The Yasushi Tejima Collection Japan Dragon Stamps at Auction

1871, 200 mon, plate I, two singles in different printings and shades, the upper a middle-period example from position 18, cut into at right frame, the lower a late printing from position 22, showing the retouched right dragon variety (右龍修正再刻; JSCA 3v-1-22), tied by framed non-standard "Nara station / Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.
Blue framed arrival, tying the adhesives, "year of the monkey 4th month 21st day / Tokyo...

1871, 200 mon, middle period printing, plate I, a horizontal pair, positions 38-39, tied by large "Osaka Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.
Manuscript dateline "year of the monkey 4th month 25th day". On the address side, vermilion framed "year of the monkey 4th month 25th day / Osaka postal bureau", or Meiji 5.4.25 (31 May 1872). Below the stamps, circular framed "jo" (常) of Joanbashi Kitazume letter box. Blue framed...

1871, 100 mon dark blue, middle period printing, plate II, position 18, slightly touched at left, tied by a large "Osaka Kensazumi" to a cover addressed to Koriyama, Yamato Province.
Alongside, a red framed "Osaka / year of the monkey 5th month 8th day" (Meiji 5.5.8; 13 June 1872). On the reverse, a circular framed hakoba-in "gen" (源) of Genzaemoncho, recorded between Meiji 4 and 8.
The adhesive shows the major variety "right...

1871, 200 mon vermilion, a vertical pair, plate II, positions 5-13, tied by framed blue "Ken" to the reverse of a cover, slightly reduced at top, to Osaka.
Framed "year of the monkey 5th month 18th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.5.18 (23 June 1872). Vermilion framed arrival "year of the monkey 5th month 22nd day / Osaka postal bureau".
A fine and straightforward postal usage of the 200 mon Plate II on intercity mail....

1871, 48 mon, middle period printing, plate I, position 7, tied by large "Saikyo Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover, address side incomplete, with manuscript dateline "6th month 10th day" alongside.
Red framed "year of the monkey 6th moon 10th day / Saikyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.6.10 (15 July 1872). At upper left, circular framed hakoba-in "shita" (下) of the Shimotachiuri letter box, recorded in use from Meiji 4 to Meiji 8 (1871–...

1871, 200 mon, plate I, latest printing, a vertical pair, positions 30-38, with retouch at position 30, tied by large "Shizuoka Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.
Manuscript dateline "year of the monkey 6th month 18th day", or Meiji 5.6.18 (23 July 1872). Blue framed arrival "year of the monkey 6th month 20th day / Tokyo postal bureau", together with framed vermilion "afternoon delivery".
A scarce and appealing variety...

1871, 200 mon vermilion, plate I, early printing, a vertical pair, positions 25-33, the latter with positional pinhole, tied by large "Saikyo Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.
Vermilion "year of the monkey 7th month 2nd day / Saikyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.2 (5 August 1872). Circular framed hakoba-in "ima" (今) of Imadegawa letter box. Also struck with the large vermilion oval instructional marking "arrival delayed by...

1871, 200 mon, plate II, a vertical pair, positions 1-9, cut into at left frame, tied by framed blue "Ken" to the reverse of a cover, partly soiled by gum, to Kamo, Mino Province.
Alongside, blue framed "year of the monkey 7th month 4th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.4 (7 August 1872).
A scarce and attractive provincial destination cover bearing a Plate II pair with the Tokyo framed "Ken" cancellation.
Rate: Within...

1872, 1 sen blue, plate II, earliest printing, tied by blue framed "Ken" of Tokyo to a cover to Yokohama.
Alongside, blue framed "year of the monkey 7th month 12th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.12 (15 August 1872), and framed vermilion Yokohama arrival of the same date. Framed vermilion "Yokohama night dispatch" delivery mark alongside.
The latest recorded usage on cover of both the blue Tokyo "Ken" and the blue Tokyo...

1872, 2 sen vermilion, early printing (2), tied by large "Tokyo Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Saikyo. On the address side, framed "year of the monkey 7th month 28th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.28 (31 August 1872). On reverse, framed vermilion collection mark "morning dispatch" together with framed "Kojimachi postal branch office". Vermilion framed arrival of Saikyo postal bureau of Meiji 5.8.2 (4 September 1872).
...

1872, 1 sen blue, plate III, single franking tied by framed "Ken" of Tokyo to a cover to Yokohama. On reverse, "year of the monkey 8th month 6th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.8.6 (8 September 1872). Also showing rounded-rectangular framed vermilion "Hongo" collection mark, the earliest recorded date of this marking, known in use until Meiji 7.4.13. On front, vermilion framed next-day arrival of Yokohama postal bureau, together with...

1872, 2 sen vermilion, middle period printing (2), tied by framed "Ken" of Tokyo to a cover to Osaka.
Alongside, framed "year of the monkey 8th month 8th day / Tokyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.8.8 (10 September 1872). Framed vermilion "noon dispatch", partly overstruck by the datestamp. From Meiji 5.8.1, there were two daily despatches of mail to Osaka; the P.M. 1 despatch was the "noon" (晝) despatch and was marked accordingly.
A...