Ava Auctions 12th Autumn Auction

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Hong Kong

Lot 1814

1,300.00 HKD

Live

19th century a lithography showing the "The Advance of Western Civilization A European Travelling Circus at Hong Kong, China", mounted in

19th century a lithography showing the "The Advance of Western Civilization A European Travelling Circus at Hong Kong, China", mounted in frame. Historical. (40 x 46 cm).十九世紀“西方先進文明 - 中國香港的一支巡迴馬戲團”版畫，已裝裱。由S Bradshaw雕刻。極具歷史意義。40 x 46厘米。

Lot 1838

5,000.00 HKD

Live

Outgoing letter in the use of Indian Ship Letter Rate (from March to Sept 1845) 1845 (March 2), a good cover in 1/2 ounce sent from Hong

Outgoing letter in the use of Indian Ship Letter Rate (from March to Sept 1845) 1845 (March 2), a good cover in 1/2 ounce sent from Hong Kong to England addressed to Foreign Office London, showing a very scarce 4-pence quarter ounce Indian Ship Letter rate, which charged for only 7 months from March to Sept 1845. This special rate applied to letters carried by private ship between India and China in 1845 as announced by British Post Office (please refer to Mr. D.L. Davies in HK Study Circle Journal 269 for further details related to the subject of Indian Ship Letter rate). On the reverse, cancelled by HK despatch c.d.s. (2 Mar), and arrival c.d.s. in London (5 June). The letter was carried by “Anonyma” to Bombay (20 Apr) and then the first voyage of the private ship “Queen” from Bombay to Aden (11 May) across Indian sea. On the obverse, in the upper right-hand corner, a set of manuscript rate marks “1(s)/5(d) plus 10(d) = 2(s)/3(d)” was deleted. A new manuscript rate of “2(s)/7(d)” written in the middle of the cover. Since the 4d Red Seas Ship Letter Rate was newly implemented in March 1845, the above first rate mark of “2/3” was then crossed out and amended to pay “2/7” by adding the newly implemented 4d Red Seas Ship Letter rate. Believed to be the earliest outgoing cover carrying the very short usage of 4d Indian Ship rate to private ship letter. Ex- Peter Shek.

Lot 1842

3,000.00 HKD

Live

1847 (Mar 21), a letter sent from the USA to Canton, with a very fine frame of “POSTAGE PAID TO DESTINATION BY HARNDEN & Co. of

1847 (Mar 21), a letter sent from the USA to Canton, with a very fine frame of “POSTAGE PAID TO DESTINATION BY HARNDEN & Co. of LIVERPOOL” in black, sender’s directive “Overland mail” and “via Ceylon”, red “PAID/H & Co.” in flag shape, arriving Liverpool, then via Alexandria, Suez, Aden and Hong Kong, large red “ADEN B.P.P. Paid (officer signature)” in circle handstamp. On the reverse, a red oval forwarder mark “FORWARDED BY / HARNDEN & CO. BOSTON”, Hong Kong backstamp (15 June 1847), very fine, very scarce Harnden cover to China, the Aden marking is rare on Harnden covers. A very fine and rare forwarder mail from the USA to China with twice forwarded letter to Canton.

Hong Kong

Macao Postal stationery

Hong Kong

Lot 1870

3,000.00 HKD

Live

1857 (AU 24) an entire wrapper full of characters addressed to Mess. Ygnacio & Nicente Cagigao CADIZ. On the obverse, cancelled by a

1857 (AU 24) an entire wrapper full of characters addressed to Mess. Ygnacio & Nicente Cagigao CADIZ. On the obverse, cancelled by a very fine small crown “PAID AT HONG-KONG” (Webb type 9), Spanish local postage mark “8 R”, a Spanish handstamp “ESTRANGERO CADIZ” in blue color, and a manuscript rate in red crayon “1/10”. On the reverse, cancelled by a double-arc datestamp “HONG KONG / 24 AU / 57”, an oval forwarder mark “FORWARDED BY / LYALL STILL & Co / HONG KONG” and a local handstamp in blue green “MP”. A highly good quality entire for the use of small crown HONG-KONG PAID. In very good conditions.

