News Archive

Fine Stamps and Covers of Hong Kong - 23 November 2003

China

The auction of stamps and covers includes an interesting and diverse section of China. The Local, or Municipal, Posts feature lots from Shanghai Large Dragons along with the other ports including several covers and a unique group of colour trials from the Hankow 1894 Waterlow issue.

Chinese Empire includes 5ca. Small Dragon double impression, 1894 Dowager 9ca. pane of 25, 1897 Small Figures set in blocks of four, Large Figures with 5c. on 5ca. Small Dragon in a complete sheet of 40, on first printing with 30c on 24ca. mint block of four from the wide setting and a rare mint vertical pair from the narrow setting, plus other multiples and varieties. Revenue Surcharges with 1c. sheet number, other blocks and varieties. Two very fine Remittance Certificates dated 1898 and 1901.

Republic issues from Provisional Neutrality with high values. 1913-33 Junk series with a magnificent, complete set of twenty Waterlow die proofs, some scarce Sun Yat Sen varieties. Inflation period and Provincial issues are well represented.

Some important Liberated Areas include North China with 1937 Chin-Ki-Cha Border Areas White Half Sun 5c. unused and used. Some valuable East China and North-East China including Siman Area 50c. deep yellow pair variety imperforate between, used on cover, $2500 Tien An Men on unwatermarked paper in a complete sheet of 100.

Good representations of Postal Stationery and Foreign Post Offices. Other countries with some better Taiwan and Tibet.

Hong Kong

This year we are delighted to be able to offer an outstanding section of Hong Kong which includes the William Frazer collection of stamps plus the John Rogers collection of postmarks and covers.

Postal History commences with a good example of the Coat of Arms handstamp, accountancy marks, rare type 12 c.d.s. and tax handstamp.

The magnificent selection of stamps, most of which are in remarkably fine condition, includes Queen Victoria 96c. olive-bistre mint, 1880 5c. on 8c. surcharge inverted and the rare 10c. on 16c. surcharge double, 1891 Jubilee 2c. overprint double mint and 1898 $1 on 96c. handstamp inverted in pair without handstamp.

Some outstanding multiples include 1880 5c. on 18c. block of 10, 1891 50c. on 48c. corner block of 30, one stamp with handstamp double, 1891 14c. on 30c. corner block of 25 including antique “t”.

K.E.VII features stunning sets of top margin singles showing the plate number, imperforate colour trials of 1c. (5) and 5c. (5) plus the scarce 1907-11 1c. (3). K.G.VI with 1938-52 50c. printed both sides (inverted on reverse) single and block of four. Some valuable Q.E. varieties include the unique sheet of 1975 Festival $1 printed on the gummed side.

From the John Rogers collection, there are nearly 80 lots of mail of British warships serving on the China Station with covers from 1841. This includes many from ratings countersigned by the commanding officer, various routes and rates providing a wealth of covers with something for all collectors of postal history.

British Post Offices in China with rare postal stationery and booklets. The sale concludes with a good representation of the Treaty Ports including a recently discovered Kiungchow oval and the famous Raasloff cover from Shanghai.

The popular notes in the PHILATELIC EXTRACTS include China 1897 Revenue Surcharge sheet numbers, Hong Kong 1891 7c. on 10c. variety close surcharge double, a list of the Canton “C1” covers and a letter from Whitfield King about their dealings with R.A. de Villard.

Meiso Mizuhara Exhibition Collections

United States Post Offices in China

This Large Gold Medal exhibit is offered in 120 lots dated between 1805 and 1922. Commencing with a good selection of stampless mail showing different rates. Stamped mail from 1858 with some colourful and scarce frankings including the rare 1861-62 90c. blue.

Other early covers include 1864 experimental Pacific Route cover, China and Japan Steam Service oval (3) and 1870 cover from Nagasaki.

Some rare postmarks include the first type registered c.d.s. in red on an 1882 cover, two examples of the business use datestamp and Tientsin dated oval.

Some good covers used in combination with the Chinese Post Office include Shanghai Customs Mail Matter. With Local Post handstamps of Foochow, Nanking large circle and dated oval and in combination with adhesives of Chefoo and Kiukiang.

A good representation of the 1913 Darrah overprints. 1919 surcharges feature the set on first day cover, used blocks of four with values to $1 on 50c. and $2 on $1 and some covers with values to $1 on 50c. The rare $2 on $1 variety surcharge double is represented by mint and used singles plus another used on cover.

NB: if you wish to purchase a copy of either auction catalogue, please email us, stating your name, address, contact number and the title of the auction you are interested in. Both catalogues are priced at £10 (US$15, HK$100).