Overseas continued...

1871, 200 mon, plate I, middle printing, a vertical pair, positions 9-17, upper stamp with scraped left frame and dragon teeth at upper left, tied by two strikes of blue framed "Ken" to the reverse of a cover to Osaka.

Framed "year of the monkey 4th month 10th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.4.10 (16 May 1872). Framed "Ken" was used in Tokyo from Meiji 5.4.1 to 6.4.30. Vermilion framed arrival "year of the monkey 4th month 12th day / Osaka postal bureau" (18 May 1872).

A scarce and attractive cover, notable for the Tokyo framed "Ken" usage on a Plate I pair.

Rate: Within 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

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1871, 200 mon, plate I, two singles in different printings and shades, the upper a middle-period example from position 18, cut into at right frame, the lower a late printing from position 22, showing the retouched right dragon variety (右龍修正再刻; JSCA 3v-1-22), tied by framed non-standard "Nara station / Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.

Blue framed arrival, tying the adhesives, "year of the monkey 4th month 21st day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.4.21 (27 May 1872).

The earliest recorded cover from Nara, further distinguished by the presence of the notable Plate I-22 retouch variety.

Rate: Within 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 138.

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1872, 2 sen vermilion, tied by a clear strike of large "Yokohama Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to an unclear destination, probably Yamuramachi in Kai Province. Cover reduced at top, with part of address incomplete.

Framed vermilion "year of the monkey 4th month 24th day / Yokohama postal bureau", or Meiji 5.4.24 (30 May 1872).

A scarce and attractive single-franked cover, well showing the large Yokohama Kensazumi.

Rate: Within 50 ri = 2 sen, second rate period.

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1871, 200 mon, middle period printing, plate I, a horizontal pair, positions 38-39, tied by large "Osaka Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.

Manuscript dateline "year of the monkey 4th month 25th day". On the address side, vermilion framed "year of the monkey 4th month 25th day / Osaka postal bureau", or Meiji 5.4.25 (31 May 1872). Below the stamps, circular framed "jo" (常) of Joanbashi Kitazume letter box. Blue framed arrival "year of the monkey 5th month 29th day / Tokyo postal bureau" (4 July 1872), together with framed vermilion "morning delivery", the earliest recorded date of this marking, known from the 4th to 9th month of Meiji 5.

A notable Tokyo destination cover, of particular interest for the earliest recorded usage of this delivery marking.

Rate: Up to 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 139.

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1871, 100 mon dark blue, middle period printing, plate II, position 25, displaying the major variety "jaw missing from the right dragon", tied by a large "Fujieda Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover from Fujieda (Suruga Province) to Hamamatsu (Totomi Province).

Manuscript dateline [Meiji 5] 4th month 29th day (4 June 1872).

A visually striking major variety, clearly defined and well-presented on cover, greatly enhancing its appeal to the specialist collector.

Rate: 1 sen up to 25 ri distance, basic weight, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Large Placename Kensazumi (1979), p. 21.

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1871, 100 mon dark blue, middle period printing, plate II, position 18, slightly touched at left, tied by a large "Osaka Kensazumi" to a cover addressed to Koriyama, Yamato Province.

Alongside, a red framed "Osaka / year of the monkey 5th month 8th day" (Meiji 5.5.8; 13 June 1872). On the reverse, a circular framed hakoba-in "gen" (源) of Genzaemoncho, recorded between Meiji 4 and 8.

The adhesive shows the major variety "right dragon leg missing" (JSCA catalogue value ¥1.5 million).

A striking and desirable example combining a prominent variety with clear postal markings.

Rate: 100 mon (1 sen) up to 25 ri distance, basic weight, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Ichida (1971), p. 93; Dragon Covers, p. 53.

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1871/72, 500 mon blue, plate I, middle period printing, position 25, used in combination with Dragon 2 sen vermilion, rounded corner and some perf faults, and Dragon 1 sen blue, plate II, position 12, tied by framed blue "ken" of Tokyo to the reverse of a cover, corner clipped, to Kyoto.

Blue framed "year of the monkey 5th month 16th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.5.16 (21 June 1872), on address side; on reverse, vermilion framed arrival "year of the monkey 5th month ... / Saikyo postal bureau".

