China » The Fascist Party Mission in China and Japan. 1938 Complete set of six unused propaganda picture postcards with Japanese characters depicting events of the Fascist Party Mission in Japan, with the original multicolour illustrated bilingual envelope "Ben Venuta, per la Missione Fascista Italiana/Shimonoseki City" (Astolfi p. 7). Very fine and most rare. (Image)

1938 Complete set of three unused propaganda picture postcards of the Fascist Party Mission in Japan, one bilingual depicting a member of the Mission with the flags of Italy and Japan in the background and "Ben venuto/Missione fascista Italiana", the other two showing the leaders of theAxis and the map of Eurasia with the route followed by the Mission and the three flags of the Axis, as well as a small partiture of the format of the cards with four songs and the original envelope which contained the set (Astolfi p. 7). Very fine and most rare. (Image)

1938 (March) Cover from Rome sent to a member of the Italian Fascist Party Mission on board the "Conte Biancamano" of the Lloyd Triestino in Shanghai (with manuscript notation on reverse "If sailed please forward Tokyo Italian Embassy"), franked by "Imperiale" 1,25L & (airmail) 5L and "Infanzia" 25c, tied by dispatch cds's, Hanoi (7.3) and Hong Kong (12.3) backstamps, with two superb strikes applied on obverse and reverse of "Missione del P.N.F. in Giappone" double circle handstamp with fascio in purple (traces of the ink on the franking) on arrival. An extremely rare incoming mail, as only 22 members of the Italian Fascist Party took part in this mission which was sent to Japan, Korea, Manchukuo and Northern China, which purpose was to get a deeper knowledge of the expansionist politics of Japan and to create closer ties with this country before the signature of the Tripartite Pact of the Axis in 1940. Signed Sorani. (Image)

1938 (April 26) Picture postcard of the Fascist Party Mission in Japan, used from Hsin King by a member of this mission (after his stage in Keijo, Korea)and sent to Rome, posted in Manchukuo with 1936-37 10f blue, with interesting text reading "I have slept well during the very few night hours free from the expressions of affect when the train passed by"; few very slight edge card imperfections. Extremely scarce and a testimony of the welcome the Mission had. Extremely scarce, from one of the only 22 members making up the Mission. (Image)