China. (Japanese Post Offices in China). 1906. Japanese postal stationery folded letter card 3s violet cancelled by Tientsin 2/ I.J.P.O. date stamp '23rd Dec' addressed to the 'French Concession, Tientsin with Tien-Tsin-Chine/ Poste Francaise arrival on reverse dated '24th Dec 06.'

Scarce item of postal stationery used from the Japanese Post Office in Tientsin.

China. (Japanese Post Offices). 1906. Envelope addressed to Germany bearing Japanese Post Office in China SG 5, 2s yellow-green tied by Foochow/ I.J.P.O. date stamp.

Lovely item paying the Printed Matter rate to Europe.

China. (Manchuria - Spain). 1946. Registered envelope written from Madrid, Spain, addressed to Harbin, China bearing Spain SG 903, 10c carmine, SG 904, 15c green, SG 948, 20c violet, SG 949, 25c claret, SG 953, 50c slate and SG 954, 60c orange tied by framed Certificado/ Madrid date stamp '16th Ago 46' with hand-struck 'Madrid/ Espana' in violet, routed via Changchun (Manchuria) '1st December' on face and Shanghai '12th Dec' on reverse with bold framed instructional 'Mail Route to Destination/ blockaded, return to sender' in black on face and returned.

The USSR did not declare war on Japan until August 8 1945 and took steps to occupy Harbin and other parts of Manchuria. The Soviet occupation of Harbin lasted until April 1946 when control was given to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (CPLA). The CPLA then controlled Manchuria from Harbin and caused a breakdown in postal communications. Changchun in the northeast was in the hands of the Nationalists they regarded to CPLA as causing a blockade and hence the instructional 'Blockaded' cachet applied in Shanghai

A similar cover is illustrated by Robert Johnson in the 'Collectors Club' journal March - April 2011. Johnson notes he has only seen one other example, with this cover three examples of this rare cachet are known.

China. (Manchuria). 1928. Registered envelope addressed to Chicago bearing SG 321, 10c blue (pair) tied by Antung date stamp with registration label hand-stamped by small framed 'Antung', routed via Kobe/ Japan with oval framed vernacular instructional in violet on face, hand-struck 'Registered' on arrival in purple and Chicago receiver on reverse.

Ex Pat Clemo.

China. (Manchuria). 1933. Chinese Imperial Post 'Junk' issue postal stationery card 1 1/2c blue cancelled by Sinmin - Fu date stamp addressed to Peking with arrival on face. Lovely item from Liaoning Province.

China. (Manchuria). 1921. China 'Junk' postal stationery card 4c vermilion cancelled by Harbin/ Priston date stamp addressed to Germany.

China. (Manchuria). 1936. Envelope addressed to Germany bearing Manchuria SG 2, 1f brown-red, SG 5, 3f chestnut, SG 57, 2f yellow-green and SG 48, 4f olive tied by Harbin date stamp endorsed 'via Siberia'.'

Nigeria. (French Camerouns - Dahomey - Spain). 1942. Advertising envelope for 'Exporter of Fruit, Valencia' addressed to the French Cameroun bearing Spain Yvert 665, 25c lilac (3) tied by Valencia/ Franco slogan '9th Juin', routed via Cotonou/ Dahomey '19th Aout 42' with 'Controle Postal' label tied by 'Ouvert/ Par Les/ Autorite Militaire' in blue with Nigeria 'P.C. 90/ Opened by Examiner' label tied by framed 'Passed by Censor/ Nigeria/ 12' hand-stamp in carmine front and reverse, routed via Dakar, Senegal with framed triangular 'LB' , Douala/ Cameroun transit '5/10' and 'Controle Postal Militaire ' label tied by oval 'Ouvert/ Par/ L' Autorite Militaire' censor cachet with circular 'Controle Postal/ Commission A/ Territtoire de Cameroun' on face and circular hand-stamp 'A/2' and 'A/5' .

Up to late 1942 Dakar, Senegal was a transit stop for mail to Unoccupied France and Colonies.

A wonderful cover with ten different censor chops and labels from Nigeria, Cameroun, Senegal and Dahomey.

