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an old postcard with a picture of a man and a woman on ita close up of a piece of paper with handwriting on it
Stanley’s Auction

294 - Hong Kong, 1896. A rare postal stationery card from the Brit…
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Estimate €100 - €150
Sale commission
Description
Hong Kong, 1896. A rare postal stationery card from the British colony of Hong Kong, sent to Belgium, dated 26 October 1896. A four-cent grey pre-printed stamp bearing the effigy of Queen Victoria and bilingual English/Chinese inscriptions (四先). The printed routing instruction “Via Brindisi & London” has been crossed out by the sender in favour of the French postal route: the card bears a fine impression of the French maritime post office “LIGNE N / PAQ. FR. No. 8’ (October 96), the marking of the Messageries Maritimes Far East mail service via Marseille — a highly sought-after paquebot marking. Hong Kong departure postmark and Wychmael (Limburg) arrival postmark dated November 1896 (?). Addressed to Mr L. Schutjes-Bijvoet, Hechtel (Wychmael), Belgium. The reverse bears a handwritten message in Dutch, in violet ink, headed “A.M.D.G.” (Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam) and signed “your affectionate nephew in Christo Jesu, J. Wallet”, dated Hong Kong, 26 Oct. 96 — indications strongly suggesting a missionary, most likely a Jesuit, travelling to the Far East. The writer recounts his arrival in Victoria (Hong Kong) that morning, describes resting in the gardens some 100 metres above a sea “like a mirror”, with the possibility of climbing a further 500 metres to the summit of the island, and states that he is departing that same evening at 11 p.m. A evocative combination of Hong Kong’s postal history, French maritime mail and a contemporary missionary’s account of the British colony at the end of the 19th century. Keywords: philately, marcophily, deltiology, postal stationery, Queen Victoria, QV, ocean liner, Messageries Maritimes, sea post, maritime mail, missionary correspondence, Jesuit, Victoria Peak, incoming mail from Belgium, Far East. The descriptions are based on our interpretation of the postmarks and handwritten inscriptions, which are sometimes difficult to decipher; they are provided in good faith and without guarantee.
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About the sale Asian Art
Auction location
Auction time 07/16/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits:
SANCHEZ Hugo
See original version (French)
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