1857. Stampless envelope dated 'Shanghai 6th Feb 1857' addressed to France cancelled by boxed 'Paid' in red, charged '1/-' in m/s, routed via Hong Kong '12/2' and Marseille with Paris arrival, rated '8'. Very fine. (Tax Method: Margin System) (Image)

China 2nd opium war, autographed and signed letter (the contents only) by GENERAL MONTAUBAN(1796-1878), commander and chief of the China expedition and later Count of Palikao, addressed to the chamberlain of the french imperatrice (wife of Napoleon III) for an announced visit on July 30,1861. - In 1860, General Charles Cousin-Montauban, comte de Palikao was made COMMANDER OF THE FRENCH TROOPS IN THE CHINA EXPEDITION, a common enterprise with the British since 1857 (so called 2nd opium war). By September 21, 1860 the combined anglo-french troops dispersed the Chinese near the Palikao bridge. This lead to the occupation of Peking Oct. 12 and the summer palace sacking (in retaliation for torturing and murdering of british diplomates in the palace cellars) and the defeat of the Quing. His conduct of the operations did not escape criticism, but in 1862 he received from Napoleon III, the title of comte de Palikao (from the Battle of Palikao); (Image)

1862. Stampless envelope addressed to France dated 'Shanghai 18th June 1862' with Shanghai/C date stamp on reverse (Webb Type A) routed via Hong Kong Ju 24' cds in blue on reverse (Webb Type 13) with Anglo-French accountancy 'GB/1f 22 4/1 Oc' in blueon face (Webb Type G) routed via Suez with 'Poss. Ang. V. Suez/Marseille' French entry cachet in red on face, charged hand-struck '9' with Paris arrival '16th Aout' on reverse. Webb lists the earliest date known as 23 November 1862 (from Shanghai), the clarity of the accountancy mark and the date '18th June 1862' leads us to conclude this may well be the earliest recorded use of this accountancy. Exhibition item. (Tax Method: Margin System) (Image)

US post offices, 1901, Tientsin military p.o.: US 1 C., 2 C. 5 C. tied "MIL. POSTAL STA. No. 1 TIENTSIN CHINA JAN 28 1901" to ppc (Tientsin-Fort.) commercially used to a officers mess in Bautzen/Germany w. arrival. Nice UPU three-colour frank, card corner crease/bumped. (Tax Method: Margin System) (Image)

Incoming mail, Germany, 5+5 Pf. double card used "CÖTHEN 10.1.02" to Peitang via Tongku, transit german p.o. "SHANGHAI 16/2 02", Local Post H and bisected bilingual same day, bisected bilingual "TIENTSIN" resp. oval "PEKING FEB 23/24 1902". Reply part as "Pechihli" with clear "TONGKU 28 2 02" back to Germany w. April 9 Cöthen arrival. Signed Bothe BPP resp. Kilian BPP (with 1985 statement "worth three times the normal"). A Pehchihli stationery rarity. (Tax Method: Regular Taxation) (Image)

1902. Picture post card (small faults) of 'Main Gate, Vladivostok' addressed to 'Pehan Railway, Pao-Ting-Fou, China' bearing Russia Yvert 38, 1k orange (4) tied by Vladivostok date stamp routed via Yingkow (Manchuria) with No 13 Fied Post Office (Newchwang) transit (Tchil Fig 654) with Russian Post Office Tien-Tsin and oval Imperial Post Peking with framed Pau-Ting-Fou receiver on face. Lovely item of incoming mail routed via Manchuria. (Tax Method: Margin System) (Image)

Incoming mail, 1904, Germany, 5 Pf. tied oval TPO "MAINZ-KIRCHHEIMBOLANDEN ZUG 437 4 4 04" to ppc to "TSINGTAU 13 / 3 4" and forwarded to Tungchow, transit bisected bilingual "CHINAN 14 MAY 04" and arrival tombstone "Tungchow/ post office". (Tax Method: Regular Taxation) (Image)

1904. Registered 'China Expeditionary Force' postal stationery envelope half anna green upgraded with SG C5, 2a6p green tied by F.P.O. No 4 date stamp '7th Jul 1904' with adjacent framed hand-struck 'F.P.O. No 4' on face written from a 'Veterinary Assistant, British Contingent, Tientsin, China' addressed to 'The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation, Calcutta, India' with Calcutta arrival on reverse '2nd Aug'. A very fine and scarce item of registered mail from the Boxer Campaign. (Tax Method: Margin System) (Image)

Incoming mail, Mariana Islands, 1908, yacht 10 Pf. tied "SAIPAN 2/11 08" via "YAP 5/II 08" (Caroline Islds.) to Tsingtau, transits "HONG KONG 12 DE 08", "SHANGHAI B.,P.O. DE 17 08" and arrival "TSINGTAU 21.12.08", to staff of Tsingtao dockyard, signed Mansfeld BPP. (Tax Method: Regular Taxation) (Image)

1909. Envelope (vertical fold, tear,faults) headed 'Ministry des Affaires Etrangeres/au Yunnan' addressed to Paris bearing lndo-China SG 31, 2c claret (5) mixed with French China SG 34, 15c brown/azure tied by Yunnan-Fou-Chine double ring '23rd Mai 09' routed via Lao-Kay/Tonkin with transit '31/5' on reverse. Attractive item from Yunnan Province. (Tax Method: Margin System) (Image)

Incoming mail, 1917, Germany card 7 1/2 Pf. "GRÖMITZ 7.8.17" endorsed "Kriegsgefangenensendung" (POW mail) probably to civilian internee Shanghai/China, german censormark, transits "SHANGHAI B.P.O. DE 14 17", Shanghai and Shanghai Local Post. (Tax Method: Regular Taxation) (Image)

1918. Prisoner of War folded letter envelope headed 'Prisoners of War' endorsed 'Curt Wollhiem, Camp 4, Compound 2, Aliens Detention Camp, Knockaloe, I.O.M.' dated '12th Feb 18' addressed to 'Frau Bertha Wollheim, Changsha, Province Hunan, China' with 'Opened by Censor/ P.W. 379' label on reverse, routed via Siberia and Manchuria with Mukden (Manchuria) ‘9th Apr' and Hankow '12th Apr' transits and Imperial Post Changsha arrival ‘17th Apr'. The envelope was roughly opened on all four sides. Very fine item of Prisoner of War Mail from Knockaloe Camp written by a Jewish Internee to his wife in Changsha, China routed via Manchuria. (Tax Method: Margin System) (Image)

1935. Envelope addressed to Chinwangtao, North China bearing Manchuria SG 58, 4/ yellow-olive (pair) tied by Harbin date stamp (with Manchuria erased) routed via Shanhaikwan and Hopei-Nghiu (frontier) with Chinwantao receiver with framed instructional 'Postal Communications Resumed/Taxed' hand-stamp in violet. Rare item sent on the re-opening of the frontier between Manchuria and North China; Ex-Desrousseau see Livre 5 page 330. (Tax Method: Margin System) (Image)

1938, ZHANJIANG (Fort Bayard / Kwang-Chou-Wan (French LEased Territories), Guangdong Province/Southern China), airmail cover with franking French P.O. in South China on front and 1937 miniature sheet ovp. KOUANG-TCHEOU on reverse, at first as ship letter from Fort Bayard and therefore stamped "Paquebot", landing port canc. HAIHONG 30.05.38, transit mark HAI-PHONG (with hyphen) 31.05.38, to Paris. Very rare entire! (Tax Method: Regular Taxation) (Image)