Lot 20018 – 1901 Russia 4k + 4k Reply-paid card sent by Senior

1901 Russia 4k + 4k Reply-paid card sent by Senior Medical Officer with 3rd EAST SIBERIAN REGIMENT to Leipzig, dateline “Mugden (sic) 22 January 1901”, cancelled by No. 11 FIELD POST OFFICE/1/PRIAMUR DISTRICT cds in bright red (2 strikes), last 2 digits of year inverted, earliest known use of standard cancellers issued to Russian F.P.O.’s in Manchuria. Also included Russia 7k tied on piece of sealing envelope flap tied by circular FIELD POST TELEGRAPH OFFICE/MUKDEN(SKAYA)/No. 11 with space for completion of date by hand, struck in bright red. Only known example of provisional canceller brought into use when Russian offices opened in Mukden in November 1900. These two items show that contrary to what has been published, Mukden was provided with a canceller from the start of the Russian Occupation and that that of the Unified Post and Telegraphs services was the first to appear, not the last.