China, The Elephant Design (Unaccepted) : Imperforate plate proof of 5 cash black on thick wove paper [9] with 13mm. sheet margin at top, highly refined printing with perfect sharp impression, good to large margins, insignificant bend in sheet margin at top right, a very fine example of this primitive yet exquisitely engraved design which is highly evocative of the period. A rarity.
Estimate HK$ 300,000 - 400,000
...
Sale 60 The Jane and Dan Sten Olsson Collection of Large Dragons
By: Interasia Auctions Limited
Interasia Auctions Limited Sale 60 The Jane and Dan Sten Olsson Collection of Large Dragons
This second of four auctions over which the magnificent Olsson Collection of Large Dragons of China will be offered includes important proofs and essays, outstanding stamps including a 5 candarin complete sheet in post office fresh mint condition, as well as seven covers highlighted by an 1879 envelope from Tientsin to New York through the Japanese Post Office franked with a complete set of the three Large Dragon stamps.
Interasia’s December 4-7 auction of China, Hong Kong and Asian stamps and postal history will take place at the Excelsior Hotel in Causeway Bay in Hong Kong. The four-day, 3,500-lot sale includes another outstanding offering of China and Hong Kong stamps and postal history, with important Ching Dynasty and Republic, substantial postal history, Taiwan, Tibet, and a large offering of People’s Republic and Liberated Areas. Hong Kong and Treaty Ports alone comprises 850 lots, while the Other Asian Countries features Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia rarities and another strong North Korea offering.
Interasia Auctions Timetable |
|
|||
|
|
|
|
Lots |
December 4, 2017 |
9:30 AM |
Auction 60 |
Olsson Collection of the Large Dragons of China |
1-47 |
December 4, 2017 |
10:15 AM |
Auction 61 |
Paramount Collection of Chinese Stamps, Postal History and Postal Stationery, 1878-1912 |
48-366 |
December 4, 2017 |
2:15 PM |
Auction 67 |
China: Ching Dynasty and Republic |
367-797 |
December 5, 2017 |
9:30 AM |
Auction 62 |
MacArthur Collection of Red Revenues of China |
1001-1033 |
December 5, 2017 |
10:00 AM |
Auction 63 |
Aaron Li Collection of Red Revenues of China |
1034-1130 |
December 5, 2017 |
11:15 AM |
Auction 64 |
William E. Jones Collection of China Silver Yuan Stamps and Postal History |
1131-1207 |
December 5, 2017 |
12:00 Noon |
Auction 67 |
China: Ching Dynasty and Republic |
1208-1377 |
December 5, 2017 |
2:30 PM |
Auction 65 |
People’s Republic of China and Liberated Areas |
2001-2560 |
December 6, 2017 |
9:30 AM |
Auction 67 |
China, Local Posts, Foreign PO, Provinces, Japanese Occ, Manchukuo, Taiwan, Tibet, Mongolia, North Korea, Asia |
3001-3930 |
December 7, 2017 |
9:30 AM |
Auction 66 |
Hong Kong and Treaty Ports, Macau |
4001-4859 |
|
|
|
|
|
The auction features five China specialized single-owner sales to start off each of the first two days. Day one (December 4) commences with the second part of the Olsson Collection of Large Dragons of China (lots 1-47). This second of four auctions over which this magnificent collection will be offered includes magnificent proofs and essays, outstanding stamps including a 5 candarin complete sheet in post office fresh mint condition, as well as seven covers featuring an 1879 envelope from Tientsin to New York through the Japanese Post Office franked with a complete set of the three Large Dragon stamps. It is followed by the Paramount Collection of Chinese Stamps, Covers and Postal Stationery 1878-1912 (lots 48-366), a magnificent display with rare stamps, elusive cancellations and wonderful postal history. The day concludes with the China Ching Dynasty from early mail through the 1897 New Currency Surcharges (lots 367-797).
