Lot 2307

1920 (Apr 25) London to Shanghai "Dead Letter" Cover. A compelling postal history item sent from Maida Hill, London to A. North-Szigetváry c/o Jardine, Matheson & Co., Shanghai. GB KGV 1d and 1½d, tied by London wavy line machine cancel. Richly marked with "NON-RECLAMÉ", "ADVERTISED", and manuscript "Unknown at" instructions. Reverse shows Shanghai B.P.O. (June 7), Shanghai Local Post (July 15), and a boxed Dead Letter Office handstamp. This cover illustrates the "Dead Letter" process for undeliverable mail sent to a major Hong: a classic piece of "Return to Sender" mail involving the most famous trading firm in China.

1920年倫敦寄上海怡和洋行封，蓋有「無人領取」、「已廣告」及手寫「查無此人」等豐富退信標記。背面蓋有上海英國郵局、工部書信館及死信局戳記，生動展現了寄往大洋行之郵件退回流程，是研究早期郵政史中「死信」處理的經典實物。