This stamp, issued in 1901 for the French post office in Canton, represents one of the classic examples of France’s extraterritorial postal services in southern China. The base stamp belongs to the “Navigation and Commerce” definitive series, a typographic design by Louis-Eugène Mouchon featuring allegorical figures of Commerce and Peace. The original Indo-Chinese issue, printed in deep blue and inscribed “INDO-CHINE” in carmine, has here been overprinted in vivid red with the name “CANTON” and a new denomination, “15c.” This bold overprint reflects the distinct needs of French colonial administration in the Canton region, where special issues were created to manage postal affairs in treaty port territories. Printed at the Imperial Printing Office in Paris, the stamp is perforated 14 x 13½ and measures 20 x 24 mm. The present example is unused but displays extensive gum disturbance and a large, aged hinge remnant on the reverse, with part of a former dealer label visible. Despite the back flaws, the front of the stamp retains strong color, fresh overprint, and balanced margins. Catalogued as Michel FR-IC B7I, Scott FR-CAN 5, Yvert et Tellier FR-CAN 7, and Stanley Gibbons FR-CAN 7, this issue holds both aesthetic and postal-historical significance. It illustrates the intersection of French colonial design and administrative pragmatism during the peak of international postal influence in China.
Estimate "$60 – 85"