Germany. (Netherlands East Indies). 1851. Stamp-less folded letter addressed to Batavia cancelled by Hamburg date stamp '21st Jan 1851' with hand-stamp 'PD' struck twice, routed via France with French entry cachet in red and rated '160' cts in m/s on arrival in the Indies with red crayon '15' on reverse.

Portuguese Colonies. (India - Prisoner of War). 1917. Registered stamp-less envelope written from Nova Goa addressed to 'Comite International de La Croix Rouge/ Agence International des Prisonniers de Guerre, Geneva' with framed 'India, Portuguesa/ Verificua/ Censsura Militaire (7) in violet and oval 'Censor/ Goa India/ No 31' cachet, endorsed 'Registered' with 'India Portuguesa Censura Postal Militar' label and hand-stamped 'Commisission Portuguise des Prisonniers de Guerre Croix Rouge Portuguese/ Lisbonne' on face in violet. Superb item of Prisoner of War mail from Portuguese India.

Russia. (Italian Prisoner of War). 1945. Russian Red Cross Prisoner of War Post card dated '20th Aug 45' written from 'Campo 251 K.B. 3 (Cas. Postale w 251/ 6, c/o Red Cross, Moscow, U.R.S.S.' addressed to Venice with circular '99/ M' censor cachet on face.
Very few Italian Prisoners of War survived the War.

Russia. (Netherlands East Indies). 1891. Registered Russian postal stationery double reply card 10k blue upgraded with Yvert 44, 1-k blue tied by Soudogda date stamp '14th July 91' with circular hand-struck 'R', addressed to Deli, Sumatra, Netherlands Indies, routed via Moscow '16/7' with 'N.I. Postagent/Penang' '23rd Aug' with Gaboean Deli transit and Tebing Tinggi Deli arrival on reverse '26th Aug 1891.'
Super item of destination mail to this small Sumatra village.

China. (Imperial Post). 1903. Registered envelope addressed to Tientsin bearing Chinese Imperial Post SG 123, 2c red and SG 124, 4c brown tied by Peking date stamp 'Nov 20' with boxed hand-struck 'R/ Peking (China) No' and Tientsin receiver on reverse '26/11'.

Lovely item of registered domestic mail paying the 'one cent' domestic postage (reduced from 2 cents in 1902) and 'five cents' registration fee.

China. (Yunnan Province). 1904. Russo - Japanese post card written from Yunnan-Fou addressed to France bearing Chinese Imperial Post sg 108, 1/2c brown (pair), SG 109, 1c ochre and SG 110, 2c red tied by Mengtsz date stamp '17th Oct 04' with vernacular adjacent Yunnan-Fou transit. Scarce item of mail from Yunnan-Fou.

Chine. (Russo - Japanese War). 1905. Picture post card of 'Land War, Japan & Russia' addressed to England bearing Chinese Imperial Post SG 111, 4c chestnut tied by Shan-Hai-Kwan vernacular date stamp, routed via the Imperial and French Post Offices Shanghai '20th Jan' with Kirkby-Stephen arrival 'Feb 25 05' on face. Very fine.

China. (Postal Stationery). 1905. Chinese Imperial Post postal stationery card 'one cent' red upgraded with SG 109, 1c ochre and SG 110, 2c red tied by Shanghai date stamp addressed to France routed via the French Post Office in Shanghai with transit on face. Very fine.

China. (Postal Stationery). 1901. Imperial Chinese Post postal stationery card 'one cent' rose upgraded with SG 122, 1c ochre tied by bilingual oval Peking chop dated 'July 13th', addressed to the 'Poste Francaise (French Post), Shanghai' with 'Shanghai/ Local Post' arrival on front 'Jy 18'. Very attractive item of stationery paying the domestic two cents rate.

China. (Trans-Pacific Mail). 1940. Registered Air Mail envelope addressed to Amsterdam, Netherlands bearing SG 400, 15c scarlet, SG 415, 10c purple, SG 417, 17c olive, SG 420, 40c orange, SG 455, 8c on 40c orange and SG 456, 10c on 20c blue tied by Shanghai date stamp '12th Feb 40' with matching registration label, endorsed 'via Pacific' with 'P.C. 66/ Opened by Censor/ 523' label. Very attractive 6 colour franking paying the 1.15 rate sent over the Pacific, two Ocean route.