Macao Postal stationery

Hong Kong

Macao Postal stationery

Lot 1985

7,000.00 HKD

Live

1903- Macau Postal Card uprated and registered via Kowloon Customs A blue Macau Postal Card franked with a Portugal King Carlos 10 Reis

1903- Macau Postal Card uprated and registered via Kowloon Customs A blue Macau Postal Card franked with a Portugal King Carlos 10 Reis adhesive, addressed to England. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, the card was additionally franked with a Hong Kong Queen Victoria 10c stamp, tied by a fine strike of the double-ring “CUSTOMS KOWLOON / SEP 24 / 1903” c.d.s. Registered by the Hong Kong G.P.O. on 25 September, showing black registration label “R / HONGKONG CHINA / No. 3315”, and an oval London Registered arrival datestamp in red dated 26 October 1903. On the face are manuscript registration markings in blue crayon “137” and a registration cross in both blue and red pencil. This is a highly unusual and important postal history item: a Macau postal card carried into the Hong Kong system, where it was uprated and registered through Kowloon Customs, then processed by the Hong Kong G.P.O. for transmission to England. Very few examples are recorded showing the rare Kowloon Customs datestamp applied to registered Hong Kong overseas mail, making this a significant cross-jurisdictional usage between Macau and Hong Kong and a desirable exhibition item for both Macau and Hong Kong postal history collections.1903年 – 澳門明信片經九龍海關加貼掛號藍色澳門明信片，貼葡萄牙卡洛斯國王10雷亞郵票，寄往英國。到達香港後，再加貼一枚香港維多利亞女王像10仙郵票，並蓋「CUSTOMS KOWLOON / SEP 24 / 1903」雙圈日戳清晰銷訖。其後於9月25日由香港總郵政局掛號，貼有黑色掛號號籤「R / HONGKONG CHINA / No. 3315」，另於1903年10月26日蓋有紅色倫敦掛號到達日戳。信面上並見藍色蠟筆“137”號碼及藍紅色十字掛號標記。此為一件極罕見兼具重要意義的郵史實物：澳門明信片經香港轉遞時，由九龍海關銷訖並加貼香港郵票作掛號郵寄，再交香港總郵政局轉寄往英國。已知蓋有九龍海關日戳的掛號香港海外郵件極為稀少，本件展現了澳門與香港之間跨境郵政聯合合作的珍貴範例，對於澳門及香港郵史收藏均屬難得之展品。

Hong Kong

Lot 2003

10,000.00 HKD

Live

1816 By William Amherst, “at anchor off the Island of Hong Kong” (12 Jul) to his wife, London. Entire letter with wax seal removed. The

1816 By William Amherst, “at anchor off the Island of Hong Kong” (12 Jul) to his wife, London. Entire letter with wax seal removed. The content mentioned that the anchorage was delayed and made him anxious “as the Canton Mandarins might lay hold of us”. On the other hand, the emperor “had arranged for three Mandarins to be dispatched to the province of Pe-Che-Lee and one to Tien-Sing on the White River to await our arrival and to conduct us with due to Pekin”. With English transcription. In 1816, William Amherst was sent as ambassador extraordinary to the court of China’s Qing dynasty, with a view of establishing more satisfactory commercial relations between China and Great Britain. On arriving at Pei Ho (Baihe, today’s Haihe), he was given to understand that he could only be admitted to the Jiaqing Emperor’s presence on condition of performing the kowtow. To this, Amherst refused to consent unless the admission was made that his sovereign was entitled to the same show of reverence from a mandarin of his rank. As a consequence of this, he was refused entry into Peking, and the object of his mission was frustrated. Extremely historical piece as the failure of Amherst’s mission foreshadowed the tension between Qing and Great Britain which finally led to the outbreak of Opium War. It is also probably the earliest mail from Hong Kong. 1816.7.12 由阿美士德勳爵於“香港島拋錨”寄倫敦的妻子。郵簡，背面火漆被移除。內容提及其船隻拋錨日期較晚，使其害怕廣州的官員會對他諸多留難。另外提到“皇帝已安排官員於天津等待其到來，以便安排進京。附英文謄寫抄本。 1816年，英國政府派阿美士德勳爵出使訪華，以圖與清廷商討中、英貿易事宜。然而阿美士德使團與清廷就三跪九叩禮問題出現分歧。阿美士德使團的任務最終失敗，沒法與清廷討論貿易問題，更使英商的走私活動在1820年代與日俱增，為鴉片戰爭埋下伏筆。此封歷史意義超凡卓絕，更可能為出自香港之最早郵件。

Lot 2004

2,000.00 HKD

Live

1848 (May 24) a retaliatory double rate cover from Hong Kong to Mass. U.S.A., on the front side cancelled by HK Medium Crown Paid in red,

