By direct communication with me, Bo Olsson guided me to Waterfalls’ Book on Page 122 (1965 edition) or Page 128 (1985 edition) where following sentence is written:

QUOTE:

Some of the fine pieces in my collection of cancellations are as follows:

A Scarf Cover – registered from Lhasa, with Type I Lhasa Registration handstamp. Franked with one of each value – two of which, the 1/3 and ½ Trs are canceled with Type III (Hel. T13). The others are pen-cancelled in black with spiders web – the same ink being used for the following English inscription “no customs of seal for this kind of stam(p)”. What that means to convey is a mystery.

UNQUOTE

My cover is apparently of similar look; with the exception that the stamps in question are postmarked with (Waterfall) Type V postmark (Hel. T12) and that it do not have the English inscription.

Who can provide a copy of the cover in described in Waterfalls book?

I am afraid; I do not have the listing of the auction sale of Waterfalls collection. Maybe some follow collector who does have these copies or original Auction Catalogues can check and post an image in case the particular cover is illustrated in the catalogues?

Again Bo Olsson has raised some interesting speculation about the cover and why only 2 out of the 5 stamps franked are canceled.

The handwriting is of such nature that I think you must ask a native Tibetan to do it. I recently noted Waterfall is mentioning this cover in his book. I really wonder why. He must have had better examples to mention. I can see two instances which have ”cancelled” the remaining stamps. It is not the writer. It is a different ink. It could be the post office (unlikely) or the person who received it (likely). At that time the registered rate was ⅔ tr. and the post office cancelled just postage for that rate, i.e. 1/6 + ½ tr = ⅔ tr. Apparently they did not cancelled more stamps than was necessary for the registered rate.

In my opinion I think the stamps were unmarked when the cover was delivered and this is some type of early ”graffiti” done by the receiver. I really do not why he did it. He perhaps was just bored that day?

But still, why someone would frank a cover with a total of 2 2/3 Tr. when 2/3 Tr. would have been sufficient?