China. (Singapore - Netherlands East Indies). 1940. Registered envelope addressed to Buitenszord, Java bearing China SG 473, $1 brown and grey tied by Shanghai date stamp '22nd Aug 40' with matching registration label, routed via Singapore with 'Passed By Censor/ 31/ Singapore' hand-stamp on face and reverse and 'Censuur Batavia/ Door Censuur Geopend' censor tape (on left and right) tied by 'Gecensureerd/ 19' and circular 'Dev/ 10' on face in carmine with Buitenszord arrival '17th Sept 40' on reverse. Very nice item of censored mail into the Netherlands Indies from China via Singapore.

China. (Prisoner of War Mail). 1941. Envelope written from 'W. Blackadder No 1346-50G (British, Civil Assembly Center, Wei-Hsien, Shantung Camp, China' addressed to 'Mr Gronvold (Norwegian), House 195 - Road No 44, Hsin YNa 2nd Ward, Tientsin' bearing Japanese Occupation of North China SG 199, $2 blue tied by Wei-Hsien date stamp with boxed hand-stamp 'Weihsien Teki Kokujin/ Shuden Seikatsusho' and censored by "Eihara" on face in red. Very fine item from Weihsien Camp with unusual censor seal of "Eihara".

China. (Japanese Occupation of North China). 1945. Native envelope bearing Japanese Occupation SG 168, 40c orange (block of 4 and single), SG 169, 50c green (block of four) and SG 198, $1 pale brown (block of four) tied by vernacular date stamp. Vary attractive item from the Japanese Occupation of North China.

Ex Pat Clemo.

China (Express Mail). 1930. Envelope addressed to the 'French Gare/ Maritime, Shanghai' bearing SG 312, 2c green, SG 315, 4c olive and SG 321, 10c blue tied by Canton date stamp, sent 'Express' mail with 'Express Delivery' label on reverse and boxed Post-Mans chop arrival in Shanghai. Paying the scarce 16 cents tariff for internal Express Mail.

China. (Hong Kong). 1941. Air Mail envelope addressed to Amsterdam, Holland bearing SG 423, 25c orange, SG 426, 50c chocolate, SG 475, $5 green and scarlet, SG 587, 8c red-orange and SG 588, 8c turquoise tied by Shanghai date stamp '23rd July 41', endorsed ''Pan Pacific Airways/ via USA', routed via Hong Kong with 'Opened By Censor' tape (black on white) and circular 'Air Transit/ 3' cachet in blue-green on face with German censor tape tied by censor cachet in red on reverse. Very attractive item.

Hong Kong censor tape used from July 41 - Oct 41.

Lovely item paying the $5 91 cent rate Air Mail via Hong Kong over Two Ocean route.

China. (Great Britain - China Postage Dues). 1932. Envelope addressed to Tientsin, North China bearing Great Britain SG 420, 1 1/2d brown tied by Edinburgh double ring 'Aug 5 1932', underpaid with boxed 'T/ 20' hand-stamp and bearing Chinese postage dues SG D346, 10c blue (pair) tied by boxed vernacular instructional with framed 'Parti/ Gone Away' in violet on face with Tientsin/ 3 receiver on face and reverse and Chinese label attached 'To Be Returned' with London receiver '24th Feb 33' on front. Very nice item of Postage Due mail to North China.

China. (Singapore). 1941. Registered Air Mail envelope addressed to Australia bearing SG 495a, 50c blue, SG 496a, $1 brown and grey, SG 497a, $2 red-brown and blue and SG 610, 10c green tied by Shanghai date stamp with matching registered label, routed via Singapore with 'Passed By Censure 60/ A' in violet on face and reverse with instructional hand-stamp 'To Be Forwarded By/ Air From Singapore' on face and Sydney receiver. Very fine.

Large By Air From Singapore known by Proud from (1.8.41) - (13.12.41).

China. (Hong Kong). 1941. Air Mail envelope addressed to Australia bearing SG 494a, 30c scarlet and SG 593, 50c blue (3) tied by Shanghai date stamp '8/8', routed via Victoria, Hong Kong '13th Aug' on reverse and circular 'AV/2' hand-stamp (faint on face) and framed 'Not Opened by Censor' in violet on face. Very fine.

