Japan – Meiji Period. - Lot 298

Japan – Meiji Period. Official Japanese reply-paid postal stationery card (郵便往復はがき – yūbin ōfuku hagaki) in 1 sen rose-red, with an oval imprinted stamp inscribed with “壹錢” ("one sen") and "JAPANESE POST," within a decorative red border; the lower margin bears the printed imprint of the Printing Bureau of the Imperial Ministry of Finance. Reply-paid cards are notably less common than ordinary postcards. Postally used, canceled with a Tokyo circular date stamp struck on the imprinted stamp; the Meiji-era date is only partially legible. Bold handwritten address in Japanese to Mr. Fujimoto Ginshirō (藤本銀四郎 (?)), Nihonbashi Ward, Kakigarachō, 2-chōme, No. 19 (Tokyo)—the same addressee as the 1 sen Kansei Hagaki card in this sale, evidently from the same correspondence archive. The reverse is entirely covered with a long, elegant handwritten message in cursive Japanese script (kuzushiji/sōsho), a fine example of Meiji-era epistolary calligraphy. Good overall condition, with light toning and minor foxing. An interesting testament to Japanese postal history and the use of reply cards during the Meiji era. Keywords: philately, marcophily, postal stationery, reply card, Nippon, kuzushiji, calligraphy, Tokyo, domestic mail, early Japanese postal service, Meiji era. 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.