1877 (30 Dec) cover from Tokyo, franked with horizontal pair of 5s brown Koban, canceled by small flower pmk in green, supported by "Tokei Japan 30 Dec 1877", with red Yokohama Paid All Dec.31 alongside, addressed to Chicago, USA, with red San Francisco transit and Chicago Jan 23, 1878 arrival pmks on back, little cover wear, otherwise fine. This cover was carried on "The City of Tokyo" of the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. sailing from Yokohama on December 31, 1877, arriving in San Francisco on Jan 17, 1878. The "Tokei" dispatch postmark in green was used only a short time, this cover being the earliest known Tokei large single circle (Cat No. 59) (Image)

Est.US$750

1878 (18 Sep) cover to Paris, France, franked with pair of 10s blue Old Koban, canceled by Tokyo Intaglio cross pmks, also by green segmented cork, with corresponding green "Tokei Japan 18 Sep" pmk, violet Yokohama Sep 22, 1878 alongside and French "Etats-Unis P.Angl. Paris" (30 Oct) blue entry marking below, showing native departure and San Francisco transits on back, some cover tears at left, otherwise fine and remarkable green Tokei cover (Cat No. 59) (Image)

Est.US$1,000

1879 (10 Jan) cover franked to Paris, France, with green "Tokei Japan 10 Jan" pmk, violet Yokohama Jan 12, 1879 alongside, franked on back with single and block of four of 4s green, each stamp canceled by flower cork cancels (of Tokei), showing a native departure strike, with French "Etats-Unis" Paq.Fr. Entry (17 Feb) on front, fine and interesting application of this rare postmark (Cat No. 59) (Image)

Est.US$250

1879 (2 Sep) cover franked with 5s brown Koban, canceled by green cork pmk, supported by "Tokei Japan 2 Sep", with Yokohama Sep 3, 1879 transit alongside, addressed to USA, with red San Francisco Sep 20, 1879 on back, some toning, otherwise fine example of this rare postmark (Cat No. 59) (Image)

Est.US$500