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The Dr Chua Eu Tiong Collection of Straits Settlements

A large portion of The Dr Chua Eu Tiong Collection of Straits Settlements is to be sold by auction at the Spink Singapore sale in July 2005.

The collection, which contains many rarities, comprises some 220+ lots from pre-stamp era to the Queen Victoria keyplate issue.

The pre-stamp section is very comprehensive and includes a 1624 entire letter from Malacca and good examples of the Malacca Paid and Shipletter markings. Singapore is represented by the earliest letter from Singapore written on July 25, 1819 by William Farquhar. Other Singapore markings include the earliest known example of the black boxed Singapore PO (Proud P2). Penang is well represented with the famous oval P.O./P.W.I. handstamp in black (thus believed unique), the earliest recorded example of the circular intaglio ‘Prince of Wales Island/Post Office’, two examples each of the Pinang/Post Office in black and red and a range of Paid and Post Paid covers.

Other items of note in this section are the 1845 sailor's concessionary rate cover written off Penang and routed via St Helena, and an extraordinary entire letter of 1847 from the Reverend John Dubois headed “Ship Heber – off Christmas Island about 200 miles off Java – headed 93 days from Boston”: Dubois was on his way to China.

The ‘India’ usages in Malacca, Penang and Singapore are represented by an extraordinary range of covers, replete with many multi-coloured frankings. The Malacca cover (8p, 2a + 4a) cancelled B/109 is certainly one of the highlights of the collection. There are two bisect covers, a 14a rate cover and a 6a rate cover which shows both blue and white papers of the 4 anna. Also of note are the multi franking covers to Hamburg Ex-Hong Kong,Madrid, the USA and Sydney.

The 1867 first issue is represented by mint and used stamps, specimens and an abundance of fine covers. There is a splendid mint corner marginal block of 4 of the 3 cent on 1 anna and a fine used block, a used block of the 8 cent and a used strip of 3 of the 12 cent. There are 18 first issue covers showing different frankings, the finest being the famous block of four of the 12 cent on a 4 anna cover from Penang to the USA which is unique.

The 1867-72 second issue section includes some 36 die proofs including the NSW 1862 1d in orange-red endorsed ’32 cents postage red Straits Settlements’ and various Colonial Head proofs. There is also a fine array of specimens, cancelled, mint and used multiples and a number of fine covers.

The 1880-1881 surcharge issues are well represented with scarce mint and used singles and multiples and a fine selection of interesting covers including an example of the 10 on 30 cent claret type ‘b’ with the ‘broken foot’ variety on a neat cover to England.

The issues from 1882 include die proofs, specimens, stamps, varieties and fine covers. The multiples include blocks of 12 of the 24c blue-green and the 96c olive-grey from the 1883-91 issue. The 1884 ‘8’ surcharge on 8 cent on 12c dull purple include a find mint example of the blue surcharge and a mint block of six surcharged in black. The normal 8c on 12 cent issue is represented by the earliest recorded cover.

The 1894 3 cent on 32 cent section has two examples of the surcharge omitted, one being marginal, and a fine registered cover cancelled with the Nibong Tebal Crown cancellation.

The 1892-99 keyplate issue highlights include a find mint block of four of the $5 with ‘dot in neck flaw’ and no less than two covers bearing the $5.

There is a strong section of maritime mail, Straits Settlements usages in Perak, Sungei Ujong including the famous Jelubu cover to Canada, Negri Sembilan, Netherlands East Indies, Dutch Borneo. A fine array of combination covers including Straits/Johore (2 covers) Sarawak (4 covers) and a superb North Borneo combination cover from the Locke correspondence.

For further details of the Dr Chua Collection and to discuss possible consignments of collections or single items of Straits Settlements, Labuan, North Borneo and Sarawak in our 2005 sale, please contact Tim Hirsch or Nick Startup in London or Julia Wee Sim Lee in Singapore. The closing date for such consignments will be in early February 2005.