A scarce and attractive three-colour franking, notable for the mixed usage of mon and sen Dragon values during this transitional period.

Rate: Up to 200 ri distance = 4 sen, double weight = 8 sen.

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1871, 200 mon vermilion, a vertical pair, plate II, positions 5-13, tied by framed blue "Ken" to the reverse of a cover, slightly reduced at top, to Osaka.

Framed "year of the monkey 5th month 18th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.5.18 (23 June 1872). Vermilion framed arrival "year of the monkey 5th month 22nd day / Osaka postal bureau".

A fine and straightforward postal usage of the 200 mon Plate II on intercity mail.

Rate: Within 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

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1871, 100 mon blue, latest printing, plate I, position 20, tied by the head section* of large "Yokohama Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover, address side incomplete at left, from Yokohama to Tokyo.

Vermilion framed "year of the monkey 5th month 27th day / Yokohama postal bureau", or Meiji 5.5.27 (2 July 1872). Blue framed same-day arrival of Tokyo postal bureau. Framed vermilion Tokyo delivery marking "morning delivery", recorded in use from Meiji 5.5 to 5.9. Addressed to the staff of the Telegraph Office (Denshinryo) within the Ministry of Public Works.

A scarce and attractive official usage, combining the regulated head-section Yokohama strike with a particularly desirable governmental destination.

Rate: Within 25 ri distance = 1 sen, second rate period.

Note: *Head section: the "large placename Kensazumi" postmarks were officially ordered in Meiji 4.12 to be struck with the placename head portion only, or even with the lower three characters removed. This is therefore not an incomplete strike, but the consequence of official regulation.

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1871, 48 mon, middle period printing, plate I, position 7, tied by large "Saikyo Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover, address side incomplete, with manuscript dateline "6th month 10th day" alongside.

Red framed "year of the monkey 6th moon 10th day / Saikyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.6.10 (15 July 1872). At upper left, circular framed hakoba-in "shita" (下) of the Shimotachiuri letter box, recorded in use from Meiji 4 to Meiji 8 (1871–75).

A scarce and appealing single-franked city drop mail cover, representing the reduced local rate introduced in the second rate period.

Rate: City drop mail rate of 1/2 sen, half the ordinary rate, introduced Meiji 4.12.5, within the second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 57.

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1871, 500 mon bluish green to turquoise, five singles from plate I (2) and plate II (3), positions 1-14, 2-38, 2-31, 2-30 and 1-5, tied by framed "ken" to the reverse of a cover, corner clipped, from Tokyo to Nagasaki.

Alongside black framed "year of the monkey 6th moon 14th day", or Meiji 5.6.14 (19 July 1872). Sender: Honganji Temple Administration, Tokyo Asakusa. The cover bears the weight endorsement "17 momme 8 fun", indicating five times the basic weight.

The only recorded mixed franking of the 500 mon value from two different plates (plate I and plate II), of outstanding rarity and great importance within Dragon issue postal history.

Rate: Letter basic rate exceeding 200 ri = 5 sen; five times weight = 25 sen.

Reference: Illustrated in 19th century, fig. 50; Dragon Covers, p. 58.

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1871, 200 mon, plate I, latest printing, a vertical pair, positions 30-38, with retouch at position 30, tied by large "Shizuoka Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.

Manuscript dateline "year of the monkey 6th month 18th day", or Meiji 5.6.18 (23 July 1872). Blue framed arrival "year of the monkey 6th month 20th day / Tokyo postal bureau", together with framed vermilion "afternoon delivery".

A scarce and appealing variety cover, showing the retouched position 30 clearly on postal use.

Rate: Within 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

Provenance: Dr. Ichida

Reference: Illustrated in Ichida (1971), p. 53; Dragon Covers, p. 60.

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1871, 48 mon dark brown, plate II, a vertical pair, positions 14-22, upper stamp touched at upper right frameline, tied by framed non-standard "Nara aratame / kensazumi", with framed "Nara station / postal receiving and handling agency" alongside, to a cover to Ichinomoto, Yamato Province.

Manuscript dateline "6th month 20th day", or Meiji 5.6.20 (25 July 1872).

A remarkable instance of postal fraud: already postmarked stamps, originally cancelled by large Kensazumi, were reused and passed undetected by the postal clerk. Only two such fraud covers bearing Dragon stamps are recorded.

