Lot# 8027

all printed from the first hand-engraved die (Die I) on extremely thin, semi-transparent silky paper, imperforate. Each stamp was individually handstamped from a silver die, with the denomination inserted separately in a second operation, resulting in two distinct horizontal settings: wide (approx. 36 mm) and narrow (approx. 8 mm), with a very rare 2 mm “extra-narrow” setting known for the 30c value. The total printing was about 5,000 of each denomination. This first issue, produced by Tainan Printing Bureau during the formative months of Formosan Republic, represents the regime’s earliest hand-printed postage stamps. The set displays the delicate impressions and translucent native paper characteristic of the period’s limited resources and artisanal production. The example with the omitted value, a striking printing error bearing a genuine postal cancellation, demonstrates that even defective impressions were put into postal circulation, offering direct evidence of both production and usage practice. A complete and significant assembly encompassing all values and a rare error, providing vital material for the study of the Republic’s earliest postal issues and printing techniques. Mizuhara "Huayou Jijin II" vol. 7, p.269.