U.S. Post Office. Hakodate. 1872, 10c brown, on small cover to Mrs. Stephen R. Chase, Berry’s Mills, Maine, originally affixed over blue “Pacific Mail S.S. Co. Hakodate, Japan” two-line handstamp applied by PMSS agent, lifted and hinged back enabling the PMSS cachet to be exhibited, tied by crossroads cancel. Cover clearly struck with “San Francisco Steamship Mar. 24” (1872) cds. Small surface scuff in address at right, otherwise very fine. Illustrated on page 72 of "The United States Post Offices in China and Japan" by Frajola-Perlman-Scamp (Collectors Club, 2006). An extremely rare loose ship letter from Hakodate before the U.S. post office was established. Provenance: Bilden "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 306) (Image)

Hakodate. 1874 (ca.), 3c green in dark shade, one pulled perf. at base, tied by circle of wedges cancel of Yokohama on undated cover addressed to “H. S. Munroe, E.M., Ichiwanatori, Hokaido, Care of American Consul, Hakodate”. H. S. Munroe was the assistant geologist on the survey of Yesso (Geological Survey of Hokkaido: A General Report on the Geology of Yesso, Benjamin Smith Lyman, 1877). The U.S. post offices in Japan closed on Dec. 31, 1874. Very fine, an extremely rare incoming cover to Hakodate, this being a rarely used post office, from which only three covers are known bearing the Hakodate circular datestamp. Provenance: Ryohei Ishikawa ("The Forerunner Foreign Post Offices in Japan", Tokyo 1976, p. 100) "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 307) (Image)

Kanagawa. 1866, Cover with “W.H. & Co.” (Walsh, Hall & Co.) embossed seal from Francis Hall addressed to Charles C. Hall, Elmira, New York, endorsed “P. 'Ann Sanderson’” and dated “Japan June 2d”, bearing very fine strike of "Forwarded by U.S. Consul, Kanagawa, Japan" double-oval handstamp surrounded by stars, with "Ship6" and San Francisco cds alongside, dated September 17th. Carried on the British brig "Ann Sanderson" from Yokohama on June 7, 1866, arriving to San Francisco on September 16 after a delayed trip, when there was speculation that she was lost at sea; the journey lasted 98 days from Yokohama and 31 days from Honolulu. On of three examples recorded of mail forwarded through the United States Consulate with the Kanagawa oval handstamp, this being the earliest recorded, before the establishment of the U.S. post office in July 1867. Provenance: George W. Brett "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 311) (Image)

Kanagawa. 1874, Japan 2 sen yellow, syllabic 12 (wo), a vertical strip of three with sheet margin at base, tied by type N1B1 "Yokohama 7.11.30" (30 November 1874) cds to reverse of cover to "John A. Bingham, U.S. Minister, No. 1 Tsukiji, Tokei", with Tokyo arrival alongside. Front showing printed heading "United States Consulate General, Kanagawa, Japan.". One corner of the envelope torn off. An extremely rare U.S. diplomatic mail sent through the Japanese post office. Signed Holcombe. Provenance: "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 383) (Image)

Nagasaki. 1873, 3c green, a fresh example cancelled by five-bar grid cancel, used on clean entire letter in French endorsed “pr. Oregonian” addressed to J. Raud & Co., Yokohama, showing light strike of “Nagasaki, Japan, 14 Apr.” cds at left, “Pignatel & Cie. Nagasaki (Japon)” double-oval cachet from teh sender at lower left. Minor perforation imperfections, otherwise very fine. A rare interconsular usage from Nagasaki to Yokohama. Provenance: "Magnolia" (Part 2, Robert Siegel auction 1261, 29.6.2022, lot 777) (Image)

Yokohama. 1868, 10c dark green, dark shade, on cover to Dr. L. Traver, Providence R.I., tied by Japanese “X” chop cancel on dispatch, carried on the PMSS "Colorado", departing from Yokohama Jul. 26, 1868 and arriving to San Francisco on August 16. Oval “China and Japan Steam Service” handstamp in red and “San Francisco Paid All Aug. 17” (1868) cds adjacent. Cover corners repaired. Very scarce. Cert. Philatelic Foundation (2000). Provenance: "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 321) (Image)

Yokohama. 1870, 2c brown, tied by segmented cork cancel on “Yokohama Prices Current and Market Report” printed circular dated September 21, 1870, carried by the PMSS "Great Republic" (Yokohama 9.23 - San Francisco 10-16). Address band missing. Very Fine. An extremely rare use of the 2c 1869 Pictorial on printed matter from Japan. Provenience: "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 326) (Image)

Yokohama.1870, 2c Brown, two examples used entire letter addressed to Pignatel & Co. in Nagasaki, Japan, each tied by segmented cork cancel, partly struck with “Yokohama Japan Nov. 21” cds, overpaying by 1 cent the 3c inter-consular rate. Contents mentioning correspondence between the French and U.S. consuls. Some light soiling. One of seven recorded 1869 pictorial covers between post offices in Japan, including three bearing this stamp. Illustrated on page 149 in the Frajola-Perlman-Scamp "The United States Post Offices in China and Japan" handbook (Collectors Club, 2009). Provenience: Ryohei Ishikawa Coulter "Magnolia" (Part 2, Robert Siegel auction 1261, 29.6.2022, lot 778) (Image)

