1874 6 sen slate-purple, foreign paper with syllabic plate IO, mint o.g., from pos.25 showing dots to the left of both "6", very fine and fresh (JSCA Y100'00). (Image)

1878 (Nov 19) "Around the world in 90 days", sent from Great Britain (London), via Egypt (Alexandria), Singapore, Japan (Yokohama), USA (San Francisco and New York) and arriving back in England, franked with the correct rate by the country's stamp for each leg of the journey, with address panel written in advance and including the original letter which explains to the recipients what to do, and an envelope written by the sender which he kept the mailed cover in after receiving it with his notes explaining its journey, a highly attractive cover. (Image)

1944 (Feb 28) POW incoming postcard from the Swiss Catholic Mission sent to a Dutch citizen in Kamakura Shi on behalf of another Dutch citizen in La Haye, "RECEIVED WITH OUT STAMP / YOKOHAMA" hs and returned to sender, with the original filing card of the Mission, a rare WW2 document. (Image)

1863 (Sept. 30) Entire letter from Yokohama to Lyon, endorsed "via Marseille", sent by "Gütschow & Co.", with British "Hong-Kong C Oc 13 63" cds in blue on reverse, fine strike of black "GB/1F62c4/10" Anglo-French accountancy marking, red "Poss. Ang. V. Suez Marseille 25 Nov. 63" cds, "9" decimes due handstamp and receiving backstamp. A very fine and early cover before the opening of the French P.O. (Image)

1874, "Post Office Department, Office of Foreign Mails" letterhead datelined Washington D.C., July 23, 1874, signed by Joseph H. Blackfan and addressed to J. W. Barber, Third Asst. Postmaster General, informing about the commencement of the new U.S.-Japan postal agreement, effective Jan. 1, 1875, the "postal agencies maintained by this Department at Yokohama (Kanagawa), Hiogo, Nagasaki and Hakodati, will be discontinued on the 31st of December 1874". A very rare official document communicating the cessation of U.S. post offices operating in Japan, when Japan postal service opened its foreign-mail department. An item of major importance for any collection of Japanese foreign mail or U.S. post offices in Japan. Provenance: "Magnolia" (Part 4, Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries sale 1271, 13.12.2022, lot 378) (Image)

1875 (Dec 23) Postal Notice from the Japanese Postmaster in Yokohama, Japan, sent to the Italian Consul in the same city, with blue "Yokohama 28 Dic. 75 Consolto. d'Italia" arrival consular datestamp, notifying of the commencement of new postal rates which were to come into effect on New Year's day 1876, with a list of country's affected by a uniform rate of 18 cents via Brindisi, and mentions Book Post rates would in some cases be lower than before, and specifically the reduced rate to Italy, with a uniform Registration Fee of 12 cents to the countries listed as well as Italy, further reference is made of mail to the continent via Trieste, reduced rates to Portugal via Southampton, the Azores, Canary, Madeira and Hawaiian Islands, as well as reduced uniform rates via Batavia either by French or English Packet, and the facility for Registration at Hong Kong and Yokohama for United States packet mail. A document of major importance to many postal regions, of great fascination for the discerning postal historian. (Image)

1896, "Dai NipponTeikoku Yubinkitte Enkakushi" ("Historical Record of Imperial Japanese Postage Stamps"), featuring the official history and presentation of the issued stamps. This magnificent reference book features all the postage stamps and postal stationery issued up to 1894, including 107 examples, including telegraph stamps, the official imitations (reprints) of seven values which were no more in stock (the "Dragons" s1 sen & 2 sen as well as the wrapper n. 1 and postal stationery card PC 1/4). This book was distributed to government officials and foreign diplomates. A very important rarity for the collector of Japanese philatelic literature and Japanese books in general. Just 500 books were issued, with only a tiny fraction having survived nowadays. (JSCA, ¥2,500,000). Reference: L. N. & M. Williams, "Rarest Stamp Book in the World", in "Philatelic Magazine" (October 14, 1938); Sylvester Colby "The Rarest Stamp Book in the World?", in "Stamps" magazine (August 3, 1968). (Image)

1876, "Koban" 5 sen light brown, applied on reverse of Chinese-style illustrated envelope from Shanghai to Nagasaki (Japan), correctly paying the 5 sen rate from Shanghai to Japan, which was into force from April 1st, 1876. Tied by "crossroads" cancel of Shanghai (Nishino-tpye SH76A), with large “I.J. Postal Agency Shanghai Nov 1” cds also tying the franking, large early datestamp of “Nagasaki" alongside as arrival. Additionally dated “9th Month 16th Day” in manuscrip according to the lunar calendar. A very fine and scarce usage in China. (Image)

1876, "Old Koban" 5 sen light brown, a very fine marginal example tied by small inland-type intaglio cross of Yokohama, to cover to Shanghai, China, displaying "Yokohama Dec. 11 1878" cds at left, reverse with U.S. "I.J. Postal Agency Shanghai Dec. 19" cds and blue delivery "Shanghai F De 19 78 Local Post." cds. Backflap just a bit incomplete. Only very few foreign incoming mails of this early period are known showing the "Shanghai Local Post" delivery postmarks; a rarity of China and Japan postal history. (Image)

1876, "Old Koban" 5 sen light brown, single on cover endorsed "Per Hiroshima Maru" to Tokyo, tied by Shanghai crossroads, with early large "I.J. Postal Agency Shanghai Jun 9" cds alongside, violet "Yokohama Jun 17 1879" transit cds below. Adressed to a member of the H. B. M. Legation Yedo. Some wrinkles and opening tear at right, not affecting the franking. (Image)

1876, "Old Koban" 5 sen light brown, two singles or one pair used on two double weight covers to USA, one sent to North Marchfield, Mass. (carried by S/S "Gaelic"), tied by crossroads with "Shanghai I.J. Postal Agency May 1" cds alongside, red "Yokohama Paid All May 11" and San Francisco transit; the other, bearing a pair, endorsed "per City of Peking" and sent to Harrisburg PA, tied by Nishino type YH81B negative cross from "Yokohama Oct 26 1881", and San Francisco transit. Some creasing and few tone spots not affecting the franking, which is in very fine condition. (Image)

1900 (Nov 27) Japanese 1 1/2 sen postal stationery card sent from Busan, Korea, to Shanghai, cancelled by good strike of the cancel in red, with Shanghai IJPO and Local Post cds adjacent, datelined on reverse and sent by someone in the Imperial Korean Customs, small tear at top, fine. (Image)