Macau, 1842 part entire from Turner & Co of Macao to Liverpool “via Marseilles” endorsed “Paid 1 Rp (rupee)” (paid at the Post Office in Macao to cover Indian postal charges) showing “Packet Letter” framed h.s., with London transit c.d.s. (10.12) on reverse, rated “1/-“, the only recorded cover from the Far East with the “Packet Letter” handstamp, as well as one of five covers from China showing the “Paid 1 Rp” endorsement. Carried from China to Egypt entirely by steamers: East India Co. “Auckland” from Hong Kong to Egypt (one of only two occasions mail transported directly from China to Egypt prior to the advent of the P&O’s packet service in 1845), Egyptian “Haja Baba” from Egypt to Malta, Admiralty “Locust” from Malta to Gibraltar and then P&O “Royal Tar” to Falmouth. Every leg of this letter’s journey is a scarcity, with only two recorded covers from China carried by the “Auckland”. Likewise the two recorded letters carried on the “Haja Baba” are the only recorded letters from China carried by Egyptian packet, and there are only five recorded usages from the Far East carried by Admiralty steam packet from Malta to Gibraltar and then on to England by P&O steamer. Ex Lee Scamp and illustrated in his Far East Mail Ship Itineraries, p. 61. Estimate HK$ 5,000 - 6,000 (via Philasearch.com - Interasia - Hong Kong: Stamps Macao)