Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is proud to present 11 lots of material from the Russo Chinese/Asiatic Bank in our April 2024 Hong Kong auction. These include many extremely rare items that have not been offered in a long while or ever before, especially the color trial notes from the DL World Collection. Examples include the Gold 1 Fen, the 50 Mexican Dollar Printer’s Essay, 1, 5 and 50 Hong Ping Hua Pao Taels, and more. We also have a ‘top pop’ Harbin 100 Dollars in 65-EPQ!
I don’t recall the last time such a phenomenal gathering of material for this Bank has been presented outside dedicated sales of archival material. The lots here are mostly from private collectors who have kept them out of the public for many years. They are sure to appeal to bidders across the globe, not just Russian or Chinese collectors.
A Brief History of the Russo Chinese Bank
The Russo Chinese Bank was formed in 1895 by the French and the Russians to help facilitate loans taken by the Qing Government to pay for the indemnities required by the Treaty of Shimonseki. Its first branch opened in St. Petersburg in January 1896 followed quickly by the Shanghai office in February. The Bank got to a quick start by handling money from both the Chinese and Russian governments to construct the China East Railway. By 1902 the Bank became the second largest in China and even opened a branch in San Francisco in 1904. There were 47 office branches in 1907.
The Bank merged with Banque du Nord in 1910 to form the Russo Asiatic Bank which flourished until the October Revolution of 1917 when it was nationalized. The Paris branch was made the headquarters, but the Bank became a shadow of its former self and eventually folded in 1926.
For more information about our April Hong Kong Auction or to consign to our next Hong Kong auction in October 2024 please call us at +852 2117 1191 or email [email protected].