Malaya. (Netherlands East Indies - Malaya). 1946. Envelope addressed to the Netherlands endorsed 'Ex P.O.W. Mail' written from 'Sgt. L. Offenberg - 90444, Netherlands Troops, c/o S.E.A.C.' (South East Asia Command), bearing India SG 266, 1/2a purple and SG 271b, 3a bright violet tied by '599' roller.

Field Post Office 599 allocated to Ipoh, Perak (1.4.46) - (28.10.46) and Butterworth, Penang (29.10.46) - (13.4.47).

Sarawak. (Netherlands East Indies). 1948. O.H.M.S. envelope addressed to Java bearing SG 151, 2c black, SG 152, 3c green, SG 153, 3c purple and SG 154, 6c brown tied by Kuching date stamp with Batavia Centrum arrival '30th Oct 48' on face and reverse. Very fine.

Malaya. (Netherlands East Indies - Singapore). 1918. Registered envelope written from the Borneo Company addressed to the Netherlands bearing Netherlands Indies SG 222, 30c slate tied by Bandjermasin date stamp with matching registration label, hand-stamped 'Engelsche Mail/ via Singapore' on face in violet with 'Opened by Censor/ Straits Settlements' censor label and 'Opened by Censor/ 4969' label applied in transit with Enschede arrival on reverse. Nice item.

Malaya. (Selangor). 1941. Air Mail envelope addressed to England bearing Selangor SG 85, $5 scarlet and green tied by Kuala Lumpur double ring '7th July'. endorsed 'Per American Clipper' , routed via Singapore with censor tape tied by 'Passed By/ Censor 256/ A' on face and reverse, sent Trans-Pacific clipper "Honolulu" via San Francisco and over the Atlantic. Very fine $2 single franking 'Two Ocean' route.

The two dollar air thoughout rate began on 27.5.41.

India. (French Settlements in India - New Caledonia). Circa 1900. French India postal stationery envelope 10c carmine cancelled by Chanddenagor/ India double ring '28th Avril' (no year plug), addressed to 'The Governor, Noumea, New Caledonia.' Lovely item of destination mail from Chandernagor, French Possession in India to this small French Pacific island.

Chandernagor became part of the French Empire in 1696, one of five enclaves, Pondichery, Karikal, Yanon, Mahe and Chandernagor, after India became independent from Britain in 1947 the French allowed its residents to become part of India and in 1954interagated into the state of West Bengal.

India. (French Settlements in India). 1899. British India picture post card of 'Hindoo Temple and small girl' dated 'March 20', addressed to Germany bearing French India Yvert 4,, 5c green tied by Pondichery/Inde double ring '2nd Avril' with framed triangular 'T' and charged '10' in m/s blue crayon with Mulhausen arrival. Very interesting item sent at the 'Imprime' rate but charged as the message is more than 5 words and not endorsed 'Imprime'.

Lovely item (scarce pre 1900 card), illustrated in the Collectors Club journal (volume 95, no 6) , French India, the Allegorical Group Type by Ed Grabowski.

India. (French Settlements in India). 1902. Registered envelope addressed to France bearing French India Yvert 6, 15c blue and Yvert 8, 25c black/ rose tied by Chandernagor double ring '23rd Oct 1902' with framed hand-struck 'R' in red on face, endorsed 'via Bombay' with Toulouse arrival on reverse '10th Nov. Superb combination.

Chandernagor became part of the French Empire in 1696, one of five enclaves Pondichery, Karikal, Yanon. Mahe and Chandernagor, after India became independent from Britain in 1947 the French allowed its residents to become part of India and in 1954 integrated into the state of West Bengal.

India. (French Settlement in India). 1904. Envelope addressed to France bearing French India Yvert 4, 5c green and Yvert 11, 0.10 on 25c black/ rose tied by Inde/ Pondichery double ring '20th Avril 1904' with Var arrival on reverse ''7th May'. Scarce surcharge stamp on cover.

