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Auction: 18008 - Sinkiang Postal History, The 'Manhattan' Collection
Lot: 2430

Sinkiang
Kumul Rebellion
Khotan Emirate
1933 (24 June) envelope addressed to the H.M. Consulate in Kashgar in English and Turki script which reads "If ever this letter should reach the British Consulate in Kashgar, be it handed to Yacob Bay"; bearing the unique strikes of Yarkand Islamic Post and Kashgar Post Office, Islamic Post, there are two similar strikes on the reverse along with a purple on white censor seal which reads (in Turki script) "Government of Khotan, seen in the office of Inspection of Mails". There is a vertical folding crease and some pencil notation on the reverse. A highly important and unique example of post in the First East Turkestan Republic. Photo

provenance:
Sir David Roseway, November 1963


literature: China Clipper, 18 (12-15); 26 (27-30); 27 (63-66)

The Postal History of Sinkiang, Wong and Xie, 2016 (illustrated page 173)


The Islamic Republic of Khotan was proclaimes on 26th February 1933. The authority of the Khotan government extended to two districts of the former Chinese administration, those of Khotan and Yarkand. The first act of the new government was to issue banknotes and oranise its own postal system (which was started on 11th April). The mail service had been in operation, with only minor changes, for the previous two years (the minor officials had to convert to Muslem to retain their jobs). Thirteen Post Offices and thirteen postal agencies were set up along the main highway. Each Post Office was supplied with a circular datestamp in Arabic script. No stamps were issued.

This postal service was very efficient and the distance between Khotan and Yarkand (about 300 miles) was covered in 20 hours wheras it used to take 4 days.

The Turki Republic came to a close after a former ally, a Chinese Tungan (Muslem) general, having been defeated by Sino-Russian forces out of Tihwa, took his revenge upon the weak Turki republic in Kashgar, storming the town on 21 March 1934, crushing the native government. Soon after, these same forces marched on Khotan and won an easy victory there. So the Republic (as well as the Islamic Post) came to an end. The regular Chinese troops soon took over, reinstating the Chinese postal service

Sold for
HK$600,000