Lot
574 
Hong Kong, 1860 Hong Kong to London. Part entire bearing red "Hong Kong Paid Mr 15 60" cds (Proud type PD7, value 1,000 points), red crayon 1/-, and red "London Paid Ap 27 60" receiving cds, "Hong Kong Mr 15 60" transit cds on reverse, prepaid ¼ - ½ ounce letter rate, 1 Jan 1857 - 25 Aug 1861, Very Fine, per P&O Ganges: Hong Kong 15 Mar - Galle 31 Mar; Candia: Galle 1 Apr - Suez 16 Apr; Panther (small steamer that P&O chartered from Denny & Co.), arriving Marseilles 25 Apr. Estimate $300 - 400.
Realized: $425
Lot
575
Hong Kong, 1860 Manila to Boston. (8 Jan docketing) cover with red "Russell & Sturgis Manila" logo, recorded by Webb and Rowe as a forwarding agent mark, on back: "Hong Kong Ja 14 60, London Fe 28 60" transit cds, and "Boston Am Pkt Mar 15" arrival cds, Blake & Davis type 835, earlier than recorded (11 Apr 60 - 18 May 64). GB debit of "48" cents (crossed out) for ¾ to 1 ounce letter via Marseille, with manuscript "90" cents due from addressee applied by Boston Exchange Office, Very Fine. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
Carried by P&O Rajah from Manila, 9 Jan, to Hong Kong, 14 Jan 60, then by regular P&O service to Marseille. P&O Manila - HK line operated Jan 58 - Apr 60; 1 of only 12 covers recorded carried by that line.
Realized: $1,150
Lot
576
Hong Kong, 1860 Shanghai incoming to Boston, Mass. forwarded to Yokohama, partial "Boston Br Pkt Paid Apr 18" cds, pencil 39 which was rate for up to a quarter of an ounce for British Mail via Marseilles, and red crayon 34c credit to G.B., with additional crayon 1 representing 1d GB credit to Hong Kong for transit, a very early example of this credit after Hong Kong took over management of her postal affairs on 1 May 1860, postmarked red "Paid London 30 Ap 60" transit cds and manuscript "Boston Apl. 15, 1860 / Yokohama July 26th 1860" docketing at left with manuscript 1860 over #4 which is believed to represent 4th letter received, as a 14 Dec 1859 cover from same correspondence was annotated #3. On back: "Hong Kong 21 Ju 60" transit cds, circular script F & Co., and framed "Frazar & Co. Shanghae", who forwarded this cover to Yokohama. Frazar & Co. is listed in Rowe as a forwarder from Shanghai with an oval hand-stamp, but much later (1899-1908), F.-V.F. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
Carried per Cunard Line steamer "Niagara": departing Boston 18 Apr, arriving Queenstown 29 Apr. Per P&O "Vectis": Marseille 12 May - Alexandria 18 May; Colombo: Suez 19 May - Galle 4 June; Pekin: Galle 5 June, via Hong Kong 21-23 June, to Shanghai 27 June (Pekin also brought part of previous mail recovered from Malabar after she was wrecked at Galle). Probably carried by P&O Cadiz from Shanghai, 18 July, to Nagasaki, 20 July, although it is uncertain if she continued on to Yokohama. Mail to and from Japan during this period is extremely scarce, as there was no organized foreign postal service operating in Japan, and P&O service to Japan, which was only just beginning, was intermittent due to British Government chartering of some ships for use in Third China War. This piece is from a group of about 15, and one of only three with postal markings.
Realized: $3,500
Lot
577
Hong Kong, 1861 Hong Kong to Stoneham, Mass. 1 of only 3 US Civil War patriotic covers recorded used from China, postmarked "Hong Kong No 14 61" origin cds on reverse, and on front: red 1/11 (46c) for up to ¼ ounce letter sent via Marseille, "London Paid De 30 61" transit cds, "N. York Am Pkt Jan 24" arrival cds with 5 at top (5c US inland postage due from addressee). Although an attempt was made at some time to erase the docketed "via Marseille", the cds dates and rate show that it went by that route, Very Fine, one of only three U.S. Civil War patriotic covers recorded used from China. Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
Realized: $3,500
Lot
578
Hong Kong, 1861 Shanghai to London, England. Folded letter datelined Shanghai 5 Jan, red "Hong Kong Paid Ja 14 61" cds, with index "C" facing down, only 2 or 3 examples of this seen (Proud type PD7, value 1,000 points with normal "C"), red manuscript 1/ rate for ¼ - ½ ounce letter "Via Marseilles" with red 11 pence credit to Great Britain, red "London Paid Fe 26 61" receiving cds on front and "Hong Kong Ja 14 61" transit cds on back, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Probably hand-carried to Hong Kong per P&O Aden: Shanghai 6 Jan - Hong Kong 9 Jan., then per Emeu: Hong Kong 16 Jan - Galle 29 Jan; Simla: Galle 31 Jan - Suez 14 Feb; Vectis: Alexandria 19 Feb - Marseilles 24 Feb. No reason was found for longer than normal layovers in Hong Kong and Egypt.