British West Indies. (Antigua - British Ship Letters). 1829. Pre-stamp envelope written from 'Betty's Hope, Plantation' in Antigua dated '29th March 1829' addressed to London, endorsed 'Brig, Codrington/ Capt. Hill' and headed 'Consignee's Letter', landed at Kingsbridge with framed stepped 'Kingsbridge/ Ship Letter' on face (Robertson S.1), charged '3/2' in m/s with London receiver '14th May 1829' on reverse.

Lovely item with 'Consignee's Letter indicating an expected exemption from the ship letter charge but rated '3/2' for '6d' ship, '2d' Captains pence, inland postage '11d' (170 - 230 miles) doubled for double letter rate.

The annotation above 'Consignee's Letter' may indicate that the ship's manifest did not show the sender as a consignee of goods on board.

Cover illustrated in Robertson "A History of Ship Letters of the British Isles".

British West Indies. (Jamaica - Ship Letter -Accountancy). 1864. Envelope addressed to London bearing SG 4, 4d brown-orange tied by 'A01' obliterator with adjacent Kingston/ Jamaica date stamp 'Fe 10 64', hand-struck 'Jamaica Ship Letter' on face, endorsed 'per steamer "Mexican", with hand-struck accountancy '1 1/2' in red ink on face, routed via Liverpool with tombstone 'Paid/ Liverpool/ Ship/ Mar 9 1864' in red (Robertson S. 19) and 'Ship - Letter/ London date stamp 'March 10' in red on reverse (Robertson S. 33).

Lovely item in Exhibition quality paying the inland rate accountancy and with the full Ship Letter charge pre-paid, the appropriate 'Paid Liverpool Ship' was struck in red ink on arrival at that port.

British West Indies. (Jamaica - Ship Letter). 1851. Stamp-less envelope addressed to 'Wm. Geo. Stewart, Vice Consul of Mexico, 74 Broadway, New York' cancelled by 'Kingston-Jamaica/ Paid' date stamp in red 'Jan 20 1851', with adjacent 'Jamaica/ Ship Letter', charged '2' and rated '60' on arrival in New York.
The papers and archive of shipping merchant William George Stewart are in the New York Historical Society Museum.

British West Indies. (Jamaica - British Ship Letters). 1776. Stamp-less envelope written from Montego Bay, Jamaica dated 'June 14th 1776' addressed to London, endorsed 'per ship "St. James", Master Capt. Stewart Q.D.C. 'Quem Deus Conservet' (Whom God Preserve), landed at Dover with hand-struck 'Dover/ Ship Lre.' in black on face (Robertson S.3), with m/s '4' ship letter and rated '6' inland letter charge, with faint London receiver on reverse.
Nice item of Trans-Atlantic mail.

British West Indies. (Saint Vincent). 1898. Registered envelope addressed to London bearing SG 48, 1d rose-red (pair) and SG 55, 2 1/2d on 1d grey-blue tied by Kingstown/ St. Vincent date stamp 'Ja 23 98' with oval 'R' hand-stamp and 'R/ Saint Vincent' registration label on reverse and London arrival 'Jy 7 98'. Very fine.

China. (Boxer Rebellion). 1902. Stamp-less envelope endorsed 'Corps du d' Occupation de Chine' addressed to Paris, France cancelled by 'Corr. D' Armees Shanghai' double ring 'Dec 02' with circular 'Corps Expeditionnaire de Chine/ Detachement de Shanghai/ Le Commandant de Battaillon a' Infanterie de Marine' on face. Scarce use of the 'Corr. Army Shanghai' brought back into use during the Boxer Campaign.

China. (French Occupation of China). 1903. Stamp-less envelope headed 'Brigade de Reserve de Chine' addressed to France cancelled by 'Corps Exp. Tonkin Ligne N. 9' double ring '24th Nov 03' with undated 'Corps Expeditionnaire' on face and circular '18th Regt. de Infanterie de Marine/ Conseil D' Administration' and Rochefort arrival. Very fine.

China. (French Occupation of China). 1891. Stamp-less envelope endorsed 'Troupes d' Indo-Chine' addressed to France cancelled by 'Ninh-Binh/ Tonkin' double ring with circular 'Commandant D' Armees/ Ninh-Binh' in black on face and counter-signed by the Commandant with undated 'Tonkin Corps Exped' and Sevres arrival. Attractive item from the French Occupation.

