Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

United States Offices in China and Japan continued...

**U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai 1870-1900 (arranged chronologically)**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
21		10c Brown, Grill (139). Clear grill points, tied by bold circle of wedges, "P.O.D. U.S. Con. Genl. Shanghai, Jun. 13" circular datestamp on 1871 cover to Amenia Union N.Y., neat "San Francisco Jul. 16" transit, barely reduced at left, Very Fine, very rare use of the 10c Banknote Grilled Issue, ex Gibson (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	1,500.00
22		2c Red Brown, 6c Carmine (146, 148). Horizontal pair of 2c, tied by bold circle of wedges, "P.O.D. U.S. Con. Genl. Shanghai, Sep. 12" circular datestamp on mourning cover to Elk Creek Wis., San Francisco transit backstamp, few small edge tears, Very Fine, scarce usage, carried aboard the P.M.S.S. America from Shanghai via Yokohama to San Francisco (Image)	E. 1,000-1,500	3,000.00
23		2c Red Brown, 10c Brown (146, 150). Two 2c and four 10c, tied by circle of wedges with "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai Jul. 3" circular datestamp on cover to Tacna, Peru, endorsed "via San Francisco", "San Francisco Cal. Aug. 9" circular datestamp, red "12" credit handstamp, blue "49" crayon marking, Ningpo printed return address on backflap, small piece out on back, slight edgewear VERY FINE AND CHOICE. PROBABLY A UNIQUE DOUBLE-RATE USAGE FROM CHINA TO PERU THRU THE UNITED STATES MAILS AND THEN VIA BRITISH PACKET. From December 1871 to July 1875, the rate was 22c for a letter sent to Peru by American Packet, then British Packet via Colon. This cover, mailed at the U.S. Post Office in China, was rated as if it were mailed from the mainland United States. (Image)	E. 5,000-7,500	8,500.00
24		10c Brown (150). Wide margins, tied by two bold strikes of Hollow Star in Circle fancy cancel, matching "U.S. Postal Ag'cy Shanghai, May 2" circular datestamp on 1873 cover to Clarksville Tenn., "San Francisco Cal. Jun. 1" transit, slightly reduced at left, Very Fine and rare use of this fancy cancel, carried aboard the Quang Se which was chartered by the P.M.S.S. Co. (Image)	E. 750-1,000	1,700.00
25		10c Brown (150). Horizontal pair, crisp impression and choice centering, tied by bold strikes of Hollow Star fancy cancel, "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, May 27" circular datestamp on cover to Hingham Mass., blue "Forwarded by Russell & Co. Shanghai, May 26, 1873" oval backstamp, "San Francisco Cal. Jun. 28" transit, missing part of top flap, Very Fine, beautiful and scarce usage with the Hollow Star cancels (Image)	E. 750-1,000	1,150.00
26		2c Brown (157). Cancelled by circle of wedges on Dec. 1873 printed prices current to New York, "Vogel Hagedorn & Cie Shanghae 11 Dec. 73" blue company datestamp on back, Very Fine (Image)	E. 400-500	900.00
27		2c Brown (157). Horizontal pair and single, cancelled by circle of small wedges and tied by "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, Dec. 13" circular datestamp on cover to Chicago, neat "San Francisco Cal. Jan. 25" transit, blue "Chicago Ill. Carrier CA2 Feb. 2" backstamp, small sealed tear at bottom, fresh and Very Fine, beautiful cover overpaying the 5c U.P.U. rate by 1c (Image)	E. 400-500	650.00
28		U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai/Registered/Jun. 18/187-. Full bold strike with absent fourth digit in year date, three additional strikes tying pair and single 5c Blue (179), few trivial perf flaws, on c. 1877 cover to San Francisco, slightly reduced at left, slight vertical bend clear of stamps FRESH AND VERY FINE COVER. ONLY THREE OR FOUR COVERS WITH THIS RARE SHANGHAI REGISTERED MAIL MARKING ARE KNOWN. ONE OTHER 5-CENT TAYLOR COVER, WITH THE DATESTAMP IN RED, IS CONTAINED IN THE MIZUHARA MUSEUM COLLECTION. The 15c postage prepaid the 5c rate and 10c registry fee. The sender's name, Edgar Ellis, is written on back as required for registered mail. Purchased by the Druckers in our Sale 789 (lot 971), where it realized $16,500 hammer. (Image)	E. 10,000-15,000	23,000.00
29		5c Blue (179). Choice centering, bright color, tied by circle of wedges, "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, Oct. 14" circular datestamp on 1873 cover to Warsaw N.Y., neat "San Francisco Cal. St. Shp. Nov. 22" circular datestamp, carried aboard the Great Republic to San Francisco, fresh and Extremely Fine, scarce with the San Francisco steamship marking (Image)	E. 750-1,000	1,050.00
30		5c Blue (179). Bright color, tied by circle of wedges and "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, Mar. 21" circular datestamp on 1877 cover to Ithaca N.Y., blue "Forwarded by Russell & Co., Shanghai Mar. 21, 1877" oval backstamp, opened for display, fresh and Very Fine (Image)	E. 750-1,000	400.00
31		10c Brown (161). Cancelled by circle of wedges, "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, May 1" circular datestamp on cover with printed "United States Consulate General Shanghai" return address to Rutland Vt., red "San Francisco Pd. All May 31" backstamp, opened on three sides and also partly at bottom, some edge tears and toning, otherwise Fine (Image)	E. 200-300	210.00

