1878 1c green, h.r., rounded upper left corner, fine appearance, cat. $600 (Cat No. 1) (Image)

Cat. $600, Est.$150

1883 Large Dragon, set of three, each neatly canceled by "Wuchow 9 Jul 00" cds on 1ca stationery card, registered via Hong Kong, where Queen Victoria 4c gray and 10c purple were added for further transmission to Germany (Lieutenant Maus correspondence), each with Wuchow "I.P.O" boxed hs and "Hong Kong" cds, back of the card showing a sampan, with six line message. The 3c and 5c showing faint traces of removed blue pencil, 5c with diagonal tear, otherwise a spectacular combination card (Cat No. 7-9) (Image)

Est.$25,000

1885 (21 Jan) cover (opened for display) to Bordeaux, France, with oval "L TALLIEU / PEKIN" sender's cachet on both sides, franked on the reverse by 3 Candareen pale red, canceled by central oval Peking seal in blue, backstamped IG OF CUSTOMS / PEKING (Jan 21) in blue, CUSTOMS / TIENTSIN (Jan 24) and CUSTOMS / SHANGHAI (Feb 4), and arrival datestamps of MARSEILLE A LYON / SPECIAL (Mar 13) and Bordeaux (Mar 14), franked on the front by France 1877-90 Peace & Commerce 25c bister tied by SHANGHAI / CHINE French Post Office cds (Feb 4) with a second strike on the front, fine, attractive and rare Large Dragon cover from a known correspondence, with 2017 BPA Certificate (Cat No. 8) (Image)

Est.$15,000

1896 Red Revenue stamp without surcharge, 3c red, perforated 14, never hinged, few gum skips, post office fresh, v.f. and beautiful copy, with 2007 Experts and Consultants Ltd certificate. Originally ordered for internal use by the Customs Department, the 3c stamp inscribed "China" and "Revenue" was ordered from the London printing company Waterlow & Sons, following a request from Sir Robert Hart, the Inspector General of the Imperial Maritime Customs to James Campbell, the Customs Commissioner in London. The stamps were perforated 12 to 16 on three different machines and were shipped to China on 18th September, 1896. Although the stamps never served their intended purpose, they were pressed into use for surcharging in order to fulfill demand for stamps in the silver currency adapted by the newly inaugurated national postal system. Practically all of the 650,000 stamps ordered from London were used for this purpose, although there remained 761 stamps without surcharge stored at the General Post Office. During the Cultural Revolution, this entire stock (except for ten stamps which were given to the Chinese Postal Museum), was destroyed. This was recounted to Dr.Chang Min-Sheng by Mr. Wu Feng Gang, former director of the Postal Museum. Historically, other examples had survived, through various sources including contemporary Customs officials According to the "China Stamp Society Specialized Catalog of China" (2012 edition) the bright red color with clean original gum is associated with the examples saved by Custom officials, or in London. "The price for these has been as high as $158,000. A few years ago, some were found in China. They are distinguishable by their dull color and dried brownish gum. They sell for much less." (Cat No. Chan R1) (Image)

Est.$90,000

1901 Boxer Rebellion, East Asia Expedition, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 1c China tied on picture postcard (of hand colored bird) by "K.D. Feld Poststation 13/4 No 7" cds, also boxed "S.B./Ostas. Exped./I.Bat. 4.Inf.-Rgmts." addressed to Germany, fine, with arrival pmks (Image)

Est.$150

1955-60 souvenir sheets, selection including Scott's No. 1114a, 1117a, 1126a, 1135-36, 1257a (2) and B9a, unused without gum as issued, first three with selvage, mostly n.h., v.f., cat. $1910 (Cat No. 1114a/B9a) (Image)

Cat. $1910, Est.$500

1934 correspondence of five covers, Italian Aviation Mission, Nanchang (near Kukiang), also to Rome, some Par Avion labels, one "By Imperial Air Mail" hs, creases, mostly fine (Image)

Est.$250

1936 registered first flight cover from Shanghai to Bremen, with red boxed cachet "delayed by adverse weather, reforwarded" and "dispatched 6.3.1936", with Canton 14.2.1936 propeller pmk, additional franking on back, with boxed "Air Mail Service Postponed Forwarded by Steamer to Singapore for Onward Transmission by Air" hs in red, Bremen 11.3.36 arrival pmk, fine and fascinating cover (Image)

Est.$1,000