Range of Catalogue Prices: unused.
Large stocks of this issue are still available and are likely to remain so for many years to come. There is, therefore, no need to set out any range of prices.
1894. Nine values. Designs: All different. The inscriptions remained the same, except that the word “Kingdom” was added to the inscription in the right-hand border, thus making the words “Great Pure Kingdom.” Mr. Mencarini tell us that these stamps were issued in honour of the Empress-Dowager’s sixtieth birthday. The first supplies, he says, were printed in Japan, and later supplies at Shanghai, but he can find no record which will enable us to distinguish the Japanese from the Chinese printings. Each value yields very distinct shades, which probably may some day afford the specialist a clue to the separation of the Japanese from the Chinese printings. The stamps were watermarked as before and perforated.
A curious story is connected with the history of the designing of this series. It seems that Mr. R. A. de Villard, an artist resident in China at the time, was conlmissioned to prepare a series of designs for the new Imperial Post. He was a high official in the Chinese Imperial Customs. His drawings were prepared, but were fated to be rejected, for, in common parlance, Mr. de Villard, despite his acquaintance with Chinese ways, had innocently put his foot into it. In several of the designs he had abbreviated the inscription to “Imp. Chin. Post,” which was not allowed. Consequently, a fresh series of drawings had to be made. In submitting his new drawings, Mr. de Villard still more seriously put his foot into it by colouring the 20c. in Imperial purple, innocently thinking that would, of course, be a popular and most acceptable colour. Evidently he was ignorant of the fact that the use of this colour is absolutely forbidden in China, except by members of the Imperial family. There was a big row, and no doubt for a time it was probably a question whether the poor artist would be decapitated or otherwise disposed of. However, he made yet another series of designs, and steered clear of the Imperial purple, but whether it be a coincidence or otherwise, it is a fact that Mr. de Villard was shortly afterwards ordered off on a surveying expedition through Tibet, with orders to make his way thence to India, returning to China by sea from Calcutta. Such a journey was practically a sentence of death, and as such Mr. de Villard seems to have regarded it, for he wrote his friend Mr. Whitfield King, of Ipswich, from Chunking, on his way to Tibet, stating that in all probability that would be the last letter he would have from him, and he has not since been heard of.
The numbers printed were as follows :–
1 cand., red 100,077
2 “ green 78,404
3 “ yellow 188,494
4 “ rose 44,689
5 “ yellow 32,779
6 “ brown 54,247
9 “ green 56,182
12 “ orange 33,509
24 “ red 34,035
Wmk. Yin-yang. Perf.
Unused. Used
s. d. s. d.
1 cand., vermilion 0 3
2 “ green 0 9
3 “ yellow 0 4 0 6
4 “ rose 1 0 1 0
5 “ orange 0 9 1 0
6 “ brown 1 0 1 0
9 “ green 1 0 1 0
12 “ orange 2 6 3 0
24 “ carmine 7 6
Variety: tête bêche.
9 “ green 10 0
1896. Provisionals. Mr. Mencarini explains the issue of these provisionals as follows: “By Imperial Edict the Imperial Chinese Post Office was recognized (18th December, 1896), and the post office currency was thereupon changed from candarins (taels) to cents (dollars). Whilst regular stamps were being prepared, provisionals were issued, by surcharging in black with ordinary printing types the 1885 and 1894 stamps in stock.” The surcharging was done by several printing offices, hence differences in type noted by specialists.
1897. Issue of 1894 surcharged in black.
(1) Small figures (January).
Surcharge 17 to 17½ mm. high.
Unused. Used.
s. d. s. d.
½ c. on 3 c., orange 0 2 0 3
½ c. on 3 c., orange-yellow 0 3 0 3
½ c. on 3 c., ochre 0 3 – –
1 c. on 1 c., vermilion 0 9 0 6
2 c. on 2 c., green 0 5 0 3
4 c. on 4 c., rose 0 6 0 6
5 c. on 5 c., orange 0 6 0 6
5 c. on 5c., yellow – – – –
8 c. on 6 c., brown 0 6 0 6
8 c. on 6 c., red-brown 1 0 1 0
10 c. on 6 c., brown 2 0 2 0
10 c. on 6 c., red-brown 2 0 – –
10 c. on 9 c., green 5 0 3 6
10 c. on 12 c., orange 3 6 3 6
30 c. on 24 c., carmine 4 6 4 6
Varieties (i.) “2” and fraction bar of “½“ omitted.
l c.on 3 c., orange – – – –
(ii.) Surcharge inverted.
1 c. on 1 c., vermilion – – – –
(iii. ) Double Surcharge.
