What showing of "U" would not be complete without a United States No.1
It is the latest addition to my U.S. Collection, that I picked up a couple weeks ago. I won it on a Sunday and quickly listed my old used one for sale that night. I woke up the next morning to find that someone had bought it. I sold it for the same price that I paid for the this one. It's a no gummer but I think it's a pretty nice copy.
I'm not really a cover collector but like covers bearing stamps that were valid for use on only one day. Here are a couple of Uruguay air mail covers sporting such stamps. Uruguay is one of my favorite countries to collect, regular issues can se seen here. My favorite page can be seen at the bottom of this post.
This U.P.U. postal card has an interesting address. Capt. H. Kock, Deutsche Dampfer (German Steamer) Tai-Fu, Herrn Meyer & Co., was the master of a German vessel in Asian waters. The Tai Fu was active in Pacific trading for decades with calls at ports on the mainland, Japan, Hawaii, and the U.S. west coast.
Despite all the clues, I have been unable to find any definitive information regarding the captain or the ownership. I suspect that Meyer & Co was a commercial trader who represented the ship in Hong Kong. I did find references to Behn, Meyer & Co. - an growing German Singapore trading enterprise whose "business interests expanded to include the chartering of ships, insurance, and coastal shipping. The firm also sealed important deals with major shipping lines like the Norddeutscher-Lloyd." Whether this firm is related or not is problematic.
The postal card was cancelled in Montevideo on October 8, 1898. It was received in Hong Kong on December 5 - a transit time of 61 days. That doesn't sound too bad for a trip from the east side of South America in the south Atlantic to the west side of the Pacific.
jimbo
A previously unused Labuan U.P.U. 3c Queen Victoria reply card was uprated for this usage. The card has been uprated by an 1897 North Borneo 1c Dyak Chieftan design printed in lilac and black with a 'LABUAN' overprint (Scott 72).
There are three single rim Labuan CDS for October 11. The next stop was Singapore on October 14, then on to Colombo, Ceylon, on October 21. Finally, on October 22 it was received in the village of Kotagala in the tea-growing district in the central highlands about 50 miles east of Colombo. Tea is the heart of the culture here.
jimbo
A bit late posting this week just back from a USA trip around Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia for business.
I will follow Jim's example and ... U is for UPU with a 75th anniversary from Hong Kong
Celebrating the Post Office Jubilee for Uniform Penny Postage
U is for St. Ursula, whose 11,000 virgins Columbus named the Virgin Islands after in 1493.
Early Virgin Island stamps depict St. Ursula in various forms. Here is a sheet of the 1887 1 penny stamp along with plating information. Some of the distinctive features of each stamp are quite minor.
Several varieties can be found on the 1899 Ursula including mis-spelled words and imperforate margins.
Here's the other side of the postcard, with info on the U.N. stamp.
U is for... (last one)
Upper Bongoland
(from a scan I saved from claghorn1p back in the chat board heyday)
Over the years, the United Nations has used meter indicia to publicize various United Nations events and organizations. Collecting the first day of use of these commemorative meters is an interesting United Nations sideline. Here are collages for 26 such meter first days of use.
jimbo
