項次 2085

1860 (8 August) a cover sent from Constantinople to Captain of the French Frigate Renommee in Shanghai, franked with French Empire 80c in large to full margins on each side, applied slightly over top edge, tied by “3707” petit chiffres with "Constantinople, Turquie, 8 Aout. 60" double-circle datestamp on cover to soldier “a bord de la fregate la Renommee a Shanghai”, sender's directive "par Marseilles et Suez", red framed "P.P." handstamp, backstamped Alexandria (French) Aug. 26, Alexandria (British) Sep. 2, Hong Kong Oct. 9, and two strikes of “CORPS EXP. CHINE BAU A / 13 OCT 60” and another BAU Oct. 21 transit backstamps, manuscript due rate markings. This cover was carried by Levant Line Paquebot Cydnus to Marseille, thence via Hydapse of Egypt Line to Alexandria (26 Aug). Transferred to British P.O. in Alexandria (2 Sept) and thence via P&O packet steamer Nemesis to Hong Kong (9 Oct). The Bureau A markings are only recorded in Hong Kong from May to Nov. 29, 1860. A wonderful and very rare incoming cover from Constantinople with the scarce BUREAU A handstamp applied in Hong Kong to a soldier on board the French Frigate Renommee at the height of the Second Opium War. An amazing use of pure French line services before the introduction of formal French packet services after 1862. Provenance: 1. Berkinshaw-Smith Collection – Corinphila Auktionen Zurich, April 2006.

1860.8.8 君士坦丁堡寄上海之法軍軍官，正背貼80生丁，銷3707殺手戳及君士坦丁堡日戳。經香港。10.13抵法軍A局。此封由黎凡特郵船Cydnus寄馬賽，再由埃及Hydapse號寄亞歷山大。再由鐵行輪船公司Nemesis號寄香港。法軍A局於香港的例子僅見於1860年5月至11月。為君士坦丁堡進口中國之極罕例子，法軍A局（香港）日戳亦十分難得。收件人為法軍戰艦Renommee號之船員。Berkinshaw-Smith集藏。