Day two (December 5) starts off with two extraordinary Red Revenue collections, the MacArthur collection (lots 1001-1033) and the Aaron Li collection (lots 1034-1130). The former while small in number is noteworthy particularly for its items’ rarity. The Aaron Li collection includes extensive plating studies as well as important cancellations. The legendary William E. Jones collection of Silver Yuan stamps and postal history (lots 1131-1207) follows and includes a very rare commercial usage of the Watlam provisionals and his famous study of the Domestic Postage Paid labels. The day then continues with the China 1897-1949 issues from the general sale (lots 1208-1377). Day two concludes with the 560-lot People’s Republic of China (lots 2001-2560), including Liberated Areas rarities, the unique set of blocks of the unissued 1952 Soviet errors, two examples of the “Whole Country is Red”, the legendary “Big Blue Sky,” a substantial offering of J and T series miniature sheets, as well as three of the ever-popular 1980 Year of the Monkey complete sheets.
Day three (December 6; lots 3001-3930) includes the China Special Purpose Stamps and collections, an exhibition collection of Chinese Local Posts, and Foreign Post Offices in China with particularly noteworthy Russian Post Offices and a substantial assembly of the U.S. Postal Agency “Darrah” overprints. These are followed by China postal stationery and covers, Tibet, Manchukuo with an award-winning collection of postal stationery offered intact, and Taiwan highlighted by the unissued Taiwan 12th Nationalist Congress of the Kuomintang. The Other Asian Countries include an 1875-76 correspondence from a U.S. sailor stationed in Japan with a fine usage of the Bird 15 sen, Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia rarities, Laos proofs and Korea with another strong section of North Korea including the only known usage of the 1950 Occupation stationery card.
The 850 lot sale of Hong Kong and Treaty Ports (lots 4001-4859) again comprises the fourth day ((December 7) and includes the remarkable old-time PF Collection, which is highlighted by a complete pane of the 1891 Jubilee, the second part of Nick Halewood’s King George VI definitives and Philippe Orsetti’s award-winning Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong as well a number of other notable studies he has formed over the years. The Treaty Ports include a particularly noteworthy collection of Amoy including the magnificent “D27” cover to New York that previously graced the Ishikawa, D’Almada and Beckeman collections. Macau concludes the day and includes a very rare usage British "Crown/Macao" double-ring origin datestamp.
Lot #1 - China Essays and Proofs
Lot #2 - China Essays and Proofs
China, Essay of Accepted Design with "Extra Circle" : Large Dragon 1ca. light yellow-green imperforate on thin wove gummed paper block of four [1-2/6-7] with 6mm. sheet margin at top and 9mm. sheet margin at left, faintest traces of rust on the gum, nevertheless very fine and a desirable multiple.
Estimate HK$ 100,000 - 120,000
Provenance: Richard Canman, Stanley Gibbons (London), 19.10.1972, lot 83...
Lot #3 - China Essays and Proofs
China, Essay of Accepted Design with "Extra Circle" : Large Dragon 3ca. vermilion [23] imperforate proof on thin wove gummed paper with 11mm. sheet margin at foot, very fine.
Estimate HK$ 10,000 - 12,000
The largest recorded multiples of the 3 candarins essay on thin paper are blocks of four, of which only three have survived, in addition to three pairs. Using multiples and two marginal singles, we have...
Lot #4 - China Essays and Proofs
China, Essay of Accepted Design with "Extra Circle" : Large Dragon 3ca. vermilion imperforate on thick paper, a complete sheet of twenty-five with full margins, sharp impression, bright colour, the lower row of stamps has slightly uneven printing due to misalignment of the blanket for the "make ready" as often occurred during the "proof" stages, cliché [22] shows extraneous printing ink on "N" of "Candarins", a few minute mainly...
Lot #5 - China Essays and Proofs
China, Essay of Accepted Design with "Extra Circle" : Large Dragon 5ca. brownish ochre imperforate on thin wove paper, two pairs [4-5] and [9-10] originally forming a block of four with 5mm. sheet margin at top and 8mm. sheet margin at right, showing characteristic printing "bite", remarkable colour, good to large margins, the top pair has minor rust on reverse and the lower pair has a light horizontal crease, otherwise very fine and a...
