Sale 1280 — The Magnolia Collection: Japanese Foreign Mail and Post Offices
Sale Date — Wednesday, 29 March, 2023
Category — Inbound Mail from France
FRANCE, 1857, 80c Dark Carmine (19; Yvert 17A). Three large margins, touched at left, tied by "1890" dotted diamond cancel, "Marseille 27 Aout 60" double-circle datestamp on folded printed letterhead of Catenot-Beranger & Cie to Spengler & Co., Nagasaki, Japan, sender's blue oval handstamp, addressed "care of Messr. Schut & Co. Decima"--Dejima was an old Dutch trading post on a man-made island off Nagasaki--carried by British Packet to Hong Kong, backstamped "Hong Kong C OC (?) 60" British P.O. circular datestamp, some staining and wear along file fold, slight bleed from writingFINE. AN EXTREMELY EARLY LETTER FROM EUROPE TO JAPAN, SENT BY BRITISH PACKET TO HONG KONG AND FORWARDED TO NAGASAKI OUTSIDE THE MAILS.
The Matsumoto book (p. 7) states that the earliest example of a letter between Europe and Japan is dated April 7, 1860, nine months after the port of Yokohama was opened to foreigners.
FRANCE, 1853, 40c Orange (18; Yvert 16). Two, large margins to slightly in, tied by two bold strikes of "1818" dotted diamond cancel, "Lyon 24 Dec." double-circle datestamp on blue folded letter from Benoit Miroglio & Co. to Pignatel & Co., Nagasaki, Japan, sender's blue oval handstamp, directive "Voie de Marseille", red "P.P." framed handstamp, Marseille backstamp (Dec. 25), "(Hong) Kong C FE 12 61" British P.O. circular datestamp on back (partly off letter), slight toning along file fold and scattered bleached spots, small mended hole just above stamps, otherwise Fine, a rare early letter to Japan, carried to Hong Kong and then outside the mails to Nagasaki, ex Matsumoto and illustrated in his book (p. 11), Calves handstamp
FRANCE, 1862, 40c Pale Orange (27; Yvert 23). Two, tied by lightly struck "2145" dotted diamond cancels and "Lyon Les Terreaux 11 Janv. 67" double-circle datestamp on blue folded letter to Thorel Ziegler & Co., Yokohama, Japan, red "PD" framed handstamp, backstamped Marseilles (Jan. 13) and "Yokohama Bau Francais 8 Mars 67" double-circle datestamp (partly cut away from opening), Very Fine, this arrived in Yokohama after the Great Fire of November 1866, illustrated in Matsumoto book (1997 edition, p. 36)
FRANCE, 1862, 40c Pale Orange (27; Yvert 23). Two, tied by two clear strikes of Anchor in dotted diamond cancel, "Ligne V Paq. Fr. No. 3 19 Dec 67" double-circle datestamp and red "PD" framed handstamp on quadrille lined folded cover to Bernard Eccard & Rand, Yokohama, Japan, partly readable strike of "Yokohama Bau Francais 14 Fevr 68" double-circle datestamp on back, Very Fine, scarce cover to Japan with the Messageries Imperiales Ligne V datestamp, dealer's handstamp at lower right
FRANCE, 1868, 80c Rose (36; Yvert 32). Tied by clear strike of Anchor in dotted diamond cancel, "Ligne V Paq. Fr. No. 3 19 Mars 68" double-circle datestamp and "PD" framed handstamp on folded cover to Bernard Eccard & Rand, Yokohama, Japan, Desgrand & Cie blue rectangular handstamp, partly readable strike of "Yokohama Bau Francais 10 Mai 68" double-circle datestamp on back, Extremely Fine, a beautiful and scarce cover to Japan with the Messageries Imperiales Ligne V datestamp
FRANCE, 1868, 80c Rose (36; Yvert 32). Tied by perfect strike of Anchor in dotted diamond cancel, boldly struck "Ligne M Paq. Fr. No. 1 10 Juil. 69" double-circle datestamp and red "PD" framed handstamp on blue folded cover to Eccard & Rand, Yokohama, Japan, partly clear strikes of "Ligne S Paq. Fr. No. 1 19 (Aout) 69" and blue "Yokohama Bau Francais 25 Aout 69" double-circle datestamps on back, Very Fine, a scarce cover to Japan with the Messageries Imperiales Ligne M and S datestamps and the Yokohama receiving datestamp struck in blue, Calves handstamp