Yokohama. 1871, 10c brown and 3c green pair, paying the U.S. 10c and the U.S.-G.B. 6c rates, tied by segmented cork cancels and “Yokohama Japan Nov. 22” cds on November 13 entire letter to London, with "L.Kniffler & Co./Nagasaki", “via San Francisco” and “Europe” cachets in blue applied by the sender alongside, red New York (Dec. 27) and "London Paid" (Jan. 8, 1872) cds's also on obverse. Carried by the PMSS Great Republic (Yokohama 11.23 - San Francisco 12.17). Vertical file fold slightly affecting on the 10c stamp, otherwise very fine. A rare forwarded cover from Nagasaki. Provenance: Ryohei Ishikawa ("The Forerunner Foreign Post Offices in Japan", Tokyo 1976, p. 98) Dr. Spicer "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 346) (Image)

Yokohama. 1874, 10c brown and 6c dull pink used on entire letter endorsed "via America" to London, cancelled or tied by circle of wedges, showing very fine strike of associated “Yokohama Japan May 22” (1874) cds at left, blue "Valmale, Schoen & Wilson/Yokohama" sender's oval cachet, magenta “San Francisco Cal. Paid Jun. 16” and red "London Paid" cds's alongside. Carried by the PMSS "Great Republic" (Yokohama 5.22 - San Francisco 6.1). Illustrated in the Frajola-Perlman-Scamp "The United States Post Offices in China and Japan" (Collectors Club, 2009), on page 162. Vertical file fold impinging on the 6c stamp, otherwise fine. Provenance: Ryohei Ishikawa ("The Forerunner Foreign Post Offices in Japan", Tokyo 1976, p. 83) "Magnolia" (Part 2, Robert Siegel auction 1261, 29.6.2022, lot 349) (Image)

Yokohama. 1870, 30c black and 10c brown on cover to Hartford/Ct., United States, cancelled by cork cancels with "Yokohama Dec 22" cds at left, "San Francisco Jan 22" transit cds below. The stamps with small imperfections and some mild toning. The 10 cents paid the quintuple rate with the single fee being 10 cents. One of just four usages recorded of the 1870 National Bank Note issue 30 cents from a U.S. Post Office in Japan. (Image)

Yokohama. 1873, double-envelope system inner envelope: 10c Brown, tied by quartered cork cancel, with “Yokohama Japan Mar. 23” (1873) cds perfectly struck on envelope addressed in Japanese on reverse, dated by the sender (“2535.3.15”) and showing framed early non-standard datestamp "(year of the) rooster 3rd month 17th day / Tokyo postal bureau" (Meiji 6.3.17), delivered to the U.S. post office in Yokohama with address to S. Kodani, Ellicott City Md., changed to care of Mr. Cobb, Cornwall-on-the-Hudson N.Y., which appears to have been changed in Japan, not as a forwarding address (the addressee left Japan for the U.S. one year earlier to study). Carried on PMSS Colorado, departing 23 March 1873, arriving to San Francisco on 13 April, showing “San Francisco Cal. Apr. 14” cds on obverse. Bottom left corner torn off, minor soiling and small faults. The third example of an inner envelope with Japanese address and postmark carried to the U.S. post office, exhibiting a very rare usage of a Japanese postmark on the inner envelope. Note: The official “double envelope” system was introduced by the "Overseas Mail procedure" of Meiji 5.3. The double-envelope system was used to enhance the communications for Japanese nationals as well as foreign employees ("oyatoi gaikokujin") in the outer provinces. It consisted of two envelopes, including a smaller-size inner envelope (the example presented here), which had to contain the letter inside and indicate the addressee outside.The outer envelope had to be addressed to "c/o Tokyo General Post Office, Foreign Mail dispatching process". In Tokyo, the outside envelope was opened, and the inner envelope had to be franked with foreign stamps as required, to be forwarded to the Yokohama's foreign post office of choice (the U.S. post office in this case). The outside envelope had the address also in Japanese and internal postal markings, and it was franked combining an inland and foreign rate paid with Japanese postage. As the outer envelope had the Japanese postmarks and this envelope was usually discarded, Japanese postmarks on the inner envelope are extremely rare. The inner envelope was prepared by a Japanese, who addressed both envelopes in Japanese. Provenance: Japan Stamp Auction, Osaka, November 2017 sale "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 336) (Image)

Yokohama. 1874, 10c brown, defective in part of bottom margin, tied by segmented cancel on “Finance Department” imprint cover with notation “Sender Yoshio Kusaka, Yedo, Japan” and addressed to Mrs. C. Jewett, Norwichtown Conn., forwarded without dispatch cds, with “San Francisco Cal. Jan. 22” cds at left, and notation "This gentleman is now Governor of Nagasaki", referred to the sender Yoshio Husaka. Carried on the PMSS "Colorado" (Yokohama 12.22 - San Francisco 1.21), being the last mail dispatched before all U.S. post offices in Japan were closed on 31 December 1874. Illustrated on page 167 of the "The United States Post Offices in China and Japan" (Collectors Club, 2006) by Frajola-Perlman-Scamp. Some light staining and edgewear, gum toning around stamp perforations, otherwise fine. A rare last U.S. post office mail in Japan. Provenance: Dr. Spicer "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 376) (Image)