China, Hwa Yang Letter Agency : Red-band envelope from Tientsin to Peking, showing on reverse two strikes of "Despatched by Hwa Yang Shu Hsin Kwan at Tientsin on 3rd Month, 12th day" (9.4.1881) framed Horse and Dragon motif d.s. in red, with matching two-line advertising h.s. which reads "The Hwa Yang Shu Hsin Kwan at Peking is operated outside the Wei Chien Gate, Ta Mo Chang, Central Shang Ku Lane", light age spotting, fine to very fine strikes of these handstamps of this rare postal service.
Estimate HK$ 80,000 - 100,000

References: Benjamin Y.K. Hwa, "A Study of the Postal History of the Hwa Yang Shu Hsin Kuan", Collector's Philatelic Annual Report, Taipei, 1992, pp. 227-260. This is cover number 18 in his listing.

$.

Established in July 1878, a parallel native service under the auspices of the Customs Post, the Hwa Yang Letter Agency was viewed by Sir Robert Hart as a means of eliminating the civilian courier service which handled the mails of the Chinese; however, this experiment ended in 1882 with its closure and absorption by the Customs Post.

According to Mr. Hwa's definitive article published in 1992, there were twenty-one covers reported; today there may well be more. Est. HK$80,000-100,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$80,000-100,000

China, 1880 (23 Oct.) envelope endorsed "Custom House, Canton, 23/10/80" to Hong Kong (24.10), showing on reverse "Customs/Canton" type A double-ring origin d.s. and bearing on front Hong Kong 2c. vertical pair, cancelled by "B62" barred obliterator, with wax seal of the Custom House of Canton on reverse, stamps and envelope have small faults and some age spotting, fine and a scarce official Customs usage.
Estimate HK$ 8,000 - 10,000 Est. HK$8,000-10,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$8,000-10,000

China, 1882 (4 Apr.) Hong Kong 3c. postal stationery card from Canton to Tientsin (17.4) via Hong Kong (5.4), redirected to Hong Kong (1.5), cancelled by "A/Canton" c.d.s., showing "Shanghae/A" transit c.d.s. (25.4) of the British Post Office, "Customs/Shanghai" double-ring d.s. (23.4) and "Customs/Tientsin" double-ring arrival d.s. adjacent, fine and scarce example of redirected mail originating in the British Post Office and then transferred to the Customs Post.
Estimate HK$ 10,000 - 12,000 Est. HK$10,000-12,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$10,000-12,000

China, 1884 (27 Aug.) envelope to Amoy (5.10) via Hong Kong (3.10) redirected from the Customs Post in Amoy (8.10) via Hong Kong (10.10) to London (17.11) bearing Great Britain 5d., cancelled by "Bournemouth/B60" duplex, showing on reverse various transit and arrival markings including "A/Amoy" c.d.s. of the British Post Office and "Customs/Amoy" double-ring d.s. of "Oct 8 84" in red, with "Hong Kong/A" transit c.d.s. (10.10) and London arrival c.d.s. (17-18.11) in red and black, a few peripheral faults due to the flimsy nature of the envelope, very fine and rare example of mail handled by the Customs Post Office in Amoy.
Estimate HK$ 8,000 - 10,000 Est. HK$8,000-10,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$8,000-10,000

China, 1893 (14 Dec.) envelope to Bristol (5.2.94) via Hanoi (30.12), Haiphong (31.12) and Hong Kong (4.11.94), showing on reverse "Customs/Mengtzo" double-ring origin d.s. of "Dec 14 1893", and bearing on front French Colonies General issue 25c. vertical pair, cancelled by "Lao-Kai/Tonkin" c.d.s. (1.12), very fine example of mail from this Customs Office in Yunnan unusually at the double rate.
Estimate HK$ 50,000 - 60,000

Expertisation: B.P.A. certificate (1998). Est. HK$50,000-60,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$50,000-60,000

China, Taiwan : 1894 Dowager imperforate proof on thin native laid paper of 2ca. green, on piece, cancelled by "Customs/Anping" double-ring d.s. of "Mar 20 1895" in red, stamp has small pre-application fault, also two cut-outs showing "Customs/Anping" double-ring d.s. of "Aug 23 1894" and "Anping Customs/Mail Matter" oval h.s., both in red, fine.
Estimate HK$ 3,000 - 4,000 Est. HK$3,000-4,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$3,000-4,000

