Indochina, Seafarers, Michel Nr. 302-312; Eleven stamps in nominals of 1C, 6C, 10C, 15C, 20C, 40C and 1P were issued in perforation 11.5-12. The stamps were issued over time on various dates:
1C = January 10th, 1945 (Lagree)
1C = September 15th, 1943 (Francois)
1C = August 15th, 1943 (Grandiere)
6C = September 1st, 1943 (Amedee)
6C = September 1st, 1943 (Genouilly)
6C = October 5th, 1943 (Laubat)
10C = August 10th, 1944
15C = November 10th, 1944
20C = August 10th, 1944
40C = November 1st, 1944
1P = July 8th, 1944
Here is the mint set in blocks of four
Very rare used block of six Genouilly stamps on a piece featuring the very rare “CHINE – TONKIN” cancel in March of 1944.
Complete mint never hinged sheets of the 1C (two values), 10C, 20C and 40C values.
Here is the cancelled to order set in blocks of four.
Here is the postally used set.
6C Genouilly stamp in a bock of four cancelled with the rare rural cancel of Son-Tay.
6C Genouilly stamp cancelled with the rare rural cancel of Can-Tho.
6C Genouilly stamp postally used and with the “Bank of Indochina” Perfin.
Complete set featuring First Day Cancels
Mixed franking of the 1C Seafarer stamp together with stamps from the Petain and Domestic Scences II sets paying an overall postage of 15C on a domestic air mail letter sent from Soc Trang to Saigon in January of 1944.
Mixed franking of the 1C (3) and 6C Seafarer stamps paying an overall postage of 9C sent from Ben Thuy (small post office) to Thudaumot in September of 1943, Thudaumot arrival cancel on the reverse.
Mixed franking of the 6C Roland Garros stamp together with stamps from the Petain and Seafarer sets paying an overall postage of 10C on a domestic letter sent from Dalat to Phnom Penh in April of 1944. Note the two paper versions of the 1C Seafarer stamp. One is printed on white and the other on tanned paper. Also note, that the left Petain stamp shows the variety “Petain’s hat has only two instead of three white stripes”. Phnom Penh arrival cancel on the reverse.
Mixed franking of the 6C Seafarer stamp together with the 30C Air Mail stamp paying ask overall postage of 36C on a registered domestic letter sent from Thai Binh to Hanoi in September of 1943. The letter was censured by the Japanese as indicated by the “Hanoi Bis” circular date canceler on the reverse. Additional Hanoi arrival cancel on the reverse.
Single franking of the 6C Seafarer stamp on a domestic letter sent from Can Bang to Hanoi in October of 1943. The letter was censored by the Japanese occupiers as indicated by the “Hanoi Bis” circular canceler on the reverse.
Mixed franking of the 6C Seafarer stamp together with the 4C Doumer stamp paying an overall postage of 10C on a domestic letter sent from Lang Son to Saigon in October of 1944.Hanoi arrival cancel on the reverse.
Single franking of the 10C Seafarer stamp on a domestic letter sent from Hulang Phuong (small post office) to Hanoi in October of 1944. Hanoi arrival cancel on the reverse. The letter was collected by the well known philatelist Jaques Dessrousseaux who held the position of “Chef du Services des Mines”. Ex Dessrousseaux.
Very rare multiple franking of the 10C Chamber stamp paying the correct postage of 40C on an international letter sent on August 28th, 1945 from Saigon to Japan. This was just short of two weeks after the Japanese surrender to the U.S. in World War II. Immediately after the surrender the Viet Minh, that had be fighting the Japanese from the underground, took control of the Indochinese administrative state including the postal system. As a result a red cachet in Chinese and French stating “Down with the Oppressors” was struck on front. This cachet was only used for a few weeks in Saigon. It is interesting that even after the Japanese had effectively lost control of the postal system they could still send letters to Japan that were not censured for a few weeks after their surrender. This came to a halt after the French returned to Indochina in October of 1945.
Rare single franking of the 15C De Lagree stamp paying the correct postage (Tariff of October 3rd, 1944) on a letter sent from Pnom Penh in Cambodia to Kampot in March of 1945. Le Bokop and Pnom Penh transit and Kampot arrival cancels on the reverse.
Rare single franking of the 15C De Lagree stamp paying the correct postage (Tariff of October 3rd, 1944) on a letter sent from Svay-Rieng in Cambodia to Tea Vinh in September of 1945.
Rare single franking of the 15C De Lagree stamp paying the correct tariff of 15C on a domestic letter sent shortly after the Japanese occupation period. The Japanese surrender occurred on September 2nd. The stamp is cancelled with the dateless Ke Sat rural cancel (Poste Rurale) and carries a transfer cancel from Hai Duong from September 6th, 1945. The letter was addressed to a recipient in Dau Tieng.
Rare single franking of the 15C De Lagree stamp paying the correct tariff of 15C on a domestic letter sent in January of 1945 from Ban Yen to the political detention station on the prison island of Paulo Condore. The letter has a transfer of the dateless Dy Sy rural cancel (Poste Rurale) and carries a transfer cancel from Saigon from January 11th, 1945.
