Sale #44 - China and Other Asian Countries

China, 1897 Small Surcharge on Dowager 1st printing 1c. on 1ca. reddish orange, variety surcharge inverted and "1" shifted to left over "e" of "cents", cancelled by pakua (almost certainly Hankow), large margin at right probably trimmed, fine appearance and exceedingly rare combination of varieties. Chan 38b, d.
Estimate HK$ 25,000 - 30,000
Provenance: M.F. Huang, Zurich Asia (Hong Kong), 21.6.03, lot 185.
It is believed that only two sheets of forty had the surcharge inverted. There was a used pair with surcharge inverted in the Beckeman collection (Sotheby's & Corinphila (Hong Kong), 12.11.98, lot B75) in which the left stamp also had the "1" shifted to left variety.