China, 1871 envelope from Peking to Monsieur G. Vapereau in Montauban, France (23.8) via Shanghai (20.6), Hong Kong (4.7), Triest (19.8) and Lyon (22.8) bearing Hong Kong 12c. blue wing margin, cancelled by "S1" barred obliterator in blue, matching "Shanghae/D" British P.O. c.d.s. on reverse, with appropriate transit and arrival c.d.s., the stamp applied over the front and back of the envelope, which has been opened out for display. An important early envelope from this correspondence.
Estimate 10,000 - 12,000

References: Pingwen Sieh, "Taiwan Customs Covers and Customs Posts", Postal Service Today, No. 280, p. 5.
The Revenue Surcharges China 1897, Vol. II, p. 904.

THIS IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST RECORDED USAGES FROM THE VAPEREAU CORRESPONDENCE FROM PEKING, MAILED PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF POSTAL MARKINGS BY THE CUSTOMS POST.

The 12 cents rate for ½ ounce letters by British packet via Trieste to Northern Europe.

Mailed during Charles Vapereau's first year in Peking, this envelope was carried by the Customs Post's courier service operating between Peking and Shanghai, which accepted mail from members of the foreign legations and Customs officials in northern China. Vapereau was considered as a member of the Customs service in view of his teaching position at Tung Wen University in Peking. This was seven years prior to the opening of the post offices in China to the public in 1878.

There are other 1871 envelopes from this correspondence :

-- 1871 envelope to Monsieur G. Vapereau in Montauban bearing Hong Kong 2c., 8c. and 12c., cancelled by "S1", with "Shanghae" British P.O. c.d.s. (29.3).
Lee Scamp, Far East Mail Ship Itineraries 1840-1880, Vol. 1 (1997), pp. 356-357.

-- 1871 envelope to Madame L. Garnier in Paris bearing Hong Kong 8c., 12c. and 24c., cancelled by "S1", with "Shanghae" British P.O. c.d.s. (12.4).
Norman Bennett, Cavendish (Derby), 25.5.2002, lot 970

-- 1871 envelope to Madame G. Vapereau in Montauban bearing Hong Kong 2c., 8c. and 12c., cancelled by "S1", with "Shanghae" British P.O. c.d.s. (June).
"Antonia", Robson Lowe (Tokyo), 10.10.1981, lot 276

-- 1871 envelope to Madame L. Garnier in Paris bearing Hong Kong 12c., cancelled by "S1", with "Shanghae" British P.O. c.d.s. (26.10).
Milo C. Rowell, Christie's Swire (Hong Kong), 30.9.1992, lot 1232

-- 1871 envelope to Monsieur Ch. Lévèque c/o M.G. Vapereau in Montauban bearing France Bordeaux 20c. and 80c., cancelled "5104", with "Shang-hai/Bau. Française" c.d.s. (1.11), endorsed "Ch. Vapereau".
Roumet HP (Paris), 26.4.2016, lot 194. Est. HK$10,000-12,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$10,000-12,000

China, 1872 envelope from Peking to Madame Louise Garnier in Paris (12.7), showing on reverse a crisp near perfect strike of the "Custom House/Shanghai Paid" oval d.s. of "25 May 1872" in red, and bearing on front France Ceres 25c. strip of four, cancelled by large figures "5104", matching "Shang-hai/Chine" c.d.s. (25.5) adjacent and red framed "PD", with "Paris" arrival c.d.s. in blue on reverse, endorsed "Ch. Vapereau", the France strip has tiny corner defect at lower left, an extremely fine strike of the Custom House Paid datestamp. A superb and magnificent cover of the highest exhibition calibre.
Estimate 250,000 - 300,000

AN OUTSTANDING FIRST YEAR USAGE OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE DATER AND THE SECOND EARLIEST RECORDED DATE FOR THIS.

THE FINEST OF THE SIXTEEN RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE DATER.

The 1 franc single rate to France. From 1 July 1871, the letter rate to France became 1 franc per 10 grammes by French packet via Marseilles.

Carried on the Messageries Maritimes Steamer "Peiho" which left Shanghai on 26 May and arrived at Marseille around 12 July (the 13 July arrival date given by Salles is now recognised as erroneous).

