388th Auction

1915, Germania 20 Pfg. mit Stempel “STUTTGART No. 2 2.JAN.17” auf Tauchbootbrief mit Leitstempel “via San Francisco” via Bremen mit Zensur-Stempel “*” (Stern), adressiert an den Direktor K. Schmidt der Schantung Eisenbahn in Shanghai, retour mit allen Stempeln und handschriftlichem Vermerk “Tauchbootgebühr erstattet”, in guter Erhaltung. Tauchbootbriefe mit Destination China sind sehr selten

1898, Coiling Dragon ½ c. brown horizontal strip of four together with 2 c. red, all tied by cds. "HANKOW JUNE 01"  to postcard to Austria with additional French PO in China Sage 10 c. black/lilac tied during transit via SHANGHAI for outbound despatch; a ½ c. with a toned perf tip and some ink soiling in the upper right corner not affecting the adhesives, still a fine mixed franking

1 c. ocher and 2 c. red neatly tied by cds “CANTON OCT 00” to postal stationery card 1 c. rose to Germany, additional franking Hong Kong 4 d. pearlish grey tied in transit by both cds “HONG KONG OC 7 00” and additional framed “I.P.O.” (Webb fig. 104, Canton I, rated “R”), arrival “LICHTENSTEIN” alongside. The Coiling Dragon 1 cent with a torn perf, otherwise fine, very scarce, certificate Haveman BPP (2024)

1 c. ocher, four singles neatly tied by cds “SHANGHAI 7 JUN 01” to postcard to Paris, France, handed over to the French Office with Sage 10 c. black/lilac tied in transit with cds “SHANGHAI CHINE 7 JUIN 01” repeated alongside; one 1 c. with negligible soiling at a corner, still very fine and attractive, certificate Haveman BPP (2024)

1900/11, postal history group of circa 65 covers and cards, mostly foreign destinations, many attractive and interesting usages including mixed frankings at the Treaty Ports, noted French, Japanese, German and Russian Offices, a fine part of German Fieldpost markings, together with an abundance of multicolour Coiled Dragons frankings, some postal stationeries, local post Cheefoo, etc., mixed condition. A delightful specialist lot

1897, Coiling Dragons 1 c. yellow, horizontal pair with 1898 1 c. ocher, neatly tied by cds “KUIKIANG 1 NOV 01” to postal stationery card 1 c. rose to Munich, Germany with additional French PO in China Sage 10 c. black/lilac tied during transit with “SHANGHAI 4 NOV 01 CHINE”, arrival “MUENCHEN 8 DEZ. 01” alongside. The card showing some slight soiling on the back, the 10 centimes with a small fault otherwise very fine. A scarce mixed franking combining two Dragon issues

1 c. ocher vertical pair, 2 c. red and 10 c. green, tied by large cds “SHANGHAI” to registered postcard to Austria with additional Hong Kong 2 c. rose horizontal pair and 10 c. lilac/red tied in transit with small cds “HONG KONG NO 28 98”, handed over to French paquebot with hexagonal “LIGNE N 3 DEC 98” and registration circle handstamp “R” alongside, arrival “MAIDHOFEN 31 12 98”. The card with a vertical crease barely affecting one adhesive, fine. An attractive combination enhanced by the registration status

“COLLECT POSTAGE 04 CENTS”, excellent strike applied on arrival to unfranked postcard from “SWATOW 22 OCT 15” (Shantou) via “SHANGHAI” to Massachusetts, USA. The card with one corner crease and some light toning, scarce

1913/33 (ca.), Hall of Classics specialized assembly of around 80 covers and cards, interesting usages with some combination and large multiple frankings, destinations abroad with Germany, France, Bangkok, etc., some maritime mail with Paquebot handstamp, registered and express mail, routing via Siberia, etc., mixed condition

1926/49 (ca.), Chinese Republic specialized accumulation of around 120 covers and cards, including Postage Dues, noted a wealth of multiple- and combination frankings, inland and foreign mail, many issues represented and usages with various postal rates, etc., conditions varies as expected, interesting specialist lot

1912/20 (ca.), Chinese Republic early years, group of 13 covers and cards, noted 1 c. overprinted coiled dragon (x4) used with “PEKING” to 1913 postcard to Italy with unusual “ITALY = VIA SIBERIA” straight-line marking, also some stampless mail, printed matter, etc., together with 5 postcards franked with Japanese issues with cds. "TIENTSIN", “DAIREN”, etc., overall in good condition

1902, Coiling Dragons ½ c. and 1 c. ochre, two singles of each value, tied by cds “KIAOCHOW 27 DEC 02” to postal stationery card 1 c. to Germany with additional Kiautschou 5 pfg. applied for foreign outbound despatch, very fine. A most appealing multicolour combination franking

1934/49 (ca.), Chinese Airmail attractive accumulation of over 120 covers with a wealth of interesting usages and postal rates, multiple- and combination frankings, censored airmail, many better with 1937 “HONG KONG - SAN FRANCISCO RECEIVED - FIRST FLIGHT” handstamp on registered cover from “SHANGHAI 26 4 37”, scarce 1948 Martyr of Revolution 50 c. on ½ c. brown bloc of 20 with additional franking used to reverse of envelope to the provincial department of education in Wuchang, inland airmail franked at 63 cents from “PAHSIEN CHUNGKING” to Shanghai, 1947 incoming mail from Tientsin to British Occupation Zone in Germany with censor paper seal and mark, etc., somewhat mixed condition as to be expected. A most useful specialist lot

1903, Coiling Dragon 2 c. red, pair tied on double rate redband cover by fancy type cancel from Great P.O. Tsing Laichow Province Shantung 28th year 12th month 17th day, transit mark mark Kiangchow alongside, to Weihsien with bilingual oval WEIHSIEN 7/JAN/1903 ds. and 4 x German P.O. "TSINGTAU KIAUTSCHOU 8/1/03" arrival mark, tiny crease, otherwise fine. The cover with content is forwarded by Huangyuan Yong to Tsingtau Tapautau, attractive and scarce

1898, C.I.P. 1 c. reply card from Tsinanfu, uprated coiling dragon 1 c. and 2 c. tied lunar dater CHINAN 7.3.06, bilingual CHINAN 7.3.06 and french SHANG-HAI CHINE 14/MARS/06 alongside, to Magdeburg Germany with arrival mark 19.4.06, fine

1888, 20 c. carmine-rose, unissued Horse & Dragon, unused part original gum, small h.r., bright color, light vertical crease, otherwise fine appearance, these stamps were printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. but were never issued (Chan F16) signed Gebr. Senf Leipzig and Holcombe

1866, Treaty Ports: Shanghai, United Kingdom entire letter from London to Shanghai, cancelled 'Lombard Street / F.O./ Paid / MAR/10/66' cds. in red, endorsed "via Marseilles" on top left. For Late Fee only 1 d. red cancelled and 1/4 d. prepaid in cash by red crayon. Sent via “Care of Messrs. John Burd & Co., Hong Kong”. File fold at bottom, otherwise fine and an unusual entire. The addressee, John Anderson Esq. Mess. W.R. Adamson Co. Shanghai, formed his firm, exporting tea, silk and general merchandise in 1858 in Shanghai and became Chinas greatest export company for tea and silk. In PROFI archive no other forwarding agent covers John Burd Co. to Shanghai recorded.