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Auction: 7005 - Quintin Tan China Dowagers Collection
Lot: 214

1897 New Currency Surcharges Large Figures Surcharge, Narrow Setting on Dowager First Print The "Emerald Lady" 2c. on 2ca. bright green, pane 6 [2] showing mark in "n" of "Cn", hinge remainders, large part original gum on exceptionally white paper; fresh appearance. A fine example of this great rarity of Chinese philately of which there are only two recognised unused examples. S.G. 71; Chan 67. Photo Estimate HK$ 2,500,000-3,500,000provenance: Sir Percival David, July 1970 James Huangco exhibited: Rocpex, 1981 The rarity of this stamp, even used, and the lack of illustrations make this a very difficult stamp to study. However, it appears that up to four sheets were surcharged. This suggests a maximum total of 160 stamps, if the sheets returned for surcharging were complete. Most of the used examples are cancelled by Shanghai Dollar chop. Those with readable dates are between 28th and 31st July 1897. The unused example was believed to be unique during the 1940´s. In 1925 the collector, Yuan Li-Po, purchased two surcharged Dowager stamps from a local stamp dealer, paying 50c. for each. One transpired to be an unused example of the Large Figures, Narrow Spacing, First Print 2c. on 2ca. He consulted M. D. Chow who confirmed the stamp and offered to exchange it for $2 Hall of Classics with inverted centre and 2c. on 3c. Junk with inverted surcharge. This proposal was rejected. Unfortunately Mr. Yuan was forced to sell his stamp in 1931.This prized stamp was purchased by Tan Rong-Pu, who kept the stamp for about 5 to 6 years, until his death. Immediately after his death, the majority of his possessions, including his stamp collection, were stolen by his godson and disappeared. In December 1961, Robson Lowe auctioned the collection of Dowager stamps formed by Lt. Cmd. G.T. Baines, which contained an unused example of this rarity. The stamp was purchased by Warren Kauder who retained it until 1972 when it was again auctioned by Robson Lowe, this time being purchased by Meiso Mizuhara, against strong competition by James Huangco. It is still housed in the Mizuhara Museum collection. The second unused example was sold by auction from the Sir Percival David collection, again by Robson Lowe. Sir Percival visited Shanghai in November 1941 where he stayed until mid 1942. During this time he purchased a large number of Chinese stamps which he shipped back to England. It is possible that this was the example discovered by Mr. Yuan. This time James Huangco was able to purchase this long-cherished stamp and named it the "Emerald Lady". The present owner purchased it some eight years later literature: Ye Long: Stamps World, April 1992 Chan Shiu Hon: The Empress Dowager Birthday Commemorative Issues and surcharges, 1996

Sold for
HK$2,100,000