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China, 1883 (Dec. 20), Large Dragon combination cover to Japan

Currency:HKD Category:Stamps / Asia Start Price:13,000.00 HKD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 35,000.00 HKD
China, 1883 (Dec. 20), Large Dragon combination cover to Japan
Please note (this sale only) is being held in our Danbury, CT offices.
DEMO LOT
China, 1883 Dec. 20, Large Dragon combination cover to Japan, addressed to General A.C. Jones, United States Consul at Nagasaki; originally franked on reverse by 1ca and 5ca Large Dragons tied by three strikes of blue Tientsin seal cancels the 5ca lost somewhere along the way, but its presence confirmed by the two partial seal cancels; reverse also bears a blue Customs/DEC 20/83/Tientsin dater and a Shanghai Customs dater of DEC 24; in Shanghai, the cover was transferred to the Japanese Post Office, which applied a 5s ultramarine UPU Koban, tying it with a solid strike of a thick crossroads cancel with an I.J.P.A./26/DEC/1883/Shanghai thimble alongside, the cover arriving in Nagasaki Dec. 28, as noted by receiver on reverse; a few tears to top and part of backflap missing from opening, but adhesives and markings unaffected, Very Fine, an incredibly rare cover, believed to be one of four Large Dragon usages to Japan.
Estimate HK 25,000 - 35,000.