (200)
JC S14 - Date 1st October 1935
​Provenance: The Lady Ezra Collection
Romano Auction, 1 December 2016. Lot # 850
Two more frings took place on the morning of 1st October, 1935 at an interval of 15 minutes. The rockets were named: "JERONG R. 87" and "CHUMBI R.88." They were fired by Mr. R.P. Rai, the Postmaster of Gangtok from Sir Tashi Namgyal Field to the compound of the British Residency.
The R. 87 Carried 200 missives franked with a set of three special two rupee rockey stamp in blue, purple and red, which were tied to the missives with two cachets: (1) "SIR TASHI NAMGYAL FIELD TO, BRITISH RESIDENCY" in two lines and (2) the mountain cachet. The missives are postmarked : "GANGTOK 1 OCT. 35."
No. S14: Flown missive (200)
JC S14 - Date: 1st October, 1935
Two more frings took place on the morning of 1st October, 1935 at an interval of 15 minutes. The rockets were named: "JERONG R. 87" and "CHUMBI R.88." They were fired by Mr. R.P. Rai, the Postmaster of Gangtok from Sir Tashi Namgyal Field to the compound of the British Residency.
The R. 87 Carried 200 missives franked with a set of three special two rupee rockey stamp in blue, purple and red, which were tied to the missives with two cachets: (1) "SIR TASHI NAMGYAL FIELD TO, BRITISH RESIDENCY" in two lines and (2) the mountain cachet. The missives are postmarked : "GANGTOK 1 OCT. 35."
On both sides, it is autographed by Stephen Smith.
No. S14: Flown missives - 200
JC S15 - Date: 1st October, 1935
The rocket Chumbi,R. 88 carried 160 missives and aprcel, caontaining iodine, pepsodent, quinine, a tine of butter, a pocket of cigarattes and a box of matches. As the rocket carried a parcel, the special two rupee purple rocket stamp was overprinted Parcel in red. The missives have two cachets: (1) Sir Tashi Namgyal Field to, British Residency in two lines and (2) the mountain cachet. The missives are postmarked Gangtok 28 Oct. 35.
It bear the aurtograph of Stephen Smith on both sides.
No. S15: Flown missives - 150 carried.
JS S16 - Date" 4th October, 1935
The Seventh and the last experiment of the second series in Sikkim was carried out at 8:30 P.M. at night in 4th October, 1935. The R.89 carried 137 messages and was fired from the compound of the Gangtok Telegraph office by the daughter of His HIghness the Maharajah of Sikkim. Princess Pemtsidon. The missives were franked with special two rupee red rocket stamp which is tied to the missive by a two lined cachet reading Rocket Mail. Princess Pemtsidon. Oct. 4th 1935. They also have two more cachets: 1) Telegraph Office in single line and 2) the mountain cachet. The missives do not have any postmarks.
On both sides, it is autographed by Stephen Smith.
No. S16: Flown Missives - 137
Stephen H Smith Rocket Mail Experiments, Sikkim, 1935-1937 
A set of four contemporary bromides lifted off the book ‘From the Diary of Stephen Smith’. 
CSTM Rocket Mail
Firing on 14 December 1972 at Haryana
Air Mail cover serial number 54 printed on reverse, and addressed to Rome, Italy.
​A description card enclosed with the cover gives details of the event.