China » The Marine Detachment - Naval Presence and Mail of Italian Interests in China. 1904 (Oct 12) Postal saving account booklet ("Modello AA"), showing "Distaccamento Ra Marina Italiana in Cina" cds applied in blue in centre of the cover. One of only two postal saving account booklets recorded of the Italian forces in China, which are distinctive by being two different models ("AA" & "A"), with the attribute of having the "Distaccamento Ra Marina Italiana in Cina" postmark; no other foreign post office in China had such postal documents. (Image)

1907 Italian picture double postcard (partly detached) of the automobile Peking-Paris raid, and used advertising picture postcard "La 'Spa' in China-La vettura dell'Ambasciata Italiana a Pechino" promoting an SPA (Società Piemontesi Automoboli) model as the car of the Italian Embassy in Peking. Very scarce duo. (Image)

1908 (Jan 23) Postcard from Peking to Italy, franked by "Floreale" 5c tied by "Distaccamento Ra Marina Italiana Italiana in Cina" Güller type cds in violet, with an additional strike at right; only about 200 members were on duty in China then protecting the Italian Legation in Peking. (Image)

1910ca Undated picture postcard of the Himeji Castle to Italy, showing violet "R. Cacciatorpediniere Bersagliere" double circle with Savoyard coat of arms. Very rare, the usage in China being unrecorded by Giuseppe Marchese. (Image)

1910-19 Four postcards bearing C.I.P. or "Junk" issues used in Tientsin, Peking, Chef and Shanghai, written by Italians and mostly sent to Italian warships or military members in China; rare incoming mail. (Image)

1914 (Nov 14) Cover to La Spezia initially franked at 10c instead of the required 15c rate, with "Floreale" 10c tied by violet "Distaccamento R. Marina Italiana in China" cds, struck again at left, forwarded through the "Ministerio di Marina" in Rome where the "Leoni" 5c was added to complete the payment of the lacking amount in the rate, tied by Rome cds on January 15. Very scarce. Signed Sorani. (Image)

1915 (Jan 30) Registered cover from Peking to La Spezia (Italy), paying the 55 centissimi registered rate with "Floreale" 10c and "Michetti" 15c strip of three, tied by very fine strikes of "Distaccamento R. Marina Italiana in Cina" cds in violet, with registration marking at top applied in the same colour, backstamped on arrival. An extremely rare registered mail with this postmark. Cert. Sorani (1998). (Image)

1915 (June 18) Registered commercial "art nouveau" decorated envelope from the Royal Italian Navy Contractor in Shanghai with delightful embossed Savoyard coat or arms in red, posted at the Russian P.O. to be sent to Milan with overprinted 20k tied by "Shanghai Poste Russe" cds, alonsgside with framed Russian censorship handstamp in red and "Bologna/Posta Estera" distribution marking in bue, Petrograd and Milan backstamps. (Image)

1904-24 Italian presence in China, eight covers and one document, including two postcards franked with C.I.P. dated 1904 and 1906, sent from Peking to Italy, others with Italian military post cds on picture postcards, incoming 1907 mail from Italy to "Distaccamento R. Marina Pechino" sent via "Ministero Della Marina Roma", and interesting correspondence worthy of further research; a fine and scarce selection. (Image)

1925 Italian Telegraph Stations in China, five used telegrams from Tsingtao, Peking, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, sent to Torino. Very scarce. (Image)

1925 (June 29) Large envelope from China "via Siberia" to Turin, bearing twelve examples (including one vertical strip of nine) of "Leoni" 15c, tied by "R. Nave/Libia" cds's, backstamped on receipt. Certainly one of the most spectacular frankings from the Italian Navy in China. (Image)

1925-26 Two used "Telegramma" forms in China, sent via the naval R.N. "San Giorgio" station in Shanghai, sent to Turin. Very scarce and interesting use. (Image)

