INAUGURAL AUCTION

Peking,. 1897 (29 Apr.) native decorative registered envelope to Smichow, Europe (14.6) via Customs Shanghai (3.5), showing bilingual “Paid” h.s. in brown, “Customs/Peking” type III double-ring origin d.s. in blue, and France “Chine” 25c. cancelled by “Shang-hai/Chine” c.d.s. (6.5), with “Ligne N/Paq. Fr. No. 1” octagonal d.s. on reverse.  Redirected to Prag (14/15.6) and Wein (15.6).