2c Black (73). Five, including one pair and one with wide interpane centerline margin, tied together and at left by five strikes of Yokohama "X" chop cancel on blue folded letter datelined "Yokohama, April 25 1868" from Thorel & Co. to H. Hastings & Co. in Boston, sender's ship-name directive "pr. New-York"--carried on the PMSS New York, departing Yokohama April 28, 1868, and arriving San Francisco May 18--blurry strike of red "China and Japan Steam Service" oval handstamp, "San Francisco Cal. May 19" (1868) circular datestamp

VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED COVERS FROM THE FAR EAST WITH FIVE 2-CENT BLACK JACK STAMPS PAYING THE 10-CENT RATE--THESE TWO ARE THE ONLY RECORDED BLACK JACK COVERS WITH THE "CHINA AND JAPAN STEAM SERVICE" OVAL HANDSTAMP. ONLY SEVEN COVERS ARE KNOWN FROM JAPAN WITH ANY FORM OF BLACK JACK FRANKING. A TRULY SPECTACULAR ARTIFACT OF FAR EAST POSTAL HISTORY INVOLVING THE UNITED STATES MAILS.

A review of past auctions and The Philatelic Foundation records located only seven 2c Black Jack covers originating in Japan. Two have the "Hiogo, Japan" double-circle handstamp, and on each the 2c stamp is used with two 10c stamps for the combined 10c steamship rate and 12c treaty rate to England. Three others are printed matter rates with one or two 2c Black Jack stamps (one is offered as lot 2082 in this sale). In addition to the cover offered here, we located only one other from Japan or China with five Black Jack stamps paying the 10c rate (ex Faust, Sale 1181, lot 1630). In fact, these two covers from Japan are the only examples of the Black Jack used by itself to pay the 10c rate on a cover from China or Japan, and they are the only two Black Jack covers with the "China and Japan Steam Service" oval.

Ex Dr. Rorke and Fosdyke-Ray. With 1978 P.F. certificate.

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