30c Ultramarine & Carmine (121). Well-centered, rich colors and proof-like impression, used with 12c Green (117), tied by quartered cork cancels on folded letter datelined "New York, 2 July, 1869" from Weston & Wolf to Charles Thorel & Company in Yokohama, Japan, sender's directive "p C. Antwerp via Marseille", bold red "New York Paid All Jul. 3" (1869) circular datestamp on back, matching red "32" credit handstamp -- carried on Inman New York, departing New York July 3, 1869, arriving Queenstown July 13 – red "London Paid 15 JY 69" circular datestamp, red crayon "1" British Colonial credit, carried on Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. steamers from Southampton to Alexandria (Egypt), then overland to Suez, and from there to Hong Kong via Galle (Ceylon), "Hong-Kong C AU 25 69" and "Yokohama A AU 31 69" British P.O. circular datestamps on back

FRESH AND EXTREMELY FINE. A PHENOMENALLY RARE USE OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE ON COVER TO YOKOHAMA, JAPAN, FROM THE FAMOUS THOREL CORRESPONDENCE. ONLY THREE SUCH COVERS ARE RECORDED. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE COVERS EXTANT.

The U.S. rate to Japan via England and Marseilles prior to January 1, 1870, was 42c. The U.S. share of postage was 10c; therefore, 42c rate covers show a 32c credit to England, which includes 8c to France for expedited transit.

There are three 30c covers to Japan, all addressed to Thorel & Company: 1) June 4, 1869, to Thorel & Co., 42c rate with 32c credit, Sale 1090, lot 2249; 2) July 3, 1869, to Thorel & Co., 42c rate with 32c credit, 1984 Rarities (Sale 632, lot 291), the cover offered here; and 3) Dec. 3, 1869, to Thorel & Co., prepaid for 42c rate but incorrectly credited 26c, marked "Insufficiently Stamped via Marseilles" due to short-paid credit, ex Gibson, Ishikawa, Rose and Gross (Sale 1188, lot 90).

Charles (or Karl) Thorel was one of many western merchants doing business in Japan after the 1858 Harris Treaty formalized commercial relations between the United States and Japan. Thorel partnered with a Swiss-born merchant named Karl Ziegler in the silk-trading firm of Thorel, Ziegler & Company. The company was based in Yokohama and operated from 1865 to 1868, at which point the partnership dissolved. Thorel continued in business under the name Charles Thorel & Company. Were it not for the Thorel correspondence, collectors would have no 24c or 30c 1869 covers to Japan. In addition, there are quite a few Thorel covers with stamps of earlier issues or other 1869 values. The more recent discovery of Thorel letters was sold through Dr. Wilhelm Derichs auction house in Germany (August 29, 2014).

The cover offered here has been known to philatelists since the 1930s, having been part of the collection formed by Judge Robert S. Emerson, a prominent collector, active in the 1920s and 30s, who died January 23, 1937. The first portion of the Emerson collection to be sold after his death was offered in Kelleher's 394th Sale (October 19, 1937). This cover (lot 236) was sold to Edward S. Knapp for $80, according to Stanley B. Ashbrook’s personal copy of the sale catalogue. The cover next appeared in the second part of the 1941 Knapp sales after his death. It was later offered in the 1984 Siegel Rarities of the World sale (lot 291).

Ex Emerson and Knapp. From our 1984 Rarities of the World sale.

Illustrated in Chronicle 246 (p. 163). From the Magnolia collection.

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