INAUGURAL AUCTION

30c on 24ca foreign Registered,. 1897. Kiukiang (31 Aug) to Port Louis, Mauritius. Registered cover franked with Dowager first printing 30c on 24ca rose-carmine, cancelled by Kiukiang dollar chop, in combination with Fr.PO Chine 25c + 50c 10c stamp, cancelled by Shanghai (3 Sep) cds. Transit Hong Kong (6 Sep) Mauritius (8 Oct), then re-directed internally (8-9 Oct).  The cover has opening tear at right which does not affect the stamps or markings. Very fine and absolutely fabulous. Irrefutably the most important single franking and commercial usage of the 30c on 24ca high value extant. Very fine and absolutely fabulous. Provenance: Sir David Roseway, “Ming”, Anna-Lisa and Sven-Eric Beckeman. Reference: Tony To-Wah Kwan, ed., Empress Dowager. 

九江寄毛裡求斯, 貼慈壽24分改值30分票, 混貼法國客郵, 極美品。