United States Offices in China and Japan continued...

VERY FINE. A RARE AND ATTRACTIVE DOUBLE-FORWARDED USAGE FROM THE UNITED STATES TO THE AMERICAN CONSULATES IN HONG KONG, SHANGHAI AND YOKOHAMA. THE HONG KONG CONSULAR SEAL HANDSTAMP IS REPORTEDLY UNIQUE, AND THE SHANGHAI TWO-LINE HANDSTAMP IS EXTREMELY RARE.

Ex Ishikawa and Paliafito. Illustrated in Imperial China, History of the Posts to 1896 by Major Richard Pratt, FRPSL (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE SHORT-PAID USAGE OF THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RATE ON A COVER SENT FROM ASIA. CARRIED ABOARD THE FIRST RETURN TRIP OF THE COLORADO, WHICH WAS THE MAIDEN VOYAGE FOR SERVICE BY THE PACIIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY TO CHINA AND JAPAN.

In August 1865 the Pacific Mail Steamship Company (P.M.S.S.) received a contract to provide monthly mail service between the west coast and China and Japan. The sailings were timed at one end to coincide with arrivals in San Francisco of vessels carrying mail from Panama, and with British and French steamships departing Hong Kong.

According to unpublished research by Lee Scamp, the Colorado left San Francisco on Jan. 1, 1867, and arrived at Yokohama on Jan. 24. She then departed Yokohama for Hong Kong, arriving on Jan. 31. For the return trip, the Colorado left Hong Kong on Feb. 17, arriving at Yokohama on Feb. 25. She departed Yokohama on Feb. 27, arriving in San Francisco on Mar. 20.

The "Steam China" marking was applied either at San Francisco or on board the Colorado. The port of origin is not indicated on the cover, and so it could have been put aboard the Colorado at either Hong Kong or Yokohama.

Ex Meroni and Ishikawa. Illustrated in Letters of Gold on p. 127. (Image)

A FINE AND RARE EARLY USAGE FROM THE UNITED STATES POSTAL AGENCY IN SHANGHAI.

According to the Pratt book (p. 168), the United States Post Office in Shanghai opened on June 10, 1867. The first American mail arrived on May 20, and the first direct delivery of mail arrived on August 3, 1867. Previously, letters were sent either via British or other mails, or carried privately aboard ships where they would enter the mails on arrival. A notable exception is the cover offered in lot 10 which bears the "U.S. Consulate General/Shanghai" handstamp.

The U.S. Postal Agency first operated out of a room at the U.S. Consulate at 12 Chinkiang Road in Shanghai. It is unknown when the first consignment of stamps was received. Early mail was cancelled by the U.S. Consulate datestamp. Two slightly different datestamps are reported, each unique (see lot 13). The circular-rate cover offered here did not receive a datestamp.

Ex Rorke. With 1981 P.F. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE. THE ONLY REPORTED EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY "U.S. CONSULATE P.O.D. SHANGHAI" DOUBLE-CIRCLE DATESTAMP.

As the previous description explains, the U.S. Post Office in Shanghai was opened on June 10, 1867. Early mail from this office was cancelled by a modified consular datestamp until the new cancelling device was received. There are two varieties of this datestamp, each represented by one known example. The other variety, used on Nov. 27, 1867, reads "U.S. Consulate General, Shanghai, Nov. 27, 1867". The modified datestamp offered here bears the additional "P.O.D." designation. The superseding device (see example offered in lot 14) is found on covers beginning March 20, 1868. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A SPECTACULAR COVER IN THE FINEST ATTAINABLE CONDITION. ONE OF THREE RECORDED COVERS WITH THE 10-CENT 1861-67 ISSUE USED FROM CHINA TO CANADA VIA THE UNITED STATES CONSULATE POST OFFICE IN SHANGHAI.

The 20c postage overpays by 4c the 10c transpacific and 6c U.S.-Canada rates. We record three such usages. A similar cover, sent on the same date from the same correspondent, is illustrated and discussed in Richard B. Graham's series on the China and Japan Steam Service (Chronicle, Aug. 1972, p. 139), it realized $5,250 hammer in our Sale 820 (lot 248). The third cover is dated Mar. 20 at Shanghai (ex Ishikawa, Sotheby's Sale 58, lot 69). (Image)

VERY FINE AND RARE USAGE PAYING THE 10-CENT RATE BETWEEN UNITED STATES CONSULATES AT SHANGHAI AND NAGASAKI. VERY FEW INTER-CONSULAR USAGES ARE KNOWN.

The Costa Rica was a vessel of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, which operated on a branch line between Shanghai and Nagasaki. It alternated with the New York to provide bi-monthly service.

Ex Ishikawa. With 1990 P.F. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE USAGE FROM SHANGHAI COMBINING THE 24-CENT 1861 AND 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUES.

The Feb. 17 arrival date at San Francisco corresponds with the arrival of vessels in both 1870 and 1871. In 1870 the P.M.S.S. Co. steamer Japan arrived on Feb. 16. In 1871 the steamer Great Republic arrived on Feb. 16. Due to the absence of a ship-name designation, we are unable to further narrow the year date. (Image)