RUSSIAN POST OFFICES IN CHINA

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1899 Stamps of Russia, overprinted with 'KNTAN' (in russian characters)

  1 k yellow (overprint blue)
  2 k green (overprint red)
  3 k red (overprint blue)
  4 k red (overprint blue)
  5 k lilac (overprint blue)
  7 k blue (overprint red)
  10 k blue (overprint red)
  14 k blue and red (overprint red or black)
  15 k lilac and blue (overprint blue or black)
  20 k blue and red (overprint blue or black)
  25 k green and violet (overprint red or black)
  35 k lilac and green (overprint red or black)
  50 k lilac and green (overprint blue)
  70 k brown and orange (overprint blue)
  1 R brown and orange (overprint blue)
  3 1/2 R black and grey (overprint red)
  5 R blue and green (overprint red)
  7 R black and yellow (overprint blue)
  10 R red, yellow and grey (overprint blue)

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 k	c	c
2 k	c	c
3 k	c	c
4 k	c	c
5 k	c	c
7 k	c	c	On vertically laid paper: ***
10 k	c	c	On vertically laid paper: RR
14 k	c	c	Error: with blue overprint: ***
15 k	*	*	1908
20 k	*	*
25 k	*	*	1908, error: with blue overprint: **
35 k	*	*
50 k	*	*	On vertically laid paper: R Error: with black overprint: ***
70 k	*	*
1 R	*	*	On vertically laid paper: ***
3 1/2 R	**	**
5 R	**	**	1907
7 R	***	***
10 R	R	***	1907

Forged overprints exist; among them those made by Fournier. He offers 14 values for 8 Swiss Francs in his 1914 pricelist. I presume he used genuine stamps for his forged 'KNTAN' overprints. The cancels given in 'The Fournier Album of Philatelic Forgeries' are: a double circle with 'PORT3-ARTYPb 27 5 04 * * a' or a double circle with 'LIAY-RHGb 30 8 04 * * a'. I haven't seen these forgeries personally, if anybody posesses a picture, please contact me.

Page of a Fournier album with three forged stamps, a forged overprint and two forged cancels as found in 'The Fournier Album', reduced sizes.

Another Fournier page.

Some bogus overprints seem to exist. If anybody has a picture, please contact me!

More information about forged overprints can be found in : 'The “Kitai” Overprints of Russian Offices in China 1899-1916 (How to recognize the genuine overprint)', by E. Wisewell, Jr. , 8 pages in Rossica #45. He distinguishes six different types of forged overprints.

1910 Stamps of Russia, overprinted with 'KNTAN' (in russian characters)

  1 k yellow (overprint blue)
  2 k green 
  3 k red (overprint blue)
  4 k red (overprint blue)
  7 k blue 
  10 k blue

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 k	c	c
2 k	c	c	Error: with blue overprint: **
3 k	c	c	Error: with black overprint: ***
4 k	c	c	Error: with black overprint: ***
7 k	c	c
10 k	c	c

Probably a Fournier forged overprint on a 2 k stamp with a 'FAUX' overprint applied to it.

1917 Stamps of Russia, overprinted with value in 'CENT' or 'DOLLAR' from the left lower corner to the right upper corner

  1 c on 1 k yellow
  2 c on 2 k green
  3 c on 3 k red
  4 c on 4 k red
  5 c on 5 k lilac
  10 c on 10 k blue
  14 c on 14 k blue and red
  15 c on 15 k brown and blue
  20 c on 20 k blue and red
  25 c on 25 k green and violet
  35 c on 35 k lilac and green
  50 c on 50 k brown and green
  70 c on 70 k brown and orange
  1 D on 1 R brown and orange
  3 D 50 c on 3 1/2 R black and grey
  5 D on 5 R blue and green
  7 D on 7 R black and yellow
  10 D on 10 R red, yellow and grey

The 14 c on 14 k exists imperforated:

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c on 1 k	c	c
2 c on 2 k	c	c
3 c on 3 k	c	c
4 c on 4 k	c	c
5 c on 5 k	*	*
10 c on 10 k	*	*
14 c on 14 k	*	*	Imperforate: ***
15 c on 15 k	*	*
20 c on 20 k	*	*
25 c on 25 k	*	*
35 c on 35 k	*	*
50 c on 50 k	*	*
70 c on 70 k	*	*
1 D on 1 R	*	*
3 D 50 c on 3 1/2 R	**	**
5 D on 5 R	**	**
7 D on 7 R	**	**
10 D on 10 R	R	R

1920 Charbin issue, stamps of Russia, overprinted with value in 'Cent.' in 2 lines

'2 Cent.' on 2 k green '3 Cent.' on 3 k red
(Reduced sizes)

  '1 Cent.' on 1 k yellow (perforated)
  '1 Cent.' on 1 k yellow (imperforated)
  '2 Cent.' on 2 k green (overprint in red or black)
  '3 Cent.' on 3 k red
  '4 Cent.' on 4 k red
  '5 Cent.' on 5 k lilac (perforated)
  '5 Cent.' on 5 k lilac (imperforated)
  '10 Cent.' (red) on 10 k blue
  '10 Cent.' (red) on 10 on 7 k blue

Charbin was cut off from Russia in 1920 and therefore these provisional stamps were issued.

Value of the stamps
vc = very common c = common * = not so common ** = uncommon		*** = very uncommon R = rare RR = very rare RRR = extremely rare
Value	Unused	Used	Remarks
1 c on 1 k	***	***	Perforated
1 c on 1 k	**	**	Imperforate
2 c on 2 k	c	c	With black overprint: ***
3 c on 3 k	c	c
4 c on 4 k	**	**
5 c on 5 k	**	**	Perforated
5 c on 5 k	***	***	Imperforate
10 c on 10 k	R	R
10 c on 10 on 7 k	***	***

All Russian postoffices in China were officially closed towards the end of 1920.

Postal Stationery

Envelope of Russia, used in China, example:

(Reduced size)