U.S. & Worldwide Stamps & Postal History

1895 (1 Mar) registered cover endorsed "Corps d'occupation du Laos", franked with 15c Indo-Chine (another stamp, probably 25c (to get 40c postage for military registered cover) missing at left), showing local provisional cancel of "Luang-Pra-Bang-Laos" (also referred to as "cancel of fortune"), with date written in the center by manuscript lilac ink, hand-drawn framed "R" alongside, handstamped "Corps Exp're Tonkin" and ornamented cachet with Anchor "Flotille du Haute Mekong Indo-Chine Francaise" in violet below, water damage and traces of charring at top of cover, multitude of markings on back, including explanations, handwritten at Dien bien Phu "mailbag burned by Coolies/trams between Lai Chau and Dien Bien Phu", with signature (the cities of Luang-Prabang and Dien Bien Phu were linked by runners (Coolies-trams) and this journey took between 12-18 days according to Desrousseaux. This envelope was damaged by fire at an encampment, hence the trace of charring) and "mail inundated neat Vanyen" (cover was immersed in water, which explains why an additional stamp fell off), transit pmks of "Van-Bu Tonkin", "Chobo Tonkin", "Hanoi Tonkin" and "Vanyen Tonkin", finally arriving at Sedan (19 May 95), with wax seals to reclose the envelope. All in all, a remarkable cover, took 80 days to reach its destination, on the way almost being destroyed by fire and water. Accompanied by an erudite article (in English and French) by Christian Marsanoux
Estimate: $2500