Sale #44 - China and Other Asian Countries

China, 1891 (21 July) registered envelope to Kingston on Thames, England (24.8) via Hong Kong (22.7), showing a superb strike of the "Customs/Canton" type C double-ring origin d.s. on reverse, and bearing on front Hong Kong 2c. vertical pair and 10c., cancelled by "A/Canton" c.d.s. (21.7), the pair additionally tied by "Registered/London/A" c.d.s. (24.8) in red, with "R" in circle h.s. adjacent, endorsed by the sender "H.R.H.", light vertical cover fold at left well clear of stamps and markings, very fine and an early example of the type C Customs dater for Canton.
Estimate HK$ 35,000 - 45,000
According to Customs Dater (1875-1913) published by the Philatelic Writers Club (Taipei, 2008), p. 22, the earliest known usage of the "Customs/Canton" type C dater is 28 July 1891. The above cover is from the same correspondence and predates this by one week.