Sale 72 The Jane and Dan Sten Olsson Collection of Large Dragons Sale 4

China, 1883 (11 Apr.) envelope to P.A. Pichot, the Director of the Revue Britannique in Paris (28.5) bearing on reverse Large Dragons thin paper 1ca. and wide margins 5ca., centrally cancelled by Peking seal in blue, matching "I.G. of Customs/Peking" double-ring origin d.s. of "Apl 11 83", "Customs/Tientsin" double-ring transit d.s. of "Apl 12 83" "Customs/Shanghai" double-ring transit d.s. of "Apl 18 83" alongside, and on front France Peace and Commerce 25c. bistre on straw pair, cancelled by "Shang-hai/Chine" c.d.s. (18.4) and showing "Modane à Paris" French entry c.d.s. (28.5) in red adjacent, with "Paris 1/(Distribon)" arrival c.d.s. on reverse, the French stamps have small faults and the envelope is opened out for display, with an insignificant corner of flap missing, very fine mixed issue franking. Chan 1, 6.
Estimate HK$ 200,000 - 250,000

References: James B. Whang, A Comprehensive Illustration on Covers of Chinese Large Dragons (Taipei: Whang's Philatelic Foundation, 1997), pp. 349-350.

The 6 candarins double rate with Large Dragon stamps and French adhesives both applied in Peking at time of posting in order to prepay the domestic and foreign postage with their respective stamps.

The recipient's docketing refers to the arrival of Chinese troops at Tonkin, placement on a war footing, fortification of Petchili, and the opinion of the diplomats.

Auction Record
Heinrich Köhler (Wiesbaden), 8.2.1995, lot 6150.