NOTES ON INTERNATIONAL CANCELS

OF TAIWAN 1960-61

 

Ai Li-Shan

 

For a very long time I have been holding some covers with international cancels from Taiwan.  I always thought that perhaps I would run across a sizeable holding of them and could work out further details on their date of usage.  As with such projects – one never seems to get beyond a certain point!

 

H1 to H6 CANCELS

 

                                        Figure 1, cover from Saigon to Taiwan

 

            

                                      Figure 2, reverse of cover with “H-1” cancel

 

 

 

 

This receiving cancel was applied by the international mail section in Taipei, January 6, 1961

 

                                                    

Summary of “H” Covers

 

 

Marking    Receiving   Dispatch         Date           Cover from     Cover to

                     

H-1                   X                             1961.6.1             Vietnam

                         X                             1961.7.26            Japan

H-2                   X                             1961.3.2              Japan

H-3                   X                             1960.10.7            Japan

                         X                             1961.11.02          Japan

H-4   HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED

H-5                                     X            1961.12.9                                    U.S.

                                           X            1961.12.15                                  U.S.

H-6                                     X            1961.7.5                                      U.S.

                                           X            1962.4.1                                      U.S.

 

A and B CANCELS

 

                                         Figure 4, “A” international mail cancel

 

 

 

 

                              

                        Figure 5                                                                 Figure 6

 

I have only seen the “A” used from Taipei, canceling stamps – not used as a receiving back stamp.  Only one example of the “B” has been seen, it was used as a receiving back stamp for surface mail.

 

Summary of “A” and “B” Covers

 

Marking              Receiving          Dispatch           Date                From or to

“A”                                                       X                 1960.8.17            to U.S.

                                                              X                 1960.10.1            to U.S.

Both  covers sent airmail, with the “A” used for canceling the stamps

 

“B”                                                        X                 1960.11.25       Surface mail, back stamped at Keelung for transmittal to the U.S.

 

As you can see – I have a very small number of these cancels.  Please check your covers from Taiwan for the 1960-62 period.  Hopefully, with more covers the dates and usage can be more accurately determined.