Lot
1329 
1868 (Nov. 30) New York, N.Y. to Hong Kong, China, cover bearing 1868, 10¢ green and 12¢ black, F. grills, single and pair of latter, tied by two strikes of "New-York Nov. 30" cds, New York red "32" cent credit handstamp to G.B., addressed to "George F. Bowman, Agent P.M. S.S. Co., Hong Kong", carried as endorsed by Cunard Line Russia from New York Dec. 2 to Queenstown arriving Dec. 12, red London Paid (10.14) transit cds also ties 12¢ stamps and red crayon "1" pence colonial credit, reverse with clear strike of "Hong-Kong Marine-Sorter, Singapore-to Hong-Kong, JA 23/31 69" backstamp (Webb type A), flap with blue "Pacific Mail Steamship Company, New York" printed oval; lightly cleaned, stamps hinged in place to check grills, Extremely Fine and attractive. Scott No. 96 + 97 Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
A BEAUTIFUL COVER TO HONG KONG, BEARING THE RARE HONG KONG MARINE SORTER BACKSTAMP.
According to the Webb book, the sorting of mail on board ship was first tried in 1857 and was found to speed the delivery of the mails on arrival in Hong Kong. The Governor of Hong Kong petitioned to make this a permanent position, but the scheme was not implemented. Seven years later, after the GPO decided that Hong Kong should assume greater responsibilities, the scheme was green-lighted. An official from the Hong Kong post office would meet the P & O steamer in Singapore, and sort the mails during the trip to Hong Kong. The mails could then be delivered immediately on arrival, or forwarded faster to their final destination outside of Hong Kong. The new service started at the end of July 1868. The marking on the cover offered here was introduced at the end of 1868 and consists of five different sub-types. The one offered here is one of the rarest.
Realized: $8,000
Lot
1330
1872 (Feb. 17) Hong Kong, China to Mazatlan, Mexico via San Francisco, blue folded cover docketed "Hong Kong Feb 17, 72" and flap with "Semssen & Co., China" merchant two-line handstamp, carried trans-pacific by private ship, entered mails bearing two 1870, 6¢ carmine (148) singles cancelled by cross-roads, magenta "San Francisco Cal. 'Paid' Apr 11" exchange cds, Mexican "1" reale due handstamp for inland postage due, Very Fine. Estimate $7,500 - 10,000.
THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED BANK NOTE USE FROM CHINA VIA THE UNITED STATES TO MEXICO.
Only one other cover from this same correspondence is known, it is datelined Hong Kong, China on May 20, 1868 bearing 1861, 10¢ green (Scott #68) to J. Kelly & Co. in Mazatlan, Mexico.
Realized: $10,500
Lot
1331
1872 (Jun. 6) Nagasaki, Japan to London, England via San Francisco, blue folded cover with blue "Van De Pol, Nagasaki" double-oval merchant handstamp and endorsed "Via San Francisco", rare framed "PAID" handstamp in red and blue crayon "16" cents prepayment notation, bearing 1870, 6¢ carmine and 10¢ brown, later a replacement, former tied by cork cancel and with matching "Yokohama Japan Jun 22" postal agency cds at right, red "New York Jul 24" transit cds, red London (8.7) arrival cds, Very Fine appearance. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
THIS EXCITING NEW DISCOVERY IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED COVER ORIGINATING FROM THE U.S. POSTAL AGENCY AT NAGASAKI.
Nagasaki became a U.S. Postal Agency on March 22, 1872. The earliest recorded cover bearing a Nagasaki datestamp is dated January 24, 1873 (see Frajola page 191, fig. 9-8).
There is one other letter that also bears this distinctive framed "PAID" handstamp in red that was offered in the 1980 sale of Ishikawa's U.S. Post Offices in Japan in lot 52. It bears twenty-five 1870 2¢ stamps, due to the small cover size, that are placed partially over the red "Paid" handstamp. The cover also shows the similar blue crayon "50c" notation for prepayment and the stamps are cancelled by a Yokohama duplex dated November with indistinct day. We believe the cover offered here, coupled with the Ishikawa cover, shows that the red "PAID" handstamp was used by the Nagasaki postal agency along blue crayon prepayment notation for processing of prepaid mails. The U.S. postage stamps were added and cancelled in Yokohama as shown by the overlapping franking on the Nov. 1872 Ishikawa cover. These two covers are the first two usages known from the U.S. Postal Agency at Nagasaki and show this temporary handling until the postmarking circular datestamp arrived.
This cover was carried trans-pacific by the PMSS "Japan" that departed Yokohama on Jul 22, 1872 and arrived at San Francisco on August 14, 1872. It was carried trans-atlantic from New York on the final voyage of Guion Line "Nebraska" that departed Jul. 24 and arrived at Queenstown on Aug. 6.
