24c Green & Violet (120). Rich colors, used with 10c Yellow (116), intense shade, both slightly creased at top from placement near edge, cancelled by square quartered cork of New York City, red "New York Paid All Br. Transit Apr. 7" (1869) circular datestamp on back of cover to John M. Nixon, Shanghai, China, sender's directive "Via Southampton", red "24" credit handstamp--carried on Cunarder Scotia, departing New York April 7, 1869, arriving Queenstown April 16--red "London Paid 17 MY 69" circular datestamp, red crayon "1" British Colonial credit, clearly struck "Hong-Kong Marine-Sorter Hong-Kong to Shanghae JU 3/8 69" circular datestamp on back (Webb Ty. B-6, RRR), small piece of cover missing from under 10c

VERY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT 1869 PICTORIAL COVER, COMBINING THE 10-CENT AND 24-CENT VALUES FOR THE 34-CENT RATE TO CHINA BY BRITISH MAIL VIA SOUTHAMPTON. THE APRIL 7, 1869, ORIGIN DATE IS THE EARLIEST DOCUMENTED USE OF THE 24-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE, AND THE HONG KONG-TO-SHANGHAI MARINE SORTER DATESTAMP IS A GREAT RARITY OF CHINESE MARITIME POSTAL HISTORY.

Only three 24c 1869 covers to China are recorded in the 1869 Pictorial cover census. This cover from the John M. Nixon, Jr. correspondence is the earliest of all 24c 1869 covers, followed by an April 23 use from New York to Mobile. It is also the earliest 10c 1869 cover in private hands. The April 1, 1869, 10c cover to Spain is part of the Charles A. Hirzel collection, which is permanently housed in the Swiss Museum of Communications.

According to the Webb book, the sorting of mail on board ship was first tried in 1857 and was found to speed the delivery of the mails on arrival in Hong Kong. The Governor of Hong Kong petitioned to make this a permanent position, but the scheme was not implemented. Seven years later, after the GPO decided that Hong Kong should assume greater responsibilities, the sorting plan was green-lighted. An official from the Hong Kong post office would meet the P&O steamer in Singapore and sort the mails during the trip to Hong Kong. The mails could then be delivered immediately on arrival or forwarded faster to their final destination outside of Hong Kong. The new service started with the arrival of mails at the end of July 1868. Mails were sorted between Singapore and Hong Kong, and another line was also established to sort mails between Hong Kong and Shanghai. Webb states that the Hong Kong-to-Shanghai Marine Sorter Type 6 marking is rare (page 351). At the time he wrote his book, Webb was aware of only one example from the first period, dated 13/19 March 1870. The marking was apparently reintroduced in 1874 and used until 1876.

Illustrated in The 1869 Issue on Cover: A Census and Analysis (color plate 10); Michael Laurence, "British Mail Covers to the Orient during the 1869 Period," Chronicle 87, and Laurence's book, Ten-Cent 1869 Covers: A Postal Historical Survey (p. 106).

Ex Millard C. Mack and Alan Berkun. Signed in pencil by J. Murray Bartels with his note "Found II.8.32" and "Guaranteed OK." Also signed Stanley B. Ashbrook with his notation "Earliest Known Use of The 24c 1869"."

With 1949 P.F. certificate.

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