China, 1900 (16 Jan.) envelope (with original enclosure) from Chicago to Tientsin (25.2) via San Francisco and Shanghai (19.2) bearing U.S. 10c., cancelled by "Chicago" flag design duplex, with "To Pay" framed h.s. and showing on reverse "U.S. Postal Agency/Shanghai Rec'd" c.d.s. (19.2), envelope opened out for display and has reinforced splitting along join, from the Porter correspondence, fine and believed to be the latest usage of this handstamp.
Estimate HK$ 15,000 - 20,000

ACCORDING TO OUR RECORDS, THIS IS THE LATEST KNOWN USAGE OF THE "TO PAY" HANDSTAMP. Est. HK$15,000-20,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$15,000-20,000

China, Customs Mail Matter - Canton : 1895 (28 Dec.) envelope to Max Breitenfeldt at I.M. Customs, Lappa, showing "Canton Customs/Mail Matter" type 2 oval h.s. in blue, and its accompanying "Customs/Canton" double-ring origin d.s. of "Dec 28 1895", insignificant piece at back missing, fine to very fine.
Estimate HK$ 30,000 - 40,000

Provenance: Richard Canman, Stanley Gibbons (London), 19.10.1972, lot 18.

References: Directorate General of Posts, Ministry of Communications. The Revenue Surcharges China 1897. Vol. II (Taipei, 1987), p. 831. Illustrated. Est. HK$30,000-40,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$30,000-40,000

China, Kiukiang : 1897 (3 Nov.) envelope to Shanghai (5.11) showing "Kiukiang Customs/Mail Matter" oval unframed h.s. in red and "Kiukiang" origin dollar dater in brown, with "Shanghai" arrival dollar dater in blue on reverse, very fine.
Estimate HK$ 20,000 - 25,000 Est. HK$20,000-25,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$20,000-25,000

China, Pagoda Anchorage : 1897 (Mar.) envelope to Hermann Schweiger, I.M. Customs, Canton, showing "Pagoda Anchorage/Mail Matter" double-ring oval h.s. in brown, with matching "Paid" bilingual framed h.s., and "Imperial Post Office/Canton" oval arrival d.s. on reverse, extremely fine and one of the great rarities of the Customs Mail Matter handstamps.
Estimate HK$ 100,000 - 120,000

Provenance: Richard Canman, Stanley Gibbons (London), 19.10.1972, lot 36.

References: Directorate General of Posts, Ministry of Communications. The Revenue Surcharges China 1897. Vol. I (Taipei, 1984), p. 283. Illustrated.
Jeffrey S. Schneider, "The Transition from the Customs Post to the Imperial Post, 1896 (Dec.)-1898 (Jan.) A Survey of the Provisional Postage "Paid" Markings", Asian Philatelist (R.P.S.L.: Suzhou, 2010), p. 74. Illustrated.

THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THIS MAIL MATTER HANDSTAMP ON OFFICIAL CUSTOMS MAIL, AS WELL AS THE UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF THE POSTAGE PAID HANDSTAMP ORIGINATING FROM PAGODA ANCHORAGE. Est. HK$100,000-120,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$100,000-120,000

China, Peking : 1889 (12 Apr.) envelope to Paris (26.5), showing "I.G./Mail Matter" oval h.s. in blue, matching "I.G. of Customs/Peking" type 2 double-ring origin d.s. (superb strike) and "Customs/Shanghai" double-ring transit d.s. (17.4), both on reverse, overlapped by France 25c., cancelled by "Shang-hai/Chine" c.d.s. (19.4), and additionally tied by "Modane à Paris" c.d.s. (25.5) in red, very fine.
Estimate HK$ 6,000 - 8,000 Est. HK$6,000-8,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$6,000-8,000

