Lot 42

1886 Peking (16 Mar) to Ireland, f.w. Small Dragon 2x 3ca on reverse for domestic double rate, tied by Peking seal cancels, with “I.G. of Customs Peking” cds alongside. Transit Customs Shanghai (May). In combination with Peace and Commercei issue 2x 25c, tied by Shanghai French PO (24 Mar) cds. Transit Paris (3 May) and “H & K Packet” (4 May). Roughly open affecting French stamps. Part of flap missing. One of the 16 Small Dragon covers dated 1886 recorded by Michael Ho. It is the earliest outgoing Small Dragon cover as well as the earliest combination cover of Small Dragon and French issues, Illustration fig 3-2, p. 107 in “The Small Dragon” by Michael M Y Ho.

1886.3.16 北京寄愛爾蘭，背貼小龍3分銀x2，合國內雙倍郵資，銷北京中文戳戳，旁有北京海關A型日戳。 同月經上海海關。加貼和平及商貿神像25生丁雙連，銷上海法局3.24日戳。5.3經巴黎，5.4經英國輪船H&K Packet。拆封導致法國票有損，部分封舌缺失。此為何沐源記錄之16件1886年小龍封之一，同為最早之寄國 外小龍封，以及最早之混貼法國票及小龍封。何沐源著《小龍郵票》第107頁圖3-2原件。