Great Britain Offices in China #9, MH

Item Specifics

Country

British Offices in China

Catalog Number

9

Stamp Type

General Issue

Condition

Unused

Stamp Format

Single

Year of Issue

1917

Item Description

The item in this listing is a single used postage stamp issued for use in the British Post Office network in China in 1917. Listed in Scott as GB Offices in China #9 this stamp was an ordinary Hong Kong stamp of the period until it was overprinted with to show its’ intended use in China.

CV $9.25

All such stamps used in 1917 and later have the word "CHINA" printed across the stamp as shown.

For those unfamiliar with the “Foreign Office” concept, in brief, the world powers in the mid-19th to early 20th centuries opened branches of their own post offices in foreign countries in which they had commercial interests. This was done because the local post office was deemed “insufficient” but was also done as a mark of imperialism. In this time period, having foreign post offices was as much a sign of a country’s international power as it useful in facilitating communication.

In Turkey, foreign post offices were operated not only by Britain, but also by France, Austria, Russia, Italy, Romania, Greece, Poland, and Germany. Most of these opened in the early decades of the 19th century. Britain’s first such offices at Constantinople opened in 1857, with four additional offices opening at various locations now located in Lebanon, Turkey, and Greece.

Prior to the issue of this and similar stamps starting in 1885, Britain used ordinary British stamps at its' Turkish offices, whose use there can only be determined by cancellations. Between 1885 and 1921, Britain issued various stamps overprinted in Turkish currency or simply overprinted "Levant". "Levant" overprinted stamps were sold primarily for use on parcel post items, while the ones with Turkish currency surcharges were used on letter items.

As a result of the First World War, all British post offices in the Ottoman Empire closed at the end of September 1914, as did all the foreign posts in Turkey. Those of the Central Powers--Austria and Germany--never reopened. Some of the post offices operated by the Allies were reopened in 1919, and some nations (i.e. Greece and Poland) opened postal facilities there during and after the war's end. All foreign post offices in Turkey were closed by 1923 as a result of the Treaty of Lausanne, which formally ended the War in Turkey, and set the borders of the new Republic of Turkey.

Please see scan for condition. Scans of the reverse available upon request.

Terms of Sale:

Please note that your bid constitutes your acceptance of all the terms listed below. If anything is unclear, please e-mail for clarification or do not bid.

Shipping:

All stamps shipped by US Mail. US Orders $1.00 without insurance, international rates vary according to country of destination (please e-mail.) Optional insurance at USPS rates. 10 cents additional for each item, more of a discount for purchases of more than six items. Insurance will be required for shipments sold for $20 or more in total. Please e-mail for quotes on shipping if purchasing more than six items! Uninsured shipments sent at buyer's risk. This means that if you choose to forgo insurance, you agree to release me from any future claim via paypal if it should be lost in the mail.

Payment Options:

Paypal, Money Orders, and Checks payable in the US are accepted. Credit cards accepted through paypal only. Checks must be drawn on a US bank, or I cannot cash them! (I can no longer accept Canadian Postal Money Orders, even those in US dollars-sorry!)

Return Policy:

14 day, money back guarantee, provided the item(s) are sent back in original condition. The 14-day period is defined as follows:

US Bidders: 14 days from the 3rd day after the item is sent.

International: 14 days from the 7th day after the item is sent.

If there is a problem with an item (i.e. a problem with the item itself, it didn't get there, etc.), please e-mail me within this time frame and I will be happy to work with you! Sales will be considered final after that point if no contact is made. If any item is returned for any reason, shipping charges will not be refunded.

Seller Information

Seller

sugi891 (3954)

Registered Since

06/07/2005

Feedback

99.9%

Store

Po`oleka Hawai`i--Hawaiian stamps and more

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Item Location

Virginia, United States

Ships To

Worldwide

Returns Accepted

Yes

Returns Policy

Must be returned within 14 days in original condition. Money back, less shipping, no questions asked. Buyer pays return shipping.