Lot #6 - China Essays and Proofs
China, Proofs : Large Dragon with Extra Circle removed 1ca. green imperforate on thin wove paper, Setting II, block of four [1-12/7-21] with 9mm. sheet margin at top and 7.5mm. sheet margin at left, showing characteristic offset printing on reverse, highly accomplished printing in a lovely delicate shade, extremely fine and fresh.
Estimate HK$ 150,000 - 200,000
Provenance: Sir Percival David, Robson...
Lot #7 - China Essays and Proofs
China, Proofs : Large Dragon with Extra Circle removed 3ca. brown-red imperforate on thin wove ungummed paper, Setting III or IV, block of four [22-17/1-6] with 12mm. sheet margin at top and 8mm. sheet margin at left, cliché [22] shows broken top left corner, contrasting sharp to weak (underprinted) impressions of the clichés due to the poor registration of the printing plate, particularly dramatic in lower left stamp, very fine, a few...
Lot #8 - China Essays and Proofs
China, Proofs : Large Dragon with Extra Circle removed 3ca. pale brown-red imperforate on thin wove gummed paper, Setting III or IV, block of four [22-17/1-6] with 8mm. sheet margin at top and 7mm. sheet margin at left, the broken top left corner plate variety of cliché [22] now shows an advanced state of damage, suggesting that it might come from Setting IV, uneven impression particularly noticeable in right vertical pair, minute age...
Lot #9 - China Essays and Proofs
China, Proofs : Large Dragon with Extra Circle removed 3ca. imperforate on opaque paper, Setting XIV, horizontal pair [15-26], centrally cancelled by Tientsin type 6 seal in blue, good margins all round, very fine and fresh, ranking among the rarest of all the proofs.
Estimate HK$ 150,000 - 200,000
Provenance: Sir Percival David, Robson Lowe (London), 26.10.1970, lot 547
Paul Hock, Robson Lowe (...
Lot #10 - China issued stamps
China, 1878 Large Dragon thin paper 1ca. green, Setting I, horizontal pair [1-2], centrally cancelled by Shanghai seal, fine to very fine, faintest traces of rust in margin. Chan 1.
Estimate HK$ 6,000 - 8,000
Lot #11 - China issued stamps
China, 1878 Large Dragon thin paper 5ca. yellow-orange, Setting I, horizontal pair [8-9], cliché [8] with long stroke of "Dah", fine unused with much original gum, the left stamp has light diagonal creasing at top left Chan 3, c.
Estimate HK$ 12,000 - 15,000
Lot #12 - China issued stamps
China, 1878 Large Dragon thin paper 5ca. yellow-orange, Setting I, horizontal pair [1-2], cancelled by part "Customs" double-ring d.s. of Newchwang, cliché [1] has pulled perf. at left, otherwise fine. Chan 3.
Estimate HK$ 6,000 - 8,000
Lot #13 - China issued stamps
China, 1878 Large Dragon thin paper 5ca. yellow-orange, Setting II, block of four [7-5/16-24] from the top left corner of the sheet, lightly cancelled by Tientsin seals in black, fine to very fine, small corner creasing in top left corner.
Estimate HK$ 15,000 - 20,000
Provenance: "Ming", Corinphila (Zurich), 29.9.1988, lot 4088.
Lot #14 - China issued stamps
China, 1878 Large Dragon thin paper 3ca. brown-red, the nearly complete reconstruction of the twenty positions comprised of horizontal strip of three [3-5-25] with small part of sheet margin at right, pairs (9, with [2-20], [8-1], [1-15], [2/10], [10-17], [13/23], [26/6], [9/21], and [11-21]), and singles (2, clichés [19] and [24]), cancelled by Peking seal in blue or Shanghai seal in black, mainly fine to very fine appearance, a few...
Lot #15 - China issued stamps
China, 1882 Large Dragon wide margin 1ca. deepish green on pelure paper, heavy impression so characteristic on this soft delicate paper, as well as typical slight offset on reverse, unused without gum, light central vertical crease, otherwise fine. An impressive example of this rare paper variety. Chan 4c.
