3c Ultramarine (114). Used as forwarding postage with two France 1870 40c Orange, Bordeaux Issue (47), large margins to cut in, tied by diamond of dots cancels, "Morez-du-Jura 3E/2 Auot 71" (August 2, 1871) double-circle datestamp on folded letter in French datelined Morez, July 31, 1871, to Pignatel & Co., Nagasaki, Japan, sender's directive "Voie de Suez", Lyon-to-Marseilles and Marseilles datestamps on back (August 3), red "AFFRANCHISSEMENT/INSUFFISANT" framed handstamp indicating the letter weighed over the limit for the 80c rate to Japan, "4" decimes debit handstamp, carried on the French postal route to Yokohama, blue "Yokohama Bru Francaise 20 Oct 71" French Post Office double-circle datestamp lightly struck on back, the cover was delivered to Eccard & Raud, faint but clear strike of "ECCARD & RAUD,/YOKOHAMA (Japon.)" handstamp on back, they crossed out the earlier Suez route directive and wrote "Per 'Golden Age'" ship-name directive, then turned the letter over to the U.S. Post Office, they also affixed the 1869 Pictorial stamp to pay the 3c interconsular rate, tied by Yokohama circle of wedges cancel, "Yokohama Japan Oct. 2(1)" circular datestamp--carried on the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. branch-line steamer Golden Age, departing Yokohama October 21, 1871, and arriving Nagasaki days later--docketing on back indicates October 26 receipt date, faintly toned, horizontal file fold passes through 3c stamp, but with almost invisible effect

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN OUTSTANDING MIXED-FRANKING COVER, ORIGINATING IN FRANCE WITH TWO 40-CENTIMES BORDEAUX ISSUE STAMPS UNDERPAYING POSTAGE TO JAPAN, THEN FORWARDED FROM THE U.S. POST OFFICE IN YOKOHAMA TO THE ADDRESSEE IN NAGASAKI WITH A 3-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL STAMP PAYING THE INTERCONSULAR RATE. A COLORFUL COVER AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARTIFACTS OF THE POSTAL HISTORY OF CHINA AND JAPAN.

This extraordinary cover was mailed from France to Japan in August 1871, just months after the end of the Franco-Prussian War. It was delivered to the firm of Eccard & Raud in Yokohama, who presumably paid the postage due. Since France had no postal service from Yokohama to Nagasaki, Eccard & Raud gave the letter to the U.S. Post Office, and an additional 3c for the interconsular rate was paid with the 1869 stamp. The rate between U.S. post offices in Japan was reduced from 10c to 3c in mid-1870, as evidenced by the earliest recorded cover showing the new rate, dated July 15, 1870, from Hiogo-Osaka to Yokohama (see Frajola-Perlman-Scamp book, p. 174).

We record five mixed-franking covers with French and United States stamps paying postage to or from China and Japan. Four were sent through the U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai and have Bank Note stamps (one is offered in lot 2063). The cover offered here is the only one sent through the U.S. Post Office in Yokohama, and it is also the only one with an 1869 Pictorial stamp. 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).

Ex Ryohei Ishikawa.

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