Spain. (Bermuda). 1942. Air Mail envelope addressed to Detroit bearing Spain SG 945, 1p blue, SG 947, 4p slate-grey, SG 949, 25c claret and SG 953, 50c slate tied by Leon double ring with 'de Correos de 15 Centimos' censor label tied by hand-struck 'Militaire' censor, intercepted by the British in Bermuda with P.C.90/ Opened by Examiner/ 336' censor tape, endorsed 'I.C.' on face in blue crayon. Scarce item from Spain detained in Bermuda for censorship.

Examiner 336 listed by Morenweiser as censored in Bermuda but without the 'I.C.' code.

Spanish Colonies. (Cuba). Stamp-less folded letter written from 'Habana' dated '5th Aout 1875' addressed to France with 'J. Schvartz/ Havana' firms oval chop in blue on reverse, endorsed 'via United States' with bold hand-struck '50' and New York transit 'Aug 12', with French entry cachet 'Etats-Unis 2 Cherbourg' in blue on face. Quality cover,

Scarce '1. 20 fr' tariff from Habana, Cuba via the United States only possible for 14 months August 1874 until 1st January 1876.

Spain. (French Reunion). 1888. Envelope imprinted 'Compagnie Generale Transatlantique' endorsed 'par vapeur "Salazie" written from Saint Nazaire by the agent for the French steamer "Washington" with letter headed 'Santander' and cancelled by circular 'Ligne B Paq. Fr. No 2' double ring (Salles 1435) and hand-struck cachet 'Agent de la Ligne B/ sur "La Washington", the envelope with enclosed letter were then transferred to the French paquebot "Salazie" departing Santander addressed to 'Doctor Clou, on Board the "Pei-Ho" at Reunion' bearing Spain Yvert 107, 25c blue/grey tied by Santander dispatch '24/1/88' with 'Irun a Bordeaux' ambulant '25/12' and Entranger/ Marseille transit '26/12' on reverse.

The French paquebot "Washington" departed Saint Nazaire for Vera Cruz 21st December 1888.

Morocco. (Spanish). 1945. Envelope addressed to Switzerland bearing Spanish Morocco SG 273, 15c green tied by Alcazarquivir date stamp '23rd Oct 45' with framed 'Censura Poastal/ Alcazarquivir' in violet on face, routed via Madrid. Very fine.

Netherlands East Indies. (Censor Mail). 1940. Envelope written from Galang Island addressed to Pematang bearing Netherlands Indies SG 403, 10c vermilion tied by Galang date stamp '17th May 40' with 'Geopend Militaire/ Censuur - Medan' censor tape and 'Militaire Censuur/Medan' hand-stamp in violet on face.

Superb item of censorship from this small island near Singapore.

Netherlands East Indies. (Singapore). 1941. Air Mail envelope addressed to Switzerland bearing Netherlands Indies SG 429, 10c vermilion (2) and SG 439, 80c vermilion tied by Medan date stamp '28th July 41' with 'Geopend Door Censuur' label tied by circular 'Ned. Indisch Deviezen Instituut/ Deviezen Censuur/ 4' in carmine with 'Censuur/ 31' date stamp '29/7' on face and reverse, routed over the Pacific and Atlantic (two Oceans mail) with Singapore censor hand-stamp circular 'E' and '16' cachets in violet on face. Very fine.

Netherlands East Indies. (Marine Post). 1940. Envelope addressed to 'The Department of Marine, Batavia' bearing Netherlands Indies SG 401, 5c ultramarine tied by Batavia date stamp '29th Dec 40' with 'Marine Censor' label in pink tied by framed 'Marine Censuur/ L' with boxed instructional 'Verzoeke Kwaliteit en Stamboeknummer te Vermelden' struck three times on face in carmine (state the requested quality and studbook number'.
Very unusual item.

Ex Paul Bulterman.

Netherlands East Indies. (Iraq). 1940. Air Mail envelope addressed to Switzerland bearing Netherlands Indies SG 408, 35c violet tied by Terrempa date st amp '30th Nov 40' with 'Door Censuur Geopend' label tied by 'Censuur/ 4' date stamp '11/12' with circular 'Dev/ 8' censor in carmine, endorsed 'By K.L.M. to Bagdad' with 'Passed by Examiner' label applied in transit.

Very nice item from Siantan Island part of the Riau group, routed by K.L.M. to Bagdad, Iraq with censorhip.

