China. (Indo-Chinese Post Offices in Mengtsz). 1904. Envelope addressed to France bearing Mengtsz SG 5, 10c rose and SG 6, 15c grey tied by Mongtze/ Chine double ring '27th Juin 04', routed via Lao-Kay '8th Juil' and Hanoi '13th Juil' with Paris arrival '16th Aout' on reverse.

Early mail from the Indo-Chinese Post Office in Mengtsz, Yunnan Province.

China. (Indo-Chinese Post Offices in Yunnan-Sen). 1919. Picture post card of'Pagoda a etage Route circulaire. Haiphong' addressed to Paris, bearing French Indo-China SG 56, 15c violet tied by Hanoi/ Tonkin double ring '4th July 19', re-directed to Yunnan with Laokay/ Tonkin transit '30th Sept' and Yunnan-Fu-Chine' double ring '28th Sept'.

Scarce Yunnan-Fu postmark this later type only in use for three years.
See Desrousseaux livre 3'.

China. (Indo-Chinese Post Offices in Tchong - King). 1905. Picture post card of 'Pagoda des Vileillards, Tchong-King' addressed to Paris bearing Chungking SG 5, 10c rose-red tied by Tch'ong K'ing-Chine double ring '29th Mai 06', (with second strike adjacent), routed via the French Post Office, Hankow with circular Han-Keou-Chine/ Poste Francaise' transit '7th Juin' on face.

China. (German Post Office in China). 1903. Picture post card of 'The German Fort & Barracks, Tientsin' addressed to Germany bearing German China SG 23, 5pf green tied by Tientsin a/ Deutsche Post date stamp '23rd Feb 1903' with framed 'S.B./ Ostas. Besatz. Brigade/ Stab 2. Inf. - Regmts.' hand-stamp in violet on face with Schweinfurt arrival '8th Apr 03'

Card published by "E. Lee Tientsin'.

China. (German Post Office in China). 1904. Picture post card of 'Russian Troops auf der Eisenbahn Station' written from 'Tongku, China' addressed to Germany bearing Germany Yvert 53, 5pf green tied by 'Kais. Deutsche/ Marine Schifespost/ Station No 10' (second strike adjacent) dated '2nd Avril 04' and Dornach receiver '9th May 04'.

China. (German Post Office in China). 1916. Envelope addressed to Berlin, Germany bearing German China SG 47, 2c on 5pf green and SG 48, 5c on 10pf red (pair) tied by Peking/ Deutsche Post date stamp '5th May 16' with British 'Opened By Censor/ 4108' censor tape tied by framed instructional 'Released By The/ British Military Authorities' in violet on face and re-sealed with censor tape '378' label.

Lovely item posted from German China and held for the duration of the war and then forwarded to Berlin.

China. (German China - Boxer Campaign). 1900. Coloured picture post card of 'Compangievorstellung bei den Weissflaggen' addressed to Germany bearing German China SG 9, 10pf red tied by Shanghai/ Deutsche Post date stamp '30th Mar 00' with Berlin arrival '1st May'.

Scarce and attractive card for Boxer War propaganda published by 'Veriag Der Deutschen Drukerie & Verlagsanstalt, Shanghai'.

China. (German China). 1906. Picture post card of 'Port de Chefoo' addressed to France bearing German China SG 38, 4c on 10pf carmine tied by Tschifu/ Deutsche Post date stamp '16th July 06.' with Marne arrival '26th Sept'.

China. (German Post Office in China). 1901. Picture post card of 'German soldiers march past of the Bersaglieri' (sharpshooters) addressed to Germany bearing German China SG 23, 5pf green tied by Tongku/ Deutsche Post date stamp '22nd Nov 01' with Benfeld arrival '3rd Jan 02' on face.

Card published by 'German Printing & Publishing House, Shanghai'.

Nice item from the German Contingent in the Boxer Campaign.

