Hong Kong, 1845 (25 Dec.) entire from Bush & Co. to Augustine Heard & Co., Canton, showing fine "Western/Line/Boat" oval framed h.s. (Webb fig. 203, type B) on reverse, light ageing, fine usage of this important early mark.
Estimate 15,000 - 20,000 Est. HK$15,000-20,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$15,000-20,000

Hong Kong, 1847 (24 May) entire letter from J.C. Power, Hong Kong to Norwich, England "Overland via Southampton" showing fine to very fine large "Paid/at/Hong Kong" Crowned Circle in red (type 6) overstruck by London arrival d.s., with "Hong Kong" double-arc origin d.s. on reverse (across the join), rated "1/-", trivial faint overall wrinkling, fine usage.
Estimate 4,000 - 5,000 Est. HK$4,000-5,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$4,000-5,000

Hong Kong, 1848 (29 Dec.) envelope to Yorkshire, England (28.2.49) "Overland via Southampton" and London (27.2) showing complete medium "Paid/at/Hong Kong" Crowned Circle in red (Webb type 8) with "Hong Kong" double-arc d.s. on reverse (over the backflap), rated "1/-", fine.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000 Est. HK$1,500-2,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,500-2,000

Hong Kong, 1849 (30 Mar.) entire letter from Hong Kong to Bombay (received 24.4 per docketing) "pr Steamer via Galle" showing fine, complete medium "Paid/at/Hong Kong" Crowned Circle in red (Webb type 8) with circular "2" h.s. alongside and "Hong Kong" double-arc d.s. on reverse, rated "1/-", ageing (customary on Bombay mail) and vertical wrinkle (split in top back panel just into address panel).
Estimate 1,200 - 1,500 Est. HK$1,200-1,500 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,200-1,500

Hong Kong, 1854 (21 June) entire letter from Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong to Bombay (15.7 part d.s.) "Per Singapore" showing fine to very fine "Paid/at/Hong Kong" small Crowned Circle in red (type 11), with matching light "Hong Kong" double-arc d.s. on reverse, rated "1/-", letter advises of successful sale of opium consignment.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000 Est. HK$1,500-2,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,500-2,000

Hong Kong, 1857 (9 Aug.) entire letter from Hong Kong to Rothschild Frères, Paris (1.10) "Via Marseilles" (29.9) showing "Hong Kong" double-arc origin d.s. and French transit and arrival c.d.s. on reverse, charged "24" (décimes).
Estimate 1,200 - 1,500 Est. HK$1,200-1,500 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,200-1,500

Hong Kong, 1858 (26 Feb.) entire letter from Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong to Bombay (23.4) showing "Paid/at/Hong Kong" small Crowned Circle in red (type 11), with matching "Hong Kong" double-arc d.s. on reverse, rated "8", letter concerns opium commerce, splitting (mainly internal) along folds, very good usage.
Estimate 1,200 - 1,500 Est. HK$1,200-1,500 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,200-1,500

Hong Kong, 1858 (12 Oct.) entire letter from Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong to Bombay (4.11) showing very fine "Paid/at/Hong Kong" small Crowned Circle in red (type 11), with matching "Hong Kong" double-arc d.s. on reverse, rated "4", some customary splitting (mainly internal) at folds.
Estimate 2,500 - 3,000 Est. HK$2,500-3,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,500-3,000

Hong Kong, 1858 (14 Dec.) entire letter from Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong to Cadiz, Spain, care of a forwarder in Gibraltar, showing small "Paid/at/Hong Kong" Crowned Circle in red (Webb type 11) with matching Hong Kong double-arc d.s. on reverse and Gibraltar transit c.d.s. in blue on front, rated "1/10".
Estimate 2,000 - 2,500 Est. HK$2,000-2,500 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,000-2,500

Hong Kong, 1859 (29 Jan.) envelope to Bombay (20.2) "per Cadiz" showing large "Paid/at/Hong Kong" Crowned Circle (type 6) with "Hong Kong" large double-arc d.s. with serifs (Webb type 7) on reverse, rated "4", fine and rather late usage of the scarce first Crowned Circle. Most likely from Canton, as from the Shurajie correspondence.
Estimate 4,000 - 5,000 Est. HK$4,000-5,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$4,000-5,000

