Lot 40141 – 1885 Cover to France bearing Type Sage 25c in a very rare combination with Large Dragons Dragons on thick paper, rough perf. 3ca

1885 (July 29) Fully prepaid cover (opened for display) to Le Mans, redirected to Mont Cenis, franked on reverse on dispatch with China 1885 Large Dragons Dragons on thick paper, 3ca rough perf. (Chan 11), tied by blue Peking seal cancel, with matching “I.G. OF CUSTOMS/PEKING” cds alongside, together with “CUSTOMS/SHANGHAI” (2.8) cds and French transits on reverse, transferred to the French P.O. for external transmission and franked with Type Sage 25c bister and yellow, tied by scarce “SHANG-HAÏ/CHINE” Daguin duplex, repeated adjacent, faint strike of red French entry, a very rare China first-issue combination cover; signed Holcombe.

Provenance: Alex Droar, “Ming” collection.