Introduction to Drucker Family Collection of
Post Offices in China and Japan

Collectors and postal historians have long been FASCINATED with the post offices operated by one country in the territory of another. And for good reason—the subject is rich in history and artifacts.

All of the major empire-building nations—England, France, Germany, Russia, Spain and Italy—established post offices in their far-reaching colonies. The United States, which was morally and constitutionally opposed to imperialism, nonetheless found political justification to establish a presence in certain places around the world that were deemed vital to American defense and commercial interests. With each new outpost came the need for a post office or agency to handle mail.

The History and Timeline presented on pages 107-110 of this catalogue provide a necessarily brief overview of events related to the establishment and operation of the United States mail system in the Far East. Much of the material in this catalogue has been arranged chronologically, to give bidders some sense of how historical events influenced postal operations.

Beginning with maritime letters from the early 19th century, the Drucker collection traces the history of the United States Post Offices in China and, to a lesser extent, in Japan.

Special attention was paid to unusual postal markings and usages from the U.S. consular office in Shanghai and from Chinese treaty ports, which relied on local posts to bring mail to and from Shanghai. The Druckers also concentrated on the unofficial Darrah overprints and 1919-22 currency surcharges on the Washington-Franklin series, forming one of the most outstanding specialized collections of this issue ever assembled.

The Druckers’ accomplishment in building this area of their diverse stamp collection is even more remarkable when one considers the intense competition they faced from collectors in Asia during the past 30 years. The presence of so many major rarities gleaned from significant collections—sold privately and at auction—is testimony to their determination. Their professional advisor, Albert Chang, was of great assistance in locating items and assessing market value, and his guidance is gratefully acknowledged by the Druckers.

Collectors will view this sale from different perspectives, because many of the items combine several rare elements that appeal to different collecting interests. However, we urge everyone to recognize that the remarkable abundance of rarities in this sale is an aberration in the marketplace. Such opportunities are growing less and less frequent.

  — SCOTT R. TREPEL

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