Yokohama: 1934 (Aug. 25) to Texas, with signed letter from Lewis, The earliest Yokohama cover in this sale actually features a Mt. Fuji cachet (Type I, without sun but with sampan), with postage overpaid (10½s) using three commemoratives—an uncommon franking for Lewis. The stamps are tied by two strikes of a 9.8.25-dated Yokohama Scenic Datestamp, with "To US" handstamp in blue at upper left. Combination notation of "Special" with typed ") O (" on flap, which is sealed by vertical oval kan handstamp in blue and Dallas General Delivery receiver in magenta. With the cover is Lewis' two-page 8½ x 11-inch, single-space typed and signed letter to Capt. von Hoffmann. This is the letter (quoted in JP 45:4, p. 147) in which Lewis mentions driving cattle in Australia "in my boyhood days", being given the wheel aboard ship as his 13th birthday present from the captain, and his then-current stamp collecting areas. He also discusses the immediate sell-out of the sheet of four Airmail stamps (Scott #C8), having M.B. Owens of the USS Black Hawk for dinner (see Ship Covers section later in this sale), the weather in Hawaii, and much more. A goldmine for the Lewis enthusiast!, Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 3,000 - 3,600. Est. HK$3,000-3,600 (Image1)

Est. HK$3,000-3,600

Yokohama: 1935 (Mar. 9) to Illinois, Ship cover cachet, depicting building with torii, Mt. Fuji in the distance and a steamer on the waves. 10s postage (including a 6s Red Cross commemorative), tied by two 10.3.9 Yokohama Scenic Datestamps, with 9.3.35 foreign mail comb below. Blue "To US" handstamp at right. "C-20." combination notation and typed ") O (" on flap, with blue nearly round script kan handstamp as seal. Opened along flap, contents removed, and resealed. An unusual and uncommon cachet design., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 1,400 - 1,800. Est. HK$1,400-1,800 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,400-1,800

Yokohama: 1935 (May 30) oversized to Ohio, A bright and sunny ship cachet, painted on a larger-than-normal regular envelope (lighter paper than found on Lewis' regular covers) folded down and used, most likely, to send a cover or postcards to the client. Usage is confirmed by the postage applied, 16s, meeting the basic international rate of 10s, plus 6s for an additional 20g. The three stamps (two of which are commemoratives) are tied by two Yokohama Scenic Datestamps, with the blue "To US" handstamp at left. Typed on the flap are the combination notation "Sp'l." and ") O (", with the flap sealed by a large poster stamp from the Ministry of Railways' Japanese Tourism Industry Board. Opened at left., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 1,200 - 1,600. Est. HK$1,200-1,600 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,200-1,600

Yokohama: 1935 (Oct. 10), a "Perfect 10" to Oklahoma, 10s postage tied by two 10.10.10 Scenic Datestamps! Ship cover cachet, with two sampans rather than a steamer, with sun cresting behind Mt. Fuji and birds whirling in the air. "To US" handstamp at right a grayish blue, with reverse touting "C-9." combination notation and typed ") O (" instruction. Square kan handstamp seals the flap. Minor tear to backflap at upper right from opening., Nearly Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 1,200 - 1,600. Est. HK$1,200-1,600 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,200-1,600

Yokohama: 1936 (Aug. 25) Registered to Wisconsin, A Mt. Fuji Type IX cachet of seaside village (only two recorded used at the Mountain), franked by 9½s red and 16½s green Airmails, tied by Yokohama Scenic Datestamp. To the left of the stamps are the "To US" handstamp (grayish blue) and a "Yokohama A" Registry label. Reverse without combination notation or opening remarque, but flap is sealed by three-line red Karl Lewis return address (cut from stationery), plus Sept. 7 San Pedro, Calif. Registry transit and Sept. 10 Madison receiver, both in violet. A very faint imprint from a one-time paperclip at top center front—so faint we missed it the first five times we looked at this cover. Mentioned for accuracy only, as it in no way detracts from this lovely—and rare—cachet., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 1,400 - 1,800. Est. HK$1,400-1,800 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,400-1,800

Yokohama: 1936 (Aug. 29) oversized to New York, Cachet design as in Lot 2027, but this time the envelope was closed and mailed full-size rather than turned down at top. A lighter load in this one, as the basic 20g international rate of 10s satisfied the Post Office. Cover is franked with 9½s Airmail plus ½s Tazawa, both tied by a great strike of Yokohama's Scenic Datestamp. Blue "To US" handstamp at left. Handwritten on the flap are the combination notation "Spl." and instructions to ") O (". The flap is sealed with a cut-out for the Boys' Festival, though the envelope was opened along the flap (most likely steamed, as the seal is not torn) and then resealed. Some light wrinkling along the top edge from going through the mails, but otherwise sound., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 1,400 - 1,600. Est. HK$1,400-1,600 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,400-1,600

