Burns Philp & Co. Ltd. steamer YSABEL (source: Mitchell Library)

Front of the "Black" cover. On auction in Australia years ago.

Reverse of the "Black" cover.

Fragment of an identical ANHCo letter. The NSW stamps totalling 8p too are also cancelled with the PCH type 1 cancel. Pure coincidence? There is a number "103" in a circle written on this fragment which is the same as the registration number on the above letter. ("Mele" collection).

Local ANHCo cover to Santo - 2d. Overpaid? - From my year 2000 archive.

Two NSW 2½d on a letterpiece in conjunction with the three 1d ANHCo stamps all cancelled Vila PCH type 1A. Left NSW stamp lower 1d ANHCo stamps are tied by the SE 2, 1897 cancel. The two NSW stamps have two canceller strikes each. (Klinger coll.)

Franking 5 pence with the Australian New Hebrides Company Limited stamps : one 1 penny and two 2 pence , a blue pencil cross to bring the registration whish , and a 2 1/2d NSW stamp which paid the ordinary 1/2 once rate . As the absence of 3 pence paid with NSW stamps for a registered cover handling by the postal service , the letter was downgraded and "REG .FEE" was deleted as appropriate . All the stamps tied with the NSW postal agency cachet GK type PM1 on SP 4 1897 . Backstamped SYDNEY SP 12 97 in arrival . The cover was carried by the ANHCo steamer BIRKSGATE on her Sydney(16Aug) - Nouméa - Fiji - New Hebrides - Sydney(12Sep) run . Ex Baldwin coll. ("SeSi" coll.)

4 September 1897
(new 11/2021)

NSW 2½d cancelled PCH type 1A as correct rate on letter to Sydney in conjunction with the two ANHCo stamps cancelled Vila PCH type 2 on 27 September 1897, a date just in the correct time of usage from 1 March 1897 to 30 September 1897. Backstamped Sydney Oct 97.("Mele" coll.)

Piece with ANHCo 1d and NSW 2d cancelled with GK tyoe PM1. This would underpay a letter with ½d.
Image thanks to Grosvenor auctions.

1897 New South Wales - ANHCo combination registered in Sydney. An enveloppe with the "Compagnie Des Messageries Maritimes" crest on the reverse bearing a fearable rate - registered in Sydney and not in Port Vila. The ANHCo labels have not been struck with the Sydney cds. Additional "REGISTERED SYDNEY NSW De 8 97" cds. Modane transit cds in purple. Arrival backstamped "Marseilles 15 Janv 98". ("JGI" coll.)

Cover from Vila to Fiji. 1d and 2d ANHCo locals but no NSW stamp 2½d rate for external postage. So this letter might not have been in the official postage channels. PCH type 2 ANHCo cancel. ("Mele" coll.)

Another "Calder" cover from Vila to Fiji. 1d and 2d ANHCo locals but no NSW stamp 2½d rate for external postage. PCH type 2 ANHCo cancel.

Letter to Sydney with a 1d ANHCo stamp cancelled with TRAVELLING POST in violett with another strike below and a NSW 1d tied by JA 11 98 Sydney Duplex. I found this image in a 26 Oct 1995 Christies Australia auction catalogue. It was sold then for 1100 A$. I don't know where it is today.
The cover was carried to Sydney by the Burns Philp & Co. Ltd. steamer YSABEL which left Sydney on November 26 1897 for the New Hebrides, the Banks & Santa Cruz islands. She left Santa Cruz on 23 Dec, Banks Group on 25 Dec and Vila on 1. Jan 1898. This the day of the ANHCo. cancel. Aneityum was left on 4 Jan and Sydney reached on 11 Jan, the day of the Sydney Duplex. (whereabouts unknown)
G J Waterhouse was an agent and had the schooner ROTUMA in the Fiji run. In 1898 the Rotuma made a labour tour through the New Hebrides and Solomon islands.