1901-27 Italian presence in China, 25 photographs and four picture postcards, including several rare examples, some with handwritten notes on the reverse giving context, such as naval personnel marching through Shanghai, Italian soldiers pictured with American troops on a railway line, Italian naval personnel in various Chinese locations, and also a map from the period depicting Asia Central, Mongolia, Siberia and East Russia. A fascinating and scarce lot. (Image)

1922-32 "Libia" warship: group of two 1932 official covers to Italy bearing different postmarks including "Regie Poste/Comando/Superiore Navale In/Estremo Oriente" and "Regie Poste/R. Nave "Libia"/Comando" postage-free oval hs, with two diff. cachets on reverse, franked postcard with cds of the "Libia" and four menu cards (three illustrated) for meals offered by the Imperial Japanese Navy to officers of the "Elba", of which one with a photo of the Italian warship and held in honor of Admiral Takarabe, Japanese Ministry of the Imperial Navy. (Image)

1932 (March 3) Stampless cover from Peking to Rome, showing on reverse very rare and neat "Distaccamento R. Marina Pechino/Comando" double circle with Savoyard coat of arms, on obverse "Regie Poste/Comando Distaccamento /Regia Marina/Di Pechino" oval handstamp and "Distaccamento R. Marina italiana in Cina" cds; probably the sender was a member of the contingent sent to China to protect conditionals and Italian interests during the Japanese occupation. (Image)

1926-33 Naval Mail and photo post card relating to the Italian Navy in China, total of six items all used, including three with Chinese frankings, a printed stationery envelope "Comando Superiore Navale in E.O.", and two with Italian Navy cds, a "R. Nave Lepanto" and "Esploratore Quarto" on photo postcard from Takao dated 1933. (Image)

Szechuan Provincial Issue. 1934 Italo-Chinese River Navigation Co. envelope to the Italian Consul at Hankow, bearing 1933-34 overprinted 5c green tied by scarce bilingual "Pahsien (Chungking)" cds, neatly struck also on reverse, where also the arrival was handstamped. (Image)

1935-36 Italian Telegraphs in China, six telegrams sent to the Italian Consul in Hankow, the formulars headed "R.N.E. Carlotto Marconigramma" (4 ex), or just "Telegramma" (2 ex of 1936), some with "Radio R. Nave Carlotto" handstamps. A very rare group. (Image)

1935 Two telegrams sent from Trento to the Italian Consulate in Hankow, China, cancelled with very scarce h.s. "Stazione R.T.R.N. Lepanto" of the radio-telegraphic station in the R.N. "Lepanto". Very rare. (Image)

1934-38 Italian Aviation school in China, three covers and one card, including two printed postal stationery envelopes "Aviation School of Loyang" and "Italian Air Mission Government Aviation School", with Chinese frankings and Shanghai and Hankow cancellations. very scarce. (Image)

1939 Italian Telegraphs in China, two used "Stazione R. T. R. Marina Tientsin / Telegramma Oceano", sent from Peking to the Italian Consul inTientsin and transmitted by the Station of the R.N. "Colleoni". Very rare. (Image)

1940 Four "Stazione R. T. R. Marina Tientsin/Telegramma 'Oceano' " telegrams from Italy to the Italian Consulate in Peking (3 ex.), and one to Tientsin with very rare "Stazione R.T. Ra Marina" Tientsin handstamp. Wonderful lot. (Image)

1937-40 Italian presence in Manchukuo: five covers to Italy franked with Chinese postage, including scarce cds "Nansuichung" dated 1938, and also a 1939 registered cover to Modena, a fine selection with infrequent usages. (Image)

1937-41 Italian telegrams in China comprising 13 examples, sent from Trento and Rome to various Italian Consulates in China, including Tientsin, Hankow and Peking, including rare "Regia Marina Telegramma - Fonogramma Radiotelegramma" formular; a very fine selection and rare. (Image)

1941 (April-August) Group of seven covers sent from Italy to the Italian Consul in Peking, some carried via Siberia, two sent after the invasion of Russia in August, and one dispatched on 12.6 which may have arrived after the German invasion of Russia occurred (arrival machine cancel of Tientsin on reverse), some with British censorships. Rare. (Image)