Australia. (Royal Netherlands Forces Censorship). 1943. Air Mail envelope written from 'The Royal Netherlands Forces Group 8, Batchelor, N.T.' addressed to Melbourne, endorsed 'By Air Mail' bearing Australia SG 204, 1 1/2d green and SG 206, 2 1/2d scarlet tied by Air Force P.O. No 22' date stamp '22nd Dec 43' with circular 'Passed by R.N.F. Censor/ No 15' in violet on face dated '22nd Dec 1943' and signed by the censor.

Royal Netherlands Force Censor from Bachelor is not recorded by "Putten & Weijer' in 'Postal Censorship and Interment Camp Mail in the Netherlands Indies 1940 - 1942'.

Ceylon. (NAVAL CENSOR). 1941. Air Mail envelope addressed to England bearing SG 389, 10c black and turquoise, SG 390, 15c brown and green, SG 391, 20c black and indigo, SG 392, 25c brown and blue (pair) and SG 398, 3c on 6c black and blue (2) tied by Colombo Foreign double ring '21st Nov 40' with framed 'Passed By Censor/ Date & Signature of Officer/ H.M. Naval Office/ Colombo', signed and dated '18th Nov 40'.

Netherlands East Indies. (Penang). 1940. Air Mail Netherlands Indies postal stationery card '3 1/2c' grey upgraded with SG 398, 2 1/2c bistre, SG 400, 4c bronze and SG 405, 20c purple tied by Pangkalan/ Brandan date stamp '20th May 40', addressed to Switzerland with tri-angular 'Passed For Transmission/ Penang/ 32' censorship on face.

Netherlands East Indies. (Tunisia - Service Suspended). 1942. Post-card addressed to 'Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisia, North Africa' bearing Netherlands Indies SG 429, 10c vermilion tied by Batavia/ Centrum double ring '26th Feb 42' with 'Gecensureerd/ 14' hand-stamp in carmine with circular 'Ec. C.' and hand-struck 'DEV/. 14' on face in carmine, endorsed 'Ret. Afz./ Verbinding Verbroken' in m/s black ink (connection broken).

Mail to Tunisia was suspended in 1942 due to the ongoing battles of the Tunisia campaign and the disruption of postal routes caused by the conflict.

Sudan. (Nigeria - Trans-Atlantic Mail). 1942. Air Mail envelope bearing Sudan SG 46, 10p black and purple tied by Port Sudan date stamp '4th June' with 'Sudan Censorship/ 12' green label tied by triangular 'Passed Censor/ Sudan' cachet in violet, endorsed 'via Trans-Atlantic route' and routed via Nigeria with framed 'Censor' in violet on face and Lagos transit on reverse '12th June 42.

Single franking sent on the 'Horseshoe' route, Trans- Africa and over the Atlantic.

China. (Manchuria - Russo - Japanese War). 1905. French "Sower" postal stationery card 10c red cancelled by Paris date stamp '13th March 05' addressed to 'Monsieur Jean Rodes, Correspondent de Guerre du Journal le Matin'", le Armee de Koucopathine a Mukden, Manchurie', endorsed 'Faire Suivre' (To be Forwarded) with French Post Office and Imperial Post Shanghai '22nd Avril 05', circular Imperial Post Office Manchuria and Russian 'Head Field Telegraph Post Office' receiver '4th July 05' on face.

In 1904 'Le Matin' sent three special news envoys to Manchuria to report on the theatre of hostilities from the Russian side of the Russo-Japanese War.

Jean Rodes was 35 years old and a correspondent for the Parisian 'Le Matin' he travelled from Marseille on the 'Messageries Maritimes' via the Suez Canal for Saigon and Hong Kong, then to Shanghai and Pekin to the frontier town of Chan-Hai-Kwan and Manchuria on the Golf of Petchili. He wrote on the Russo-Japanese War based at "Niou-Chouang'. He returned via the Transsiberian railway and made several more trips to China in later years.

China. (French Intervention Forces in Siberia). 1919. Registered envelope addressed to 'Monsieur Sergeant Lemee, French Military Mission, Vladivostok' bearing French China SG 47, 10c on 10k deep blue tied by Tien - Tsin Chine/ Poste Francaise double ring '7th Mai 19' (with second strike adjacent) and matching registration label, routed via the French Post Office Shanghai '9/5' with Vladivostok censor on face in violet and double ring arrival '18th Mai' on reverse.

