Issued in 1903 for the French Post Office in Tchongking, this 10 centimes carmine and blue stamp bears the overprint “TCHONG-KING” along with a Chinese denomination, forming part of the localized issues intended for use in the French postal concessions in China. Designed by Louis-Eugène Mouchon and printed typographically at the Imperial Printing Office in Paris, it measures 20 by 24 mm and is perforated 14 x 13½. The stamp features classical allegorical motifs related to commerce, sales, and mythology, aligning with France’s broader imperial imagery of trade and civilization. This example, Scott TCH 5 (Michel FR-IC B21V, Yvert FR-TCH 36, Gibbons FR-TCH 5), is mint hinged and well-preserved with intact gum. Such issues reflect the geopolitical influence of France in late Qing dynasty China and offer significant aesthetic and historical value to collectors of foreign post offices. Estimate "$90 – 110"