Saurashtra

under construction

Saurashtra, or Soruth, was a feudatory state located on the Kathiawar Peninsula in the far west of today's India. Soruth or Sorath is reported to be a truly bad corruption of the REAL name, so we're sticking to "Saurashtra".

All Saurashtra stamps before the 1929 pictorial issue are without gum as issued.
 * In 1864, a 1 anna negative handstamp with Devanagari characters inked in watercolor was issued on various papers.
 * In 1868-75, typeset stamps in Devanagari script were issued. Versions exist with the 4th character in the bottom line showing the value, either in Devanagari or Gujarati numerals. These were also on various paper types and colors. There are also official imitations/reprints.
 * In 1878-86, imperf stamps with bilingual lettering in two ovals or circles were issued. Th English part read SORUTH POSTAGE with the denomination written out. These are on laid paper with lines wide apart.
 * This was followed in 1886 by perfed values on laid paper with lines colose together, then on wove paper.
 * In 1913, bilingual 3 pice and 1 anna surcharges were applied to the previous designs on laid, wove and toned wove papers.
 * In 1914, new values similar in design were issued, the 3p in square format and the 1a in rectangular format.

 File:Soruth typeset.jpg|1870 1a black on azure laid paper File:Soruth 1a oval frame.jpg|1878 1a value imperf 

 File:Soruth 4a lion.jpg|1929 4a lion pictorial 
 * In 1923, 1 anna stamps with the portrait of Mahabat Khan III were issued, inscribed SAURASHTRA POSTAGE. The impression is poor. It exists on laid paper.
 * Also in 1923, the previous issue was overprinted in Gujarati, in two different varieties.
 * Also in 1923, a 3p value with a smaller portrait was issued, similarly poorly done.
 * In 1925, clear impressions of the previous two stamps were released.
 * In 1929, pictorial definitives in two colors were issued.
 * In 1935 the previous design was issued with the inscription POSTAGE & REVENUE.

Officials
 File:Soruth offic.jpg|1929 ½a value 
 * In 1929, the pictorials were overprinted SARKARI in sans-serif type.
 * In 1932-35, four pictorial values were overprinted SARKARI in serifed type.
 * In 1935, the modified 1 ann value was similarly overprinted.

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