Lot Details

1871/72, 5 sen bluish green on "tough paper" (Tejima term) and Cherry Blossom 2 sen vermilion tied by framed "Ken" of Tokyo to an underpaid cover to Shimamura, Kozuke Province.

Manuscript date "year of the monkey 11th month 19th day", or Meiji 5.11.19 (19 December 1872). Also showing 500 mon Plate II (2, damaged, one only a small remainder, including position 33) and Cherry Blossom 1 sen blue, native paper (2), all with vermilion postage-due brush strokes and vermilion text "500 mon stamps 2 pieces" and "1 sen stamps 2 pieces". The amount due to be collected from the addressee was 12 sen. Framed Tokyo datestamp of Meiji 5.11.19 appears below the 1 sen Cherry Blossoms.

Despite the faults, this is a most extraordinary and complex cover, combining 5 sen and 500 mon Plate II usages. One of only eight recorded covers bearing the 500 mon Plate II.

Rate: Within 50 ri = 2 sen, triple weight = 6 sen, plus 1 sen to destination outside the delivery circuit, total 7 sen, second rate period. It appears the cover remained triple-weight underpaid and the missing 6 sen was charged double to the addressee.

Reference: Illustrated in Dragon Covers, p. 167.