Harbin, Manchuokuo: 1940 (Mar. 2) to Oklahoma, According to JP 69:4, pp. 185-186, "There are two covers known that have been mailed from Harbin. The first…is captioned as: MUKDEN. / MANCHUOKUO…. The second…[is] the only 'true' Harbin cover as it is both captioned HARBIN and mailed from that city on 2 March 1940…." This, then, is a second, unreported, March 2, 1940, cover (the JP-imaged cover is addressed to another client). Not just a "new" cover, but a new inscription variety as well, with HARBIN letter-spaced, and "MANCHUOKUO" rather than "Manchoukuo". Postage, totaling 20f (6f, 5f and 9f, spread out across the top of the cover), bears three strikes of the "Harbin/2.3.40/Manchoukuo" foreign mail comb. Violet horizontal Chinese Meiguo handstamp below address. No combination number as Manchurian stamps were used, but the regular ") N (", here handstamped, and kan seal are present, both in blue. A scarce cover., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 3,600 - 4,000. Est. HK$3,600-4,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$3,600-4,000

Mukden, Manchoukuo: 1934 (Sept. 12) to New York, JP 69:4, pp. 181-184, lists and illustrates four cachet types, none of which include this cover. The cachet shows a path leading to a pair of buildings, then continuing on across a field with mountain crags rising in the distance, while the caption's spacing and spelling (including a mis-typing by Lewis) combination is not among the ten listed. The cover is franked with 1f, 2f, 3f and 4f First Issue Manchoukuo stamps, tied by three trisected "Fengtian Province/1 9 12/Mukden" c.d.s.'s (the date reading Sept. 12 of Year One of the Empire, rather than of the State). It is interesting to note that it is the Japanese beikokuyuki handstamp that is applied to the front of this cover, as every other Manchoukuo cover in this sale has Chinese markings. No standard markings on reverse, though flap is sealed by square kan handstamp (the flap appearing to have been opened and then resealed), with a roman-letter trisected "Moukden/12 9 34/Manchoukuo" dater in black. A lovely cover all around., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 2,800 - 3,200. Est. HK$2,800-3,200 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,800-3,200

Mukden, Manchoukuo: 1935 (Mar. 16) to Missouri, The walled enclave cachet as imaged and described in JP (see above). Franked with 1f and 3f First Issue and 6f Third (Imperial) Issue, each tied by trisected c.d.s. reading "Fengtian/16 March Year One/Mukden" (while top and bottom characters are the same, the top refers to the postal district, the bottom to the city, both being one and the same name in Chinese). Vertical wong Meiguo ("To US" in Chinese) handstamp in blue applied below inscription. Reverse bears Lewis' ") O (" typed with manuscript "open this" below in pencil, plus the usual horizontal oval blue kan handstamp across the flap. Opened carefully at right. A grand cover., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 2,800 - 3,200. Est. HK$2,800-3,200 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,800-3,200

Mukden, Manchuokuo: 1938 (Apr. 2) to Missouri, All-over Ming Imperial Tombs cachet, without birds, franked with a selection of Fourth General Issue stamps, all tied by three clear strikes of "Shenyang/Fengtian/5.4.2/8-12 a.m." Japanese-style comb cancels. Blue Chinese "To US" (wong Meiguo) handstamp at center bottom. Handwritten ")O(" in blue ink, and horizontal oval genkan handstamp across flap on reverse. Neatly opened at top. Another of Lewis' most iconic covers., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 3,600 - 4,000. Est. HK$3,600-4,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$3,600-4,000