Hong Kong, 1860 (29 Jan.) envelope to Bombay (18.2) "pr. Norna" showing "Hong Kong/Paid" c.d.s. in red and on reverse "Hong Kong/C" c.d.s., rated "4", fine.
Estimate 1,500 - 2,000 Est. HK$1,500-2,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,500-2,000

Hong Kong, 1861 "Consignees Letter" envelope to Hong Kong, "Pr str Manila" showing ""Hong Kong/Paid/C (C inserted sideways)" c.d.s. (2.5; Webb type 14a) in black on reverse, rated "4", very rare with type 14a believed not recorded in black, fine.
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000 Est. HK$3,000-4,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$3,000-4,000

Hong Kong, 1862 (Oct.) flimsy envelope (opened out for display and slightly reduced) to London, endorsed "Via Southampton", with "Paid" framed red h.s. and "London/Paid" arrival c.d.s. (20.1.63) adjacent, showing very fine "Saved from the Wreck of/the Colombo" framed h.s (in the scarcer from China smaller fount of the two wreck h.s.) and on reverse "Hong Kong/C" c.d.s. in blue (25.10), rated "1/-" and "11(d)" in red crayon, backflap and small part of the front panel removed, fine and rare China origin from this wreck with only approximately 10 covers from China recorded. Believed in all likelihood to have originated in Foochow or Swatow, given the "Paid" framed handstamp (used on prepaid mail from outside Hong Kong) and the Hong Kong c.d.s. (25.10) corresponding with the arrival of P&O Aden at Hong Kong from Foochow via Amoy and Swatow (with Amoy already having its own datestamps). The cover's markings also correspond with the known example from this wreck from Foochow. Illustrated in Hong Kong Study Circle Journal 284/4. Ex Stubens.
Estimate 15,000 - 20,000

The P&O "Colombo" steamer struck on Minicoy Island 19 November 1862 in a heavy fog. All of the passengers and crew were safely put into boats and were taken care of on Minicoy Island until they were rescued by the "Ottawa" on 30 November. The mail was recovered by divers and was recovered in about three weeks (not three months as commonly thought). Est. HK$15,000-20,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$15,000-20,000

Hong Kong, 1862 (13 Oct.) entire letter from Boston to John Heard, Hong Kong (24.12), endorsed "via Southampton" (in different hand from the address), bearing Great Britain 1s. green tied by "London EC/74" duplex (3.11), red handstruck "1d" Colonial credit, carried privately/under cover to London and then posted to Hong Kong, sender notes not wanting the recipient to come home to the U.S. where he would possibly have to fight in the Civil War, very fine and an unusual mode of transmission of mail from the U.S. to Hong Kong.
Estimate 2,000 - 2,500 Est. HK$2,000-2,500 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,000-2,500

Hong Kong, 1863 (22 July) entire from Sydney to Hong Kong (8.9) "(per) Bombay" bearing New South Wales Corbould 6d. pair (couple faults), tied by "Sydney/N.S.W." duplex, with "Hong Kong/C" arrival c.d.s. (post-adhesive c.d.s. with hyphen between Hong and Kong; Webb figure 19, type A) in blue (the earliest recorded example in this colour), splitting along folds customary for this correspondence. Carried by P&O Bombay to Galle and Emeu from Galle (21.7) to Hong Kong. Emeu's shaft broke en route on 3 Aug., and she was forced to set sail, ultimately being towed to Hong Kong by Pekin, arriving three days late. Ex Lee Scamp.
Estimate 2,500 - 3,000 Est. HK$2,500-3,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,500-3,000

Hong Kong, Selection : 1848-55 entire letters (4) from Hong Kong to Bombay (2), London and Scotland, the Bombay letters showing "Bombay/Ship Letter/In/Bearing" framed h.s., with one also showing Singapore forwarder's h.s., the letter to Scotland showing fine, light small "Paid/at/Hong Kong" Crowned Circle in red, mixed condition (particularly on the Bombay letters); together with 1857-58 envelopes (2) sent as ship letters to Bombay via Calcutta without Hong Kong markings (but with Jardine Matheson wax seals) and heavily aged 1848 Canton market reports (2, one of which covers the range of products and includes a short reference to opium trade and the other devoted exclusively to tea).
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000 Est. HK$3,000-4,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$3,000-4,000