Scarce item of incoming registered mail into the French Intervention Forces.

China. (Venezuela - United States Post Office in China). 1904. Photographic post card of 'Jardin de una Casa, Caracas' addressed to 'Mr Henri, J.M. Maitse, Customs House, Wu - Hu, sur le YANG - TSE, Chine' bearing Venezuela Yvert 60, 10c orange-red and Yvert 109, 5c on 50c green tied by Caracas date stamp '10th Jan' ,routed via the United States over the Pacific with Seattle transit roller, received in the United States Post Office Shanghai with circular 'U.S. Postal Sta. Rec'd/ Shanghai' date stamp 'April 4 1904' and Shanghai Local Post date stamp adjacent.

Wonderful item of incoming mail from South America via Seattle to the Customs House, Wuhu carried along the Upper Yangtse River.

Greece. (United States). 1941. Envelope addressed to the 'Army Postmaster, British Field Post Office, Island of Lemnos, via Athens, Greece' bearing United States SG 897. 2c carmine and SG 899, 3c violet tied by Oakland/ Calif roller 'Mr 3rd 1941', routed via Egypt with circular Postal censor in violet with framed instructional 'Undelivered For Reason Stated/ Return To Sender' (struck three times) in violet and m/s 'No Service A.P.O.' and returned via 'Home Depot/ A.P.O.' rubber date stamp '22nd Aug' and Army Post Office '28 Aug 41' in violet on reverse.

Lemnos was occupied during the war by the German Army on 25th April 1941. Lemnos was finally liberated by the Holy Corps and the British on October 17 1944.

Greece. (French Post Office in Samos). 1908. French Levant 'Type Mouchon' postal stationery card 10c red cancelled by Vathy/ Samos date stamp '27th Aug 08' in violet addressed to the Netherlands with Amsterdam receiver '3rd Sept' on face.

Greece. (British Post Office in the Ionian Islands). 1863. Stamp-less folded letter written from 'French Consulate on Cephalonia with large circular 'Agence Consulair de France a Cephalonie' in green on reverse addressed to Marseille cancelled by fancy boxed British Post Office "Cephalonia" in green, routed via the Austrian Post Office via Trieste and Wien with hand-struck 'A' and Wien transit '19th Avril' French entry cachet and hand-struck '10' (decimes) erased and charged '15' in m/s also erased, Marseille receiver '23rd Avtil 63' on face (crossed out in m/s ink), cover 'refused' and returned to the Ionian Islands with manuscript accountancy '15/ 15' applied in red crayon and oval Ionian 'Tax' hand-stamp on face with blue crayon '19' in upper right corner.

Very fine cover written from the French Consulate on Cephalonia and routed viaBritish Post Office on Cephalonia, Ionian Islands.

Ethiopia. (French Post Office). 1909. Photographic post card of 'Fustigation sur Place du Marche a Adis - Abeba' addressed to France bearing Ethiopia Yvert 85, 16pi on 16g black tied by French Post Office 'Dirre - Daoua/ Abyssinie' date stamp '5th Jan 09' with second strike adjacent.

The French Post Office was established at Dirre - Daoua on November 1st 1906. The Post Office was attached to Port Said, not Djbouti.

Scarce photo card showing 'Beating at Market Place'.

Ethiopia. (French Post Office). 1908. Picture post card 'Harvesting pulses and cereals' addressed to France dated '18/12'08' bearing Ethiopia Yvert 80, 1/2 piastre on 1/2g orange-red tied by 'Harar Postes double ring in blue '19th Dec 08' with second strike adjacent.

A scarce item from the French Post Office at Harar with the "Francais" removed.

The French maintained an independent Post Office at Harar until late 1908.

