Sale 70 Hong Kong & Treaty Ports

Hong Kong, Security Handstamps - Augustine Heard & Co: 1867 (14 Dec.) printed envelope (with enclosed letter) to Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.A. "Via Marseille" and London (17?1.68) bearing 1863-71 6c. and 48c. (few trimmed perfs. at right from placement over the edge) cancelled "B62" and tied by "Augustine, Heard & Co./Hong Kong" blue dated double-ring h.s., with a second very fine strike on reverse, with "Hong Kong/C" despatch c.d.s. adjacent, rated "2/1½" and "1" (Colonial charge) with "3/cents" credit h.s. to U.S.A. Interesting contents include an account of a major fire at the warehouses in Hong Kong. S.G. 10, 17. Sell I-5 (illustrated).
Estimate 3,000 - 4,000

Philippe Orsetti has been one of the leading students of Hong Kong security markings, with his collection of covers considered one of the finest ever assembled. The markings for Hong Kong and Treaty Ports are catalogued at Rod Sell's website www.rodsell.com/hksmsic/hksmsic.html, with many of Mr. Orsetti's covers illustrated there. Catalogue numbers per Sell's listing follow the descriptions and items that are illustrated on the website are noted. Mr. Orsetti's Treaty Port covers are found in this sale in a separate section immediately following "British Post Offices in China".