1899 Ningpo (4 Mar) to France, f.w. Empress Dowager surch small figure 4c in vertical pair (top stamp with character "4" 3.5mm below
1899 Ningpo (4 Mar) to France, f.w. Empress Dowager surch small figure 4c in vertical pair (top stamp with character "4" 3.5mm below Chinese character variety; Chan 40c) + 1/2c in gutter horizontal pair + 1c, tied by Ningpo Dollar cds. Transit Shanghai Chinese PO (5 Mar). In combination with Hong Kong QV 10c on front, tied by Shanghai BPO (6 Mar). Further transit Hong Kong (10 Mar), French paquebot (11 Mar). Nice franking of Empress Dowager variety stamp. The usage of Ningpo Dollar cds is also rather late as the latest record was Apr 1899.1899.3.4 寧波寄法國,背貼慈壽加蓋小字4分直雙連(上方一枚帶“4”字為3.5毫米長距變異;陳目40c)+ 半分過橋橫雙連 + 1分,銷寧波大圓戳。3.5經上海清郵。加貼香港維多利亞女皇像10仙,銷上海英局3.6日戳。3.10經香港,3.11經法國郵船。貼用加蓋變異票十分出色難得,同為寧波大圓戳之較晚例子(最晚為1899年4月)。