1911 Cover sent by Norwegian from Urga to Kristiania, Norway via Siberia franked with 10k tied by Urga Type 6 datestamp, ms. return 'O. Mamen Esq., Urga, Mongolia, China', no covers recorded to Norway, UNIQUE

Hellrigl records only one other usage from any Russian post office in Mongolia to Norway, a 16.11.1911 postcard to Kristiania (Oslo) franked with a 4k. Thus this a unique cover usage to Norway.

It seems unusual to include the word "China" in the return address, especially on a cover to Russia. Perhaps Mamen was tweaking the Russians by using China, or perhaps it had to do with the revolution in China, which began in October, 1911 and led to the founding of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912.

Oscar Mamen was a Norwegian who lived in Mongolia from at least 1911 to 1932. He seemed to have been an accomplished entrepreneur. He lived in Urga, spoke the language, and had a number of Mongolia friends. He was acquainted with the Hutukhuto, the head lama of Mongolia and had sold him a motor car. Mamen himself drove to Urga in 1916 in an automobile. He is mentioned in the famous travel books Across Mongolian Plains (1921) and Old Tartar Trails (1919). He and his wife took extensive photographs of the area during 1929-32, which were exhibited in 2015.