Realized: $325
Lot
579
Hong Kong, 1863 Hong Kong to Newark, New Jersey. Envelope with red 3.5 X 52mm "Via Marseilles" hand-stamp, oval "Bosman & Co Hong Kong" hand-stamp, with red crayon 2/. Faint red "Hong Kong Oc 31 63 Paid" cds, "London F.B. De 14 63 Paid" transit cds, and British 16c rocking horse hand-stamp credit to US for sea postage via American Packet. "N. York Am. Pkt Dec 29" receiving cds, with 5c due from addressee superimposed over 16c credit. Greenish-blue "Hong Kong Oc 31 63" cds on the reverse. Half ounce rate to US from Hong via Marseilles was 53c from June 63, of which 5c was for US inland and 16c sea postage from GB to US. This was prepaid 2/ or 48c US making up 53c rate when added to 5c collected from addressee, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Carried per P&O steamers "Emeu": departing Hong Kong 1 Nov, mail transshipped to Columbian at Singapore on 8 Nov, and Columbian reached Galle 18 Nov; only one other Hong Kong cover recorded from this voyage. This very unusual transshipment resulted from Columbian having to dock at Singapore on her outward voyage to Hong Kong to have her boilers repaired. Mail departed Galle per Nemesis: 18 Nov, arriving Suez 3 Dec. Overland via rail to Alexandria, departing 5 Dec per Vectis, arriving Marseilles 12 Dec. There are two possibilities of service to the US: Hamburg-American Line steamer Hammonia: departing Hamburg 13 Dec, Southampton 16 Dec, arriving New York 29 Dec, or Inman Line City of Manchester: Liverpool 16 Dec, via Queenstown 17 Dec, to New York 29 Dec. Both lines were under contract to carry US mails during this period.
Realized: $850
Lot
580
Hong Kong, 1863 Macau to Boston. With 26 Nov letter, envelope with red "Hong Kong Paid C No 30 63" cds (Proud PD8, Latest Recorded Date), red crayon 1/9 ½ credit to GB, and red 1/10 ½ total paid (45 cents US.). Red "London Paid Bc Ja18 64" transit cds, and partial "Boston Br Pkt. Feb 4" cds, with 5 cents debit to GB for US inland postage (Blake & Davis type 807, only recorded 18.12.63 - 27.1.64, later use than recorded), embossed "Overland Via Marseilles" changed to "Southampton" in black manuscript. Blue "Hong Kong C No30 63" transit cds on reverse, Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Paid 45 cents in Hong Kong, rate for up to half ounce letter via Southampton Sep 1861 - Dec 1867. Per P&O steamers Emeu: departing Hong Kong 1 Dec, arriving Galle 15 Dec; Candia: Galle 17Dec - Suez 30 Dec; Poona: Alexandria 4 Jan 1864 - Southampton 17 Jan. Cover carried by Galway Line Hibernia: Galway 19 Jan, via Halifax (instead of usual St. Johns) 27 Jan, to New York 3 Feb1864, then by train to Boston. Last voyage (westbound) by Hibernia, since Galway Line ceased operation on her homeward voyage. Winter states "Mails from the U.S. to the United Kingdom were carried on each voyage in 1863, but no record has been found of mail being carried on the last two voyages of the line in early 1864." This cover proves mail was carried up through last voyage of Galway Line.
Realized: $1,050
Lot
581
Hong Kong, 1863 Shanghai to Lyon, France. Part entire unpaid from "Buissonnet & Co. Shanghae" (Chine) in blue, docketed Shanghae 25 Oct, with blue "GB 1F22 4/10c" Anglo-French accountancy mark applied at Hong Kong (Proud A12, value 3,000 points). This was rate per 30 grams that France was to reimburse GB for mail carried by British packets to France from places in Orient not in British possession, on back: "Hong Kong Oc 29 63" in same bright blue ink (used Sep 63 - May 65 per Pearson) as accountancy mark, and "Lyon 12 Dec 63" arrival cds, on front, red "Poss. Ang. V. Suez A. Marseille D 12 Dec 63" (Salles type 1.874, sorting brigade "D" very seldom seen on Hong Kong covers). Hand-stamped 18 decimes due (very scarce. normal 9), indicating cover was double weight, Very Fine. Estimate $400 - 600.
