Lot 2089

1861 (15 Oct) a neat cover sent from Tientsin to eventually Saigon, franked with French Empire 40c orange on yellowish with moderate margins to just touching, tied by clear strike of “CECB” petit chiffres with light strike of “CORP EXP. CHINE BAU B / 15 OCT 61” double-circle datestamp on cover to “Monsieur Du Guilio, Capitaine de Vaisseau, Commandeur de la Legion d'honneur, l'er Aide de Camp a M. L'Amiral Charner” and subsequently noted "Saigon", clear strike of "CORPS EXP. CHINE BAU CENTRAL / 24 OCT 61" double-circle datestamp applied in Shanghai transit. The BUREAU B station was located in Tientsin for about one year. Covers are known dated from Nov. 18, 1860, to October 1861. This BUREAU B cover was likely such base office towards its latest use in Tientsin. Covers sent within China are quite rare. Around this time, toward the end of the Second Opium War, French involvement was shifting towards the Indochina theatre. A very rare and late use of the “BUREAU B” d.s. while the base office station was still located in Tientsin for approximately one year. Also unusual as a French military base offices’ internal transfer cover in China, reflecting the rotation of French forces to the Cochin China campaign. Provenance: 1. Published in the article titled “The French Military Post Offices in the Second Opium War (Second Campaign) in France and Colonies Philatelist No.296 (Vol.65, No.2, page 49) April 2009”, by Robert Schneider and Jeffrey S. Schneider

1861.10.15 天津寄西貢，貼40生丁，銷CECB殺手戳及法軍B局日戳。10.24抵西貢中央軍郵局。