Estimate HK$ 6,000 - 8,000
Lot #16 - China issued stamps
China, 1882 Large Dragon wide margin 1ca. green, Setting III, two horizontal pairs [25-18] and [16-23], originally forming a strip of four, cliché [25] shows plate variety two breaks in frame line at bottom left and cliché [16] variety prominent break in frame line at foot, bright colour on pristine white paper, the first pair is extremely fine mint and the second is very fine unused with much original gum, the left stamp [16] in...
Lot #17 - China issued stamps
China, 1882 Large Dragon wide margin 1ca. green, Setting III, horizontal pair [21-11], bright colour contrasted by complete centrally struck "Customs/Shanghai" double-ring d.s. of "Nov 24 82" in red, small pulled perf. at right, nevertheless very fine and choice pair. Chan 4.
Estimate HK$ 15,000 - 20,000
Provenance: E.D. Finney, H.R. Harmer (New York), 5.7.1952, lot 297
Dr. Robert C.H. Lee, J.R....
Lot #18 - China issued stamps
China, 1882 Large Dragon wide margin 3ca. brown-red, clear colour and impression on bright white paper, near perfect centring, very fine and fresh mint. Chan 5.
Estimate HK$ 3,000 - 4,000
Lot #19 - China issued stamps
China, 1882 Large Dragon wide margin 3ca. brown-red, Setting VI, vertical pair [17/16] with sheet margin at top, lovely delicate colour on fresh white paper, excellent centring, cancelled by two strikes of Shanghai seal, lower stamp has insignificant short diagonal crease of no consequence to this very fine positional piece which contains the key position for determining this Setting. Chan 5.
Estimate HK$ 8,000 - 10,000 ...
Lot #20 - China issued stamps
China, 1882 Large Dragon wide margin 5ca. yellow-ochre, deep rich colour, near perfect centring, extremely fine and wonderfully fresh unused without gum. A flawless example of this difficult stamp. Chan 6.
Estimate HK$ 50,000 - 60,000
Expertisation: Signed "AD" (Alberto Diena) in pencil.
Provenance: Philip Ireland, Christie's Robson Lowe (Zurich), 25.5.1989, lot 2067.
Lot #21 - China issued stamps
China, 1883-85 Large Dragon thick paper 1ca. green, clean-cut perfs., Setting VI, complete sheet of twenty comprised of two rejoined vertical blocks of ten (2 x 5), the latter block has variety central vertical row of perforations double, bright colour on pristine white paper, very fine and fresh unused with much original gum, a few shortish perfs. at top and foot merely mentioned for accuracy. An outstanding and unique...
Lot #22 - China issued stamps
China, 1883-85 Large Dragon thick paper 1ca. bright green, clean-cut perfs., Setting V, horizontal pair [9-8], unused with traces of gum, light rust spots mainly on reverse but showing on front in margin at bottom right. Chan 7.
Estimate HK$ 6,000 - 8,000
Lot #23 - China issued stamps
China, 1883-85 Large Dragon thick paper 1ca. green, Setting VII, vertical imperforate pair [15/10], which actually is an imperforate between pair with perforations trimmed on all four sides, of very good appearance unused without gum, just touched at top right corner. A rare variety. Chan 7c.
Estimate HK$ 40,000 - 50,000
Provenance: H.R. Harmer (London), 3.11.1952, lot 18
Dr. Robert C.H. Lee, J.R...
Lot #24 - China issued stamps
China, 1883-85 Large Dragon thick paper 3ca. red, clean-cut perfs., unknown Setting, horizontal pair [?-25], cliché [25] with horizontal bar in "H" of "China" completely missing and lower half of left vertical bar also missing, centrally cancelled by Peking seal in blue leaving the plate variety clear, very fine and fresh appearance, a few small faults including 2mm. tear at top of right stamp. A remarkable and highly striking example...
Lot #25 - China issued stamps
China, 1883-85 Large Dragon thick paper 3ca. red, clean-cut perfs., Setting VIII, vertical pair [4/18], boldly cancelled by near perfect central strike of Peking seal in blue, fine to very fine. Chan 8.
Estimate HK$ 6,000 - 8,000
InterAsia Auctions
InterAsia Auctions' principals bring a tradition of excellence, expertise and client service, unrivalled in China and Asian philately.
Read More