1900 Laokay B (Yunnanfu) (8 Jun) to France. French Consulate cover, f.w. Navigation and Commerce issue 5c in gutter strip of 3, tied by
1900 Laokay B (Yunnanfu) (8 Jun) to France. French Consulate cover, f.w. Navigation and Commerce issue 5c in gutter strip of 3, tied by extremely scarce Laokay B French PO cds. Transit Laokay A (Mengtsz) (15 Jun), Laokay (24 Jun), Hanoi (27 Jun). In 1900, Mengtsz and Yunnanfu were still not open to foreigners. French Indochina therefore set up the post offices in Mengtsz and Yunnanfu in the name of "Laokay A" and "Laokay B" respectively to keep a low profile. In 1901, Mengtsz was open to foreigners so "Laokay A" was changed to "Mongtze" while Yunnanfu was changed to "Mongtze B" until 1904 Yunnanfu was also open. Examples of these early postmarks are extremely scarce. According to AVA's record, about 20 covers from Mongtze B exist and less than 10 for Laokay A. It is the first time for AVA to offer an Laokay B which was used for less than one year and is believed only a few exist. The strike of Laokay A even elevates this piece. For the specialists in either French foreign posts or Yunnan postal history, it is also a prized rarity not to be missed in the collection. Illustration p.128 in "Les Postes et Courriers Francais en Extreme-Orient Livre 3 - Obliterations Civiles des Postes d'Indochine Francaise et des Bureaux Francaise en Chine" by J. Desrousseaux.1900.6.8 老街B（雲南府）寄法國。法國大使館封，貼航海及商貿神像5生丁過橋橫三連，銷極罕之老街B法國客郵局日戳。6.15經老街A（蒙自），6.24經老街，6.27經河內。 1900年，蒙自及雲南府尚未對外國人開放，故印支郵政在蒙自及雲南府的郵戳上，分別雋刻地名“老街A”及“老街B”以蒙混過關。到1901年，蒙自對外國人開放，故郵戳可改回“蒙自”，而雲南府則改為“蒙自B”。在1904年雲南府亦相繼開放，始使用正確地名。這三款早期郵戳之例子均十分難得。按艾華記錄，蒙自B存世約20件，老街A不足10件，老街B則為艾華首次經手。該戳使用不足一年，估計存世不過兩三件。同時蓋有老街A中轉戳更是錦上添花。不論對法國客郵或雲南郵政史的收藏家而言，均為郵集中不可或缺的關鍵珍品。 J. Desrousseauxt著《Les Postes et Courriers Francais en Extreme-Orient Livre 3 - Obliterations Civiles des Postes d'Indochine Francaise et des Bureaux Francaise en Chine》第128頁原件。