FRANCE, 1868, 80c Rose (36; Yvert 32). Tied by perfect strike of Anchor in dotted diamond cancel, equally perfect "Marseille Paq. Fr. M No. 1 25 Dec. 69" Ligne M octagonal datestamp and "PD" framed handstamp on blue folded cover to Eccard & Rand, Yokohama, Japan, bold strike of "Yokohama Japon 17 Fevr. 70" double-circle datestamp on back, light toning along file fold, still Extremely Fine, a scarce cover to Japan with the Messageries Imperiales Ligne M datestamp and "Yokohama Japon" receiving datestamp, with 1989 Robineau-Pothion certificate (sale of "Dubus" collection)
FRANCE, 1862, 40c Orange (27; Yvert 23). Vertical pair, tied by clear strikes of Anchor in dotted diamond cancel, bold "Marseille Paq. Fr. M No. 1 7 Aout 69" Ligne M octagonal datestamp and red "PD" framed handstamp on blue folded cover to Eccard & Rand, Yokohama, Japan, Gibelin & Cie blue oval handstamp, partly clear strikes of "Yokohama Bau Francais 23 Sept. 69" and "Ligne S Paq. Fr. No. (?) 15 Sept." (without year) double-circle datestamps on back, fresh and Very Fine, a scarce cover to Japan with the Messageries Imperiales Ligne M and S datestamps
FRANCE, 1868, 80c Rose (36; Yvert 32). Tied by dotted star cancel, "Paris R. St-Lazare 6E/5 Oct. 70" double-circle datestamp and red "PD" framed handstamp on folded letter carried across the lines by Ballon Monte during the siege of Paris and sent by mail to Japan, then returned by mail to France, letter datelined "Paris, Place Saint Georges 28. Mercredi, 5 Octobres 1870" from A. Maussenet and continued in the hand of another individual, addressed to Edouard Maussenet, Yokohama, Japan, with directives "Poste Restante", "Par Ballon Monte" and "Per Steamer Via Marseille"--carried on the Armand Barbes (the sixth flight out of Paris, piloted by Alexandre Trichet), departing October 7, 1870, and crash landing in an oak tree in the forest of Epineux on the same day--from Marseilles the letter was carried by the Peninsular & Oriental steamer Salsette, departing October 23, 1870, on her only voyage from that port to Egypt, then by P&O Candia, Orissa and Aden, the last arriving at Yokohama on December 10, where "Yokohama Bau Francais 10 Dec. 70" double-circle datestamp was struck on back--the addressee had already left Japan and the letter was marked with the return address in red manuscript "28 Place St. Georges, Paris" (the address in the dateline), no Yokohama departure datestamp, but based on Marseilles backstamps (February 10 and 11, 1871), this was carried on the Messageries Maritime Godavery, departing Yokohama December 25, 1870, then by Phase and Provence, departing Hong Kong January 4, 1871, arriving Marseilles February 10 (its first passage through the Suez Canal)--at Marseilles the return address was changed from Paris to Brest--very trivial degree of wear along foldsVERY FINE. THIS COVER TOOK ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE VOYAGES IN POSTAL HISTORY--IT ESCAPED THE BESIEGED CITY OF PARIS ON A BALLOON, WHICH CRASH LANDED ON A TREE, THEN TRAVELED ON FOUR STEAMSHIPS OF THE PENINSULAR & ORIENTAL LINE TO JAPAN, ONLY TO BE RETURNED TO FRANCE ON THREE STEAMSHIPS OF THE MESSAGERIES MARITIME LINE, ONE OF WHICH MADE ITS FIRST VOYAGE THROUGH THE RECENTLY OPENED SUEZ CANAL. ONLY EIGHT BALLON MONTE COVERS TO JAPAN ARE RECORDED, OF WHICH FOUR HAVE YOKOHAMA DATESTAMPS CONFIRMING ARRIVAL IN JAPAN.