French Colonies. (Oceania - Tahiti). 1899. Registered envelope addressed to France bearing Oceania Yvert 10, 40c orange and Yvert 12, 75c violet/ yellow tied by Papeete/ Tati double ring '14th Avril 99' with framed hand-struck 'R' and Paris/ Chargements '31st Mai' transit and Montauban receiver '1st June'.

Scarce stamps on cover (the 40c orange very rare), paying the 6 times letter rate (15 x 6 = 90 cents) and 25 cents registration fee.

French Colonies. (Benin - German Togo). 1896. Envelope addressed to Little Popo bearing Golfe de Benin Yvert 27, 25c black/ rose tied by Whydah/ Benin double ring '7th Dec 96', routed via Grand Popo and Agoue/ Benin '8th Dec' with Klein - Popo (German Togo) arrival postmark.

Very nice item from Benin via Agoue to German Togo. France ceded Klein Popo to Germany on 24th December 1885.

French Colonies. (New Caledonia - French Postage Dues). 1903. Picture post card of 'Case de Chef, Canaque' addressed to France bearing New Caledonia Yvert 41, 1c black, Yvert 42, 2c lilac (pair on reverse) and Yvert 43, 4c lilac-brown tied by Noumea/ Nlle Caledonia double ring '9th Sept', routed via French paquebot with 'Ligne N Paq. Fr. No 2' date stamp '4th Oct', underpaid with 'T' hand-stamp and bearing French postage dues Yvert 10, 1c black (pair) applied and tied by Bussiere Poitevine/ Haut Vienne double ring receiver on face (and tying the New Caledonia stamps on reverse) dated '22nd Oct'.
Postcard should have paid 10 cents, but underpaid by 1 cent and so taxed with two cents French postage due.

Algeria. (French Cameroun - Nigeria). 1942. Air Mail envelope with printed 'Par Avion via Air Afrique - Sabina' addressed to French Camerouns bearing Algeria Yvert 176, 1f50 carmine and Yvert 179, 2f blue (3) tied by Alger roller date stamp '19th Dec 42', routed via Dakar, Senegal with 'Control Postal' label tied by 'Ouvert/ Par Les/ Autorite de Controle' and circular 'A/3' with Nigeria 'P.C.90/ Opened By Examiner' label tied by boxed 'Crown/ Passed/ PP/ 28' censor cachet in violet with 'Cotonou/ Dahomey '20th Dec' and Afrique Equatoriale Francaise 'Controle Postal Militaire' label tied by oval 'Ouvert/Par/ L' Autorite Militaire; with Douala and M' Balmayo arrival '14th Jan 43' on reverse.

Air Afrique and Sabina Trans Africa route with three censor labels and four censor cachets.

French Colonies. (Oceania - U.S. Post Office in China). 1900. Etablissement De L' Oceanie postal stationery envelope '25c black/ rose cancelled by Papeete/ Tahiti double ring '12th Jan 00' with adjacent second strike, addressed to 'The French Ambassador, Peking, China', routed via San Francisco and Tacoma ' Feb 20' with circular 'U.S. Postal Agency Shanghai, China' transit '24th March' and Imperial Post Office Shanghai and Peking arrival '29th March' on reverse.

Very scarce item of mail from the French Oceania islands via the United States sent through the U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai to Peking.

Thailand. (Photograph). Circa 1920 Black and White Photograph 'Shipping on the Menam, Bangkok'

This black and white photo was used for the picture post card by 'J. Antonio.'

Thailand. (Trade Advert Cards). Circa 1900. French Trade card for 'Edition de la Chocolaterie D' Aiguebelle (Drome)' inscribed 'La Post su Siam' and depicting 'Postman on Thai Elephant with 1st issue stamp and Siam flag with white elephant on red background'.

Riverboats, runners and Elephants helped the mail get through in the early days of Siam post.

Thailand. (Trade Advert Cards_ Circa 1890. French Trade card of 'Entree du Palais du Roi de Siam a Bangkok' advertising 'Chocolat Guerin - Boutron'.

Attractive card showing the Royal Palace with Elephant statues.