Yokohama: 1937 (May 20) Registered to Pennsylvania, Ship cachet of torii-fronted building with birds on the wing and sun behind mountain. Postage and Registration fee paid by 4s Mt. Fuji & Deer definitive and 33s Airmail, both tied by single 12.5.20 Yokohama Scenic Datestamp. Blue "To US" handstamp to left and "Yokohama A" Registry label below. Face also bears three US postal markings in violet: "Sealed Package/Secure owner's/permission to/open", "Custom House/Passed Free of Duty/Pittsburgh, PA.", and "Letter Package/Collect Ten Cents" (though no postage due was charged). Reverse shows "C-1.N." combination notation, but lacks any opening remarque. A red three-line Karl Lewis return address (a stationery cut-out) was used as a seal, with reverse also showing Registry Chicago transit and Pittsburgh receiver in violet, along with South Mountain, PA, duplex receiver in black. Opened at top. This cover is imaged in JP 70:6, p. 344., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 2,000 - 2,400. Est. HK$2,000-2,400 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,000-2,400

Yokohama: 1937 (May 22) to British Columbia, A beautiful cover all around, with brightly painted ship scene with a path leading to a torii and sampans and steamer on the water. The four-stamp franking of 20s is tied by two Yokohama Scenic Datestamps, with crisp blue "To Canada" handstamp at right. Combination "C-1.N." handwritten in blue ink, with typed ") O (" and flap sealed by sticker with printed rose. Opened at top. JP shows this cover on page 344 of the Dec. 2015 issue (70:6). A scarce cover to Canada., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 2,000 - 2,400. Est. HK$2,000-2,400 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,000-2,400

Yokohama: 1937 (Aug. 21) to Pennsylvania, A second path-to-torii ship cachet, apparently painted by the same hand as that in Lot 2032. The 20s postage (four definitives) is tied by two Yokohama Scenic Datestamps dated 12.8.21, with the two right stamps further tied by a black "Yokohama/21.8.37/Nippon" foreign mail comb cancel. Blue "To US" handstamp to left of the stamps rising from the torii. Backflap has "C-8.N." combination notation and ") O (" instruction typed, with the flap sealed by a blue horizontal oval kan handstamp. Never mind the small tear at top center from opening, which affects neither the stamps nor this vibrantly colored cover that would add grace to any collection., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 1,400 - 1,800. Est. HK$1,400-1,800 (Image1)

Est. HK$1,400-1,800

Nogeyama Park, Yokohama: 1936 (Mar. 5) Registered to Iowa, A beautiful and charming depiction of the park festooned in cherry blossoms. This is the second of two known covers, and the only Registered cover, with the Nogeyama inscription (JP images the first cover, from 1933 and with a much wider inscription, on page 347 of the Dec. 2015 issue (70:6); both covers had to have been painted at the same time, given their shared design). Postage and Registration are slightly overpaid by 26½s (including a 16½s Airmail), with each stamp tied by a Yokohama Scenic Datestamp dated 11.3.5. The "To US" handstamp in blue is placed well clear of the cachet design at right, with "Yokohama A" Registry label in blue to left of stamps. Typed "C-19." combination notation and ") O (" instruction on reverse, with a truncated triangular clipping from Karl Lewis stationery (showing his sake gourd logo) serving as a seal across the flap. Seattle, WA, and Postville, IA, Registry transit and receiver on reverse. Stop to smell the roses after bidding on this one; there's sure to be lots of interest! Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 2,400 - 2,800. Est. HK$2,400-2,800 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,400-2,800

Yokohama Pier: 1938 (Mar. 17) to California, According to JP (70:6, pp. 347-348), "There are four known covers, posted between 12 January 1938 and 13 February 1939.…One cover carries a generic 'Yokohama' caption instead of one that is site-specific." This is that one cover, with all-over cachet showing the piers plus a large part of the seaside park—and only two copies of this cachet used are known. A single 20s Mt. Fuji & Deer definitive is tied by a strong strike of a 13.3.17-dated Yokohama Scenic Datestamp, with blue "To US" immediately to its right. "C-20.n." combination notation typed on reverse, as is an ") O (" opening remarque. The opened flap, sealed only at its tip, bears a blue horizontal oval genkan handstamp. A couple light surface scuffs to face, but still an eye-catching item., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 2,400 - 2,800. Est. HK$2,400-2,800 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,400-2,800

Yokohama: 1934 (Dec. 11) & 1935 (Apr. 25) matched pair, Two lovely Mt. Fuji ship cachets (Type III), each bearing 10s postage in two different combinations: the 1934 cover being "C-18" (but looking a lot like C-1!), the 1935 an example of "C-20." Each cover carries two Yokohama Scenic Datestamps; the 1935 cover additionally bears two foreign mail combs dated 25.4.35 (further tying three of the four stamps). Both with blue "To US" handstamp on front, and typed ") O (" remarque on reverse, the 1934 cover with an additional penciled "Open this" directly below and a pictorial handstamp across the flap. Great covers with colorful frankings., Very Fine.
Estimate HK$ 2,000 - 2,400. Est. HK$2,000-2,400 (Image1)

Est. HK$2,000-2,400

Yokohama: 1934-37, group of five "Special" combination covers, Each noted "S'pl.", "C-Sp'l." or "C-Sp'l./new." as the combination type. Four cachet design types present, each franked by commemoratives, and includes a Nov. 24, 1934, cover with the complete Red Cross issue (the 10s untied), plus a pair of 1937 covers showing the April 1 international rate change from 10s to 20s. Some opened, the Aug. 29, 1934, cover with extraneous ink affecting the 3s stamp, but nevertheless a nice lot of rarely seen all-commemorative frankings. All the covers are imaged online., A Very Fine assortment.
Estimate HK$ 5,000 - 6,000. Est. HK$5,000-6,000 (Image1)

Est. HK$5,000-6,000