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Auction: 16012 - Meiso Mizuhara, The Exhibition Collections, The Chinese Customs Post
Lot: 1505

China
Forerunner Period
Shanghai Post Office
1856 (Oct.) envelope to South Carolina "Via Southampton" bearing a light strike of the first postmark of Shanghai, the large Crowned "shanghai post office/paid" struck in red. The cover bears "1/2" and "16" rate marks with good strike of London Paid (8.12) and New York (25.12) transit c.d.s., the reverse with Hong Kong (12.10) c.d.s. in black. Light creasing and ageing and one of only three such covers recorded as posted to U.S.A.

This postmark was in use between 1852-57



This is an unusual rate, which should have been 1/8d. to U.S.A. via Southampton


This is the first postal marking of the Shanghai British Post Office which was established in 1844. The Hong Kong Philatelic Society have now recorded 17 covers. In addition, there are at least four pieces of the Large Crown Shanghae Paid known.


1. October 1851 to Rochester

2. 29 June, 1852 to Bombay, part cover only. Ex Perrin

3. July 1853 mourning covers to Philadelphia. Ex. Major Richard Pratt.

4. dateline 6 November 1955 to Paris

5. April 1856 to London via Marseilles

6. August 1856 to West Maitland, Sydney via Singapore. Ex Norman Bennett

7. 12 Sept. 1856 to Swansea, South Wales. Ex Beckeman

8. October 1856 "Overland via Marseilles" to Valreas, France. Paris

9. 6 Oct. 1856 to Paris via Marseilles. Ex John Parker

10. 6 Oct. 1856 to Lyon, France via Marseilles Guerin correspondence. Ex. Percival David and James Riddell.

11. Oct. 1856 to Charleston, South Carolina USA. Lot 1505

12. Oct. 1856 to Paris, France

13. 20 June 1857 to Sydney via Ceylon. Ex Richard Chan

14. July 1857 to New Haven, Connecticut, via New York ex. Rose-Hutchinson and Ishikawa

15. July 1857 to Sydney via Ceylon, ex Ishikawa and D'Almada

16. 13 April 1858 to "The Oaks, near Bolton-le-Moor", England via Marseilles

17. 24 April 1858 via HK to Birmingham

Sold for
HK$190,000