Auction Record
Cavendish (Derby), 11.9.1999, lot 368. Est. HK$250,000-300,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$250,000-300,000

China, 1874 (27 Aug.) envelope from Lurgan to William Hancock, care of Commissioner of Customs, Shanghai bearing Great Britain 3d. and 1/-, cancelled by "Lurgan/316" duplex, showing "Hong-Kong/Marine-Sorter/Hong-Kong to Shanghae" double-ring d.s. of "Oc 7/2 74" in black and "Custom House/Shanghai" oval bilingual h.s. in red on reverse, the top of the cover and stamps trimmed, extremely fine and choice example of this rare early Customs handstamp.
Estimate 150,000 - 200,000

ONE OF SEVEN RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE BILINGUAL HANDSTAMP. OF THESE, TWO ENVELOPES ARE TRIMMED AT TOP AFFECTING THE STAMPS, AND ONE OTHER HAS A STAMP MISSING.

The 1s/3d rate per ½ ounce rate via Marseille or Brindisi.

Although the top of the envelope, which contained the manuscript routing notation, was trimmed away, it appears likely from the traces of writing which remain that it was marked "via Marseilles". If this, indeed, is the case, then the letter would have been carried by the French packet "Iraouaddy". This is similar to the 9 September 1874 envelope in the accompanying census, which was carried by French packet, a very rare occurrence since such onboard sorting only occurred a few times during the year (Lee Scamp, "Far East Mail Itineraries. Vol. 2", pp. 276-277). Est. HK$150,000-200,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$150,000-200,000

China, 1877 (15 Sept.) envelope to Monsieur Henri Gravier in Paris (5.11) redirected domestically to Le Mêsle sur Sarthe (6.11), showing on reverse "I.G. of Customs/Peking" double-ring origin d.s. of "Sep 15 77" in blue, and bearing on front France Ceres 30c. and Peace and Commerce 10c., cancelled by large figures "5104", matching "Shang-hai/Hai/Chine" c.d.s. (23.9) alongside, with "Marseille à Lyon" transit (4.11) and appropriate arrival c.d.s. on reverse, envelope roughly opened at top and also opened out for display, very fine strike of the Customs dater.
Estimate 50,000 - 60,000

Provenance: Sir Percival David, Robson Lowe (Basel), 16.10.1974, lot 1260 (part)
George Alevizos (Santa Monica), 8-9.2.1979, lot 2093.

A VERY EARLY, IF NOT THE EARLIEST, EXAMPLE OF THE CUSTOMS DATER FOR PEKING.

The 40 centimes single rate to France from 1 April 1877.

Transported by the Customs Post from Peking to Shanghai, and then carried on the Messageries Maritimes Steamer "Sindh" from Shanghai to Marseille.

We record five covers originating in the Customs Post in Peking prior to the issue of the Large Dragons stamps. The first is addressed to Henri Gravier and the other four to Léon Garnier or G. Vapereau in Paris. All were sent through the French Post Office in Shanghai. The dates of the "I.G. of Customs/Peking" double-ring origin d.s. are :

-- 15 September 1877
The above envelope

-- 30 November 1877
From the records of Anna-Lisa and Sven-Eric Beckeman

-- 15 December 1877
Sir Percival David, Robson Lowe (Basel), 16.10.1974, lot 1260 (part)
Christie's Swire (Hong Kong), 26.10.1993, lot 1884

--24 May 1878
Christie's Robson Lowe (Zurich), 27.3.1996, lot 2067
Sotheby's and Corinphila (Hong Kong), 7.10.1997, lot 395

-- 30 August 1878
Treasures Hunters (Hong Kong), 19.1.2002, lot 188

In addition, Lee Scamp in his "Far East Ship Mail Itineraries", Vol. 2, p. 346, cites and illustrates a defective 1877 envelope with the "I.G. of Customs/Peking" double-ring origin d.s. of 17 Jan. 1877, which was sent to Madame Edith Weber in Falaise (Calvados) through the French P.O. in Shanghai at the 1 franc rate (Philachina, June 2008, lot 475). Est. HK$50,000-60,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$50,000-60,000