1868 Consulate General of the United States Shanghai China corner cachet, small cover franked with 10c green (straight edge at right), canceled by a circle of wedges, addressed to New York, with Shanghai 2/24 departure and NY 4/22 arrival docketing, Post Office Department United States Consulate General/Shanghai (in abbreviated "P.O.D. U.S. Con.Genl Shanghai" form) departure pmk, "Via Panama" and other endorsements, minor creasing, otherwise fine (Image)

Est.US$250

1872 10c yellow, canceled by Circle of Wedges pmk on cover addressed to Iowa, with "U.S. Postal AGCY Shanghai" May 12 departure cds alongside, showing San Francisco June 18 entry, departure docketing (May 8, 1872) on back, fresh and v.f. 10c Pictorial on cover from Shanghai (Image)

Est.US$500

1875 two covers from Shanghai to USA, each with "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai" departure datestamps, one franked with 2x10c brown, the other with single 5c Taylor, San Francisco transit pmks, minor faults, otherwise fine, neatly displayed on exhibit page (Image)

Est.US$500

1882 two covers from Exeter and Stratham, N.H. to the U.S. Consul in Foochow, China, each with 5c franking, various transit and two different types of "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai" arrival markings, fine-v.f. (Image)

Est.US$500

1888 (17 Nov) cover franked with 5c brown, tied by double-lined oval "U.S. Postal Agency Tientsin", with similar "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai" (30 Nov 88) transit mark alongside, sent to Rutland, Vermont, red San Francisco (Dec 22) and Rutland (28 Dec) arrival pmk on back, partly mended cover tears, otherwise fine and rare "U.S. Postal Agency Tientsin" markings, used for a brief period in the late 1880s, only four (!) examples recorded (dates ranging from 11 Dec 1887 to 3 Sept 1889) (Image)

Est.US$2,000

1889-92 "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai" departure datestamps, two covers, front of a registered parcel, postcard and piece franked with 15c orange, written-up on three exhibit pages, some faults noted, fine and scarce group (Image)

Est.US$500

1899 (4 Dec) cover franked with a horizontal pair of 5c Trans-Mississippi, tied by "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai" pmk, small framed "IPO" tieprint (to discourage theft while in the Imperial Postal system),"Ningpo 20 Nov 99" transit alongside, Shanghai 21 Nov 99 arrival. The cover originated at Kinwha, in the interior of China, was sent via Ningpo to Shanghai and transferred to the U.S. Postal Agency for further transmission to Bradford, Pa, where it arrived on Jan 2nd, minor flaws, rare cover (ex-Siegel March 12, 1986 sale, lot 726, $1,300 hammer) (Image)

Est.US$500

1899 (24 Mar) cover headed "Consulate General of the United States, Shanghai China", franked with 1c and 4c Trans-Mississippi, both tied by "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai" departure cds, with "U.S. Consulate General March 21,1899" datestamp on back, San Francisco (Apr 17) transit and Richmond Hill, ILL (Apr 22) arrival pmks on back, v.f. (Image)

Est.US$200

1900 undated "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai China" markings, exhibit page with 4c, 6c and 50c canceled on pieces, also pair of 1c green, tied by similar postmark on United States Postal Agency U.S. Consulate General letterhead, fine and interesting group (Image)

Est.US$250

1900 (21 Sep) registered cover to New York, franked with pair of 2c carmine, single 8c brown, used in combination with 1c Trans-Mississippi, tied by "U.S. Postal Agency/Shanghai" duplex departure pmks, supported by a Registry exchange label "U.S. of America Shanghai, China No.2014" narrow black Roman letter "R" (Scott FX-SH1d, $4,000, only 9 (!) recorded), filing fold away from the stamps, with 24 Oct.00 on back and New York Registry arrival date stamp on front, fine and rare cover (Image)

Est.US$1,500

1903 (8 Aug) registered cover to New York, franked with two each 2c carmine and 4c brown, tied by oval "U.S. Postal Agency Reg./Shanghai-China" datestamps, regular duplex departure pmk below, supported by a red Registry label "U.S. of America Shanghai, China No.1551" (Scott FX-SH1a, $2,000, only 24 recorded), filing fold away from the stamps, with Seattle and New York Registry arrival (Aug 26) markings, fine (Image)

Est.US$500

1903 (12 Mar) registered cover from New York to Shanghai, franked 5c (2) and 8c (all three stamps defective), with violet Registry datestamp, red label added in San Francisco, also "D.L.O. Record" (Dead Letter Office) handstamp and "Left" in red crayon, cover damaged and resealed at top, bearing previously unrecorded "Received in Bad Order U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai" handstamp, repeated twice more on reverse. Since the addressee was not located, the letter was returned to sender, with "U.S. Postal Agency-REG DIV Shanghai-China (Oct 30,1903)" datestamp in oval, plus Dec 2 1903 Dead Letter Office arrival mark, scarce (Image)

Est.US$500

1908 (Jan) cover franked with pair of 1c green and 8c gray black, tied by violet "REGISTERED JAN 1908 U.S. POSTAL AGENCY, SHANGHAI, CHINA" four-line handstamp in all capital letters, repeated twice at left, "414" Registry number by crayon, addressed to Chicago, with Feb 8, 1908 arrival pmks on back, fine. This may be the only recorded Four-Line Registration marking, used to cancel the stamps (paying 2c domestic postage and 8c Registry fee) (a later version of all caps straight-line registration handstamp, but with larger letters and "Registered" in serifs, appeared in the Mizuhara sale) (Image)