L'Australasian New Hebrides Company, fondée en 1887, achéminait le courrier des Nouvelles Hébrides vers l'Australie. La subvention de 50 Livres devenant insuffisante il fut décidé de facturer ce service aux utilisateurs en émettant des timbres locaux. Le tarif appliqué jusqu'à Sydney était de 1 penny par demi-once et 2 pence de frais de recommandation auxquels devaient s'ajouter le montant du port au delà de Sydney en timbres de Nouvelle Galles du Sud.
Port simple recommandé de: 1 penny + 2 pence pour l'ANHC^o et 5p en timbres de Nouvelle Galles du Sud (2½ + 2½ pence). Oblitérations VILA 10 MY 97 (erroné : 97 au lieu de 98), au verso SYDNEY REGISTERED 26 MY 98, PARIS CHARGEMENTS 4JUIL98 et MARSEILLE 5JUIL98. (Millet coll.)

Two 2 Pence ANHCo local stamps paying the local service and two NSW 2½d stamps for the international service to France om s registered letter. The Port VIla postmark must have been wrongly set to 1897. All ANHCo and NSW stamps tied togerher and to the cover with these "1897" postamrks. "Paris etranger 6 / chatgements / 4 Juil 98" postmark on front. Sydney May 26 and Marseilles 5 July 98 postmark on reverse.
Image thanks to Cherrystone auctions.

The ANHCo stamp "? JAN 98"

The ANHCo stamp "? JAN 98" with changed colors for better visibility of the postmark

The JA 11 98 Sydney postmark after lifting off the cover image, enlarged and turned

The ANHCo stamp "? JAN 98" with the black Sydney cancel on top.

The ANHCo stamp "? JAN 98" with Sydney cancel in yellow on top.

The ANHCo stamp "? JAN 98" with Sydney cancel in yellow on top but slightly shifted to the left to see the original cancel too. At top right even the littlt leg of the Sydney "E" is visible.

Cover from Vila to Fiji. Overpayment in ANHCo locals but correct NSW stamp 2½d rate for external postage. PCH type 2 ANHCo cancel. ("Aore" coll.)

Cover from Vila to Fiji. Overpayment in ANHCo locals but correct NSW stamp 2½d rate for external postage. PCH type 2 ANHCo cancel but no cancel on the NSW stamp. Backstamped GK Type PU1 (ANHCo Vila Post) 19 June 1898. (pictured in "Timbroscopie" June 1991) Now emerged from the Millet coll.: Here's Alain's writeup:
"Oblitération PORT VILA POST NEW HEBRIDES C^o Ld 19 JUN 98 sur un affranchissement superfétatoire de 6d. au lieu de 1d.

Part of an other Calder cover. Overpayment in ANHCo locals but correct NSW stamp 2½d rate for external postage. PCH type 2 ANHCo cancel, even on the NSW stamp. (picture found in an article by E.F. Hurt, 1935 or 36, Philatelic Magazine(?), "The New Hebrides Inter-Island Mail")

Local mail Port Vila. The 1d local stamp is cancelled with the Port Vila Post ANHCo cancel. The addressee could have been a member of the Lainé dynasty in Nouméa. (Treadwell coll.)

Local mail Port Vila. The 1d local stamp is cancelled with the Port Vila Post ANHCo cancel. The addressee could have been a member of the Lainé dynasty in Nouméa. (Treadwell coll.)

A 2d ANHCo stamp on a cover to Sydney. Surely no normal ANHCo use as in 1897. Klink was first an architekt in Sydney but then gold explorer and was part of some New Guinea explorations and later district manager in New Guinea. ("Sesi" coll.)

11 Dec 1900
(new 1/2019)

A 1d and a 2d ANHCo stamp on a cover to Germany. Surely no normal ANHCo use as in 1897. I wonder how this German stamp dealer produced this cover. Image thanks to Chris Rainey Postal History

NSW 2½d as correct ½oz rate on letter to the U.S.A.
Description says it has Sydney transit and Oakland arrival backstamps.
The cover was most likely carried to Sydney by the Burns Philp steamer YSABEL too. There are two A.N.H.Co. stamps on the cover too with this typical 11 DEC 00 CTO.
Image thanks to Steve Drewett incorporating Empire Stamp Auctions.)

"La Voa" (Nouvelle Caledonie) postcard sent from Port Vila. The 1d ANHCo stamp and the NSW 1d stamp cancelled with a rather good impression of PM1. All slugs are present only the month JY is upside down. The NSW stamp has a second faint impression of the same cancel and date, maybe taken first and then improved by a secong one.
I would call this use of the two stamps "semi correct" as "a new contract was entered into between Burns, Philp and the NSW Post Office in late 1900 which did include payment for the mail service to New Hebrides and then hardly by coincidence, the contract also included a clause banning the use of the local stamps." (Jeff Blinco in a paper).
The sender of the card however knew the old regulations (although it may be possible that he meant that the old regulations were still in place for Inter-island mail in 1903) as he writes "The upper stamp is special in the New Hebrides and not valid outside."
A very interesting card which may need some discussion. (coll. Petit)

address side: Mademoiselle A. Caladon, Nozières (Gard). Sydney postmark JY 25/03.

