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Auction: CSS14 - The Philatelic Collector's Sale
Lot: 275

China
Customs Mail
A Recent Find With Similar Items Not Offered In Auction For More Than 30 Years
1873 entire from Peking (?) to London (21.7) via Etrangee (20.7) bearing horizontal strip of three and single 1871-76 France "Ceres" 80c. dull carmine, Paris print (SG209), cancelled by numeral "5104" in dotted rhomb, matching double ring "Shang-hai' French Post Office c.d.s. of 31 May, framed "PD" h.s. and "Paq. Ang. V. Brind/A. Mod" of 19 Jun ship cancellation in red adjacent, on reverse showing a superb strike of "Custom House/Shanghai/Paid/31 May/1873" oval d.s. (36 x 25mm) in red (RRR), two stamps with insignificant defects and wax seal removed noted for accuracy. A fine example of this important Customs marking and a fabulous showpiece item. Photo

Expertisation: B.P.A.certificate (2014).

This is the first postal marking of the Chinese Customs, probably indicating payment for foreign postage of non-subscriber or non-closed mail matter from Peking.

Less than twenty records for this Custom House Paid marking. Of these, at least eleven are outgoing to France. This recent find, previously unrecorded, is believed to be the unique example sent to England.

This new discovery increases the number of recorded examples bearing this Custom House Paid marking and with "5104" obliterator to six. The five previously recorded envelopes are :

1872 envelope to Paris showing on front the oval d.s. of "22 February1872", and bearing France Napoleon 10c. pair and laureated 80c.
Robson Lowe (Basle), 20.3.1975, lot 1001

1872 envelope to Paris showing the oval d.s. of "25 May1872"
L.Y. Woo collection

1872 envelope to Paris showing on reverse the oval d.s. of "14 November 1872", and bearing France Napoleon 10c. (2) and Ceres 80c.
George Alevizos (Los Angeles), 3.6.1980, lot 2192

1873 envelope to Paris showing on reverse the oval d.s. of "21 June 1873", and bearing Siege 25c. pair and two singles.
Robson Lowe (Basle),16.10.1974, lot 1252

1874 envelope to Paris showing on reverse the oval d.s. of "15 October 1874", and bearing 1871 10c. bistre pair and 1872 80c.
Robson Lowe (Basle),16.10.1974, lot 1254

Estimate
HK$300,000 to HK$400,000

Sale CSS14 Notices
Withdrawn