China. (French Occupation of China). 1917. Stamp-less envelope headed 'S.M.' and endorsed '11th Coloniel Detachment de Poulo Condore, Cochinchine' addressed to Paris, cancelled by Poulo Condore/ Cochinchine date stamp '12th Dec 17' with circular '11th Regiment D' Ine Coloniale Poulo-Condore/ Le Commandant du Poste' on face. Very fine.

China. (French Occupation of China). 1917. Stamp-less envelope endorsed 'Correspondance Militaire' addressed to France, cancelled by 'Tien-Tsin-Chine/ Poste Francaise' double ring '16th Juil 17' with circular '16th regt. D' Infanterie de Marine' in violet on face, routed via the French Post Office Shanghai '19/7' with 'Controle Postal Militaire' censor label tied by oval 'Ouvert Par Controle Militaire/ 394' censor cachet on face and reverse. Lovely item.

China. (French Naval Detachment in China). 1937. Stamp-less envelope written from the French Naval Gunboat "Lamotte-Piccuet" endorsed 'F.N.E.O.', Shanghai', endorsed 'F.M.' addressed to France cancelled by octagonal 'Croiseur Lamotte-Piccuet' date stamp '10th Jan 37' with circular 'Forces Navales Extreme Orient/ Franchaise Militaire' on face and Veudee arrival on reverse. Superb item of mail from the French Naval Extreme Orient.

China. (French Naval Detachment in China). Circa 1936. Envelope written from Shanghai addressed to France with hand-struck 'Canonniere "Mytho" and circular (Anchor) 'Marine Francaise/ Service a la Mer' struck twice on face. Very fine item from the French Naval Base in China.

China. (French Naval Detachment in Manchuria). 1929. Picture post card of 'Gyama Dori, Dairen' addressed to France cancelled by octagonal 'Cuirasse-Waldeck - Rousseau' date stamp '16th Sept 29' with circular 'Division Navales Extreme Orient/ Francaise Militaire' in violet on face. Nice item from the Gunboat "Waldeck-Rousseau" at Dairen, Manchuria.

China. (French Naval Detachment in China). 1938. Illustrated stamp-less envelope addressed to France cancelled by octagonal 'Croiseur Primauguet' date stamp '22nd April 38' with framed 'Forces Navales Extreme Orient/ Franchise Militaire'. Very attractive item from the French Gunboat "Primauguet".

China. (French Naval Detachment in China). 1939. Envelope written from Tien-Tsin endorsed 'F.M.', addressed to Dap Cau, Tonkin cancelled with circular 'Corps D' Occupation de Chine/ Le Vaguemestre' with 'Postal Militaire' label tied by circular 'A/1' cachet with oval 'Ouvert/ Par/ L' Autorite Militaire' hand-stamp on face with Hanoi and Dap Cau arrival '7th Oct 39'. Scarce censor item sent internally between Tien-Tsin and Tonkin very early in WW2.

China. (Chinese Labour Force in France World War One). 1919. Stamp-less picture post card of 'Entree de l' Eglise apres le bombardement, Sommesous' addressed to Gironde cancelled by circular 'Travailleus Coloniaux/ Groupement Indo-Chinois de Sommesous/ Le Commandant du Groupement' in violet. Very fine.

One of the darker aspects of World War 1 was the plight of 12,000 Chinese workers who were recruited by the British Army from the North of China in 1916 to serve on the battle front in France as labourers, trench diggers, munitions carriers, mine disarmers and corpse bearers under often inhumane conditions. A large number were also struck down by the devastating Spanish flu epidemic of 1916.

China. (Chinese Labour Force in France World War One). 1917. Stamp-less picture post card of 'L' Hotel Beau-Rivage, Saint Raphael' addressed to Aube cancelled by Var date stamp with circular 'Hopital Annamite 67/ Frejus (Var)/ Le Vaguemestre' on face. Very fine.

One of the darker aspects of World War 1 was the plight of 12,000 Chinese workers who were recruited by the British Army from the North of China in 1916 to serve on the battle front in France as labourers, trench diggers, munitions carriers, mine disarmers and corpse bearers under often inhuman conditions. A large number were also struck down by the devastating Spanish flu epidemic of 1916.

