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13 Feb. 2009 |
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Chettys and Chettiars are financiers from South Indian. They are of the Vaishya (Vaishia) caste.
Those of the Chetty caste are from Chittor in Madras State. They are hereditary financiers involved with banking, insurance and commercial underwriting.
Chettiars are from the Ramnad district in Madras State. They are hereditary money lenders involved mainly with loans of any size. Their doctrine prohibits them refusing anyone however the interest rate they charge is adjusted according to the risk.
The Chetty use a unique naming system of initial. From left to right these represent the name of their great grandfather, the grandfather and their father. The last one or two initial on the right, sometimes a double initial, are those of their village of origin. All of these initials place before their own name. [C01, page 156]
Recently large quantities of 20th century covers addressed to Chetty, mainly in Southern India, have flooded the market. Up until October 2006, I had not seen one of these chops applied to the stamps. Most of the time the stamps are used on the back of the cover to seal the flap.
WARNING: Someone has fallen to the temptation of applying fake markings to a number of these covers.
C001 |
M. N. KR. / PENANG. |
Triple Oval ( Estimated 38 mm x 22 mm, 2 mm serif letters ) black |
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updated: 12 Feb. 2009 Cover posted on 19 JA 91 Click the image to see the cover. Image from the author's collection
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C002 |
From / M. N. K. R. SITHAMBARUM CHETTY, / PENANG, |
Unframed three lines (48 mm x 12 mm, 2.5 mm letters) blue |
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updated: 12 Feb. 2009
Cover posted on 14th May 1890 Click the image to see the cover. Image from the author's collection |
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C003 |
N. L. ST. N. / PENANG. |
Toothed triple oval (42 mm x 25 mm, 2.5 mm serif letters) violet |
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updated: 28 Nov. 2006
Cover posted at PENANG 31 Aug. 1892 Images from the author's collection
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C004 |
RM. AR. AR. RM. / PENANG. |
Toothed triple oval (40 mm x 25 mm, 2.5 mm letters) violet |
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updated: 28 Nov. 2006
Click the images to see the front and back of the document. Both documents dated 1912 Images from the author's collection
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C005 |
RM. N. / PENANG. |
Triple Oval (39 mm x 25 mm, 2 mm letters) violet |
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updated: 28 Nov. 2006 Click the image to see the front and back of the document. Documents dated 1927
The embossed seal from the same document is virtually a copy of the chop. Images from the author's collection
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C006 |
A. M. / SINGAPORE |
Toothed triple oval (43 mm x 25 mm, 2.5 mm letters) violet |
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updated: 28 Nov. 2006
Click the image to see the front and back of the document. Documents dated 1927 Image from the author's collection
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 C007 |
K. M. / KALANG |
Toothed triple oval (32mm x 22 mm, 2 mm serif letters) violet |
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updated: 26 March 2008 Click the image to view the document. The document is dated 10 / 4 / 1905 on the reverse Image from the author's collection
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C008 |
KUALALUMPUR / KR. PR. PL. |
Toothed triple oval (40 mm x 25 mm, 1.75 mm letters) black |
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updated: 26 March 2008 Click the image to view the document. The document is dated 1928. Image from the author's collection
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C009 |
O. RM. M. S. P. S. V. / PENANG |
Toothed triple oval (40 mm x 25 mm, 1.75 mm letters) black |
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updated: 13 Feb. 2009 Click the image to view the document. The document is dated 1909. Images from the author's collection |
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