INAUGURAL AUCTION

Shanghai,. 1897 (9 July) North China Herald wrapper to Swatow showing bilingual “Paid” h.s. in red, “Shanghai” origin dollar dater. Swatow dollar chop receiver 13 Jul.

Tientsin,. 1897 (2 Apr.) envelope to Shanghai, showing bilingual “Paid” h.s. in blue, matching “Customs/Tientsin” double-ring origin d.s. “Customs Shanghai” arrival (5 Apr).

Tientsin,. 1897 (4 Oct.) envelope to Fleurier, Switzerland, showing bilingual “Paid” h.s. in brown, matching “Tientsin” origin dollar dater, “Shanghai” transit dollar dater (8.10) in blue, and bearing France “Chine” 25c. cancelled by “Shang-hai/Chine” c.d.s. (8.10). Arrived Fleurier (9.11)

Tientsin,. 1897 (23 Oct.) envelope to Fleurier, Switzerland, showing bilingual “Paid” h.s. in brown, matching “Tientsin” origin dollar dater, “Shanghai” transit dollar dater (26.10) in blue, and bearing France “Chine” 25c. cancelled by “Shang-hai/Chine” c.d.s. (27.10). Arrived Fleurier (4.12)

Wuchow,. 1897 (22 July) “O.S.”envelope to Hong Kong “Per ‘Hoi-on’”, showing bilingual “Paid” h.s. in blue, matching “Imperial Post Office/Wuchow” oval origin h.s. Ex Sir Percival David, Robson Lowe, 9.11.65, lot 375; Christie’s (Hong Kong), 1.11.95, lot 2581; Spink, 22.11.98, lot 784. One of only two recorded.

Soochow,. 1898 (9 Jun) Soochow to Kiang-Yin Fort. CIP postal stationary card First Issue 1c cancelled by “Customs Soochow” cds in blue. Shanghai (10 Jun) dollar chop arrival, for onward delivery, there being no post office in Kiang Yin until early 1900s. The short-lived ‘Customs Soochow’ cds - extremely rare as despatch postmark - was one of only four customs cds used after 1897 in its unaltered state. The others are Mengtzu, Ningpo...

Imperial PO Nanking,. 1897. Nanking (24 Feb) to India. Japanese postal staionary card “cash cover” originated from Nanking with oval Imperial Post Office date stamp, transit with Customs Shanghai (25 Feb). Japanese 2s indice tied by IJPO Shanghai (27 Feb). Transit Hong Kong (9 Mar), Tuticorin (25 Mar), to arrive at Damoh (29/30 Mar), re-directed (1 Apr). 

Pagoda Anchorage,. 1897. Pagoda Anch’ge (19 Oct) to England. “Cash cover” originated from Pagoda Anchorage with dollar chop. In combination with Hong Kong QV 10c stamp tied by HK cds (22 Oct).  Arrived Great Yarmouth (25 Nov).

Chefoo,. 1897. Chefoo (9 Sep) to USA. “Cash cover” originated from Chefoo, transit Shanghai (11 Sep), both with dollar chop. In combination with Japanese 2x 5s stamps, tied by IJPO Shanghai cds (14 Sep). Transit Yokohama (18 Sep).  Arrived Boston (8 Oct).

烟臺寄波士頓, 貼用日清戰爭勝利紀念票, 上海日郵局蓋銷。

Wenchow,. 1897. Wenchow (8 Sep) to Switzerland. “Cash cover” originated from Wenchow, transit Shanghai (11 Sep), both with dollar chop. In combination twith French ‘Chine’ 5x 5c stamps, tied by Shanghai Fr.PO cds (16 Sep) while in transit.  Arived Ennenda (23 Oct). Stamp at top left had creases and worn-out edge and in transit.

Peking,. 1897. Peking (19 Nov) to France. “Cash cover” originated from Peking, transit Shanghai (27 Nov), both with dollar chop. In combination with French ‘Chine’ 5c tied by Shanghai Fr.PO (27 Nov). Arrived Cantal (1 Jan 98). Printed matter rate, rare thus.

1897. Foochow (22 Feb) to Texas, USA.. Cash cover from US Consulate Fuchau. Transferred by Customs Foochow to Br.PO. Franked with block of 6 QV 10c (one probably lost in transit) tied by Hong Kong cds 5.3. Transit San Francisco 2.4. to arrive Longview (no arrival). Soiled

福州美領館寄美國, 蓋福州海關日戳, 轉香港郵局寄出。可能掉票及帶污跡。