Lot 30116 – 1872, 20 sen bright reddish violet Short Tool perf. 12 on cover from Ngasaki via Hong Kong to Maloyaroslavets (Russia)

ONE OF JUST SIX COVERS AVAILABLE BEARING THE 20 SEN MATSUDA PRINTING1872, 20 sen bright reddish violet, Matsuda printing, very fresh used on registered envelope (opened for display) from Nagasaki via Hong Kong to Maloyaroslavets (Russia), tied by “crossroads” cancel for foreign mail of Nagasaki (Nishino type NS77A), with large-type “Nagasaki Jun 1 2. P.M.” cds adjacent, bold circular framed “R” in red at top on dispatch. On reverse showing “Hong Kong Ju 6 81”, two strikes of Russian railway “No. 76 Reni-Benderi”T.P.O. cds’s of July 7th & 8th (Julian calendar) and arrival cds (partly exhibited as a result of a very small portion of paper on back missing). Cert. Philatelic Federation of Japan signed by Dr. Sawa (2011).Eight covers exhibiting the 20 sen native paper are believed to exist, of which three are sent abroad (reported in the Ota Katsumi collection, although we have not been able to document a third example). Of all these eight covers, just six are in private hands. (JSCA ¥3,500,000).Note: The 10 sen U.P.U. single rate was paid for a letter not exceeding 15 grams, with the other 10 sen corresponding to the registration fee (adjusted on August 1st, 1879); Japan entered the U.P.U. on 1st June 1877. It was probably carried by the P&O “Khiva” departing from Shanghai on 4th June, via Hong Kong and Suez. This cover is illustrated on page 46 of the JSCA catalogue (2023).Provenance: Takahashi private treaty of July 2001, lot 37.Census of 20 sen Matsuda Printing on cover: -The example presented here-Single franking, 30.6.1885, Osaka to London, ex Fukuhara Kazunobu, in the Ota Katsumi collection-Single franking, also from Nagasaki to a foreign destination (reported by Ota Katsumi in his collection book, but not found by us)-Single with 2 sen, 4.2.1874, Tokyo to Fukui, in the Kanai collection (The Philatelic Culture Museum)-Strip of three with “Bird” 12 sen and “Koban” 1 sen (2), 13.6.1891, registered mail from Osaka, in the Kanai collection according to Dr. Ichida in his 1965 handbook and illustrated in JSCA 2023)-Strip of four with “UPU Koban” 2 sen (3), 25.7.1884, Nagasaki to Matsuura district, sold by Felzmann Auctions 11-2013, and offered in this sale-Block of six (largest multiple on cover) with 2 sen & 10 sen, 23.9.1874, Tottori to Tokyo, in the Kanai collection (The Philatelic Culture Museum)-Single used as postage due on cover franked by 2 sen (3), 5.12.1873, in the Tejima collection