Realized: $11,000
Lot
1332
1874 (Sep. 3) Hong Kong, China to Charleston, S.C. via San Francisco, cover with red "Russell & Co., Hong Kong, China" label as flap seal, endorsed "p 'Vasco de Gama' via San Francisco", blue "Forwarded by Macondray & Co., San Francisco" oval forwarders backstamp, entered mails with 1873, 6¢ dull pink, couple pulled perfs, tied by "San Francisco Cal. Oct 3" duplex, docketed as received Oct. 10th; some edge flaws and wear; Fine. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE PRIVATE SHIP USE FROM HONG KONG, CHINA VIA FORWARDER MACONDRAY & CO.
From Daily Alta California "Shipping Intelligence" of Oct. 3, 1874: The Steamer "Vasco de Gama" arrived on October 2 after a 29 day sailing (Sep. 3rd departure) from Hong Kong via Yokohama (20 days). Passengers and merchandise were sent to Macondray & Co.
Realized: $750
Lot
1333
1875 (May 9) Northampton, Mass. to Yokohama, Japan, Lyman correspondence cover bearing 1873, 15¢ yellow orange tied by "Northampton Mass. May 9" duplex at the 15¢ treaty rate, red Japanese framed handstamps upper left, reverse with Yokohama (6.27) cds and manuscript. Japanese instructional characters, pencil "R. 9 July 1875" docketing partially erased; 15¢ with corner crease, Fine an unusual 15¢ treaty rate use with Japanese directional handstamps. Scott No. 163 Estimate $500 - 750.
Lot
1334
1876 (Jan. 20) Northampton, Mass. to Yedo, Japan, Lyman correspondence cover bearing 1873, 10¢ brown, 15¢ orange, tied by "Northampton Mass. Jan 20" duplex at double the 12¢ treaty rate, corresponding red "2", partial red "Yokohama Paid All Mar 2" backstamp, Japanese instructions on reverse, pencil "R 2 Mar 1876" docketing, stamp faults, F.-V.F. Scott No. 161 + 163 Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS FRANKING PREPAYING THE 12¢ TREATY RATE TO JAPAN, WHICH WAS ONLY VALID THREE MONTHS FROM JAN. 1 TO MAR. 30, 1876.
Lot
1335
1883 (Mar. 22) Yokohama, Japan to Duxbury, Mass, Forwarded to Boston, bearing Japan 1883, 5s blue Koban cancelled by cork, "Yokohama Mar 22 1883" origin cds and endorsed "Per S.S. 'Oceanic' ", reverse with magenta "San Francisco Paid All Apr 14" transit cds, upon arrival forwarded with "Duxbury Mass. Apr 23" duplex and "Forwarded." straightline with 1881, 3¢ blue green, re-engraved tied and used to pay forwarding postage, Boston (4.25) arrival backstamp, Very Fine, A scarce U.S.-Japan mixed franking usage. Scott No. 207 + Japan #74 Estimate $500 - 750.
Lot
1336
1899 (Jul. 14) San Francisco, Cal. to Kiaochan, China via German Post, 1¢ blue entire cancelled by "San Francisco, Cala., Jul 14 '99" machine cancel, C.I.P. Shanghai (8.7) bilingual dater, reverse with "Shanghai, Deutsche Post, 9/8 '99" backstamp, Very Fine. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $115
Lot
1337
1903 (Aug. 11) Kuling, China to Richmond, Virginia via U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, neat cover bearing China C.I.P. 1c. pair, cancelled by "Kuling" bilingual c.d.s., carried by imperial post with Kiukiang (8.12) and Shanghai (8.14) backstamps, endorsed "C/o U.S. Post Shanghai" at left, entered U.S. mails with U.S. 1902 2¢ carmine pair cancelled by "U.S. Post. Agency, Shanghai, 1903" duplex, Seattle (9.7) and Richmond (9.12) backstamps; Very Fine; signed Herbert Bloch. Estimate $2,000 - 3,000.
A CHOICE COMBINATION FRANKING FROM CHINA TO THE U.S. USING THE U.S. POST OFFICE IN SHANGHAI.
Realized: $2,000
Lot
1338
1922 (Mar. 28) Swatow, China to San Francisco, Cal., fresh American Consular Service envelope with "American Consulate / Swatow, China" handstamp, bearing C.I.P. 1c. and 4c. tied by Swatow (3.28) bilingual dater, pencil "T" tax, framed "T………Ctmes" framed handstamp with red crayon "40" centimes due rating (8¢), purple "Postage due 8 cents / Seattle, Wash." two-line handstamp, bearing 1917, 3¢ and 5¢ postage dues precancelled "San Francisco, California", Very Fine and choice postage due use. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $325