6c Dull Pink (159). Used as forwarding postage with France 1871-72 25c Blue (58) pair and 80c Rose (63), tied by diamond of dots cancels, "Bordeaux Les Salinieres 4E/25 Juin 74" (June 25, 1874) double-circle datestamp on folded letter to Pignatel & Co., Nagasaki, Japan, sender's directive "Via Brindisi, outre Steamer", Paris June 25 and 26 backstamps, red "Paris a Modane 26 Juin 74" datestamp on back, black "P.D." (Paid to Destination) framed handstamp struck out with red "P.P." (Paid to Port) framed handstamp, carried on the French postal route via Brindisi to Shanghai, "Shang-Hai Chine 5 Auot 74" French Post Office double-circle datestamp on back, the cover was handed to the U.S. Postal Agency, a U.S. stamp was affixed to pay the 6c interconsular rate and tied by circle of wedges cancel, "U.S. Postal Ag'cy Shanghai Aug. 12" circular datestamp--carried on the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. branch-line steamer Golden Age, departing Shanghai August 12, 1874, and arriving Nagasaki days later--docketing on back indicates August 14 receipt date, small tear at top right, trivial gum stains around 6c

VERY FINE. AN OUTSTANDING MIXED-FRANKING COVER, ORIGINATING IN FRANCE WITH THE CERES ISSUE PAYING POSTAGE TO SHANGHAI VIA BRINDISI, AND SENT FROM U.S. POSTAL AGENCY IN SHANGHAI TO NAGASAKI WITH A 6-CENT BANK NOTE ISSUE STAMP PAYING THE INTERCONSULAR RATE. A COLORFUL COVER AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARTIFACTS OF THE POSTAL HISTORY OF CHINA AND JAPAN.

This cover from France to Nagasaki, Japan, was mailed in 1874, the last year of the foreign post offices in Japan. Beginning January 1, 1875, the new Japanese Foreign Postal Service took over international mails, and the U.S. post offices in Yokohama, Nagasaki, Hiogo and Hakodate closed.

It was transported to the French post office in Shanghai on the route via Brindisi. As France had no postal service from Shanghai to Nagasaki in 1874, the correspondent's agent in Shanghai gave the cover to the United States Postal Agency, and an additional 6c for the interconsular rate was paid by the Bank Note stamp.

We record five covers with French and United States stamps used together to pay postage to or from China and Japan. Four were sent through the U.S. office in Shanghai and have Bank Note stamps. One was sent through the office in Yokohama and has a 3c 1869 stamp (offered in lot 2095). In addition to the five covers from France, there are two covers from Germany to Nagasaki via Shanghai, each with German and U.S. Bank Note stamps (one is offered in lot 2062).

Illustrated in Frajola-Perlman-Scamp book (p. 124) and Matsumoto Jun Ichi, A History of The French Post Office of Yokohama (p. 196).

Small Calves and Roumet handstamps.

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