Thailand. (Trade Advert Cards). Circa 1900. German Trade card for "Zuntz Chinesiecher Thee". (Chinese Tea) depicting Siamese stamps and warrior on horseback at the temple and shield with elephants.

Thaialnd. (Trade Advert Cards). Circa 1900. Trade card for 'Chocolat Cacao/ N. Lejet' inscribed 'La Post au Siam' depicting 'A Postman on Thai Elephant, 1sr issue stamp and the flag of Siam with white elephant on red background'.

Thailand. (Trade Advert Cards). Circa 1900. French Trade Card of 'L; Elephant blanc du Siam' advertising 'Compagnie Liebig (Frey Bentos), Bangkok.'

Lovely card depicting Royal Siamese white elephant with buddha monks and temple in backgroud.

Thailand. (Trade Advert Cards). Circa 1900. French Trade card 'Joueur de chochettes Siamois' advertising "Compagnie Liebig (Frey Bentos), Joueurde clochettes Siamois'.

Card advertising 'OXO' cubes on reverse.

Thailand. (Trade Advert Cards). Circa 1900. German Trade card for "Chocolate Klaus' (Siam).

Nice card depicting Siamese postman delivering the mail on a small canoe with white elephant on red flag.

A romantic view of how the mail was carried in Siam'.

Thailand. (Trade Advert Cards). Circa 1900. German Trade card advertising "Hartwig & Vogel's Tell - Cacao, Bangkok".

Card depicting Siamese girl in costume, holding Elephant flag with temple pagoda.

Thailand. (Trade Advert Cards). Circa 1900. French Trade Card of 'view of Menam and Wat Chang, Bangkok advertising "Chocolat Guerin - Boutron'.

British West Indies. (Nevis). 1876. Long blue envelope addressed to 'James Sanderson, Barbados' bearing 'Nissen & Parker, The Medicinal Spring Types' SG 12, 4d deep orange (vertical pair) tied by 'A09' obliterator with Nevis date stamp adjacent 'Sep 6 76' and Barbados double arc arrival on face dated 'Sept 9 1876', showing large '2' rating in blue crayon for local charges and figure "8" in red crayon all on face.

Only 5 double letter rated 8d "Nissen 7 Parker" covers are known, this being one of two addressed to Barbados.

From the same Sanderson correspondence addressed to Barbados two quadruple covers are also known.

Rumania. (United Principalities). Circa 1864. Folded letter endorsed "DHI" with oval firms cachet 'Leon M. Eseninaz & Co/ Crajova' on face, bearing 30 parale deep blue (imperf with large to huge margins) tied by Crajova double ring in blue dated '14/3' with second strike lower left.

Cyprus.(Trans-Atlantic Mail). 1889. Cyprus Parcel Label (printed in English and French), headed 'Parcel Post Cyprus', written from Larnaca, Cyprus with 'Larnaca/ Cyprus' date stamp in red dated 'Feb 25 89', endorsed "Box/ 200 Sets Cyprus Copper Coins/ value 3 pounds" addressed to New York with notation 'Liverpool in transit to New York' with 'Foreign & Colonial/ Parcel Post/ Parcel Passing Through The General Post Office London' and charged Inland Postage '1/6' with notation in blue crayon.

The Parcel label has been 'Pre-Paid' 1-10 and is entry Number 4 in blue crayon corresponding witht he number '4' on the Parcel Post label.

A unique Cyprus label.

Netherlands West Indies. (Curacao). 1948. 'Bulletin D' Expedition' (Value Declared Parcel Card) addressed to England bearing Curacao Yvert 121, 5c vermilion, Yvert 148, 2 1/2g lilac and Yvert 185, 50c yellow-green tied by Curacao/ Wilemstad double ring '14th July 48' with Curacao (344) label and value declared for "Nineteen Guilders 65 cents".

British West Indies. (St. Vincent - Late Fee). Circa 1909. Small piece bearing SG 109, 1d carmine (pair) and 'War Tax' SG 127, 1d rose-red tied by hand-struck 'LATE FEE' in black with adjacent St. Vincent date stamp 'Nov 23rd.'

