QUASI OFFICIAL MERCHANTS POST: 1871 Cover from Tientsin to Germany, taken to Peking for dispatch by Merchants post as the Russian P.O. was not operating from Tienstin at that time, sent via Kyakhta and Moscow before arriving in Rossleben, originally franked on the reverse with four pen cancelled stamps paying the 30k Merchants rate and 14k from Russia to Germany, before the stamps were removed in transit between Russia and the German border, noted by German inspector who applied “FRANCO” cds with ms “f 2” on front, with ms “China” and arrival cds over traces of stamps on reverse, very fine, also including 1858 perf. 12 1/2 30k with ms “27 July / 1867 / Pekin” cancel. The earliest known mail from the Russian Post in China and one of the two known cover from the Merchants Post Note: Described and illustrated in BJRP 94/95 (2006) p.47 (Image)

QUASI OFFICIAL MERCHANTS’ POST: Incoming 1871 Russian 10k postal stationery envelope from a convent in Orel to a member of the Ecclestiastical Mission at Peking, taken by rail to Nizhnii-Novgrod via Moscow, thence by road to the Mongolian border via Irkutsk (Siberia), transferred to the Merchants’ Post at Kyakhta for conveyance by camel and donkey to Peking, with several transit bs, oval tax hs from Kyakhta for 30k Merchants’ Post rate plus 50% surcharge for underpaid (rated RRR by Hellrigl, possibly unique) Note: Described and illustrated in BJRP 94/95 (2006) p.45-46 (Image)

RUSSIAN EMBASSY IN CHINA POST: 1875 (Jan 29) Cover to England incl. contents datelined “Hong Kong, 29 January 1875”, conveyed by Russian courier to Peking for transmission through Embassy post, taken across Mongolia to Kyakhta, through Siberia to St. Petersburg and on to Vienna, where it was franked with Austrian 3k and 10k and put into the normal post. Note: This incredible routing is confirmed by another letter from the same correspondence (see the following lot) which says: “Do not be surprised to see on this letter Viennese postage stamps. I am sending in the winter all my packets by the Russian Courier free to St. Petersburg and from there they are sent on to Vienna” Illustrated in “The London Philatelist” 1151-52 (1988) p.186 fig.2 (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1875 Cover to Dereham, England, franked with 1866-75 10k strip of four and 3k pair, tied by three clear strikes of dateless double-framed “TYAN-TSZIN. POCHT. KONT.” (Tientsin Post Office) hs, with Kyakhta transit adjacent dated 1 May 1875, the letter having left Tientsin about two weeks earlier, showing Moscow transit and Dereham arrival bs. Postage of 46k represents pre-UPU rates of 30k for conveyance to the Russian border at Kyakhta and 16k for onward transmission from Russia to England. Earliest known mail from the official Russian Postal Administration in China, using Russian canceller on Russian stamps, and only known use of Tientsin’s first Russian handstamped canceller on cover. The Jewel in the crown of the Russian post in China Note: Illustrated in the BJRP nos.18 (1955) and 71 (1991) and “The London Philatelist” Nos. 1151-52 (1988)- The “Kyakta Type 2” of Tchilingirian & Stephen, “Stamps of the Russian Empire used Abroad” pt. 4 (1959), 9.312, said to be based on the cancellation on this cover, is a fantasy, showing posthorns at foot instead of the fleuron depicted herin. (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1891 Cover (flap missing) registered to His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Aleksander Mikhailovich in St. Petersburg, with two Arms 14k, playing the three times 7k rate plus an additional 7k for registeration, tied by a fine crisp strike of double oval TYAN-TSZIN ds (T&S type 3A, variety month above day), above strike at left & ms registeration number, Troitskosvask transit bs. An attractive and superb item for the Royalty collector. An Iconic cover of the Russian post in China Provenance: ex Fabergé (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1895 Envelope front to Switzerland with 10k tied by double oval Tientsin 6.1.95 ds (T&S type 3B) (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1898 3k Postal stationery card to the Swedish-Norwegian consul in Moscow, cancelled with Tientsin 12.06.98 cds in red (T&S type 4), with further strike adjacent, Troitskosavsk violet OBEZZARAZHENO (disinfected) hs and Moscow arrivals. Note: Disinfection of mail from China was carried out at Russian frontier posts intermittently between 1895 and 1900 in response to cholera epidemics (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1899 Printed envelope from the French Consulate in Tientsin to France, with Arms 2k, 3k and 5k tied by Tientsin 23.1.99 cds in red (T&S type 4), with Troitskosavsk violet OBEZZARAZHENO (disinfected) hs adjacent, with Moscow and Aubin bs, a very attractive three-colour franking Note: Disinfection of mail from China was carried out at Russian frontier posts intermittently between 1895 and 1900 in response to cholera epidemics (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1900 Cover to England with “KITAI” 1k, 2k and 3k tied by Tientsin 3.12.1900 cds in red (T&S type 4X, characterised by defective year numerals), with Chefoo Russian P.O. transit in violet (T&S type 2) adjacent, reverse with Shanghai Russian P.O. cds (Gregorian calendar) and French paquebot cds, a very attractive three colour franking with coloured cancels (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1903 Cover registered to Italy, with “KITAI” 2k (5) and 10k tied by Tientsin 16.4.03 cds (T&B type 4X, characterised by damaged year numerals), with “Tientsin / Post Office Abroad” registered label and encircled “dotted R,” fine (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1903 German 10f “China” postcard to Denmark, franked with pair of “KITAI” 2k tied by Tientsin 16.04.03 cds (T&S type 4X, characterised by damaged year numerals), Moscow and Copenhagen cds, slightly soiled, rare use of German stationery (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1903 Postcard to France with “KITAI” 2k in block of four and 1k pair, tied by Tientsin 13.2.03 cds (T&S type 4X, characterised by damaged year numerals), St. Petersburg transit, very fine (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1903 Postcard registered to Belgium with “KITAI” 2k (2) and 10k tied by Tientsin 18.8.03 cds (T&S type 4X, characterised by defective year numerals), with primitive white registration label (tied by Belgian postman no. hs) and encircled “dotted R” hs, Brussels arrival. Very rare as only three known covers with these registration labels from Tientsin (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1912 Experimental letter card with detachable envelope inside for reply, sent registered to Germany with “KITAI” 1k, 2k (6) and 7k, all tied by Tientsin 30.11.12 cds (Tchilinghirian type 5C) with bilingual registered label adjacent, very rare as this experimental stationery was not issued to the public, though a few Postmasters’ samples found their way into the post, possibly unique usage from a post office abroad Note: Illustrated “The Postrider” 22 (1988) p.5 (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1915 Cover from the Commandant of the French Occupation Corps in China to France, franked on the reverse with two Romanov 4k and “KITAI” 3k, tied by Tientsin 6.11.15 cds (T&S type 6), opened and resealed by censor in Petrograd, Vincennes arrival, an exceptional use of the Romanov issue (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1916 “KITAI” 3k(+3k) reply paid letter card printed for use by an Agency in Tientsin for the relief of German and Austro-Hungarian P.O.W.s in Russia, sent to an Agency official acknowledging receipt of 15R by a P.O.W. at Nikolsk-Ussuriysky, postmarked Vladivostok 15.4.16 then again one month later after censor check with boxed censor hs applied, cancelled on arrival by Tientsin 2.6.16 cds (T&S type 7A). (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1916 “KITAI” 4k(+4k) reply half of a reply paid letter card pre-cancelled by Tientsin 13.4.16 cds (T&S type 7A) and sent back to Tientsin by German P.O.W. at Nikolsk-Ussuriysky (Siberia), acknowledging receipt of 10R, two P.O.W. cachets, Tientsin arrival, fine (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1917 Prisoner of War printed envelope sent insured for 70R to P.O.W. at Spasskoe (Siberia), franked on the reverse with “KITAI” 2k, 3k pairs and 10k pair, all tied by Tientsin 17.1.17 cds (T&S type 6), sent via the Japanese P.O.s at Tientsin and Changchun, with insured label and Pogranichnaya censor hs on obverse, attractive wax seals on reverse (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1917 Prisoner of War printed envelope sent insured for 6R to P.O.W. at Edrovo (Novgorod) then re-addressed to Polka (Petrograd), franked on the reverse with “KITAI” 1k and Chinese surcharged 2c on 2k and 25c on 25k, all tied by Tientsin 10.4.17 cds (T&S type 6), sent via the Japanese P.O.s at Tientsin, with insured label on obverse, attractive wax seals on reverse, opened for display, attractive (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1917 Prisoner of War printed envelope sent insured for 500R to civilian interned at Talitskii Zavod (Perm), franked on the reverse with “KITAI” 1k pair, 10k and 15k plus Chinese surcharged 3c on 3k and 15c on 15k (2), all tied by Tientsin 26.6.17 cds (T&S type 6), sent via the Japanese P.O.s at Tientsin and Changchun, with insured label on obverse, wax seals on reverse, opened for display, attractive (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1917 Red Cross P.O.W. printed postcard with Russia Chinese surcharged 3c on 3k tied by Tientsin 8.7.17 cds (T&S type 6), with boxed black censor cachet adjacent, fine. Note: Origin of the illustration in “Russische Postcensuur 1914-1918” pg.94 by A. Speeckaert (Image)

