This is not a postage stamp but a Syrian revenue stamp. Face value 10 qurush (piastres).
Walter Gori (02 Dec 00)

Syria: general revenue from 1964, listed in Duston's catalogue as #311. The 10 piastres is the 3rd value in a set of 12. There exists a second issue from the late '60s(?), with arab script OVER smaller arab numbers (the 10 piastres would be #323).
Rolf Kirchberg (13 Dec 00)

Persia: fiscal stamp. The overprint is the year 1307, equivalent to 1889 AD.
Walter Gori (02 Dec 00)

Doubtless Iran, revenue of 1910/1920s. The cancel year number 1307 is illogical. The original stamps were overprinted for the provisional airmails of 1928, Michel Mittel- und Ostasien 1999, #569/580.
Rolf Kirchberg (13 Dec 00)

#485 is listed in Scotts Specialized/Philippines C54. There are three stamps in the set issued to commerate the Manila-Madrid flight by aviators Antonio Arnaiz and Juan Calvo. Issued Sept 6, 1936. The Philippines issued many overprinted stamps for "first flights", etc. from 1926-1939.
Paul Jenkins (11 Nov 00)

I think this is a Spanish Civil War label, used to raise money, hence the "voluntary" word, it would have been added to letters to show which side the sender was supporting and donating a few cents at the same time.
John Cowell (05 Feb 01)

#488 is not shown in Scotts Specialized either. Blood's Penny post is listed and there are other locals with Kochersperger & Co as shown on the left side of your stamp. Note in Scotts states the Charles Kochersperger acquired Blood's Penny Post in 1855 when Daniel C. Blood died.
Paul Jenkins (21 Nov 00)

In Larry Lyons' book of "Locals, Carriers, Fakes & Bogus posts" 1998 Volume 1, page 142 Mr. Lyons shows your stamp as Henry Clay Stamp! This might have been a genuine emission of Blood's Post, under Kochersperger's management. They are not known used and might not have been issued. 8 different forgeries are known.
Luca (30 Nov 00)

In the Stanley Gibbons British Commonwealth 2000 you find on page 65 (Madagascar British Inland Mail #62) this info: the stamp shown as #489 was used from March 1895 to 30 September 1895 on Madagascar during the war of this island with France. The printing was done by typography in London (John Hadden & Co). A number of British merchants (including the British Vice-Consul) agreed with the local authorities to set up a mail abroad via Durban. The "Ariary" inscription varied in the different values, which were 2, 4 and 6 pence and 1, 2 and 4 shillings. Your stamp, catalogue value 16 pounds, should have perforation 12. There's only one problem: the 4 shilling value was issued in bright purple! This can however be caused by fading under influence of water or light, as this is well known of contemporary inks.
But let me quote Stanley Gibbons:"British Inland Mail. In January 1895 the Malagasy government agreed that a syndicate of British merchants at Antananarivo, including the Vice-Consul, should operate an inland postal service during the war with France. Mail was sent by runner to the port of Vatomandry and forwarded via Durban where Natal stamps were added. Nos. 50/62 were cancelled with dated circular postmarks inscribed "BRITISH MAIL".
Your stamp is #62, i.e. the last stamp in a set of 6 from the second series. The post was suppressed when the French entered Antanarivo on 30 September 1895. The inscriptions in the lower label varies for each value. Unfortunately there is no listing of inscriptions, the example given (6d) having SIKAJY, of which I do not know the meaning. However, your Ariary is the synonym name for 5 Francs Malagasy.
Dick van der Knaap (11 Dec 00)