Sale #40 - China Official Postal Seals and “Republic of China” Overprints

China, 1910 "A.M. Lindsay… Canadian Methodist Mission. Chengtu, Sze." corner card envelope to Kiating, endorsed in red ink "Recovered from Robbed mail, S.A.C." and "stamps lost S.A.C." bearing on reverse second issue "Chinese Imperial Post/Officially Sealed" yellow-green label, tied by "Chengtu" bilingual c.d.s. (12.8) and "Ngormei" native transit c.d.s. (16.8), with "Kiating" double-ring arrival d.s. (16.8) adjacent. A striking bandit post usage. OS 2.
Estimate 40,000 - 50,000

As was always the case, mail matter carried overland was entrusted to private transportation companies, without any governmental protection, and, therefore, robberies were prevalent when weighty or registered envelopes, as well as those written in a foreign language, were consequently opened and ransacked by the bandits.