I COLLECTED STAMPS AS A CHILD THOUGH I DOUBT IF ANY OF THEM IS WORTH RM 10,000 BUT I AM STILL FASCINATED BY THESE TINY PIECES OF PAPER THAT CONSTITUTE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF VALUE RELATIVE TO ITS WEIGHT AS A STAMP IS MUCH LIGHTER THAN A 10-CARAT DIAMOND AND EVEN EASIER TO TAKE IN AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY AS YOU CAN SLIP IT AMONG YOUR RINGGIT INSIDE YOUR WALLET AND IT WILL NOT BE DETECTED.
Spink to Offer Fine Stamps & Covers of China and Hong Kong
with Japan and Korea
Spink will be holding on 19 January 2014 in Hong Kong a diverse sale of Fine Stamps and Covers of
China and Hong Kong with Japan and Korea.
The star lot is an 1884 cover to Germany that bears a rare combination of China Large Dragon stamp
used in combination with Hong Kong stamps (to pay the overseas postage). Estimated at
HK$1,000,000-1,200,000/ US$128,205-153,846 (Lot 2026), the Large Dragon stamp is cancelled by the
rare Kiukiang datestamp in red and is thought to be one of only three such examples of this postmark
on cover.
Another highlight is an 1867 blue entire letter to
Nagasaki “Per ‘Corea’” bearing 1867 1ca. (Estimate:
HK$600,000-850,000/ US$76,923-108,974, Lot 2002).
This is believed to be the earliest external use of
Shanghai local post stamps on cover and is generally
accepted as one of the most famous covers of
Shanghai.
In 1870, Hong Kong issued a 4c. stamp with the error of perforation 12½ instead of 14. This extraordinary 1871 cover to Scotland bears two examples of this popular and scarce stamp. There are only two covers bearing two examples of this stamp and this cover is cancelled in Shanghai (Estimate: HK$300,000-350,000/ US$38,462-44,871, Lot 2458).
Among the important stamps on offer is the 1897 10c. on 9ca. dull green variety surcharge double, pane 4 (the first stamp of the second row as this value was printed in reduced sheets of 20). A fresh and attractive example of this great rarity, it is estimated at HK$550,000-600,000/ US$70,513-76,923 (Lot 2035).
Spink will also be offering the 1897 small figures 4c. on 3c. red (Estimate: HK$400,000-450,000/ US$51,282-57,692, Lot 2053), an item of exceptionally clear colour. It is a very desirable example of the scarce and popular stamp. It is now believed that a minimum of 300 Small 4c. were printed with at least twelve different panes identified. This is still one of the most coveted stamps of the Revenue issues.
A 1914-19 First Peking Print, a $2 black and blue variety inverted centre, one of the ‘Four Treasures of the Republic’ boasting strong colours (Estimate: HK$600,000-800,000/ US$76,923-102,564, Lot 2083) is a further highlight. Despite the variations in the positions of the perforations, Spink have demonstrated that only one sheet of fifty was released. So far only forty examples have been recorded. This stamp is from the top row.
In 1923 bandits derailed the prestigious Blue Express taking many foreigners captive. This created an international incident and one of the mediators who liaised with the bandits, set up a postal service and even issued their own stamps. These philatelic oddities are now extremely scarce and the auction includes five lots of the stamps plus a newly discovered cover (Estimate: HK$50,000-60,000/ US$6,410-7,692, Lot 2090) which is one of only seven covers recorded bearing these stamps.
Also of note is the 1949 Dah Tung Print, Flying Geese in bluish green,
without value (Estimate: HK$400,000-600,000/ US$51,282-76,923, Lot
2100). Centred a little low as usual and with good perforations all round,
this is a stunning example of this great rarity of Chinese philately and is
most probably the finest example of the six recorded in private hands. A
magnificent stamp for the connoisseur.
This design was produced for use as a unit stamp to be given the appropriate overprint, but was never
issued. Similar designs, with values, were also prepared and the dollar values put on sale. Some of the
other examples of this stamp have suffered some ageing and are with tone spots or other defacing
marks.
The highlight of the People’s Republic of China stamps is the 1980 Year of
the Monkey in a complete sheet of eighty. This fine sheet is expected to
fetch HK$1,000,000-1,100,000/ US$128,205-141,026 (Lot 2162).
The 1906 typhoon in Hong Kong caused some considerable
damage both on the land and in the harbour. This fine lot of 56
original photographs shows much of the devastation caused
by the storm (Estimate: HK$30,000-50,000/ US$3,846-6,410,
Lot 2431A).
# # #
SPINK CHINA
9/F, 50 Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
+852 2530 0100 | china@spink.com | www.spink.com
Press Contact: Victoria Communications | +852.6086.1672 | victoria@victoriapr.com.hk
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