China, Shanghai : 1883 (18 June) envelope to E. Liot, Inspectorate General of Customs, Peking, showing "Shanghai Customs/Mail Matter" oval h.s. in black, with matching "Customs/Shanghai" double-ring origin d.s. on reverse, interestingly slit for disinfection, very fine first year usage of the Customs Mail Matter handstamp.
Estimate HK$ 30,000 - 40,000 Est. HK$30,000-40,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$30,000-40,000

China, Wuhu : 1891 (13 Nov.) envelope to the Mr. Orion, Principal Collector for the French Post Office in Shanghai (15.11), bearing Small Dragon 3ca., cancelled by "Customs/Wuhu" double-ring d.s. in red, and showing matching "Wuhu Customs/Mail Matter" oval d.s., with "Customs/Shanghai" double-ring transit d.s. (15.11) and blue "Shanghae/Local Post/H" arrival c.d.s. (15.11) on reverse, very fine and possibly unique usage.
Estimate HK$ 50,000 - 60,000

Provenance: Ex Sir Percival David, Robson Lowe (Basel), 16.10.1974, lot 1292.

References: Directorate General of Posts, Ministry of Communications. The Revenue Surcharges China 1897. Vol. II (Taipei, 1987), p. 928. Illustrated.

Unusual handling of the mail through the Customs Post, with the Mail Matter handstamp applied to indicate origin and special handling. Est. HK$50,000-60,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$50,000-60,000

China, Postage Paid : 1896 (22 Dec.) front of registered envelope to Fourmies, France showing "Postage Paid" framed h.s. in blue, matching "I.G. of Customs/Peking" double-ring origin d.s. and "Registered" unframed h.s., bearing France "Chine" 50c. cancelled by "Shang-hai/Chine" c.d.s. (8.1.97), with "Modane à Paris" double-ring d.s. (13.2.97) in red adjacent, fine and rare example of this elusive marking during the transitional period of the Customs and Imperial Post.
Estimate HK$ 30,000 - 40,000

There are only two postally used envelopes which are intact and complete with this rare Paid origin marking. Est. HK$30,000-40,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$30,000-40,000

China, 1896 (31 Dec.) envelope to Shanghai (15.1.97) showing "Chinese Imperial Post Office/Peking/Postage Paid" circular h.s. in blue, matching "I.G. of Customs/Peking" double-ring origin d.s. and on reverse "Customs/Shanghai" double-ring transit d.s. in brown and "Shanghai/Local Post" double-ring arrival d.s., a fine and very early example of this distinctive Postage Paid handstamp carried by the winter overland service.
Estimate HK$ 80,000 - 100,000

References: Jeffrey S. Schneider, "The Transition from the Customs Post to the Imperial Post, 1896 (Dec.)-1898 (Jan.) A Survey of the Provisional Postage "Paid" Markings", Asian Philatelist (R.P.S.L.: Suzhou, 2010), pp. 62-63. Illustrated.
Tony Kwan, "Common, Uncommon & Rare Practice as Illustrated by Empress Dowager Covers", Asian Philatelist (R.P.S.L.: Suzhou, 2010), p. 97. Illustrated.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE SECOND EARLIEST USAGE OF THE POSTAGE PAID HANDSTAMP, OF WHICH THERE ARE ONLY TWO DECEMBER USAGES RECORDED. Est. HK$80,000-100,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$80,000-100,000

China, 1897 (7 Feb.) envelope to Shanghai showing "Postage Paid" straight-line h.s. in blue, and matching "Customs/Tientsin" double-ring origin d.s., with "Customs/Shanghai" double-ring arrival d.s. in brown on reverse, fine example of this Paid marking on southward mail during the winter months.
Estimate HK$ 20,000 - 25,000

Provenance: Major Richard Pratt, Spink (Hong Kong), 19.1.2008, lot 637. Est. HK$20,000-25,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$20,000-25,000

China, Imperial Post : 1897 (17 June) cover front to Charlotte, North Carolina, showing "Customs/Chinkiang" double-ring origin d.s. in brown, and bearing Japan Koban 1s. and Prince Kitashirakawa 2s. (2), cancelled by "Shanghai/I.J.P.O." c.d.s. (21.6), a few faults with tears at top just affecting the 1s. stamp.
Estimate HK$ 1,500 - 2,000 Est. HK$1,500-2,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,500-2,000