Rhodesia. (South African Field Force). 1901. Registered envelope endorsed 'P.IJ. Serwith Lt, 3/ K.O.S. Brs./ Field Force South Africa' addressed to London bearing Rhodesia SG 70, 4d ultramarine and claret mixed with SG 84, 1s bistre (pair) tied by Registered/ Bulawayo date stamp '20th Jy 01' with framed 'R/ Registered/ Bulawayo, S. Rhodesia/ No (873) in blue crayon with hooded London Registered receiver on reverse.

Very attractive cover paying the double registration rate from the 'Kings Own Scottish Borders'.

Nine hundred and ninety eight Officers and men were sent to the Boer War on the "S.S. "Kildon Castle" in May 1900.

Greece. (Eastern Rumelia - Bulgaria). 1886. Registered envelope addressed to Salonique, Greece bearing Bulgaria Yvert 15, 5s green and yellow-green (2) and Yvert 16, 10s rose/ red (9) tied by bar obliterator with bilingual Hadji Elles date stamp '5th Feb 86' in green, registered endorsement, underpaid with circular 'T' and bearing Turkey Yvert 58, 2pi olive/ yellow (10) applied and tied on arrival by framed Salonica Town (Coles 7 Walker 7).

Spectacular franked item of underpaid mail from Hadji Elles - (Purvomay), Eastern Rumelia.

Exhibition item.

Seychelles. (Zanzibar - Postage Due). 1957. Envelope addressed to Zanzibar bearing Seychelles SG 191, 5c on 45c purple-brown (pair) tied by Victoria/ Seychelles date stamp 'Sp 23 57', underpaid with m/s '8c' in blue crayon and bearing Zanzibar postage due SG D25a, 5c violet tied by blue pencil cross.

Very rare item of postage due mail into the small island of Zanzibar.

Seychelles. (Germany - Seychelles Reply Card). 1895. Seychelles postal stationery reply card 'four cents' red dated 'Oldenburg 10th Mar 95' with additional German 'Reichpost' Yvert 47, 10pf carmine tied by Oldenburg date stamp '10th Mar 95'.

The reply half addressed back to Mahe, Seychelles, endorsed 'via Marseille' with Seychelles arrival on face '5th May.'

French paquebots had no direct service with the Seychelles until 1897. Mail from Marseille was carried via Zanzibar or Reunion. This card left Marseille on the French paquebot "Yangse' arriving in Reunion '23/4'.

India. (French Settlements in India). 1905. Picture post card of 'Domestic workers, Pondichery' addressed to Egypt bearing French India Yvert 21, 0.10. on 25c black/ rose tied by Inde/ Pondichery double ring, endorsed 'via Bombay and Aden' with French Post Office Port Said receiver '30th Dec 05'.

Scarce stamp on cover and nice destination to North Africa.

French Colonies. (New Caledonia). 1900. Envelope addressed to Noumea bearing New Caledonia Yvert 45, 10c black/ blue and Yvert 46, 15c blue tied by Nelle Caledonie/ Pont des Francais date stamp.
Very rare internal mail from Pont des Francais to Noumea.

French Colonies. (New Caledonia). 1908. Picture post card of 'Old Native Lady, La Foa, New Caledonia' addressed to France bearing New Caledonia Yvert 59, 5c yellow-green (pair) tied by Lifou/ Iles Loyalty double ring in blue '17th Nov 08'.

Superb item from Lifou on of three islands known as the Loyalty Islands.

French Colonies. (New Caledonia - Italy). 1904. Envelope addressed to Italy bearing New Caledonia Yvert 61, 15c grey ted by Noumea/ Nelle Caledonie double ring '3rd Feb 04', underpaid with Noumea dotted 'T' in lozange on face and bearing Italy postage due Yvert 7, 20c orange and carmine applied and tied by Catania squared circle '19th Mar 04'.

Very fine under-paid cover from New Caledonia to a destination in Europe other than France.

British East Africa. (Madagascar - Rhodesia). 1945. Air Letter envelope written from the 'Northern Rhodesia Regiment, East Africa Command' addressed to England bearing Kenya Uganda SG 134, 10c orange-brown and SG 137, 15c rose and black tied by 'E.A. A.P.O. 53' double ring '31st March' with 'Crown Passed by Censor' and framed 'Deputy Chief Field Censor/ Received From A.P.O./ 4th Apr 1945/ Returned to A.P.O. 6th Apr 1945' in violet on face.

