China Postal Atlas -

POSTAL ATLAS OF CHINA

China Postal Atlas showing the establishments and postal routes in each province.

Nanking, Directorate General Posts, 1933. Large folio (62 x 38 cm.). Third edition (2nd edition 1919). "The present issue has been corrected up to various dates in 1933. For the first time, the Postal atlas shows telegraph offices, air-mail lines and motor-vehicle routes" (from Preface). Original green cloth with title lettering in gilt on upper cover.

Three preliminary leaves in Chinese, the preface is in Chinese, English and French, and the double page title/map index is in Chinese and English.

30 chromolithographs: double page index map, 26 double page maps (6 with fold-outs), 4 single page maps. 6 page index in Chinese and 2 page index in English. Ex Library copy with usual markings. Minor light rubbing and scuffing to binding, faint speckle to top left corner of upper board (see photo). The text is very clean and bright and appears to have been little used if at all. The condition of the text would be Very Fine except for the library markings and the binding is Very Good except for the lightly speckled area. A very scarce/rare item containing much source material about transportation routes and communications from that period. "The entire work, with the exception of the printing, has been carried out by the staff of the Chinese Post Office." (Preface).