An exceptional postal-history rarity of great interest and exhibition significance.

Rate: Up to 25 ri distance = 1 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 61.

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1871, 200 mon vermilion, plate I, early printing, a vertical pair, positions 25-33, the latter with positional pinhole, tied by large "Saikyo Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.

Vermilion "year of the monkey 7th month 2nd day / Saikyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.2 (5 August 1872). Circular framed hakoba-in "ima" (今) of Imadegawa letter box. Also struck with the large vermilion oval instructional marking "arrival delayed by river flooding" of Tokyo. Arrival framed "year of the monkey 7th month 9th day / Tokyo postal bureau", together with framed "Kojimachi / postal branch bureau" and vermilion "morning delivery".

The earliest recorded delay marking in Japanese philately, and a cover of outstanding postal-historical significance.

Rate: Up to 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in 19th century, fig. 322; Dragon Covers, p. 63.

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1871/72, 5 sen bluish green, middle period printing, used in combination with 200 mon Plate II, tied by blue framed "Ken" of Tokyo to a cover to Kamikanbayashi, Shinano Province.

Framed "year of the monkey 7th month 3rd day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.3 (6 August 1872), alongside.

A highly desirable and unusual mixed franking, uniting mon and sen values in a scarce blue Tokyo "Ken" usage.

Rate: Within 100 ri = 3 sen, double weight = 6 sen, plus 1 sen to destination outside the delivery circuit, total 7 sen, second rate period.

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1871, 200 mon, plate II, a vertical pair, positions 1-9, cut into at left frame, tied by framed blue "Ken" to the reverse of a cover, partly soiled by gum, to Kamo, Mino Province.

Alongside, blue framed "year of the monkey 7th month 4th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.4 (7 August 1872).

A scarce and attractive provincial destination cover bearing a Plate II pair with the Tokyo framed "Ken" cancellation.

Rate: Within 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

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1871, 100 mon blue, plate I, tied by damaged rectangular Osaka marking to the reverse of a cover to Kyoto.

Alongside, framed vermilion datestamp "year of the monkey 7th month 5th day / Osaka postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.5 (8 August 1872), with part strike of same-day Saikyo arrival on front.

This Osaka cancellation, measuring 11 x 35 mm and classified as Nakagawa type C, is recorded in use from Meiji 5.5 to 5.8. No fully readable strike has yet been found, lending this cover particular significance as an example of the elusive so-called Osaka "mystery mark".

Rate: Within 25 ri distance = 1 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 143.

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1872, 1 sen blue, plate II, earliest printing, tied by blue framed "Ken" of Tokyo to a cover to Yokohama.

Alongside, blue framed "year of the monkey 7th month 12th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.12 (15 August 1872), and framed vermilion Yokohama arrival of the same date. Framed vermilion "Yokohama night dispatch" delivery mark alongside.

The latest recorded usage on cover of both the blue Tokyo "Ken" and the blue Tokyo datestamp. A particularly desirable terminal-date usage.

Rate: Within 25 ri distance = 1 sen, second rate period.

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1872, 1 sen blue, plate II (3, one damaged), tied by large "Hodogaya Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Hakone, Sagami Province. Alongside, manuscript dateline "year of the goat 7th moon 26th day", or Meiji 5.7.26 (29 August 1872).

The earliest recorded cover from Hodogaya, and a scarce provincial Dragon usage of considerable specialist interest.

Rate: Within 100 ri distance = 3 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 66.

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1872, 2 sen vermilion, early printing (2), tied by large "Tokyo Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Saikyo. On the address side, framed "year of the monkey 7th month 28th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.28 (31 August 1872). On reverse, framed vermilion collection mark "morning dispatch" together with framed "Kojimachi postal branch office". Vermilion framed arrival of Saikyo postal bureau of Meiji 5.8.2 (4 September 1872).

During the regular period of framed "Ken" usage in Tokyo, the large Tokyo Kensazumi was temporarily re-employed. This cover represents the latest recorded date of that temporary usage.

A highly desirable terminal-date cover of notable postal-marking importance.

Rate: Within 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in 19th century, fig. 45; Dragon Covers, p. 67.

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