Lot 190

Algeria, North Africa to Shanghai via French Packet 18 January, 1898 Algiers, Algeria Registered Cover via French Packet, addressed to Mr. P.L. Barbier at the Imperial Maritime Customs in Shanghai, China. On the front side, franked with a combination of five French stamps totaling 50 centimes, including the 25c black on rose, a pair of 5c green, a 15c blue, all stamps are cancelled by the double-circle postmark "ALGER/18 JANV/98". A large blue "R" handstamp and a octagonal boxed "R" in black, accompanied by the manuscript registry number "401". The reverse bears a "MARSEILLES-BU-DU-RHONE" French paquebot transit mark dated 19 January 1898 and a bold "SHANGHAI / 25 FEB/98" large dollar arrival postmark in China. Carried by French packet via Marseille and the Suez Canal, this cover represents a complete and well-preserved example of late 19th-century intercontinental registered mail from French North Africa to the Far East. Mail from Algeria to China is uncommon and even more to a registered mail.

阿爾及利亞經法國郵船寄中國上海掛號信 1898年1月18日,阿爾及利亞 阿爾及爾掛號信經法國郵船寄往中國上海,收件人為清朝海關稅務司署之P.L. Barbier先生。信封正面貼用五枚法國郵票,包括25 生丁黑色/粉紅、兩枚5生丁綠色、以及15生丁藍色,合共資費50生丁。全部郵票均蓋銷 “ALGER/18 JANV/98” 雙圈日戳。信上加蓋大型藍色掛號“R”字樣,另見一枚黑色八角框“R”掛號戳,並手寫掛號編號“401”。 背面可見一枚“MARSEILLES BDU-RHONE”之法國郵船中轉戰(paquebot),日期為 1898年1月19日,及一枚中國“SHANGHAI / 25 FEB/98”大圓戳。本封經由馬賽及蘇伊士運河,由法國郵船投遞至遠東,為十九世紀末法屬北非至中國間掛號信件的典型範例,保存完整,狀況良好。阿爾及利亞寄中國的郵件原已屬罕見,此掛號信件更具收藏價值。