Three newspaper reports about the return of the "TAMBO". Vila: July 15, Sydney July 25.

Three cancels as they can be seen and in wrong colours to improve the impressions.

Maroney postcard "Planteur à Vaté et ses engagés" with a 2d ANHCo stamp and a VILA POST cancel. Date not readable but according to some SFdNH postcards cancelled in 1904.

A letter over half an ounce and prepaid 2d interisland postage and twopence halfpenny for delivery in New South Wales. Cancelled PCH Type 2. (Goron coll.)

A letter prepaid 2d interisland postage and the correct twopence halfpenny for delivery in New South Wales. All stamps cancelled PCH Type 2. The June date is within the time of existence of the ANH Company which went into liquidation on or about 30 September, 1897. ("SeSi" coll., ex Namba 2 coll., ex Nathan Hals coll.)

Part cover to NSW double the half ounce weight. Internal postage prepaid by 2d in locals cancelled by PCH type 3. Postage from Vila to Sydney 5d, paid in NSW stamps cancelled with PCH type 1A Vila 5 July 1897, backstamped Sydney 14 July 1897. (Aore coll.)

ANHCo 2d cancelled with PCH Type 2 Aug. 4th 1897, a NSW 2d cancelled with PCH Type 1 on Aug. 4th 1897. Backstamped Sydney Aug. 13th 1897. (Mele coll.)

ANHCo 2d cancelled with PCH Type 2 Aug. 4th 1897, two NSW 1d and one ½d cancelled with PCH Type 1 on Aug. 4th 1897. (Only part - owner unknown, seen in S. Ringström and H.E.Tester's "The Private Ship Letter Stamps of the World").
...and then found it again as full size image in some old auction catalgue snippet from a couple of years ago.

A pair of ANHCo 1d cancelled with PCH Type 2 Aug. 4th 1897, a pair of NSW 1d and a ½d stamp cancelled with PCH Type 1a on Aug. 4th 1897. One additional strike of 1a below the locals. The Type 1 cancels are very clear for this type. Backstamped Sydney 18, 8 A.M., Aug. 13th 1897. (Treadwell coll.)

A pair of ANHCo 2d cancelled with PCH Type 1, NSW ½d and 2d cancelled with Type 1. Last time seen in Robson Lowe auction catalog 1972 now re-emerged: (Millet coll.) Here is Alain Millet's writeup: "Combinaison Nouvelle Galles du Sud (port simple à 2½d) et affranchissement superfétatoire en timbres de l'Australasian New Hebrides Co. (4d. au lieu de 1d.). Oblitération NEW HEBRIDES VILA DE 30 1897 de l'Agence Postale de Nouvelle Galles du Sud. Au verso arrivée SYDNEY JA 11 98."

ANHCo 1d and 2d cancelled with PCH Type 1, NSW ½d and 2d cancelled with Type 1. (Macray Watson Auctions, Australia, September 2000, Schuyler Rumsey December 2005 [$3,250])

A pair of ANHCo 1d cancelled with PCH Type 1, NSW ½d and 2d cancelled with Type 1. Backstamped Sydney Jan. 11th 1898. (Picture thanks to Macray Watson Auctions, Australia, October 1999)

The ANHCo local stamps used in combination with the correct rate NSW 2½d. The stamps are all cancelled by the new NSW canceller, which was used probably improperly as ANHCo had it's own cancellors. Backstamped Sydney 11 January 1898. (Namba 2 coll., ex Jersey coll.)

The ANHCo local stamps used in combination with the correct rate NSW 2½d. The stamps are all cancelled by the new NSW canceller, which was used probably improperly as ANHCo had it's own cancellors.
Image thanks to Grosvenor Philatelic Auctions

A pair of ANHCo 1d cancelled with PCH Type 1, NSW ½d and 2d cancelled with Type 1. (Picture thanks to Robson Lowe auction catalog 1972: The R.A. Baldwin collection))