Hong Kong Treaty Ports Canton 1859 (9 Dec.) incoming mail, commercial wrapper from Hamburg in the North German confederation " p overland mail via Marseilles" bearing Hamburg despatch c.d.s., unframed "P.P." and Valenciennes transit (11.12), the reverse with a light strike of Hong Kong c.d.s. (30.1); usual folding crease, fresh and fine. A very scarce letter from this region as Sino-German relations were not established until 1861 when Prussia and the Qing Empire concluded the first Sino-German treaty during the Eulenburg Expedition. This is one of the earliest letters to China from any of the German States. Photo