The Matsumoto book (p. 64) lists four Ballon Monte covers to Japan:
1) Paris Oct. 5, 1870 datestamp, 80c Napoleon Laureate stamp, to Ed. Maussenet, Yokohama, carried on Armand Barbes, Yokohama Dec. 10, 1870 receiving datestamp, returned to France, Marseilles Feb. 10, 1871 receiving datestamp, the cover offered here
2) Paris Oct. 17, 1870 datestamp, 80c Napoleon Laureate stamp, to Ed. Maussenet, Yokohama, carried on Victor Hugo, Yokohama Dec. 10, 1870 receiving datestamp, returned to France, Marseilles Feb. 10, 1871 receiving datestamp, illustrated in Matsumoto (p. 65)
3) Paris Oct. 25, 1870 datestamp, 80c Napoleon Laureate stamp, to Mons. Dubief, Osaka, carried on Le Vauban, Yokohama Dec. 25, 1870 receiving datestamp, ex Walske
4) Paris Oct. 25, 1870 datestamp, 80c Napoleon Laureate stamp, to A. Real & Co. (Dubief was an employee), Osaka, carried on Le Vauban, Yokohama Dec. 25, 1870 receiving datestamp, illustrated in Matsumoto (p. 66), ex Haub ("Erivan"), the cover offered in lot 576
Each of the four listed covers was prepaid at the 80-centimes rate to Japan and has a French post office datestamp confirming arrival in Yokohama. In addition to these four covers, there are at least four Ballon Monte covers addressed to French military personnel serving in the Far East. Three are listed in Matsumoto book (p. 66) and one is offered in lot 577. These covers have 20c stamps paying the military concession rate. They do not have Yokohama receiving datestamps, so they were probably delivered to the French naval vessels stationed in Yokohama.
Only two of the recorded Ballon Monte covers to Japan were returned to France (numbers 1 and 2 in the list, both to the same addressee). Our firm offered another Ballon Monte cover from the same correspondent to Edouard Maussenet (Sale 906, lot 1107), postmarked Paris October 29, 1870, but addressed to San Francisco, California. Evidently, Edouard left Japan for the United States, but news of his departure did not reach his family in Paris until after the October 5 and 17 letters were sent by balloon.
The October 7, 1870, balloon flight--the sixth out of Paris--is one of the more famous of the Ballon Monte flights. Piloted by Alexandre Trichet, the Armand Barbes carried the Minister of Interior, Leon Gambetta, and another passenger, Eugene Spuller, along with 100 pounds of mail containing the Maussenet letter offered here. The balloon crash-landed on an oak tree in Bois Favier, a forest near Epineux. The mail and all three men survived the crash.
The Maussenet covers to France are discussed in Matsumoto book (pp. 64-66) and in Scamp French Mail Paquebot Far East Itineraries, Volume 2 (pp. 203-204).
FRANCE, 1868, 80c Rose (36; Yvert 32). Tied by dotted star cancel, "Paris R. Des Vlles. Haudrtes. 5E/25 Oct. 70" double-circle datestamp and red "PD" framed handstamp on cover carried across the lines by Ballon Monte during the siege of Paris and sent by mail to Japan, addressed to Messr. Fabre Boern & Co., Yokohama, for forwarding to A. Real & Co., Osaka, sender's directive "par Ballon Monte" and "Via Marseille"--carried on the Vauban (the 19th flight out of Paris, piloted by Guillaume), departing October 27, 1870, and landing at Vigneaules-les-Hattonchatel (Saint Mihiel) on the same day--backstamped with "Marseille (12) 3E/2 Nov. 70" and "Yokohama Bau Francais 25 Dec. 70" double-circle datestamps--the Matsumoto book (p. 66) states that this arrived in Yokohama December 25 on the Peninsular & Oriental Ellora, in late October 1870 the Franco-Prussian war interfered with the P&O route through Marseilles and a switch was made to Brindisi, so we are unable to provide the exact itinerary, from Yokohama it was forwarded to Osaka outside the mails--opening faults at right expertly repaired including the addition of a small piece at lower right and part of the backflap at upper right, stamp has a sealed tearVERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY EIGHT BALLON MONTE COVERS TO JAPAN ARE RECORDED, OF WHICH FOUR HAVE YOKOHAMA DATESTAMPS CONFIRMING ARRIVAL IN JAPAN. AN OUTSTANDING POSTAL ARTIFACT FROM SEVERAL PERSPECTIVES.
