Sale 74 Hong Kong & Treaty Ports

Shanghai, Early Mail : 1850 (11 July) "J.M. Smith & Co." market report to Boston, U.S.A. via London (27.9) showing fine "Ship Letter/Victoria Hong Kong" (crossed out) with "Paid" red h.s. adjacent and "Hong Kong" double-arc despatch d.s. (18.7) on reverse, rated "1/-" and "1/8" with handstruck U.S. "5" charge on receipt, small backflap and internal faults, fine and scarce usage combining the Ship Letter and Paid marks (early 1s.8d British packet rate to U.S.A. East Coast, noted in Webb as commencing in 1851).
Estimate HK$ 4,000 - 5,000