U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai 1870-1900 (arranged chronologically)

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

10c Brown, Grill (139). Clear grill points, tied by bold circle of wedges, "P.O.D. U.S. Con. Genl. Shanghai, Jun. 13" circular datestamp on 1871 cover to Amenia Union N.Y., neat "San Francisco Jul. 16" transit, barely reduced at left, Very Fine, very rare use of the 10c Banknote Grilled Issue, ex Gibson (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

1,500.00

2c Red Brown, 6c Carmine (146, 148). Horizontal pair of 2c, tied by bold circle of wedges, "P.O.D. U.S. Con. Genl. Shanghai, Sep. 12" circular datestamp on mourning cover to Elk Creek Wis., San Francisco transit backstamp, few small edge tears, Very Fine, scarce usage, carried aboard the P.M.S.S. America from Shanghai via Yokohama to San Francisco (Image)

E. 1,000-1,500

3,000.00

2c Red Brown, 10c Brown (146, 150). Two 2c and four 10c, tied by circle of wedges with "U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai Jul. 3" circular datestamp on cover to Tacna, Peru, endorsed "via San Francisco", "San Francisco Cal. Aug. 9" circular datestamp, red "12" credit handstamp, blue "49" crayon marking, Ningpo printed return address on backflap, small piece out on back, slight edgewear

VERY FINE AND CHOICE. PROBABLY A UNIQUE DOUBLE-RATE USAGE FROM CHINA TO PERU THRU THE UNITED STATES MAILS AND THEN VIA BRITISH PACKET.

From December 1871 to July 1875, the rate was 22c for a letter sent to Peru by American Packet, then British Packet via Colon. This cover, mailed at the U.S. Post Office in China, was rated as if it were mailed from the mainland United States. (Image)

E. 5,000-7,500

8,500.00

10c Brown (150). Wide margins, tied by two bold strikes of Hollow Star in Circle fancy cancel, matching "U.S. Postal Ag'cy Shanghai, May 2" circular datestamp on 1873 cover to Clarksville Tenn., "San Francisco Cal. Jun. 1" transit, slightly reduced at left, Very Fine and rare use of this fancy cancel, carried aboard the Quang Se which was chartered by the P.M.S.S. Co. (Image)

E. 750-1,000

1,700.00

10c Brown (150). Horizontal pair, crisp impression and choice centering, tied by bold strikes of Hollow Star fancy cancel, "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, May 27" circular datestamp on cover to Hingham Mass., blue "Forwarded by Russell & Co. Shanghai, May 26, 1873" oval backstamp, "San Francisco Cal. Jun. 28" transit, missing part of top flap, Very Fine, beautiful and scarce usage with the Hollow Star cancels (Image)

E. 750-1,000

1,150.00

2c Brown (157). Cancelled by circle of wedges on Dec. 1873 printed prices current to New York, "Vogel Hagedorn & Cie Shanghae 11 Dec. 73" blue company datestamp on back, Very Fine (Image)

E. 400-500

900.00

2c Brown (157). Horizontal pair and single, cancelled by circle of small wedges and tied by "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, Dec. 13" circular datestamp on cover to Chicago, neat "San Francisco Cal. Jan. 25" transit, blue "Chicago Ill. Carrier CA2 Feb. 2" backstamp, small sealed tear at bottom, fresh and Very Fine, beautiful cover overpaying the 5c U.P.U. rate by 1c (Image)

E. 400-500

650.00

U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai/Registered/Jun. 18/187-. Full bold strike with absent fourth digit in year date, three additional strikes tying pair and single 5c Blue (179), few trivial perf flaws, on c. 1877 cover to San Francisco, slightly reduced at left, slight vertical bend clear of stamps

FRESH AND VERY FINE COVER. ONLY THREE OR FOUR COVERS WITH THIS RARE SHANGHAI REGISTERED MAIL MARKING ARE KNOWN. ONE OTHER 5-CENT TAYLOR COVER, WITH THE DATESTAMP IN RED, IS CONTAINED IN THE MIZUHARA MUSEUM COLLECTION.

The 15c postage prepaid the 5c rate and 10c registry fee. The sender's name, Edgar Ellis, is written on back as required for registered mail.

Purchased by the Druckers in our Sale 789 (lot 971), where it realized $16,500 hammer. (Image)

E. 10,000-15,000

23,000.00

5c Blue (179). Choice centering, bright color, tied by circle of wedges, "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, Oct. 14" circular datestamp on 1873 cover to Warsaw N.Y., neat "San Francisco Cal. St. Shp. Nov. 22" circular datestamp, carried aboard the Great Republic to San Francisco, fresh and Extremely Fine, scarce with the San Francisco steamship marking (Image)

E. 750-1,000

1,050.00

5c Blue (179). Bright color, tied by circle of wedges and "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, Mar. 21" circular datestamp on 1877 cover to Ithaca N.Y., blue "Forwarded by Russell & Co., Shanghai Mar. 21, 1877" oval backstamp, opened for display, fresh and Very Fine (Image)

E. 750-1,000

400.00

10c Brown (161). Cancelled by circle of wedges, "U.S. Postal Agc'y Shanghai, May 1" circular datestamp on cover with printed "United States Consulate General Shanghai" return address to Rutland Vt., red "San Francisco Pd. All May 31" backstamp, opened on three sides and also partly at bottom, some edge tears and toning, otherwise Fine (Image)

E. 200-300

210.00