1848 (May 24) a retaliatory double rate cover from Hong Kong to Mass. U.S.A., on the front side cancelled by HK Medium Crown Paid in red, arrived c.d.s. “PAID / UO / 31 JY 31/ 1848”, manuscript rate charge of “58” in deep blue crayon, another manuscript rate mark of “4/-“, a diamond shape transit c.d.s. in black, manuscript mark “April19, 1848” in pencil. On the reverse, clear HK double arc c.d.s. “HONG-KONG / 24 MY / 1848. 1848 retaliatory rate applied to all mails arriving US between July to December 1848. Letters delivered at the port of arrival charge 24c, within 300 miles 29c, and this this cover is in 2x29c = 58c double retaliatory rate charge. 4s for 1oz letter to U.S.A. with 2s for British transit and 2s for trans-Atlantic. Retaliatory rate 58c paid by the forwarding agent in London. A very rare mail.

Lot 2005

4,000.00 HKD

Live

1848 (Nov 29) Hong Kong to France – Joint British/French Packet ServiceA remarkable entire letter endorsed “via Suez et Marseille”

1848 (Nov 29) Hong Kong to France – Joint British/French Packet ServiceA remarkable entire letter endorsed “via Suez et Marseille” and dispatched from Hong Kong on 29 November 1848, bearing a superb strike of the “PAID AT HONG-KONG” crowned circle in red (Webb type 8; Proud PD4, 1847–52 first period), with matching Hong Kong double-arc datestamp on reverse for the same day. Carried by the British packet P&O “Bentinck” to Suez (arr. 4 January 1849), thence by French packet “Osiris” to Marseille (arr. 19 January). On arrival in France, the cover shows the “2 Indes Or. / Marseille” entry marking (19 Jan 1849), together with an extraordinary array of early French railroad cancellations in black ink, including: •“Ligne-de-Tours” (20.1.49) – rare, recorded only Dec 1848–Jan 1849. •“F19” framed – French railroad postal agent marking, not previously recorded on mail from China. •“13/F” circular – another rare railroad agent cancel, likewise not previously seen on China-origin mail. The combination of multiple French railroad cancels (F19 and 13/F) on a cover from China is believed to be the earliest recorded usage, and unique in exhibiting such postal-agent markings on Hong Kong–origin mail.This cover represents an exceptionally early and rare intersection of British colonial postal markings with French inland rail distribution. Joint British/French packet service mail from China is seldom encountered.

Lot 2006

3,000.00 HKD

Live

1854 Hong Kong (10 Feb) to England. Entire letter, sent “Via Marseilles” and rated “2/7”, applied with scarce “SHIPLETTER /

1854 Hong Kong (10 Feb) to England. Entire letter, sent “Via Marseilles” and rated “2/7”, applied with scarce “SHIPLETTER / VICTORIA HONGKONG” cachet and Hong Kong double-arc cds. Arrived London (29 Mar). This cover was carried by Cadiz, Bengal and Valetta while is was the first return trip of Cadiz from Hong Kong to Galle. 1854.2.10 香港寄英國。郵簡，寫有“Via Marseilles”及“2/7”郵資，鈐少見之維多利亞船信戳及香港雙弧日戳。3.29抵倫敦。此封由郵船Cadiz、Bengal及Valetta號送遞，更為Cadiz號香港至加萊之首程返航。

Lot 2007

3,000.00 HKD

Live

1854 Hong Kong (4 Jul) to USA, rated “26” but crossed out and changed to “41”, applied with scarce “SHIPLETTER / VICTORIA

1854 Hong Kong (4 Jul) to USA, rated “26” but crossed out and changed to “41”, applied with scarce “SHIPLETTER / VICTORIA HONGKONG” cachet. On reverse with Hong Kong double-arc cds. Transit London (6 Sep). This letter was carried by Cadiz, Bengal and Ripon. 1854.7.4 香港寄美國，寫有郵資“26”但被劃去改作“41”，鈐少見之維多利亞船信戳，背面蓋有香港雙弧日戳。9.6經倫敦。此信經Cadiz、Bengal及Ripon號送遞。

Lot 2008

3,000.00 HKD

Live

1858 (OC 12) a very neat entire addressed to B. de Sobrino Esq. CADIZ, care of Sr. Du Jaime Barboro, GIBRALTAR. On the obverse, cancelled

1858 (OC 12) a very neat entire addressed to B. de Sobrino Esq. CADIZ, care of Sr. Du Jaime Barboro, GIBRALTAR. On the obverse, cancelled by a superb heavy inked small crown “PAID AT HONG-KONG” (Webb type 9) cancellation in red, transit c.d.s. in green blue “GIBRALTAR / A / NO 28 / 58”, manuscript rate “1/10” in red crayon. On the reverse, cancelled by a black double-arc datestamp “HONG KONG / C / 12 OC / 59”. Excellent conditions.

