Lot 90131 – 1874, 20 sen violet syllabic 4 (ri), deep shade, with 2 sen, syllabic 18 (so) on cover

1874, 20 sen violet, syllabic 4 (ni), deep shade, and 2 sen yellow, syllabic 18 (so), tied by large early “Nagasaki Jul 2 12. M” foreign mail cds to cover from the famous Higgins correspondence to Northampton, England. Red “Yokohama Paid All Jul 12” cds also tying the 2 sen, two-line “6. / cents” (U.S. credit) handstamp, “San Francisco Aug. 1 Paid” in purple alongside, and Northampton backstamp. Refolded at top and stamps with faults, especially the 2 sen, but a very rare franking. The 21 sen rate to England was in use from 1.1.1875 to 9.9.1875.

Provenance:

Ishikawa Ryohei, illustrated in his 1976 book on page 45

Robson Lowe auction, London 28.1.1970, lot 1229

Takahashi private treaty 1995, lot 61, ¥1,500,000