Lot# 9041

airmail cover sent from Hweili to Portland, Maine, franked with Liberated Area definitive stamps x 13, totaling 13,000 yuan, tied by clear “Hweili 50.12.14” cds, with routing via Chungking (arrival 22 December), Canton & Hong Kong, and onward carriage to USA. The postage fully prepaid the correct inclusive rate for a 10g airmail letter to “Other Countries” during the 6th Postal Tariff Period (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953): 2,500 yuan for the first 20g of international surface postage plus 10,500 yuan per 10g airmail surcharge. Originating from a 3rd-class inland post office in the remote frontier of Sikang Province, this cover exemplifies the early postal reach of the PRC into underdeveloped southwestern regions. Despite its isolated origin, the letter was correctly rated, properly routed, and efficiently handled through multiple transit points, reflecting the rapid consolidation and reliability of China’s postal network during the formative years of the RMB postal system. A scarce and historically significant early PRC airmail cover from the country’s western hinterland, illustrating both administrative accuracy and geographical connectivity in the early 1950s.