This collection of early Chinese die proofs, engraver's models, ink drawings and essays from 1912 to 1928, was donated in 1964 by Robert Hopkins. Hopkins was the son in-law of William A Grant, an engraver at the American Bank Note Company who was one of two Americans responsible for establishing the Chinese Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The other American was Lorenzo Hatch. a renowned artist and engraver whose experience included more than 15 years at the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Hatch and Grant created the stamp designs and produced the printing plates. However, the printing was not done in China. According to Robert Hopkins, political troubles in China led post office officials to award the printing order to Waterlow and Sons, Ltd., a London company. In London, the stamps from the prints taken from Grant's dies were re-engraved for the first printing. The issues were reprinted in Peking in 1915 and 1923. Grant made new, re-cut dies that were used in the 1915 printing. In 1919, the post office decided to use Grant's original designs and dies. Of all his works on stamps, Grant was especially proud of his designs for, and engravings of, the Chinese airmail stamps. The stamp design shows a Curtiss "Jenny" airplane flying over the Great Wall of China. The Bars of the Republic flag can be seen on its tail. The essay samples in the collection show that the original design depicted a smaller plane from a different angle, head-on. Also in Grant's collection are five airmail stamps, ranging in denomination from 15¢ to 90¢. They are proof impressions of the special cachet used at Peking on July 1, 1921 to cancel mail matter on the first airmail flight between Peking, Tsinan and Shanghai.
