Lot 90021 – 1871, 200 mon vermilion, plate 1, pair and strip of three, and 100 mon, plate 1, on cover

1871, 200 mon vermilion, plate 1, sharp impression characteristic of the early printing, vertical pair and strip of three, positions 6 / 14 and 7 / 15 / 23 respectively, together with 100 mon, plate 1, earliest printing in dark steel-blue, position 36, all very fresh and with good margins except for position 23, which is slightly touched at base, all tied by neatly struck large “Kuwana kensazumi” handstamp to reverse of cover Kuwana, Ise province to Tokyo with handwritten date of Meiji 4th year “6th month 11th day 9th hour dispatched” (Gregorian 28 July 1871). Alongside displaying red framed “Kuwana station / postal agency” early non-standard postmark. Cover opened for display, slightly reduced at left and rebacked.

A very fine and spectacular colourful cover from the first rate period and featuring early printings.

Note: The 1,100 mon corresponded to the basic weight letter rate covering the distance between Kuwana and Tokyo in the first rate period, Meiji 4.3.1-4.12.4.

Provenance: Christoph Gärtner auction No. 10 (27.5.2009 were it sold for €12,500)