Sale 70 Hong Kong & Treaty Ports

Hong Kong, 1862 (Oct.) flimsy envelope (opened out for display and slightly reduced) to London, endorsed "Via Southampton", with "Paid" framed red h.s. and "London/Paid" arrival c.d.s. (20.1.63) adjacent, showing very fine "Saved from the Wreck of/the Colombo" framed h.s (in the scarcer from China smaller fount of the two wreck h.s.) and on reverse "Hong Kong/C" c.d.s. in blue (25.10), rated "1/-" and "11(d)" in red crayon, backflap and small part of the front panel removed, fine and rare China origin from this wreck with only approximately 10 covers from China recorded. Believed in all likelihood to have originated in Foochow or Swatow, given the "Paid" framed handstamp (used on prepaid mail from outside Hong Kong) and the Hong Kong c.d.s. (25.10) corresponding with the arrival of P&O Aden at Hong Kong from Foochow via Amoy and Swatow (with Amoy already having its own datestamps). The cover's markings also correspond with the known example from this wreck from Foochow. Illustrated in Hong Kong Study Circle Journal 284/4. Ex Stubens.
Estimate 15,000 - 20,000

The P&O "Colombo" steamer struck on Minicoy Island 19 November 1862 in a heavy fog. All of the passengers and crew were safely put into boats and were taken care of on Minicoy Island until they were rescued by the "Ottawa" on 30 November. The mail was recovered by divers and was recovered in about three weeks (not three months as commonly thought).