Army Post Office 53 based in Diego-Suarez and used K.U.T. stamps from '24.1'44.'

From 24.1.44. Hudson's flew from Diego-Suarez via Lindi, Dar-es-Salem, Mombasa and Nairobi.

British East Africa. (Italian Evacuee Camp). 1948. Air Mail envelope written from 'Italian Evacuee Camp, Nyeri-Station, Kenya' addressed to Austria bearing Kenya SG 141, 30c blue and black and SG 145, 1s brown and grey tied by Nyeri Station/ Kenya double ring '12th Jy 48' with plain censor tape tied by circular 'Osterreichische Zensur/ S.Z./ 2394' censor cachet on face in violet. Nice item.

Dated on reverse '26.1.48' which may be the receiving in Vienna but '48' should read '49' a human error.

Malaya. (Malacca). 1930. Envelope written from the 'Meenabiga Rubber Estate, Asahan' addressed to India bearing Straits Settlements SG 229, 6c scarlet tied by Jasin double ring '29 May 1930', routed via Malacca '29 May' with Tirumaya transit and Pudukotah arrival '8th July. Very fine

Malaya. (Federated Malay States). 1923. Photographic post card of 'Courys of Justice, Kuala Lumpur' addressed to Germany bearing Federated Malay States SG 52, 1c brown SG 55, 2c green, SG 56, 3c grey and SG 59, 4c scarlet tied by Kuala Lumpur double ring. Lovely four colour franking.

Malaya. (Straits Settlements). 1911. Picture post card of 'Malay Houses, Singapore' addressed to Germany bearing Straits Settlements SG 153, 3c red tied by Singapore date stamp.

Nice card published by 'Wilson & Co, Orchard Road, Singapore.'

Malaya. (Straits Settlements). 1912. Envelope addressed to Glastonbury, Conn. bearing Straits Settlements SG 158, 8c ultramarine tied by Kandang Kerbau/ Singapore double ring '12th Jan 1912' with Singapore transit and Glastonbury arrival. Nice item.

Persian Gulf. (Indian Postal Agencies in Persia). 1913. Registered India postal stationery envelope 'two annas' blue upgraded with India SG 171, 2n 6p ultramarine tied by Busrah/ Reg date stamp '7th Nov 13' with 'R 61/ Busrah' registration label, addressed to Paris with circular postmans chop and Paris receiver. Scarce item of postal stationery used in the Persian Gulf.

Persian Gulf. (Abu Dhabi - British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia). 1963. Air Mail envelope written from Das addressed to London bearing British Postal Agencies in Eastern Arabia SG 88, 40 n.p. on 6d claret tied by Das Island Abu Dhabi date stamp '15th July 63.' Very fine.

Persian Gulf. (Bahrain - South Africa). 1960. Air Mail envelope addressed to South Africa bearing Bahrain SG 103, 3 n.p. on 1/2d orange, SG 106, 12 n.p. on 2d brown, SG 107, 15 n.p. on 2 1/2d carmine, SG 108, 20 n.p. on 3d violet and SG 109, 25 n.p. on 4d ultramarine tied by Awali (Bahrain) date stamp '21st Feb 60.' Attractive franking.

Hong Kong. (Treaty Ports). 1909. Picture post card of 'Taikoo Office, Godown Wharf' addressed to 'Temple Place, The Island, Wei Hai Wei, North China' bearing Hong Kong SG 62, 1c purple and brown tied by Swatow/ C date stamp 'No 3' (Webb Type H iii), routed via Victoria/ Hong Kong '8th Nov' and Liu-Kun-Tau/ A receiver 'No 16' on face (Webb Type C). Superb item of Inter-Port mail.

