China » The Boxer War » Italian Naval Mail. 1900 (April 20) China 1c stationery postcard from Chefoo to Brixen (Austria), additionally showing China 1898 4c, each cancelled by "Ra. Nave Elba" cds; tone spots, but a very rare usage in this period. In spring 1900, the Boxer Rebellion extended to Peking; in that period, the only Italian presence in China was represented by the "Elba" battleship, and in May a small group of 28 Italians were sent to Peking, together with a contingent of international troops to protect the Legations. One of very few C.I.P. postal stationeries known cancelled by Italian naval mail cds. (Image)

1900 (May 26) Registered cover to Genoa franked by "Umberto" 45c, tied by "R. Nave Calabria" cds, repeated adjacent, registration marking below, Brindisi and Genoa backstamps, sent three days before arriving to China, rust spots. The "Calabria" battleship arrived to Taku on June 1st, bringing 39 seamen and 2 officers to join the other group of 28 Italians to defend the Legations in Peking, these being disembarked on the 5th. The only registered cover known of fewer than five available from the R. N. "Calabria". Signed Marchese. (Image)

1900 (Aug 31) Postcard and cover to Italy franked by "Umberto" 10c and 20c, tied by "Ra Nave Vettor Pisani" cds in red, repeated on reverse, then located in Taku; in addition a photo of the battleship. Extremely rare (no examples recorded in the Landini collection), and remarkably used in red, as well as one of the few postcards franked with the proper 10c postcard rate. Cert Marchese (for the postcard, 2004). (Image)

1900 (Sept 3) "Umberto" 10c stationery postcard from China to Lugo (Italy), cleanly cancelled by "R. Nave Calabria" cds, additionally struck at left and adjacent to the arrival ds. The sender has strangely added later "Singapore" as the origin of the card; contents reading: "I learn now that from today we can send letters to Italy and I take the opportunity" (this makes believe that the ships which were carrying mail to Italy temporally interrupted the stage in China and, as a matter of fact, the troops complained then about the bad organization of the postal service), "30 August: at 13:00 the Colonel suddenly orders to land (...) I had for two days the command of the 'Comando di Tappa' in Taku", relating also other military events which are difficult to read. Less than five items known exhibiting the postmark of the "Calabria" used in China, and very rare usage of the Italian postal stationery in China. (Image)

1900 (Oct 1st) Postcard from China to Italy franked by 5c pair (defective), tied by blue "Ra Nave Vettor Pisani" cds in blue, despite sent by a member of the crew of the "Giava", also struck twice by cds's on arrival, with interesting text "I am on board the Giava for an expedition against the Boxers... We hope the positive outcome...". A very rare naval cancellation used in China. (Image)

1901ca Pre-printed envelope of the "R. N. Marco Polo", showing "Umberto" 20c and "Floreale" with "Cina" typewritten overprints with different graphic characters in contrasting colours. The origin of this overprint is unknown, but it is believed to be private. (Image)

1901 (May 9) Art Nouveau naval illustrated postcard to London, tied by bilingual Shanghai cds, with blue "R. Ariete Torpie. Fieramosca" cachet with coat of arms at left, on this date the ship being in Wosung, coming from Taku. The "Fieramosca" was the flagship of the "Oceanica" Naval Division of four battleships sent to China shortly before the declaration of War by China. One of only about five items known with this handstamp. (Image)

1901 (June 17) Large registered cover to Rome, sent free of charge as addressed to the Ministry of the Navy, on the date of dispatch the ship calling at Shanghai, bearing "Ra. Nave Fieramosca" cds and registration marking at left, both in blue, arrival square cds also on obverse. The Admiral Candiani, commanding the Italian naval forces in China, was embarked on the "Fieramosca". The only registered mail of the "Fieramosca" in China (no examples recorded in the Landini collection). (Image)

1901 (Aug 19) Cover to Italy franked by "Umberto" 20c pair, tied by "Ra Nave Elba" cds's in bluish black, when this battleship was harboured in Taku, backstamps including transits and arrival. The mail from the "Elba" in China is very rare (Landini only recorded five usages). (Image)

1901 (Nov 14) Envelope to Italy franked by "Floreale" 10c pair tied by "Ra Nave San Marco" cds, when this was in transit in Singapore (confirmed by the docket of receipt at top left), together with an unused picture postcard "Incrociatore 'Marco Polo' in rada di Woosung". (Image)

1901 (Dec 16) Registered hand-illustrated cover made of bamboo to Lecce (Italy), franked on reverse by "Umberto" 20c pair and two singles, and "Stemma" 1c and 2c pair, tied by "R. Nave Vesuvio" cds's in Shanghai, also struck on front, with receiving cds also tying part of the franking. A unique and spectacular registered franking of the Italian Navy in China (nothing comparable in terms of franking from any ship in the Landini collection). (Image)

1901 (Dec)-1902 (Aug) Two souvenir cards sold with Chinese and Japanese stamp cancelled and not travelled, then posted on board the "Marco Polo" and the "Puglia", with corresponding cds's, sent to Italy; one affected by tone spots. (Image)

1902 (July 11) Registered cover (rough opening at top) from Rome sent to an officer in the crew of the "Puglia", then navigating to China, forwarded through the Ministry of the Navy as per regulations for its delivery, with transit of this on 12 July on reverse, franked on front with "Floreale" 20c and 45c tied by dispatch cds. A very rare incoming mail. (Image)

1902 (Aug 2) Postcard from the "Puglia" stationed at Kobe (Japan), franked by 1896-97 2c tied by "Ra Nave Puglia" cds, very fine. Cert. Marchese (2004). (Image)

1902 (Sept 21)-1903 (Jan 2) Two postcards to Italy and France, bearing different single frankings incl. 1896-97 2c and 1901 10c, tied by violet "Ra nave Lombardia" in Nagasaki (Japan) and Shanghai. (Image)

1903 (March 5) Postcard from Shanghai to Naples, posted at the post office of the cruiser with neat "R. Incrociatore Piemonte" cds in bue at left, from this transferred to the C.I.P. bearing 4c tied by bilingual Shanghai cds, entering the French mail with "Shang-Has/Chine" cds; in addition a photo of the "Piemonte". A very rare usage of the Naval Mail dispatch cancellation in conjunction with the C.I.P., and a probably unique triple-country combination with the French P.O. Cert Marchese (2004). (Image)

1903 (Oct 1st) "Ricordo della Spedizione in Cina-1903" postcard issued by the "Minghetti" steamer, sent to Italy between two military members, posted in Singapore with Straits Settlements 3c tied by Singapore cds. Very scarce. (Image)

1903 (Sept 1st) Large cover to Naples, franked at quadruple rate by "Floreale" 20c vertical strip of three, (lower left corner perf. missing) tied by blue "Ra Nave Vettor Pisani" cds, when this cruiser was in Vladivostok on its route to Japan to return later to China and make the telegraphic experiments to connect with Peking. One of the highest frankings in the Italian naval mail in China. (Image)

1903-07 Group of eight postcards/cover to Italy bearing 2c and 10c single frankings as well as 15c rate with naval cancellations of the "Vettor Pisani" (2, no examples recorded in the Landini collection), "Calabria", these three in blue used in China, "Puglia" (used in Yokohama), "Vesuvio", and three of the "Marco Polo" (one in Japan). (Image)