30c Ultramarine & Carmine (121). Vertical pair, bright colors, couple short perfs, used with 10c Yellow (116), vivid shade, tied by three strikes of circle of wedges cancel, full strike of "P.O.D. U.S. Con. Genl. Shanghai Jan. 14" (1871) circular datestamp on linen-lined cover with printed address to Mrs. E. W. (changed to Mr. A. B.) Bradford, Enon Valley, Pennsylvania, "Prepaid" route directive imprint with manuscript "via San Francisco", "U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL/SHANGHAI" two-line handstamp at lower left, U.S. Consulate Shanghai red wax seal affixed to flaps, "San Francisco Cal. Feb. 17" circular datestamp on back, repaired edge tears and clipped corner at lower left

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE CELEBRATED 30-CENT 1869 "BRADFORD" COVER FROM SHANGHAI, WIDELY ACCLAIMED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT 1869 PICTORIAL COVERS EXTANT AND AN ICON OF CLASSIC UNITED STATES POSTAL HISTORY.

Although there is no year date on the cover, it was mailed from Shanghai in January 1871 by Oliver Bloomfield Bradford, who traveled to Shanghai with his parents in 1861 and was appointed vice consul in 1871. Several years later, Bradford was convicted of tampering with the U.S. mail and subjected to a congressional impeachment review (he was not impeached). Bradford went on to help build China's first railroad (Laurence, Chronicle 80).

This cover was postmarked at the U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai and carried on the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. branch-line steamer Golden Age, departing January 14, 1871, and arriving at Yokohama January 21. From Yokohama it was carried on the PMSS Great Republic, departing January 23 and arriving at San Francisco February 16. The San Francisco post office applied the February 17 circular datestamp on the back and sent it east on the relatively new transcontinental railroad. The "U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL/SHANGHAI" handstamp is an extremely rare marking--the other example known to us is found used as a forwarding marking on an 1867 cover (see Sale 1105, lot 2606).

Michael Laurence described the Bradford cover in his Chronicle series as "one of the great gems of 1869 philately" and devoted special attention to it in his 10c 1869 book (pp. 277-280). In the 1981 Sotheby Parke Bernet sale catalogue of the Ishikawa U.S. Post Offices in Japan collection, the late Calvet M. Hahn, who described the material, used the superlatives "magnificent and unique" in exaltation of this cover.

Of the approximately 50 covers known with the 30c 1869, only four originated in China or Japan:

1 -- 30c pair, 10c No. 116, Shanghai, China, Jan. 14, 1871, to A. B. Bradford, Enon Valley Pa., ex Shierson, Dr. Riddell, Ishikawa and Dr. LeBow, the cover offered here

2 -- 30c pair, 10c No. 116, Shanghai, China, Feb. 12, 1871, to Boston Trading Co., Boston Mass., in restored condition, Robert G. Kaufmann sale, M. Laurence collection

3 -- 30c pair, 10c No. 116 pair on U40 entire, Yokohama, Japan, July 1, 1869, to Lyon, France, red "China and Japan Steam Service" oval, the so-called "Miro" cover, ex Walske

4 -- 30c single, Yokohama, Japan, Jan. 24, 1870, to Ernest Martin, Marseilles, France, PhilaMercury no. 22784

Illustrated in The 1869 Issue on Cover: A Census and Analysis (color plate 17); Michael Laurence, Ten-Cent 1869 Covers: A Postal Historical Survey (p. 278); Frajola-Perlman-Scamp book (p. 108); ANPHILEX '71 exhibition catalogue, where exhibited by Dr. and Mrs. John D. Riddell (photo p. 35, entry p. 50).

Ex Charles A. Shierson, Dr. and Mrs. John D. Riddell, Ryohei Ishikawa and Dr. Robert H. LeBow. Signed by Stanley B. Ashbrook.

With 2004 P.F. certificate.

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