½ c. on 3 c., orange – – – –
2 c. on 2 c., green 20 0 – –
4 c. on 4 c., rose – – – –
10 c. on 9 c., green 30 0 – –
(2) Larger figures (February)
(a) Surcharge 17 to 17½ mm. high.
½ c. on 3 c., yellow 0 1 0 2
½ c. on 3 c., orange – – – –
1 c. on 1 c., vermilion 0 2 0 3
2 c. on 2 c., yellow-green 0 3 0 2
2 c. on 2 c., deep green 5 0 – –
4 c. on 4 c., rose 0 6 0 8
5 c. on 5 c., orange 5 0 – –
5 c. on 5 c., yellow 1 0 1 0
8 c. on 6 c., brown – – – –
8 c. on 6 c., red-brown 1 6 2 0
10 c. on 9 c., green 1 6 2 0
10 c. on 9 c., emerald 2 0 2 6
10 c. on 12 c., orange-yellow 2 0 1 6
30 c. on 24 c., carmine 5 0 5 0
Variety. “cen” for “cent.”
½ c. on 3 c., pale yellow – – 25 0
(b) Surcharge 16 to 16½ mm. high.
Figure of value closer to Chinese characters.
½ c. on 3 c., orange-yellow 0 1 0 6
½ c. on 3 c., pale yellow 0 3 0 6
1 c. on 1 c., vermilion 0 2 0 3
2 c. on 2 c., green 0 6 0 2
4 c.on 4 c.,rose 1 0 1 3
5 c.on 5 c.,orange 12 6 5 0
5 c. on 5 c., yellow 4 0 5 0
8 c. on 6 c., brown 50 0 – –
10 c. on 9 c., green 10 0 3 6
10 c. on 9 c., pale green 10 0 – –
10 c. on 12 c., orange 7 6 4 0
10 c. on 12 c., brown-orange 10 0 – –
30 c. on 24 c., carmine – – – –
Varieties.
Surcharge inverted.
½ c. on 3 c., pale yellow – – – –
2 c. on 2 c., green 25 0 – –
4 c. on 4 c., rose 12 0 – –
10 c. on 9 c., green 10 0 – –
New plate with figures “2“ in lower corners instead of “2”
2 c. on 2 c., green 0 9 0 9
Issue of 1885 surcharged in black.
(1) Small figures (February). Surcharge 17 mm. high.
1 c. on 1 c., green 0 4 0 6
1 c. on 1 c., pale green – 2 0 –
2 c. on 3 c., pale mauve 0 6 0 6
5 c. on 5 c., grey-bistre 0 6 0 9
(2) Large figures as Types 14 and 15 (May).
(a) Surcharge 16½ mm.high.
1 c. on 1 c., green 8 0 10 0
(b) Surcharge 15½ mm. high.
2 c. on 3 c., mauve 8 0 10 0
5 c. on 5 c., olive yellow 8 0 10 0
Revenue stamp surcharged in black.
1 c. on 3 c., red 0 2 0 2
1 c. on 3 c., red-brown 0 3 – –
2 c. on 3 c., red 0 4 0 6
2 c. on 3 c., red 0 3 0 2
4 c. on 3 c., “ 0 4 0 6
4 c. on 3 c., “ 60 0 – –
$1 on 3 c., red 7 6 7 6
$1 on 3 c., “ £10 – – –
$5 on 3 c., “ 100 0 – –
Surcharge inverted.
2 c. on 3 c., red 15 0 – –
$5 on 3 c., “ – – – –
1897. Twelve values. Designs: Various. The ½ c. to 10 c. were of the dragon type; the 20 c., 30 c., and 50 c. had a carp as the central design; and the dollar values a wild goose on the wing. The appearance of the goose on a postage stamp is, from the Chinese point of view, very appropriate, for, according to an ancient legend, one of the emperors of China sent a special ambassador to the sovereign of a country situated on the northern borders of the Celestial Empire. Instead of treating this messenger with the respect to which his ambassadorial office entitled him, the northern king made him a prisoner and placed him into slavery, and he had to work as a cattle-minder. One day, presumably when tending his cattle, he caught a wild goose, and remembering that these birds regularly migrated north and south, he attached a letter to it addressed to his emperor and set the bird at liberty. The Chinese monarch was out shooting one day and shot a goose, and the story goes that this was the goose, and so the letter fell direct into the emperor’s hands. Of course, the ambassador was rescued and his captor was severely punished for his treachery. From this fable comes the common expression the Chinese have for the mails – hung pien, which may be interpreted as “the convenience of the wild goose.”
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