The 2025 December Auction - Sale 346 (December 13 - December 16, 2025)
Sale 346
- (-) Remove The International Airmails of PRC (1949-1956) filter The International Airmails of PRC (1949-1956)
the cover is franked with a combination of two S series issues and four stamps for a set of the first airmail series issued on May 1, 1950, totaling 39,800 yuan (Old RMB). The postage comprised 2,500 yuan for the first 20g international letter rate, 1,500 yuan for the additional 20g, and an air surcharge of 10,500 yuan per 10g for three segments, with a small overpayment of 100 yuan. The cover was mailed from Shanghai on October 7, transited through Canton on October 10, and was forwarded via Hong Kong by Pan American Airways (PAA) to Newark, New Jersey, arriving between October 15–16. It bears all four values of the first airmail issue, including the high denomination 30,000-yuan stamp, which is particularly scarce and represents the most distinctive and seldom-seen value of the set. This cover stands as a rare and significant example of an early PRC registered airmail to USA, notable for its accurate franking, clear postal markings, and connection to an important philatelic figure. It holds exceptional postal history and exhibition value.
this group of five covers illustrates international airmail correspondence to Southeast Asia during 6th Postal Tariff Period, each correctly franked at 6,700 yuan, comprising 2,500 yuan for the first 20g of surface postage and 4,200 yuan for the 10g airmail surcharge to Asia. This rate, implemented on 1 November 1950, represented a significant reduction from the previous 9,000-yuan standard and reflected the early stabilization of the PRC’s postal system. The covers were dispatched from Fukien (Kaosanshih, Minhow, Panghi), Canton, and Peking, and were addressed to Indonesia (Surabaya and Semarang), Singapore, and Nibong Tebal, Malaya. Several were sent from small village postal agencies or third-class post offices, showing the penetration of postal services into rural areas. All were routed via Foochow or Canton for onward air transmission through Hong Kong, typically carried by BOAC. The correct franking and consistent cancellations demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of postal handling under the new rate system. Collectively, these covers exemplify the fully prepaid 6,700-yuan Asian airmail rate of the 6th Postal Tariff Period and provide valuable postal evidence of China’s reconstruction of its international airmail network in the early 1950s.
airmail cover sent from Mawanchang to Kuala Belait, franked with ten C and R series issues, totaling 9,000 yuan (RMB), tied by “Mawanchang 16.11.52” cds and with transit markings of Wuhan (18.11.52), Canton (22.11.52), Jesselton (26.11.52) and “Kuala Belait 29.11.52” arrival. The cover was posted during the 6th Postal Tariff Period (November 1, 1950 - April 30, 1953), when the correct inclusive rate for a 10-gram airmail letter to Asia was 6,700 yuan, composed of 2,500 yuan for the first 20 grams of international surface postage plus 4,200 yuan for the airmail surcharge per 10 grams. However, it was incorrectly franked at 9,000 yuan, following the outdated 5th Postal Tariff Period rate (2,500 + 6,500 yuan), thus overpaying by 2,300 yuan. As Mawanchang was a small local postal agency in an inland region, postal clerks were likely unfamiliar with the revised airmail tariff and therefore continued to apply the previous rate. This cover is an exceptionally rare example of international airmail originating from inland China, carried through a route: Manwanchang - Wuhan - Canton - Hong Kong - Jesselton (British North Borneo) - Seria - Kuala Belait (Brunei). The cover demonstrates the gradual adaptation of inland postal offices to the People’s Post unified postal tariff system in the early years of the PRC. Despite the postage error, the franking is complete, the route well-documented, and the markings are crisp and legible. This item serves as an important postal history artifact, illustrating both the administrative challenges and operational realities of postal modernization in the early 1950s, and is of significant philatelic and exhibition value.
Posted on 6 December 1952 from Puning, Kwangtung to Bukit Mertajam, Malaya, this 16g registered airmail cover was franked with thirteen R series issues, totaling 19,700 yuan. The correct rate under the 6th Postal Tariff Period (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953) should have been 15,100 yuan, comprising 2,500 yuan for the first 20g of surface postage, 8,400 yuan for the Asian airmail surcharge (4,200 yuan × 2), and 4,200 yuan for registration, thus overpaid by 4,600 yuan due to use of outdated rate calculations from the previous tariff period. The cover bears “Puning 1952.12.6” cds and a “16g” pencil marking by the postal clerk. The addressee’s town name “Bukit Mertajam” was later added in red by the post office, likely after considerable effort to identify the correct destination. The cover was routed via Canton on 14 December and forwarded through Hong Kong by air, finally delivered on 12 January 1953.