China. (Taiwan - Formosa - Egypt - Burma POW Mail). 1945. Stamp-less envelope endorsed 'Prisoner of War Post/ Service Des Prisonniers de Guerre' written from 'Pte. Ritchie, c/o P.O.W. Bureau, British Red Cross, 9 Sharia Malika Farida, Cairo' addressed to 'Pte. Middleton, British P.O.W. Taiwan - P.O.W. Camp, Nippon, Japan' with 'Examined By Base Censor' label tied by 'Deputy Chief Field Censor' on reverse and face in violet with framed 'Furyo Yubin' (Prisoner of War Post) in carmine on face, forwarded to London via Repatriation ship in Burma with circular '305' date stamp applied in Rangoon '25th Nov 45' and endorsed 'Ship Unknown' in red ink.

China. (Taiwan - Ireland - Liberation). 1945. American Red Cross Air Mail envelope written from '926886 Hick B.J., 5th Field Regt. R.A.' addressed to 'Wm. Hick, Bank of Ireland, Cork' endorsed 'Liberated, U.K. P.O.W.' and headed 'Air Mail', routed via the Australian Base Post Office cancelled 'Aust. Army P.O./ 194' date stamp '14th Sept 45' with instructional 'Passed Free/ Of Postage'.

Lance Bombardier Hick had been a Prisoner of War in Taiwan before Liberation. Very scarce item from an Irish Prisoner of War.

Hong Kong. (Branch Office). 1910. Picture post card of 'Moon Temple at Mayasan' addressed to England with oval "C. Ah. Ying & Co/ Nos 22 - 23 Connaught Rd, Central' bearing Hong Kong SG 94, 4c carmine tied by Hong Kong K.B. date stamp dated '16th May 10' (Webb Type B). Very fine.

Hong Kong. (Treaty Ports). 1912. Picture post card of 'Chinaman at meal' addressed to Victoria, Hong Kong bearing Hong Kong SG 92, 2c green tied by Canton/ B date stamp 'Sp 27 12' (Webb Type Eii).

Lovely item paying the inter-port rate of two cents.

Gibraltar. 1900. Envelope addressed to Cambridge, Mass. bearing SG 11, 2 1/2d ultramarine (2) tied by Gibraltar A/26 duplex with hand-stamp 'Per S.S. "Kaiser Wilm" 11' in violet on face, routed via New York and Boston with oval Cambridge Port/ Received/ Station on reverse. Very fine.

British Honduras. 1900. Envelope addressed to New York bearing SG 66, 5c ultramarine tied by Belize date stamp with New York Paid All on reverse.

Very fine item with the 'Revenue' stamp on cover.

South Africa (Cape of Good Hope). 1851. Stamp-less folded letter written from Cradock dated 'June 27 1851' addressed to Finsbury, London cancelled by oval 'General Post Office/ Cape Town', endorsed 'Prepaid', rated '1/-' in m/s on face and charged '8' for the Ship Letter with London receiver '10th Sept' on reverse. Superb quality.

French Levant. (Constantinople - Maritime Mail). 1864. Stamp-less folded letter written from Constantinople dated 'Oct 19 1864' addressed to France cancelled by "Neva" double ring '19th Oct 1864' (Salles Fig 800) with boxed 'Paquebots/ De La/ Mediterranee' in red on face, charged with hand-struck '10' on face and Marseille transit on reverse '26th Oct'. Very fine.

The "Neva" made 5 voyages from Constantinople in 1864.

Ireland. (Great Britain- Trans-Atlantic Mail). 1894. "Red Star" line envelope addressed to Vermont bearing Great Britain SG 172, 1d lilac (pair) and 'Jubilee' SG 197, 1/2d orange tied by 'Paquebot' hand-stamp (struck twice) with adjacent Dublin & Cork TPO/ American Mail (Robertson P.1) dated 'My 24 94' on face with New York/ Paid All duplex and Vermont arrival 'June 2nd' on reverse.

Superb item, the Dublin - Cork Travelling Post Office twenty times rarer than the Queenstown Paquebot.

Although the circular T.P.O. hand-stamp bears the wording 'Dublin & Cork T.P.O.' the service was carried through the port of Queenstown.

India. (Australia). 1939. Envelope addressed to Sydney, Australia bearing SG 248, 1/2a brown and SG 250, 1a carmine (2) tied by Bombay double ring '28th Nov 39', routed via Madras with (Arms)/ Opened by Censor' tape with triangular 'Passed/ Censor/ Madura/ 2' in violet on reverse.

Madras censor label rated 10 points by 'Morenweiser' dates known Sept 1940 - Feb 1941.

