Lot 90143 – 1875, bird 15 sen violet syllabic 3 (ha), single on cover to U.S.

1875, 15 sen violet, syllabic 3 (ha), part sheet margin at top, paying the triple 5 sen UPU favourite rate to the U.S. (20.6.1877-30.9.1897), tied by foreign mail initialled “Y” handstamp (Nishino-type YH3A), on large cover from Yokohama to New York, to U.S.A., with small “Yokohama 22 May 1883” cds in centre, backstamped on arrival on April 21 & 22. Some wrinkles affecting the stamp and small tear.

Single frankings featuring the syllabic 3 on foreign mail are considerably scarcer than those with syllabic 1 and 2. Only three are recorded in private hands according to our census (the fourth one belongs to a museum).

Our census of covers bearing the “Bird” 15 sen syllabic 3 (ha):

-The example presented here

-Single franking, 7.4.1882, registered from Yokohama to Philadelphia, “Meiji” property Part I, David Feldman auction, 3.6.2023, lot 30268

-Single franking, 23.10.1883, registered from Shanghai to Nagasaki, in the Kanai collection (The Philatelic Culture Museum)

-Single with “Bird” 45 sen, “Cherry Blossom” 20 sen and “Koban” 2 sen, 11.2.1882, registered from Yokohama to Bavaria (Germany), Christoph Gärtner auction (30.5.2016, lot 119)

Provenance:

Takahashi private treaty July 2001, lot 72, ¥800,000