The Matsumoto book (p. 64) lists four Ballon Monte covers to Japan:
1) Paris Oct. 5, 1870 datestamp, 80c Napoleon Laureate stamp, to Ed. Maussenet, Yokohama, carried on Armand Barbes, Yokohama Dec. 10, 1870 receiving datestamp, returned to France, Marseilles Feb. 10, 1871 receiving datestamp, the cover offered in lot 575
2) Paris Oct. 17, 1870 datestamp, 80c Napoleon Laureate stamp, to Ed. Maussenet, Yokohama, carried on Victor Hugo, Yokohama Dec. 10, 1870 receiving datestamp, returned to France, Marseilles Feb. 10, 1871 receiving datestamp, illustrated in Matsumoto (p. 65)
3) Paris Oct. 25, 1870 datestamp, 80c Napoleon Laureate stamp, to Mons. Dubief, Osaka, carried on Le Vauban, Yokohama Dec. 25, 1870 receiving datestamp, ex Walske
4) Paris Oct. 25, 1870 datestamp, 80c Napoleon Laureate stamp, to A. Real & Co. (Dubief was an employee), Osaka, carried on Le Vauban, Yokohama Dec. 25, 1870 receiving datestamp, illustrated in Matsumoto (p. 66), ex Haub ("Erivan"), the cover offered here
Each of the four listed covers was prepaid at the 80-centimes rate to Japan and has a French post office datestamp confirming arrival in Yokohama. In addition to these four covers, there are at least four Ballon Monte covers addressed to French military personnel serving in the Far East. Three are listed in Matsumoto book (p. 66) and one is offered in lot 577. These covers have 20c stamps paying the military concession rate. They do not have Yokohama receiving datestamps, so they were probably delivered to the French naval vessels stationed in Yokohama.
Illustrated in Matsumoto book (p. 66), where reported as a relatively recent discovery in Paris (the certificate is dated 2006). Ex Erivan Haub. Calves handstamp and copy of 2006 certificate.
FRANCE, 1867, 20c Blue (33; Yvert 29). Tied by "38" dotted star cancel, "Paris R. Des Feuillantines 5E/11 Nov. 70" double-circle datestamp and red "PD" framed handstamp on small folded letter dated November 9 (1870) from Lucie Veron to "Monsieur Veron Bellecourt, Capitaine de frigate a bord de la Venus, Station des mers de Chine et Japan" with directive "fair suivre" (forward) and "Par ballon monte"--carried on the Daguerre (the 28th flight out of Paris, piloted by Sylvain Jubert), departing November 12, 1870, hit by Prussian gunfire and landed on a farm near Jossigny, one of the five bags of mail was thrown overboard and the other four along with the pilot and both passengers were captured--the military concession rate is paid by the 20c stamp, there are no backstamps, minor split along top foldVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE BALLON MONTE LETTER ADDRESSED TO CAPTAIN VERON-BELLECOURT ON THE FRENCH FRIGATE VENUS IN CHINA AND JAPAN REGION.
Covers from this flight are known with arrival markings indicating that the one mail bag thrown overboard reached a post office. The absence of markings on this cover make it difficult to determine whether it was actually sent to the French fleet in China or Japan, as addressed, or was part of the mail captured by Prussian forces.
Calves handstamp.