Posted from a postal kiosk at a long-distance bus station, this cover exemplifies occasional postal accounting errors made by small rural post offices during the early PRC postal reform era. A highly instructive and scarce postal history example of overfranking due to misapplied rates during the 6th Postal Tariff Period.
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.
airmail cover sent from Manchonghu, Kwangtung to San Francisco, franked with R series issues x 17, totaling 13,000 yuan (RMB), tied by Manchonghu cds, with Manlokshi and Canton transit on reverse. The mail was routed through Hong Kong and carried by Pan American Airways (PAA) on its FAM 14 trans-Pacific route to San Francisco. The recipient noted arrival on 27 April (Lunar calendar: 14th day of the 3rd month), showing a total transit time of only eight days - an impressive example of early PRC airmail efficiency. Posted during the Sixth Postal Tariff Period under the RMB postal system (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), this cover correctly paid 2,500 yuan for the first 20 grams of international surface postage plus 10,500 yuan airmail surcharge to “Other Countries,” totaling 13,000 yuan. This was the standard international airmail rate established after the unification of China’s currency, and all mail destined for non-Asian countries was charged at this “Other Countries” rate, with most items routed via Hong Kong for onward dispatch. Originating from the third-class postal agency at Manchonghu and forwarded via Manlokshi to Canton, this cover illustrates the coordinated operation of the grassroots postal network within the unified RMB postal system. With accurate franking, complete routing, and full postal markings, it represents a rare and significant example of early PRC airmail to the United States, of great importance for postal history research and exhibition.
registered airmail cover sent from Shanghai to New York, franked with three R series and five East China regional overprinted issues, totaling 84,700 yuan (RMB), tied by “Shanghai 50.11.2” cds with red registration label “Shanghai Fukchow Road P.O. No.11502” on front, and “Canton 50.11.5” transit and “NEW YORK CHURCH ST. 11.10.1950” arrival on reverse. The cover was routed via Canton and Hong Kong, and carried by Pan American Airways (PAA) on its FAM 14 trans-Pacific service to the United States. Posted during the Sixth Postal Tariff Period under the RMB postal system (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), mailed on the second day of the new rate period. The postage was correctly paid for a 70-gram registered airmail letter, consisting of 2,500 yuan for the first 20g, 1,500 yuan × 3 = 4,500 yuan for the next 50g, an airmail surcharge to “Other Countries” of 10,500 yuan × 7 = 73,500 yuan, and a registration fee of 4,200 yuan, totaling 84,700 yuan. This cover represents a textbook example of a correctly rated heavyweight registered airmail sent immediately after the unification of the RMB postal currency. It demonstrates accurate postage calculation, clear postal routing, and the operational efficiency of early PRC airmail via Hong Kong on the FAM 14 Pacific route. A rare and significant postal history item illustrating the functioning of China’s international postal system during the formative stage of the RMB postal tariff period, of great value for research and exhibition.
two postal items sent to Eastern Europe during the 6th Postal Tariff Period (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), both correctly rated and transmitted via the Moscow-Prague route. The first, a 10g airmail cover from Shanghai to Unterperlitz, East Germany, dated 27 February 1951, is franked to the inclusive rate of 9,000 yuan (2,500 yuan for the first 20g international surface letter postage plus 6,500 yuan airmail surcharge to Eastern Europe). As indicated by the sender, the letter was routed northward through Peking for onward air transmission, showing clear Shanghai dispatch and routing marks. The second, a postcard from Peking to Warsaw, Poland, dated 7 March 1951, is prepaid 8,000 yuan (1,500 yuan international postcard rate plus 6,500 yuan airmail surcharge to Eastern Europe), with “Peking 51.3.7” cds and “航空 / Par Avion” label. Both items were carried by air from Peking via Moscow and Prague to their respective destinations. These two examples represent standard East European airmail correspondence during the early PRC postal period, when the unified Old RMB postal system was firmly established. Correctly rated and neatly franked, they reflect both accurate rate application and smooth postal cooperation between China and Eastern Bloc countries in the early 1950s.
these two items represent correctly paid airmail correspondence to Western Europe under the 6th Postal Tariff Period (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), both carried via the standard Moscow–Prague airmail route linking China with Europe. The first, dated 16 May 1951, is an airmail cover from the Royal Danish Legation in Peking to Copenhagen, Denmark, franked to the inclusive rate of 9,000 yuan (2,500 yuan for the first 20g international surface letter postage plus 6,500 yuan airmail fee per 10g to Western Europe). It bears a “Peking 51.5.16” cds and violet handstamps “航空 / AIR MAIL” and “丹麥” marking. The second, dated 28 April 1953, is an airmail postcard from Peking to Helsinki, Finland, correctly franked at 8,000 yuan (1,500 yuan international postcard rate plus 6,500 yuan airmail surcharge), tied by “Peking 53.4.28” cds and bearing a “Par Avion” etiquette. Together, these two postal items exemplify early 1950s PRC airmail service to Western Europe, reflecting the standardization and stability of the early RMB postal system and the smooth operation of Sino-European postal and diplomatic correspondence. Their correct franking, clear markings, and well-preserved condition make them important reference items for the study of early PRC international airmail and postal rate structure, with high philatelic and exhibition value.