Ex John Mark Sitarik.

China. (Chinese Labour Force in France World War One). 1917. Stamp-less picture post card of 'Tours, Le Pontde Pierre' dated 'Tours 17th Juil 1917' with circular 'Detechement des Travailleurs Tonkinois/ Le Commandant/ Tours' in violet on face. Very fine.

One of the darkest aspects of World War 1 was the plight of 12,000 Chinese workers who were recruited by the British Army from the North of China in 1916 to serve on the battle front in France as labourers, trench diggers, munitions carriers, mine disarmers and corpse bearers under often inhumane conditions. A large number were also struck down by the devastating Spanish flu epidemic of 1916.

Ex John Mark Sitarik

China. (Chinese Labour Force in France World War One). 1917. Stamp-less envelope addressed to Besancon cancelled by Tresor et Postes date stamp '8h Juil 17' with circular '9th Bataillon de Tirailleurs Indochinois/ Le Commandant' in violet. Very fine.

One of the darker aspects of World War 1 was the plight of 12,000 Chinese workers who were recruited by the British Army from the North of China in 1916 to serve on the battle front in France as labourers, trench diggers, munitions carriers, mine disarmers and corpse bearers under often inhumane conditions. A large number were also struck down by the devastating Spanish flu epidemic of 1916.

Ex John Mark Sitarik.

China. (Chinese Labour Force in France World War One). 1919. Stamp-less picture post card of 'le Pont de Bordeaux, Libourne' addressed to Tunisia cancelled by Fouilloux date stamp with circular 'Travailleurs Coloniaux/ Groupement/ Agencie Indochinois/ Le Gibbeau/ Commune de Fouilloux (Charente-Infre) Le Commandant' in violet. Very fine.

One of the darker aspects of World War 1 was the plight of 12,000 Chinese workers who were recruited by the British Army from the North of China in 1916 to serve on the battle front in France as labourers, trench diggers, munitions carriers , mine disarmers and corpse bearers under often inhumane conditions. A large number were also struck down by the devastating Spanish flu epidemic of 1916.

Ex John Mark Sitarik.

China. (French Occupation of China - Boxer Campaign). 1898. Stamp-less envelope endorsed 'Corps de l' Indo-Chine' addressed to France cancelled by 'Corres Expre de Madagascar L.U. No 3' double ring '7th Sept 98' with circular 'Vapeur Cholon/ Le Commandant' and counter-signed by the Commander with Paris receiver on reverse. Nice item of mail in transit to French China and the Boxer Campaign.

China. (French Occupation of China). 1893. Stamp-less envelope endorsed 'Troupes de Tonkin' addressed to Paris cancelled by Lao-Kay/ Tonkin date stamp '9th Juin 93' with undated 'Corps Exped/ Tonkin' and circular 'Place de Lao-Kay/ Le Commandant D' Armees' in blue, routed via Ha-Noi '15/6' with 'Modane a Paris' ambulant and taxed with triangular 'T' and bearing French postage due Yvert 21, 60c black tied by Paris obliterator on face. Very fine item from the French Occupation and taxed as civilian post.

China. (French Occupation of China). 1903. Stamp-less envelope endorsed 'Corps d' Occupation de Chine' addressed to Algeria, North Africa cancelled 'Tien-Tsin-Chine/ Poste Francaise' date stamp '5th June 03' with 'Corps Exp. Du Tonkin/ Ligne N' double ring '14th Juin 03' with circular 'Coprps Expeditionnaire de Chine/ Prevote/ Le Commandant' in blue on face and reverse, with Alger arrival 16/7' and forwarded to Saone. Very fine item from the French Occupation of China.

China. (French Occupation of China). 1898. Stamp-less envelope endorsed 'Corps Expeditionnaire du Tonkin' addressed to France cancelled by 'Phu Lu/ Tonkin' double ring with circular 'Le Captain/ Commandant/ Secteur de Pakha/ 4th T.M.' in blue on face with undated 'Corps Expre Annam Tonkin' , routed via Ba-Hoa and Yen-Bai '24th Juil' with Hanoi transit '27/7' and Paris arrival. Very attractive item from the French Occupation.