1871, 100 mon dark blue, plate II, a vertical pair, positions 32-40, tied by large "Fujieda Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover from Fujieda, Suruga Province, to Tokyo.

Manuscript dateline "8th month 21st day". Below, framed arrival "year of the monkey 8th month 23rd day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.8.23 (25 September 1872). Vermilion framed "Hongo" of Hongo postal branch bureau, together with "Morning dispatch".

A scarce and attractive provincial usage, well marked and with an interesting rate-note history. Mr. Tejima suggests that although Fujieda/Suruga to Tokyo was listed in the first printed rate tables of the second period as within 100 ri = 3 sen, it may later have been regrouped or reduced to the lower rate.

Rate: Within 50 ri = 2 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in 19th century, fig. 117; Dragon Covers, p. 72.