Lot# 5510

cancelled by a clear Shanghai bilingual cds. dated 31 Oct 1908, with transit at Nagasaki on 1 Nov and arrival at Vladivostok on 4 Nov. As China had not yet joined the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the 1c domestic franking was not recognized for international transmission; accordingly, the cover bears the Russian instructional large “T” (Taxe) marking together with the rare large “O” (Zero) handstamp, indicating that no credit was given for the original postage. Consequently, a double-deficiency charge of 20 gold centimes (equivalent to 8 kopecks) was applied. This charge is confirmed by the manuscript “8k” centered within a clear strike of the Vladivostok double-ring oval “Doplatit” (Postage Due) arrival marking. Well preserved overall, this card represents an important example for the study of Qing-era Sino-Russian postal relations, postage due procedures, and the maritime mail route via Japan, and is also an attractive exhibition-quality postal history item featuring notable taxe markings.