registered airmail cover sent from Shanghai to Copenhagen, Denmark, endorsed “via HK” at upper left, franked with four R series and one East China regional overprinted issues, paying a total of 17,200 yuan (RMB), canceled “Shanghai 51.6.23” with red registration label “R No.638”, and on reverse bearing “Canton 51.6.26” transit. The cover was routed via Hong Kong and forwarded on the Hong Kong-West Europe airmail route, as indicated by the sender’s instruction. This routing incurred a higher rate than the alternative Prague route. Correctly paid under the Sixth Postal Tariff Period of the RMB postal system (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), with postage calculated as follows: 2,500 yuan for the first 20g international surface letter rate, 10,500 yuan per 10g airmail surcharge via the Hong Kong-West Europe route, and 4,200 yuan registration fee, totaling 17,200 yuan, an accurate and complete franking. This cover demonstrates that senders could opt for faster but more expensive airmail routes, illustrating the flexibility and operational sophistication of the early PRC postal system. With clear postal markings and precisely rated postage, it provides a vivid record of China’s restored international postal connections in the early 1950s. A rare and exhibition-worthy example of early PRC registered airmail to Europe, highly significant for postal history research.
registered airmail cover sent from Shanghai to Rotterdam, endorsed “Via Hongkong”, franked with four R series issues, totaling 50,200 yuan (RMB), tied by “Shanghai 53.4.23” cds, bearing red registration label “No. 891”, “Canton 53.4.28” and “Hong Kong 29.AP.53” transits on reverse. The cover was routed via Hong Kong, then through Calcutta on its way to Western Europe, and was carried aboard the British Overseas Airways Corporation (B.O.A.C.) “Comet” jetliner, which crashed near Calcutta on 2 May 1953. Recovered mail was officially salvaged by the Calcutta Post Office, which applied the violet cachet “SALVAGED MAIL / 'Comet' Crash near Calcutta / 2nd MAY 1953” before forwarding to its destination.
The postage was correctly paid under the Sixth Postal Tariff Period of the RMB postal system (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953): 2,500 yuan for the first 20g international surface letter rate, 1,500 yuan for the next 20g, air surcharge to Western Europe via Hong Kong at 10,500 yuan per 10g × 4 = 42,000 yuan, plus 4,200 yuan registration fee, totaling 50,200 yuan. This cover represents an extraordinarily rare postal and aviation history artifact, being one of only a few recorded Chinese-origin covers salvaged from the 1953 B.O.A.C. “Comet” air disaster, the world’s first commercial jet airliner crash. Posted just days before the end of the Sixth Postal Tariff Period, the cover features precise franking and a well-documented route. It stands as an important exhibition-quality item, offering exceptional insight into the early years of the People’s Republic of China’s international airmail service and its intersection with world aviation history.
aerogramme sent from Peking to Moscow, franked with two R series issues, totaling 5,800 yuan (RMB), showing a 100-yuan overpayment over the required 5,700-yuan aerogramme rate, canceled by “Peking 1951.4.11” cds and “Moscow 23.4.51” arrival on reverse, showing a total transit time of 12 days, an impressively efficient airmail service for the early PRC period. As the newly founded People’s Republic of China had not yet issued its own official aerogrammes, the postal administration temporarily reused pre-1949 aerogramme stationery originally issued by the Ministry of Communications Postal Administration (交通部郵政總局發行). On these forms, the printed characters “交通” (Communications) were handstamped in red with “郵電” (Post & Telecommunication), creating a provisional “Post & Telecommunication” aerogramme. This was an interim postal stationery type used during the transitional phase of China’s early postal system, bearing significant historical value. Posted during the Sixth Postal Tariff Period under the unified RMB postal system (1 November 1950 - 30 April 1953), the aerogramme rate was uniformly set at 5,700 yuan for all destinations. Although slightly overpaid, the franking was reasonable and fully in line with regulations. The routing was clear and efficient, representing an authentic example of official postal correspondence between China and the Soviet Union during the formative years of the PRC. A rare and important example of an early PRC provisional “Post & Telecommunication” aerogramme, created from repurposed postal stationery of the former Ministry of Communications. Exceptionally well-preserved, with clear postal markings, it stands as a significant exhibit piece that documents the transitional evolution of China’s postal administration and early international airmail development.