TIENTSIN: 1918 Cover to the USA with “KITAI” 7k and Russia Chinese surcharged 3c on 3k, with the 7k rejected and only the 3c on 3k tied by Tientsin 20.1.18 cds (T&S type 6), with “Doplatit / Tienstine” (To Pay) oval hs with ms “14” added (14k equating to 50 Chinese cents), franked on arrival at Newtonville with USA 1c and 3c (3) postage dues and New York “Due” duplex, opened and resealed by censors at Petrograd and London, a rare and interesting cover, Tientsin “Doplatit” unrecorded by T&S (Image)

PEKING: 1880 (Jan 4) Cover from Peking to Germany with 1875 8k tied by Cyrillic “PEKIN’ / 4 JAN 1880” hs, sent through Mongolia to Kyakhta, then via St. Petersburg (transit further tying stamp) to Wiesbaden, this being the earliest of the three known covers with this cancel and the only one with an adhesive. Note: Illustrated in “Signet” Jan-Mar 1989 p.79 (Image)

PEKING: 1885 Parcel receipt for 16 funts (pounds) sent from Peking to Kuldja (Sinkiang), with delcared value of 40R, charged 11R77k incl. 20k insurance and 5k registration and recepit, signed by the Peking Postmaster (Nikolai Gomboev) with double oval Peking 8.6.85 ds (Tchilinghirian & Stephen type 3), unusual (Image)

PEKING INCOMING: 1885 Cover from Mexico (stamps excised) to the Russian Embassy in Peking via San Francisco, the US Consulate in Shanghai, the Chinese P.O. in Shanghai (where “To Pay” hs was applied) before arriving at the Russian P.O. in Peking (Tchilinghirian & Stephen type 3 ds), then redirected to St. Petersburg via Kyakhta (taking another 64 days owing to the state of Siberian post roads during winter). Note: Possibly because it was applied to mail abroad, the Peking cancel used the New Style calendar instead of the Old Style then in use in Russia and its foreign P.O.s (Image)