Lot 2009

4,000.00 HKD

Live

1859 (May 15) a very neat entire addressed to B. de Sobrino Esq. CADIZ, care of Sr. Du Jaime Barboro, GIBRALTAR. On the obverse, cancelled

1859 (May 15) a very neat entire addressed to B. de Sobrino Esq. CADIZ, care of Sr. Du Jaime Barboro, GIBRALTAR. On the obverse, cancelled by a very fine strike of large crown “PAID AT HONG-KONG” (Webb type 7) cancellation in red, transit c.d.s. in green blue “GIBRALTAR / A / MY 15 / 59”, manuscript rate “1/10” in red crayon. On the reverse, cancelled by black c.d.s. “HONG KONG / C / MR 30 / 59”. Very good conditions.

Lot 2010

1,600.00 HKD

Live

1859 Augustine Heard & Co., Hong Kong (28 Oct) to USA, sent “via Marseilles” and rated “80” and changed to “90”, applied

1859 Augustine Heard & Co., Hong Kong (28 Oct) to USA, sent “via Marseilles” and rated “80” and changed to “90”, applied with Hong Kong cds. Transit London (15 Dec). Arrived Boston (2 Jan). This mail was carried by Norna, Candia and Panther. 1859.10.28 香港瓊記洋行寄美國，寫有“via Marseilles”及郵資“80”，但劃去改作“90”，鈐香港日戳。12.15經倫敦。1.2抵波士頓。此封經Norna、Candia及Panther號送遞。

Lot 2027

1,500.00 HKD

Live

1891 50th Anniv of Colony 2c x2 (Yang C1), MNH/MLH.

Hong Kong

China

Lot 2028

500.00 HKD

Live

1891 50th Anniv of the Colony forgeries in a group of 3, showcasing different types of forgery overprints. Interesting and good for

1891 50th Anniv of the Colony forgeries in a group of 3, showcasing different types of forgery overprints. Interesting and good for reference use.1891年開埠五十週年假票一組三枚，加蓋字體不一，十分有趣。

China

Hong Kong

China

Lot 2029

1,500.00 HKD

Live

1873 France (4 May) to Hong Kong, f.w. Ceres 80c x5, tied by 2046 diamond obliterator, alongside with Lille cds and PD cachet. Transit

1873 France (4 May) to Hong Kong, f.w. Ceres 80c x5, tied by 2046 diamond obliterator, alongside with Lille cds and PD cachet. Transit Paris (4 May). Arrived Hong Kong (16 Jun). Scarce early incoming mail with adhesive from France. 1873.5.4 法國寄香港，貼五穀女神80生丁x5，銷2046鑽石點戳，另鈐Lille日戳及PD戳。5.4經巴黎。6.16抵香港。少見之法國早期貼票進口封。

Hong Kong

Lot 2031

500.00 HKD

Live

1895 Natal to (1 Mar) to the Chief Engineer onboard, SS Lao Sok, Scottish Oriental Steamship Co, f.w. Natal 2-1/2d. Transit London (23

1895 Natal to (1 Mar) to the Chief Engineer onboard, SS Lao Sok, Scottish Oriental Steamship Co, f.w. Natal 2-1/2d. Transit London (23 Mar). Arrived Hong Kong (3 May). Nice incoming cover from South Africa. Example of Scottish Oriental Steamship Co. is also unusual in Hong Kong. 1895.3.1 南非納塔爾寄香港Scottish Oriental Steamship Co的船隻Lao Sok號上之工程師，貼納塔爾2-1/2便士。3.23經倫敦。 5.3抵香港。出色之南非進口香港例，Scottish Oriental Steamship Co的例子在香港較亦少見。

Lot 2032

500.00 HKD

Live

1900 Hong Kong (15 Nov) to US Navy officier Jordan in Manila, f.w. Hong Kong QV 10c x 2, tied by Hong Kong index E cds with inverted month

1900 Hong Kong (15 Nov) to US Navy officier Jordan in Manila, f.w. Hong Kong QV 10c x 2, tied by Hong Kong index E cds with inverted month variety. Arrived Manila (22 Nov). With original letter with Imperial Hotel Tokio letterhead. Cover roughly opened at left. 1900.11.15 香港寄馬尼拉美國海軍軍官Jordan，貼香港維多利亞女皇像10仙x2，銷香港E字日戳（倒月份變異）。11.22抵馬尼拉。附原信，印有東京帝國酒店抬頭。封左側打開。