 |
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|
Special China Mail Stamps (Third Issue) This set has been redrawn and engraved (with many variations) on watermarked (see below) "granite" paper. The stamps were produced in sheets of 100 by the Central Bank of Manchukuo Printing Department in Hsinking. Designer unknown. Produced at different times throughout 1936 as old plates wore out and had to be replaced, this is the third printing. The stamps are 18.5mm x 22mm, Perf 13½ x 13½.
The set consisted of 4 stamps, 2f and 8f featuring the Imperial Crest of Manchukuo. The 4f and 12f showing 長白山Changbaishan (Mount Changbai) and the Heavenly Lake.
|
|||||||
 |
 |
|||||||
 |
 |
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Postal Agreement with Japan This is a commemorative issue celebrating the postal agreement with Japan available from 26th January 1936. Prior to this the Postal arrangements between Manchukuo and Japan had to conform to the Cino-Japanese Postal Agreement of 1911. A commemorative cancel and presentation booklet exists for this issue (see below) and a special set of two picture postcards appeared for sale though Post Offices, these can be seen here. The stamps were recess printed on watermarked (see below) "granite" paper in sheets of 70 by the Central Bank of Manchukuo Printing Department in Hsinking. Designs by Mr Hirozo Oya. Proofs in the 3f exist in brown, imperf. The stamps are 21.5mm x 27.5mm and 27mm x 21.5mm. Perf 12 x 12½ and 12 1/4 x 12.
The 1½f and 6f shown Wild Geese flying toward Japan (a symbol of co-operation) and the 3f and 10f depict The Ministry of Communication, Hsinking.
|
||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||
|
280,000 |
840,000 |
|||||||
 |
 |
|||||||
|
140,000 |
140,000 |
|||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Cover and Contents of Special Presentation Booklet |
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Zirkle
18
- Issued 26th to
28th January 1936 This is to celebrate the new postal treaty with Japan which came into effect on 26th January 1936. The central image is of a pigeon with a letter in its beak, flanked by the flags of Japan and Manchukuo. |
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
Fourth Regular Issue (First Printing) This issue, (excluding air mail designs which are similar) provided the basic postage stamps used in Manchukuo from 4th December 1936. The stamps were recess printed on watermarked (see below) "granite" paper in sheets of 100 by the Manchukuo Government Supplies Division, Hsinking. Designs by Mr Hirozo Oya. The stamps are 18.5mm x 22.5mm. Perf 13 x13½. Four Designs....
The ½f ,1f, 1½f, 3f
and 5f show the New State Council Building, Hsinking
Stamps were printed in booklet form
for the 1½f and 2f each containing 60 stamps in panes of 6, also
3f and 4f each containing 30 stamps in panes of 6. Stamps from
booklet panes have one imperf edge.
These stamps were re-printed in 1940
using a thinner paper and with some minor differences in shading and
gum. The total numbers printed are unknown for either issue.
|
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
||||||
|
Broken Crests Very high numbers of these stamps were printed and so some degradation of the plates was inevitable. The most vulnerable part of the design was the orchid emblem at the top of every stamp. Wear to this part of the design gave rise to the so called "broken crest" varieties see below. The "broken crest" has been found on the most widely used stamps, the 1f, 2f and 4f values. Sheet positions are inconsistent and these should be viewed as an interesting printing flaw and not a true variety. |
||||||||
| Stolen Imperforates | ||||||||
 |
Suspicion of stolen stamps was raised in October 1938 by a Manchukuo specialist Mr L. R. Marr (in Osaka) when he was offered what he described as "altered" stamps by a Russian dealer. He wrote to Mr Ryutaro Nagai, Minister of Communications in Tokyo, voicing his concerns. He told Mr Nagai that, as a result of his investigations, he had been informed that a Japanese man in Hsinking, by the name of Yamamoto, had a friend in the Manchukuo Government Printing Office, who was fraudulently altering stamps. The subsequent investigation showed that an employee at the Government Printing Office in Hsinking had stolen both imperforate and diagonally perforated sheets of stamps for sale to dealers. Four values are known to have been involved ½f, 1f, 2f and 4f. The culprit, and many outside accomplices, were quickly caught and severely punished. Most of the stamps were recovered, but some ½ fen were put on sale by the Harbin stamp dealer, A. S. Yaroshevitch. He sold them for $10.00 a pair, claiming that they had been bought by a student at a local Post Office. It is clear that he made this offer to most of the Manchukuo collectors on his books. Akagi reports that some sheets found their way to America, but in all probability they were sent to collectors all over the world. My thanks to Travis Searls for this image. |
|||||||
| Booklet Panes 5th December 1936 | ||||||||
|
1½ fen Booklet Pane 3 fen Booklet Pane Booklets and Booklet Panes 1st December 1937
2f Booklet Panes - Type A unused and Type
C - Used intact
1937 Booklet Pane Perforations Type A. B. and C.
Complete (Unexploded) 2 fen Booklet
Front View, Front View with Retaining Band and Back View of the 2f Booklet. They look quite big on screen and when you see them advertised, what strikes you when you see the actual item is just how small it is. If you print off a copy you can appreciate this. The actual size of the booklet is 44.25mm x 88.5mm x 1.6mm thick. The central picture shows the booklet complete with the original inspection wrapper. The two red chops show that each booklet has been checked by one official and the contents counted by another. 4 fen Booklet
The Third Presentation Album
It is though that this booklet was issued in December 1936. To find out more and view the contents click here.
|
||||||||