Rare multiple franking of the 15C Seafarer stamp (3) paying an overall postage of 45C which was the correct tariff for a registered letter (Tariff of October 3rd, 1944, 15C base postage and 30C registration surcharge). The letter was sent from a jewelry business in Luang Prabang in Laos (rare cancel) to Tam Binh, South of Saigon. Vientiane transit cancel on the reverse.
Very rare multiple franking of the 15C La Gree stamp (4) paying the second weight level of the international tariff at the time (Tariff of April 1st, 1942) and sent in September of 1945 from Cholon to Dong Wang Town near Guang Zhou, China. This was close to the Japanese surrender in World War II. Since Huang Zhou was still occupied by the Japanese Army the letter was not censored in Indochina.
Mixed franking of the 20C Seafarer stamp together with stamps from the Air Mail and Personalties sets paying an overall postage of 85C on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to Algeria in January of 1945. The letter was censored by the Japanese Occupation Force as indicated by the French banderole and censor hand stamps that the Japanese continued to use. International letter sent during the Japanese Occupation are very rare.
Very rare domestic registered letter that was sent on September 8th, 1945, just six days after the formal Japanese surrender to the United States. The letter is correctly franked with 45C and cancelled with the octagonal Hanoi A canceler. Immediately after the Japanese surrendered, the Viet Minh, who had been fighting them from the underground, took over administrative control including that of the postal service. The letter hence carries a Viet Minh propaganda cachet that states “Vietnamese must use Vietnamese”. Hanoi R.P. transfer cancel on the reverse. It is interesting that the letter was sent by a Japanese company in Hanoi to their subsidiary in Saigon so Japanese business men were still active right after the surrender.
International letter sent from Saigon to India on November 16th, 1945. This was shortly after the French had returned to the city after World war II. Franked with the 15C Rhodes, the 20C Charner and 60C Air Mail stamps and paying an overall postage of 95C. Indian arrival cancel on the reverse.
Rare single franking of the 40C Seafarer stamp on an international red band cover sent in February of 1945 from Saigon to China.
Single franking of the 40C Seafarer stamp on an international letter paying the correct postage (Tariff of April 1st, 1942) and sent from Cholon by the Yeng Fishery Company to Quanzhou, Fujian Province in China on February 26th, 1945. This was just a few days prior to the Japanese Coup in Indochina (March 9th, 1945) which means the French were still in charge of the postal administration. Saigon machine transfer cancel on the reverse. Since the letter went to a part of China that was occupied by the Japanese and it was sent by a Japanese company it was not censored.
Rare single franking of the 40C La Gree stamp paying the correct international tariff and sent from Saigon to Xin Hui City in China on September 14th, 1945. That was 12 days after the Japanese surrender. Despite this fact the letter was not censored as Xin Hui City was still occupied by Japanese soldiers. Saigon transit cancel on the reverse.
Multiple franking of the 40C Seafarer stamp (4) paying an overall postage of 1.60P on a philatelically inspired international letter sent by an English military officer that had come to Indochina to take control of the country from the Japanese. Note that he sent the letter to himself (“To await arrival”). This is one of the first international letters that were sent to England after World War II.
Multiple franking of the 40C Seafarer stamp (2) paying an overall postage of 80C on an international letter sent from Saigon via Calcutta to France.
Multiple franking of the 40C Seafare stamp (3) paying an overall postage of 80C on an international letter sent from Dalat to France in February of 1947.
Mixed franking of the 40C Seafarer stamp together with the 10C Four the Sport stamp paying an overall tariff of 50C on a rare international letter sent in August of 1945 from Cholon to Kwang Tung in China. Kwang Tung was also occupied by the Japanese Army at the time so the letter was not censored.
Mixed franking of the 40C Seafarer stamp together with two 30C Personalities stamps paying an overall postage of 1P on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to India in September of 1947.
Mixed franking of the 40C de Lagree stamps (2) together with the 15C and 30C Rhodes stamps paying an overall postage of 1.25P on an international air mail letter sent through the military postal system to Metz in France. Cancelled with the “mute” Posted aux Armees T.O.E.” cancel from December 23rd, 1945. This is an early letter out of Indochina after World War II.
Mixed franking of the 40C Seafarer stamp together with stamps from the Air Mail and Governers sets paying an overall postage of 2.50P on a registered international air mail letter sent from Pnom Penh to France in November of 1948. Paris arrival cancel on the reverse.
Mixed franking of the 40C Seafare stamp together with stamps from the Personalities set paying an overall postage of 1.45P on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to France in January of 1946.
Mixed franking of the 1P Seafare stamp together with the 50C Sport stamp paying an overall postage of 1.50P on an international letter sent from Saigon to Australia in January of 1946. Australia was a very rare destination at the time.
Mixed franking of the 40C+1.10 and 15C+60 Reconstruction set plus the 15C Personalities and 1P Seafarer stamps paying an overall postage of 1.70P on an international air mail letter sent from Saigon to Switzerland in February of 1946.
Registration Nr. 090410
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