P&O "Columbian" went only as far as Singapore on her outward voyage, where she underwent boiler repair, so "Emeu" carried this mail from Hong Kong, 1 Nov, to Singapore, 6 Nov, where mail was transshipped to "Columbian", which carried it rest of way to Galle. Only 2 or 3 covers identified as having been carried on this unusual routing. .
Realized: $600
Lot
582
Hong Kong, 1863 Shanghai to South Boston, Mass., Mail Delay and Depreciated Currency Mark. Blue envelope with blurred "Shanghae Paid" cds (Proud PD7: 3,000 points) in dull, red-brown shade, very scarce. prescribed red, manuscript "Via Marseilles", red crayon "1/4" (32 cents US), manuscript "Insuf. Paid 10 ½" (shillings), with manuscript "21" cents Great Britain debit subsequently struck out, blue crayon "26/40" with "In U.S. Notes" hand-stamp, and pencil "Due 40" added by Boston Exchange Office, on back: "Shanghai No 8 63" cds (in black only Jan 63 - Oct 64, per Pearson), blue "Hong Kong No 13 63" transit cds, red "London Ja 9 64" transit cds, partial "Boston Br Pkt" Exchange Office cds, partial "South Boston Jan 27" receiving cds, and manuscript "Recd Jan 28.", rate of 1/4 correctly paid British and French charges for up to a half ounce letter to GB, but transatlantic packet (16 cents) and U.S. inland (5 cents) parts of rate were not prepaid, as indicated by "Insuf. Paid 10 ½" (21c), and left to be collected in US. Additional 5 cents added to 21c for total due of "26" cents is unexplained. Depreciated currency ratio of 1.53 was applied to arrive at total due of 40c "In U.S. Notes.", Very Fine. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Only about a half dozen depreciated currency covers from British Post Offices in China have been seen, per P&O Pekin: Shanghai 9 Nov - Hong Kong 13 Nov; Ottawa: Hong Kong 15 Nov - Galle 29 Nov. After departing Galle 1 Dec, Rangoon was stranded near Aden on 10 Dec. It was reported that "the ship is in a very critical position, but making no water", however, she was freed without damage 14 days later. Sultan transported mail from Rangoon to Suez, arriving 27 Dec, the only time that Sultan carried China mails east of Egypt. Then Valetta: Alexandria 30 Dec - Marseille 7 Jan 1864. Per Cunard Line Canada: Liverpool 9 Jan - Boston 27 Jan 1864. Only about four China covers delayed by grounding of Rangoon have been seen.
Realized: $4,250
Lot
583
Hong Kong, 1865 Hong Kong to Sing Sing, New York. Envelope with black circular "Paid" hand-stamped (not previously seen on mail from China; possibly applied by the Sing Sing P.O.), manuscript "Southampton", red "London N Paid 2 Ja 66", partial red "New York Am Pkt Jan 21 Paid" cds, and British red rocking horse "21" cents credit to the U.S. (5 cents U.S. inland & 16 cents U.S. Packet). "Hong Kong No 15 65" cds, Proud type D11, on back. This was fully prepaid to the US destination: "1/9 ½" + "1"d retained by the Hong Kong PO, equivalent to 45 cents rate for not over a half ounce letter via Southampton, Sep 1861 - Dec 1867. Absence of prepayment in Hong Kong stamps, mandatory from Treaty Ports beginning 15 Oct 64, and from Hong Kong before that, indicates this letter was turned in at Hong Kong PO, or at P&O dock, just before sailing time, and PO clerk did not have time to affix required adhesive stamps. Only example seen of such an occurrence; tear across top sealed on the reverse by cellophane tape, otherwise F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
Carried per P&O steamers "Benares": departing Hong Kong 15 Nov, arriving Galle 30 Nov, "Nemesis": Galle 1 Dec - Suez 16 Dec; "Ripon": Alexandria 20 Dec - Southampton 1 Jan 66. Probably per Inman Line steamer "City of New York I"I: Liverpool 3 Jan - New York 20 Jan.
Realized: $550