Lot 30036 – 1871, 200 mon vermillion, vertical pair with “head” portion of early non-standard “Kensazumi” postmark of Echigawa

1871, 200 mon vermilion, plate 1, earliest printing, vertical pair from positions 26 & 34, complete margins on all sides, exhibiting the “head” portion of early non-standard “Kensazumi” postmark of Echigawa (Omi Province, opened in Meiji 5.2).A magnificent strike of this very rare post mark, of which only about half a dozen are recorded, including two covers.Note: While other post offices used “large place kensazumi” postmarks, the Echigawa post office curiously utilised an almost identical type in size and style (“reisho”) to the first postmark of Japan (“three character kensazumi”), ostensibly disregarding the orders of the general post office indicating that postmarks then had to show a place name.