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1932

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1937

1938

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Imprinted Postcards

Seals & Labels

Fifth Anniversary of the Founding of Manchukuo

1st March 1937, this is a commemorative issue celebrating the fifth anniversary of the founding of Manchukuo.

The stamps were lithograph printed on un-watermarked "granite" paper in sheets of 70 by the Manchukuo Government Supplies Division, Hsinking. Designs by Mr Hirozo Oya. Any "specimen" stamps or sheets you may see for this issue are fakes.

The stamps are 21.5mm x 27.5mm and 27mm x 21.5mm. Perf 12½.  

1½f, stamp.  Rising Sun and stylized clouds over a ploughed field.  The majority of 1½f  these stamps are thought to have come from the Post Office at Mukden.

3f, stamp. A shadowgraph picture of the old and modern city of Hsinking to signify modernisation and progress. This stamp appears with heavy shiny gum or no gum at all. The reason for this is unclear.

210,000

Zirkle 26 - Issued 1st to 3rd March 1937
This example was issued in 哈爾濱 Harbin.

5th Anniversary of the Founding of the State - Wings and Torch. This cancel has a changeable date, the left hand Roman figure can read 1, 2, or 3. 1 being the most common.

Postal Rates - From 1 April 1937

Rate changed to coincide with changes in Japan, keeping both rates in harmony.

Surcharges to China Mail Issues

The change in postal rates introduced on 1st April 1937 encouraged the authorities to use up all the old stock of China Mail stamps. Later in 1937 the Post Office issued new set of China Mail stamps in keeping with the new pricing.

To clear existing stock they simply overprinted the new April price increase value on the stamps that remained unsold. The overprint by the Manchukuo Postal Administration Office, Hsinking, issued on 1st April 1937, consisted of four or six characters, the vertical spacing of the first batch (and most numerous) was 6.5mm but later this was changed to a narrower 4.5mm spacing. This change was made to make it easier to make sure all characters appeared on each stamp as there had been registration issues with previous print runs.

 Values overprinted 6.5mm apart were 2½ f on 2f (first Issue) and 2½f on 2f (second issue)
5f on 4f (second Issue)
13f on 12f (first Issue) and 13f on 12f (second Issue)

Variety - Broken top stroke of the Five Character

Mirror Offset - Above is a mirror offset (print on gum) error on the 5f overprint on a First Issue China Mail 4f. It is said that only one sheet of these exists, probably due to a lack of interleaving or drying when printing.

Special China Mail Stamps (Fourth Issue)

Although China had accepted the use of stamps bearing the name Manchukuo, it was decided to produce a further issue of China mail stamps in line with the 1st April increases to postal prices. This gave rise to the fourth issue of China Mail stamps with new values.

Many proofs are known for this issue, including a 5f in magenta. Plate flaws exist for the 13f the most common being a spots in the bottom right hand panel containing the word" FEN", these are inconsistent and should not be mistaken for a variety.  Any "specimen" stamps or sheets you may see for this issue are fakes.

The stamps are 18.5mm x 22mm, Perf 13 x 13½.  Produced in April 1937. The stamps were recess printed by the Manchukuo Postal Administration Office, Hsinking.

The set consisted of 3 stamps, a 2½f featuring the Imperial Crest of Manchukuo and 5f and 13f showing Changbaishan and the Heavenly Lake (Baitoushan).

Variety - Slate Blue

The 5f Changeling       

Completion of the Five Year Plan for Re-building of the Capital

This set of four stamps was issued on 16th September 1937 to commemorate the completion of the re-building of the capital Hsinking. The Japanese put in place a five year plan to develop Hsinking (formerly Changchun) into a modern city and during this time the population almost trebled to over 1 million and the city grew from an area of eight square miles to nearly eighty square miles. The postcard below is an artists impression of how the city would look when the plan was complete, the card is printed in the USA as part of a series linked to the Chicago 1933 International Exposition.

The stamps are 21.5mm x 27mm, Perf 12 x 12½. Engraved on un-watermarked "granite" paper by the Manchukuo Government Supplies Division, Hsinking. Designs by Mr Kosuke Ishikawa. Proofs of the 20f have been found, in colour, on thick paper with no gum.

 2f and 10f design shows A pouter pigeon overlooking Hsinking.
4f and 20f the design features The flag of Manchukuo waving above the Imperial palace.

189,000

84,000

Zirkle 34 - Issued 16-18th September 1937.
This example was issued in Sze-ping-kai Post Office - 奉天 Mukden.

Construction of the Capital City. The Capital Construction Bureau declared it had completed the task of rebuilding 新京 Hsinking on 16th September 1937 and this cancel was issued in honour of that occasion.

The Abolition of Extra Territorial Rights

1st December 1937. This series starting with a map of Manchukuo commemorates Japan’s relinquishment of Japanese civilian extraterritorial rights over Manchukuo. This means that control of various civil government functions such as policing, education, control of industrial production, postal services, taxation, the judicial system etc, passed from Japanese control to become the sole responsibility of the Government of Manchukuo. This included the South Manchurian Railway Zone where Japanese citizens became subject, for the first time, to the laws of Manchukuo. Needless to say, Japan retained control of all things military, and the Emperor Kang-teh.

This is a six stamp set litho printed on un-watermarked "granite" paper by the Manchukuo Postal Administration Office, Hsinking. Designs by Mr Hirozo Oya. This set is an odd mixture of designs, sizes, styles and perforations, so details of each are shown below by value. Note - copies of the 2f exist that are offset printed, the printing appears sharper and more legible.

 2f design a Map of Manchukuo 21.5mm x 27mm, sheets of 70, Perf 12 ½.
4f and 8f design The Japanese Residents Association Building 39.5mm x 22.5mm, sheets 50, Perf 13 x 13 ½.
10f and 20f design The Postal Administration and Communication Building 39.5mm x 22.5mm, sheets 50, Perf 13 x 13½.
12f design Department of Justice Building 22.5mm x 29.5mm, sheets of 50, Perf 13 x 12½

Each sheet had an imprint Manchukuo Government Printing Office (example below).

3,000,000

1,400,000

200,000

500,000

200,000

200,000

Zirkle 37 - Issued 1 - 3rd December 1937.
This example was issued in 新京 Hsinking.

治外法权 (Extraterritoriality) 撤废 (Abolishment) 纪念 (Commemorate)

This cancel shows the symbolic five bats ("wu fu", the five blessings - health, wealth, long life, love of virtue and a peaceful death) circling a torch, and is to commemorate the abolition of extraterritorial rights.

Special Issue for New Years Greetings

A single stamp issued on 15th December 1937 and intended for use on New Year's greetings cards featuring the character "Hsuan Hsi" Double Happiness. The stamps were printed using recess printing for the blue frame and lithograph printing for the red central character.

Dark sage green proofs are known to exist of the plate used to print the blue main colour.

The stamps were printed on un-watermarked white paper in sheets of 100 by the Manchukuo Postal Administration Office, Hsinking. Design by Mr Hirozo Oya. This stamp is 21.5mm x 27.5mm. Perf 12 ½.  

2f design a blue background with a red character "Hsuan Hsi" Double Happiness.

20,000,000

Error, Examples of Red Hsuan Hsi Character mis-placed, high and right.

Special New Year's Greetings Stamp on a cover posted on New Years Day 1938.

New Year's Greetings Card

The above piece of Ephemera is a New Years Greeting Card showing the flags of Manchukuo and Japan. It is too small for any sort of postal use so it may have been as a table place setting name marker, for informal notes or for some other purpose. Printed on medium card, size 70mm x 140mm, reverse side blank.