Messenger noted a few examples of this large Late Fee hand-stamp (Messenger No 78) have been seen with 1909 dates. The LATE FEE was increased from 1d to 2d from November 1909.

British West Indies. (St. Vincent - Late Fee). 1894. St. Vincent postal stationery card QV 'one penny red' upgraded with SG 48, 1d rose-red tied by Kingstown/ St. Vincent date stamp 'Ju 24 94' addressed to 'E. Evelyn, Govt. Office, St. Lucia' with hand-struck 'LATE FEE' on face in black and St. Lucia arrival on reverse 'July 3rd'.

Messenger notes very few examples have been seen
A very rare instructional hand-stamp from his collection with the additional '1d' red paying the Late Fee. A very scarce item of inter-Caribbean mail.

St. Vincent. (Stamps - Postmarks). 1876. SG 20, 1s lilac - rose cancelled by circular date stamp in red 'Ju 28 76'.

A very beautiful example of this stamp. Cat 350 GBP.

Ex Vincent Duggleby.

British West Indies. (St. Lucia - St. Vincent). 1888. St. Vincent postal stationery registered letter 'two pence blue' upgraded with SG 33, 2 1/2d blue tied by St. Lucia/ C date stamp 'Oc 14 88' with second strike adjacent, endorsed 'No 96' (indicating registration), addressed to 'Mrs Thomas Robin, Georgetown, St. Vincent' with circular 'Kingstown/ St. Vincent. C' date stamp arrival in vermilion on face dated 'Oc 18'.

Scarce inter - Caribbean destination.

British West Indies. (St. Vincent - Canada). 1895. St. Vincent postal stationery 'Registered Letter' two pence grey' upgraded with SG 55, 2 1/2d on 1d grey-blue tied by Kingstown/ St. Vincent date stamp 'Oc 4 95' with a second strike adjacent and circular 'St. Vincent/ A' small cds in vermilion 'Oc 4', endorsed "No 713" (indicating registration) and initialed by the Postmaster "TCBM" (Musgrove), addressed to Toronto, Canada with oval 'New York/ REG' transit '12/10' and Toronto arrival 'Oc 14' on reverse.

Beautiful cover with the small St. Vincent/ A date stamp in red, used later than the latest date recorded by Messenger (3.6.92).

St. Vincent. (Postmarks - Paid Part). Circa 1872. SG 18, 1d black cancelled by circular "PP" in red (Paid Part).

Messenger records 3 examples of this postmark in red and one in black.

Ex Messenger and Vincent Duggleby.

St. Vincent. (Postmarks - French Anchor of Dots). Circa 1866. SG 6, 4d deep blue (small thin at top), cancelled by anchor of dots.

Only a few 'anchor of dots' postmarks have been recorded. This elusive postmark is a French maritime cachet found on mail from South America and the French Caribbean. See Raymond Salles, French Maritime Mail.

Ex Peter Holcombe and Sharp.

St. Vincent. (Postmarks - French Anchor of Dots). Circa 1866. SG 1, 1d rose-red cancelled by anchor of dots.

Only a few 'anchor of dots' postmarks have been recorded. This elusive postmark on Saint Vincent QV stamps is a French maritime cachet found on mail from South America and the French Caribbean. See Raymond Salles French Maritime Mail.

British West Indies. (St. Vincent - Denmark). 1896. St. Vincent stamp-less 'On Her Majesty's Service' envelope (with oval Coat of Arms imprint on reverse) addressed to 'V.C. Peterson, Copenhagen, Denmark' cancelled by St. Vincent/ Official/ PAID' date stamp with adjacent 'St. Vincent/ A' small cds in vermilion 'Ap 15 96', endorsed by the Colonial Postmaster "E. Cornewall Lewis", routed via London '29th April' and charged '40' in scarlet crayon on arrival in Copenhagen with receiver '2nd May on reverse.

Messenger records only three dates known of this scarce St. Vincent Official Paid hand-stamp. An exceptional cover going to Denmark.