A Previously Unrecorded Amoy Registered Cover with index E datestamp

by Dr. Andrew Cheung FRPSL

Hong Kong 1916 (MY 15) registered cover to Guilford franked 1c x 2 and 4c x 2 on front and further four 1c on reverse, cancelled 25mm Amoy c.d.s. with index letter E, boxed registration handstamp Norton standard type C at left with manuscript number "65"' registered London date stamp on reverse date 14 June 1916. The letter is believed to originate from the postal agency attached to the British Consulate on the island of Ku Lang Su. It was sent in closed bag via Hong Kong to England.

Two very similar datestamps classified by Webb as type J were sent to Amoy on 11 January 1907. The first datestamp with index A is known as type Ji and with index B type Jii. The second datestamp was known fitted with index letters E (Jiii) and F (Jiv) from 1912 to 1917. Amoy c.d.s. with index E or F is a rarity and there are only a handful of loose stamps and few pieces known. Hong Kong Study Circle Chairman and Hong Kong Philatelic expert M. Goldsmith recorded no covers bearing the index E or F. However, it is now known that there are two, a cover and a postcard bearing Amoy index E c.d.s. The subject cover, according to our record, is the third and only recorded registered cover bearing this datestamp.

Picture of Ku Lang Su island taken recently showing the old British Consulate (taken by the author in 2000)