Lot 30007 – 1871, 48 mon brown single on cover

1871, 48 mon brown, plate 1, position 39, a well margined single displaying an excellent impression and rich colour, ideally tied by framed « Saikyo Ken » to reverse of Saikyo local cover, showing on front clear strikes of framed « (year of ) Water Ape 11th Month 13th Day / Saikyo Post Office » (Gregorian 13 December 1872) and framed « Afternoon Delivery » hs, both in red, and circular « Muro » of Muromachi « Hakoba » (mail deposit place). Cover backed up and opened for display having slight insect damage not affecting the stamp. Certs Philatelic Federation of Japan (2011), Florian Eichhorn BPP (2023).To our knowledge, twelve single frankings of the 48 mon are recorded, of which eight are in private hands, with this undoubtedly being one of the finest.Note: A special reduced inner-city mail rate of 48 mon per each 4 momme was introduced at Saikyo/Kyoto and Osaka at Meiji 4.12.5 . Before that date, the 48 mon value was intended to pay the fractions certain postal increment above the single weight, as it did not suffice to pay the single weight letter rate. Saikyo was a temporary renaming of Kyoto during the Meiji era, between Meiji 4 and Meiji 9 (1871-ca1876).Provenance: Frederick H. Gloeckner (Kanai Stamp Co. June 25th 1967 lot 1)Census of the twelve 48 mon single frankings on cover we have documented:-The example presented here-17.9.1871: Yokohama to Tokyo, in the Tejima collection -14.10.1871: Yokohama to Tokyo, in the Kanai collection (The Philatelic Culture Museum)-14.11.1871: Tokyo to Yokohama, ex Fukuhara collection-1.12.1871: Yokohama to Tokyo, in the Tejima collection-2.12.1871: Yokohama to Tokyo, in the Suzuki collection-27.5.1872 Saikyo City drop letter, in the Nathaniel collection-15.7.1872: Saikyo City drop letter, in the Tejima collection-24.12.1872: Saikyo City drop letter, in the Tejima collection-20.1.1873: Saikyo City to Osaka area, ex Peplow and in the Suzuki collection-30.1.1873: Saikyo City drop letter, in the Kanai collection (The Philatelic Culture Museum)-16.2 (year unavailable): From Tokyo to Yokohama, in the Kanai collection (The Philatelic Culture Museum)