Quote:
I would jump on the Darrah overprinted Qs used to mail a parcel from Shanghai wrapper. Even my drool drools when I see that.
I was speaking of the item in Siegel's Magnolia Sale, 3/1/2022, Sale 1250, lot 298.
Quote:
1c-25c Parcel Post, Darrah Type III Overprint (Q1-Q5, Q7-Q9 var). Singles of each, 1c with inverted overprint in blue, tied by individual strikes of "U.S. Postal Agency * Shanghai, China * R.D." double-oval handstamp on a large piece of a package wrapper addressed to Mrs. Albert Hager in Salt Lake City Utah, magenta San Francisco customs oval and red registry numbers, return address with fancy lettering for U.S. Postal Agency, Nanking Road, Shanghai partly covered by stamps, several of which have natural straight edge
VERY FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE USE OF PARCEL POST STAMPS WITH DARRAH TYPE III OVERPRINT ON A PACKAGE WRAPPER TO THE UNITED STATES.
According to philatelic lore, John M. Darrah, the U.S. postal agent in China in 1913, colluded with some stamp collectors and overprinted one sheet each of the stamps in stock at the agency (we doubt this applies to the printed varieties). As this was unauthorized, Darrah was ordered by Washington not to sell them. He complied with the order, but some had already reached collectors.
Albert R. Hager was an importer in Shanghai when this wrapper was addressed. A cover with his corner card, franked with a pair of 1c Parcel Post and addressed to Salt Lake City was in the "Lake Shore" collection (Sale 888, lot 207). Any genuine use of the Darrah Type III overprints on a cover or parcel wrapper is very rare, and this use has by far the most stamps with Darrah overprint.
Ex Stollnitz.
Drum-roll.......
Well after all the sales blah, blah above, here is the important information:
During 1913-1914:
Parcel Post out of Shanghai was all Zone 8, 12 cents per pound or fraction, thus If parcel post, the weight paid was for four pounds and a convenience overpayment of eleven cents.
If first class, 37 ounces with a one cent convenience overpayment.
If registered first class, 10 cents registered, 32 oz 1st class and 1 cent convenience overpayment.
Posted 10/31/2025 11:32 am
