Un «Inverted Swan» (Cygne avec centre renversé) d'Australie Occidentale et le fameux «Small Dollar» de Chine ont réalisé à eux deux près de 1 million de francs suisses lors de la vente aux enchères Corinphila Zurich du 28 mai au 2 juin 2018.

Revivez ces enchères en vidéo :

The most valuable stamp of Australia - the "Inverted Swan" (CHF 314.600 = € 273.000)

King of Chinese Philately - the "Small Dollar" (CHF 605.000 = € 525.000)

The "Inverted Swan"

Western Australia 1854 : 4d. blue, the famous INVERTED SWAN variety, technically an ‘Inverted Frame’, a superlative used example with four large margins all round, extremely lightly cancelled for this rarity, with the only fault being an unapparent 3mm. paper break near the centre of the stamp best viewed under ultra-violet light and perhaps a vertical bend, otherwise this stamp can be listed as one of, or perhaps, the finest known example as far as appearance is concerned. Full listing of how this variety occurred and other relevant information of this error is included with the lot and more infomation is to be found in L. N. and M. Williams "Stamps of Fame" on page 192, where listed as example 'IX'. Just 15 examples of this error are recorded of which 6 are in Museum collections, including one (ex Duveen) in the collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  A truly wonderful example of this legendary error, of exceptional provenance and the finest specimen of the most iconic Australian stamp in private hands.

Signed Calves; certs. Friedl (1980) RPSL (2017).
Scott n°3a = $ 95'000 / Stanley Gibbons n°3h = £ 140'000.

L.N. Williams in Encyclopaedia of Rare and Famous Stamps (1997) listed 14 recorded  genuine examples of this variety, of which seven are housed in museums and institutional collections (Royal Collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, British Library, London; Australian Museum, Sydney (2; Mitchell Library, Sydney; Western Australia Museum, Perth; National Museum of Ireland, Dublin). From the remaining seven examples in private hands, no less than four are in one private collection.

Provenance:
Philipp la Renotière von Ferrary (1923),
bought by Tommy Allen for E.H.Collins.
E.H. Collins collection, Plumridge auction, London (1928),
again bought by Tommy Allen.
Sold by Tommy Allen to Theodore Champion (approx. 1929/1930).
Sold by Theodore Champion at an unknown date.
Robineau auction (Oct. 1980),
bought by Paul Morgoulis acting as agent for an unknown collector.
David Feldman auction (Sept. 1981).

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The "Small Dollar"

Imperial China "Small Dollar" 1897 (Jan): Red Revenue $ 1 on 3 c. deep red, with stop after dollar, the famous unused example, centred slightly to left of outstanding fresh colour and delightful appearance, fresh and very fine with merest trace of three iron spots on the large part original gum. A truly exceptional example of this iconic stamp, a great rarity with just 32 unused examples recorded, many of the 32 have faults and staining whilst this is in wondrously fresh condition, being number 13 on the Kwang-sheng Huang listing (1983) and with excellent previous provenance.

Signed Holcombe. Cert. Sven Erik Beckeman (1993)
Chan n°86 /Michel n°33/I = € 800.000
Scott n°83 = $ 900.000
Stanley Gibbons  = £ 850'000.

This magnificent stamp is number 13 in the Huang Kuang Sheng treatise on the "Small One Dollar" and corresponds to reference 'III-5' in "The Revenue Surcharges of China 1897", Volume I, published by the Directorate General of Posts, Ministry of Communications of the Republic of China (1984); in this reference the Small One Dollars are split into three Types, this being 'Type III' with the overprint partly struck over 'REVENUE' at base, illustration number 5 on page 38. The original listing was done by the Chan catalogue in 1947 (page 50-51), where this stamp is listed as number 6 of the 23 then known examples; at this date Diercking owned seven of the 23 recorded examples. Whilst the catalogue listing follows the order by value, it should be noted that the Small One Dollar was the first of the 3 c. Red Revenues to be overprinted with 'Equivalent to One Dollar'. After a small number had been surcharged it was felt that the value indicated was too small for a high value stamp and the decision was made to use larger characters to indicate the value.

Provenance:
Collection Arthur J. Hind, Harmers, London, May 20, 1935, lot 133.
Collection A. Diercking of Shanghai, Harmers, London,
5-6 November 1956 lot 212;
Collection Josiah K. Lilly, Siegel, New York, 4-5 December 1968, lot 460;
Collection 'Ming' Part II, Corinphila sale 79, 29 September, 1988, lot 4244.

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