1936 - Christmas Greetings letter from the 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai that bears two uncommon auxiliary handstamps as a result of the Pacific Coast dock strike of 1936 by Chief Pharmacist's Mate J. N. Lawrence - 1936

Shanghai, China, 1936. Envelope or Cover. Very good. This one-page illustrated Christmas Greetings letter is datelined "Regimental Hospital / 4th Marines. Shanghai, / 29 November 1936." It was sent by Chief Pharmacist's Mate J. N. Lawrence to Richard McP[herren] Cabeen in Chicago. It contains one page of typed text on stationery from the "Army & Navy / YMCA / Shanghai, China" that features an illustration of a black dragon candlestick holding a red candle; black smoke from the candle curls upward producing a ‘cloud' of three camels (but no wisemen). The text "Christmas Greetings / from / The Orient" is at the top of the page. The mailing envelope bears two franking handstamps: one is an ornate dragon in purple; the other reads "FOURTH MARINE MAIL / No postage available. / Collect on Delivery / Chas. F. B. Price / Colonel, U. S. Marine Corps. Both the letter and envelope are in nice shape.

In his letter, Lawrence explains why it was franked with a handstamp instead of regular postage. "During our holiday rush . . . our post office ran out of stamps . . . had to have this stamp made in order get the mail going. . .. The seamans strike has slowed things up on account of having not stamps. . ..".