35th International Auction

overseas\asia\china
1898, large dollar "NANKING 28 APR 99" on small envelope in combination w. France 25 C. tied by boxed "I.P.O." plus boxed vermilion in characters "?Nanking p.o.", canc. "SHANGHAI CHINA 1 MAI 99" to Nantes/France. On reverse transits imperial p.o. "SHANGHAI 30 APR 99" resp. french mail steamer "LIGNE N. 2 MAI 99 No. 7". Cover opened out for display. - Predates the June 8 usage of the Nanking I.P.O. tie-print (Interasia sale 32 #2010). The vermilion all-chinese tie-mark marking seems unrecorded.