FRANCE, 1870, 20c Blue, Ty. II, Bordeaux Issue (44; Yvert 45). Four singles and pair tied by "1818" dotted diamond cancels, lightly struck "(Rennes?) (78) 1E/7 Avril" (no year date, but 1871) double-circle datestamp on small cover to French naval officer on "la corvette cuirasse l'alma" (armored ship Alma), sender's directive "Par Brindisi & Alexandrie", a puzzling array of backstamps including (in approximate chronological order): Marseilles-to-Paris (Apr. 8), Pest Hungary (Apr. 14), Jaszbereny Hungary (Apr. 19), Trieste (Apr. 19?), Lyon (Apr. 24), Marseilles (Apr. 25) and finally "Yokohama Bau Francais 23 Juin 71" double-circle datestamp, the last seems to be the final destination based on address and dates, straightline "AFR. INSUFF." (insufficient postage) at top but no evidence postage was collected, part of backflap missing and stamps have defects, nonetheless a remarkable Bordeaux Issue cover sent to Japan during the Franco-Prussian War, the round-trip to Jaszbereny in Hungary may have been the result of misreading the address
FRANCE, 1863, 40c Pale Orange (35; Yvert 31). Horizontal pair used with vertical pair 1871, 25c Blue (58; Yvert 60), tied by "15" dotted star cancels and "Paris R. Bonaparte 6E/14 Juin 72" double-circle datestamp on European-size cover to Captain Lebon in Yedo (Tokyo), Japan, sender's directive "voie de Brindisi", red "P.P." framed handstamp, Paris (Jun. 15) and "Yokohama Bau Francais 27 Juil. 72" double-circle receiving datestamp, pencil docketing, Very Fine, attractive 130c rate cover to this well-known French military officer in Tokyo, privately carried from Yokohama to Tokyo, ex Matsumoto, with copy of 1983 Holcombe certificate
FRANCE, 1872, 80c Rose, Large Numerals (63; Yvert 57). Used with 1871, 15c Bister (56; Yvert 59) and 1872, 5c Yellow Green (53; Yvert 53), tied by "20" dotted star cancels, "Paris R. St. Domque-St. Gen. 6E/17 Juil. 74" double-circle datestamp and red "P.P." framed handstamp on European-size cover to Captain Lebon in Yedo (Tokyo), Japan, sender's directive "voie de Marseille", red "P.P." framed handstamp, "Yokohama Japon 31 Aout 74" double-circle receiving datestamp, pencil docketing erased, Very Fine
FRANCE, 1870, 40c Orange, Ty. I (59; Yvert 38). Single and pair used on two separate covers addressed to Basil Chamberlain, Yokohama, Japan, both with "par Brindisi" directive, single and double 40c rates, stamps tied by "Hyeres Var" double-circle datestamp, Nov. 9, 1877 (single) and Mar. 1, 1878 (double), backstamped with French datestamps, Yokohama receiving backstamps (Dec. 26 and Apr. 20), each with red "Yokohama Paid All" double-circle datestamp (Dec. 27 and Apr. 21) applied at the Foreign Mail office, Japanese writing for forwarding to Tokyo Naval School, Tokyo double-circle receiving datestamps, Very Fine, an attractive and unusual pair of covers showing forwarding of mail within the Japanese postal system
FRANCE, 1879, 25c Yellow on Straw, Ty. II (99; Yvert 92). Used with 1877, 10c Black on Lavender, Ty. II (91; Yvert 89), tied by one of two strikes of "Bordeaux Gironde 13E/11 Sept. 80" double-circle datestamp on folded letter to Pignatel & Co., Nagasaki, Japan, backstamped "Shang-Hai Chine 1 Nov. 80" French P.O. double-circle datestamp, turned over to the Imperial Japanese Postal Agency with perfect strike of "I.J. Postal Agency. Shanghai. Nov. 3" double-circle datestamp, bold strike of "Nagasaki Japan. Nov. 5" receiving datestamp on the front of the letter, Extremely Fine, a rare cover from France to Japan after the French post office in Yokohama closed on March 31, 1880, this beautifully demonstrates how mail was exchanged through the French and Imperial Japanese post offices in Shanghai