China. (British Red Cross and Order of St. John). 1944. Red Cross message form headed 'War Organisation of the British Red Cross and Order of St. John' written from 'Mary Summerhays c/o Red Cross Message Bureau, 14 59 Myddleton Square, London E.C.1.' dated '25th Aug 1944', addressed to 'Edward Wilkinson, (No 20/ 247) Lunghwa Civil Assembly Centre c/o Monsieur Egle I.R.C.C. Delegation, 97 Yuen Ming Road, Shanghai, China' cancelled by large circular 'British Red Cross And St. John War Organisation' with framed 'Crown/ Passed/ PW/ 6780', routed via Geneve with 'Comite International de la Croix Rouge/ Geneve' in carmine on face.

Very fine item.

The International Red Cross had delegates in Hong Kong, Yokohama and Mr Egle in Shanghai. The main office being 97 Yuen Ming Yuen Road. When mail arrived in Shanghai it was forwarded on to the International Red Cross Committee in Yokohama for distribution to the Camps.

Portuguese Colonies. (Mozambique - Sierra Leone). 1941. Stamp-less envelope written from 'Boite Postale No 47, Beira, Afrique Portuguese' addressed to Marseille, France, routed via Sierra Leone with 'Opened by Censor' label and small oval hand-stamp 'Censor/ 12' in violet on reverse, Lisbon transit '26th Nov 41' and 'Controle' label tied by oval 'Ouvert/ Par Les/ Autorite Militaires/ WL 433' on face and reverse applied in Narbonne.

Narbonne in 1941 was part of Vichy, France. Marseille did not fall to German and Italian Forces until November 1942.

India. (India Prisoner of War Mail). 1917. Envelope addressed to 'M.E. Schooch, Delegue de Comite Internationale de la Croix Rouge, Geneve, Suisse' bearing India "Service" SG 081, 1a carmine tied by Bellary Cantonment double ring '10th My 17' and endorsed 'Reg. Major for O/C/ Ps/ w Camp, Bellary' in blue ink (lower left) with circular 'Passed By Censor/ Bombay/ 7' on face with boxed 'Vendu par/ L' Agence Internationale/ des Prisonniers de Guerre' in blue and hand-struck 'Comite International de la Croix Rouge/ Geneve/ Agence Internationale Des Prisonniers de Guerre/ Service des Envelopes et Timbres de Guerre' in green, routed via Italy with 'Verificato Per Censura' label tied by 'Milano/ Posta Estera' and hand-struck '(78) Verificato/ Per Censura', endorsed 'T/ 30c' in m/s pencil and Geneve arrival '22nd June' on reverse.

Bellary Camp contained 137 Turkish Prisoner of War.

Netherlands East Indies. (Veld Post Censor). 1941. Netherlands East Indies 'Briefkaart' imprinted 'Veldpost' written from 'Landstrom Battalion 1V, 2nd Company' addressed to '2nd Company, 2nd Section, 6th Brigade, Landstrom, Batavia' bearing Netherlands Indies SG 339, 3 1/2c slate tied by Batavia Centrum date stamp '25th Dec 41' with 'Gecensureerd/ 102' censor hand-stamp in carmine with m/s 'A' in blue crayon on face.

See illustration in 'Nico de Weijer's excellent book on Dutch Indies censorship.

Ex Bulterman.

Netherlands East Indies. (Censor Mail). 1941. Netherlands Indies postal stationery card 3 1/2c grey upgraded with SG 397, 2c violet and SG 401, 5c blue tied by Galang date stamp '8th Jan 41' with circular 'Ned. Indisch Deviezen Instituut/ Deviezen Censuur/ Medan/ 11' in carmine with hand-stamp 'Gecensureerd/ 25' in violet on face, addressed to Chicago. Attractive.

Galang Island is part of the three island Barelang group south of Singapore.

Netherlands East Indies. (Veldpost). Circa 1945. Stamp-less envelope addressed to 'het Hoofd van E.H.A. 3' hand-stamped 'Dienst' with large bold framed 'Veldpost' in carmine and cancelled by circular 'Veld-Post/ Sorteerkantoor/ B' with censorship 'Censuur/ Gepasseerd/ B' in carmine on face and Landstorm military cachet in violet. Very fine.