Stamp Catalogue

China Philately Vol. I

Large Dragon 1878

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registered envelope franked with Large Dragon from Peking to Shanghai
1878 THIN PAPER, STAMPS PRINTED 2 1/2 mm APART
description: 1879 June 7 registered envelope from Peking to Shanghai, franked with 5ca tied by blue oval Peking seal cancellations, Customs Peking cds. backstamp of June 7, Tientsin June 12 and Shanghai Local Post arrival of June 16 /
Single domestic registered rate of 5 candarins.
condition: very fine
auction: Sotheby's and Corinphila in association / Hong Kong 1997
starting price: HK$ 120,000 - 150,000
hammer price: HK$ 126,000
registered envelope with rare blue oval postmark "POST OFFICE TIENTSIN" to Peking
1878 THIN PAPER, STAMPS PRINTED 2 1/2 mm APART
description: 1881 May 9 envelope from Tientsin to Peking, franked with 3ca which has a black manuscript cancellation, further cancelled and tied by the blue oval "POST OFFICE TIENTSIN" seal of the Hwa-Yang Letter Office and with a superb impression ot their fancy double- dragon cachet on the reverse /
From the collection of major James Starr.
Single domestic letter rate of 3 candarins. This is a very rare example of the Imperial Customs Post conveying a letter between the Hwa-Yang Letter Offices in Tientsin and Peking. No other cover has yet been recorded with either the oval or 'dragon' cachets in blue. For a detailed history of the 'Hwa-Yang' we would refer to Chapter VII of the handbook 'Imperial China' by Major Richard Pratt FRPSL.
auction: Sotheby's and Corinphila in association / Hong Kong 1997
starting price: HK$ 250,000 - 300,000
hammer price: HK$ 276,000