Est.US$500

1910 (18 Apr) registered cover franked with 1c, 4c, 5c and 10c Trans-Mississippi Commemoratives, tied by two clear "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, China R.D." (R(egistry) D(ivision) in violet, supported by "Registered April 18 1910 U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, China" four-line datestamp, sent to Germany, with red Registry label added in New York, San Francisco transit and Chemnitz (30.5.10) arrival pmks on back, fine and attractive cover from Shanghai paying 20c (10c registry and 10c for a double-weight international letter) with commemorative postage (Image)

Est.US$500

1910 (2 May) registered cover to New York, franked with two each 2c red and 5c blue, tied by two clear "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, China R.D." (R(egistry) D(ivision) in violet, supported by "Registered May 3, 1910 U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, China" four-line datestamp, June 2, 1910 arrival pmks on back, filing fold at bottom, well away from the stamps, fine cover from Shanghai (Image)

Est.US$250

1911 (14 July) registered cover to San Francisco, franked with 3x4c brown, tied by "Shanghai U.S. Postal Agency Registered" double circle departure pmks, Registration box, with number filled in by hand and additional violet "REGISTERED" handstamp alongside, arrival pmks (Aug 21) on back, v.f. (Image)

Est.US$250

1912 (15 Jan) registered cover to Cavite, Philippines, franked with horizontal pair of 6c red orange, tied by oval "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, R(egistry) D(ivision) China", with violet "Registered" box alongside, additional "Registered Jan 15,1912 U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, China" four-line departure datestamp and Philippines Mania and Cavite arrival pmks, cover fold away from the stamps, opened and resealed at right, fine (while 1c-5c and 10c values were used extensively at the postal agency in Shanghai, covers properly franked with other values are scarce) (Image)

Est.US$500

1913 (7 June) registered cover to Philadelphia, franked with 2c carmine and 10c Registration Stamp, tied by oval "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, R(egistry) D(ivision) China", with violet "Registered" handstamp alongside, various transit and arrival pmks, v.f., scarce usage (Image)

Est.US$250

1918 (21 Jan) registered cover to San Francisco, franked with 3c and 10c Washington-Franklins, tied by oval, previously unrecorded (!) small-size oval "U.S. Post Office Shanghai China" undated departure killer, violet "Registered" alongside, number filled in by hand, "Opened by Censor" label, "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai REGISTERED" departure cds on back, with 17 Feb 18 arrival, tape stains at top, otherwise fine and undoubtedly rare small oval U.S.P.O. China cancel, only recorded example (Image)

Est.US$500

1919 (5 Sep) Post Office Department United States Postal Agency Shanghai, China, Official Business, unfranked envelope with double oval "U.S. Postal Agency, Shanghai, China R.D." killer cancel, standard U.S. Post Office "Registered" box (as used in the United States, different than the letters in white on colored background used Shanghai), double circle departure and Portland (Sep 24) arrival pmks on back, fine example of official mail, registered without postage (Image)

Est.US$300

1919 (1 July) registered cover from "The Oriental Press" in Shanghai to Zellerbach Paper Company in San Francisco, two different "Registered" handstamps on front, franked on back with 6x2c carmine (paying 2c postage and 10c registry fee), tied by U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai China killer cancels, with violet "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai China Sta.A Registered" double circle departure pmks at top, San Francisco July 27 arrival alongside. Station "A" Registration datestamp on cover has been described in literature, but the location of this branch was not disclosed in any official publication, including the 1918-21 Postal Guides. Surprisingly, although this postmark dates back 105 years, no other examples have turned up in the interim (Image)

Est.US$500

1922 $1.00 on 50c light violet, tied by "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, China R.D." double-oval handstamp on legal size cover, registered to Greenville Ill., purple "U.S. Postal Agency, Shanghai, China, Aug 17, 1922" cds, Chicago (Sep 18) arrival pmks on back, stamp is exceptionally well centered, v.f. and undoubtedly the finest condition possible, very rare, only a handful $1.00 on 50c recorded on cover (Cat No. K15) (Image)

Est.US$1,500

1920 Pacific Steamship Company coverfront/label from an insured package addressed to the Barber S.S. Lines in New York, franked with 16c, 30c (2), 40c and $2 on $1 surcharges, tied by U.S. Postal Agency, Shanghai, China departure pmks, little toning, fine and rare. Copies of $2 on $1 stamps on cover are rare, except for philatelic creations. This coverfront probably contained shipping documents traveling between two steamship companies (Cat No. K16) (Image)

Est.US$500

1905-22 collection of 15 Registered covers, one to Manila, another to Sweden, balance to the United States, franking includes 1902-03 Issue, Washington-Franklins, Parcel Post stamps, others Shanghai China surcharges, all written-up on 8 exhibit pages, with detailed descriptions of the Registration markings, datestamps, rates, etc. Included is a Registered Parcel Tag franked with 15c and 24c surcharges, customs declaration indicating that the parcel contained "an ivory necklace valued at $20", mixed condition, some normal cover wear, mostly fine-v.f. (Image)

Est.US$2,500