1865 (15 Jan) an entire sheet sent from Hong Kong to Saigon via
Singapore, franked with HK QV 8c yellow and a pair of 6c at the
bottom
1865 (15 Jan) an entire sheet sent from Hong Kong to Saigon via
Singapore, franked with HK QV 8c yellow and a pair of 6c at the
bottom left-hand corner, all of which were cancelled by “B62”
obliterator. On the obverse side, a manuscript rate ‘4” matching
the HK QV 8c B.P.O. postage fee to Saigon, together with a
forwarder oval mark “WM. PUSTAU / HONGKONG” underneath the pair of
HK QV 6c. The 12c rate represented the Late Fee paid for this mail.
On the flap, a French packet double-circled “LA BOURDONNAIS / 24
JANV 65”, Hong Kong c.d.s., and a double-circled Singapore c.d.s.
This entire sheet is illustrated in Lee Scamp’s French Mail
Paquebot Far East Itineraries page 60, in which it is stated that
the mail being carried by P&O Carnatic from Hong Kong to
Singapore, and then picked up by French packet steamer La
Bourdonnais M.I. carried from Singapore to Saigon. An excellent
mail represents an unusually complex mix of both French and British
packet routing, and even more so adding the Late Fee paid feature.
An extremely unique postal history item. Provenance: (1) T.V.
Roberts auction lot 464, Sotheby’s, Oct 1982 (2) Illustrated in Lee
Scamp’s French Mail Paquebot Far East Itineraries page 60. (3).
Ritchie Bodily Collection.
1865.1.15 香港經新加坡寄西貢，貼8仙，左下貼6仙，銷B62殺手戳。12仙可見為遲遞郵資。1.24經法國郵船La
Bourdonnais。Scamp《French Mail Paquebot Far East
Itineraries》第60頁原件。Ritchie Bodily舊藏。
