Ava Auctions 16th Auction - Summer 2026 sale

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China Dowager Overprint

Lot 100

150,000 HKD

Live

1897 France to French Legation, Peking, f.w. French 25c, tied by Fourmies cds. Transit Shanghai French PO (16 Jan), In combination with

1897 France to French Legation, Peking, f.w. French 25c, tied by Fourmies cds. Transit Shanghai French PO (16 Jan), In combination with Empress Dowager surch small figure 4c/4ca for domestic rate, tied by Customs Shanghai (18 Jan) cds. Arrived I.G. Customs of Peking (7 Feb). Incoming usage prior to the 2 February 1897 inauguration of the Imperial Post Office. The surcharged stamps were not officially on sale to the public until 2 February 1897. There are, however, a few instances when these stamps were used in January 1897, on either domestic or incoming foreign mail, all from the Customs Post Office in Shanghai. There are less than fifteen such covers known in total, most of which are from the Berteaux correspondence. All of these covers originating from overseas to the northern Chinese ports were subject to domestic rate when utilizing the winter route. This charge was not abolished until 17 February 1897.An exceptionally rare and alluring pre-issue usage of the New Currency surcharged stamps.Provenance:Sir Percival David, Robson Lowe.(London), (Oct) 1974, lot 1312. “Ming”, Corinphila (Zurich), (Mar) 1987, lot 4862. Jane and Dan Sten Olsson, Interasia (Hong Kong), (Jan) 2010, lot 219. References: Major Richard Pratt, Imperial China. History of the Post 1897.(London, 1998), pp. 64-65. Tony.To-Wah.Kwan,.ed., Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume Two: Surcharged Issues Covers and Cards - 1897.(Hong Kong, 2011),.p. 506. Jeffrey S Schneider,.“Census of New.Currency Surcharges on Covers and Fronts Used Between 7 January and 1 February 1897”, The Asian Philatelist,.Vol..13.(2022). 1897年法國寄法國駐北京公使館，貼法國票生丁，銷Fourmies日戳。1.16上海法局落地。加貼慈壽加蓋小字4分蓋4分銀付國內郵資，銷上海海關日戳。2.7抵北京海關。為1897年2月2日大清郵政開幕前之進口例子。以洋銀為面值的慈壽改值票要到2月2日才發售，但發現有數件超前使用例子，均出自上海海關以付國內郵資，存世不足十五件，大多為Berteaux書信。出色之超前貼用例子。源流﹕大維德爵士舊藏（1974年10月倫敦Robson Lowe，拍品號1312）。“Ming”集藏（1987年3月蘇黎世Corinphila，拍品號4862）。Jan and Dan Sten Olsson舊藏（2010年1月Interasia，拍品號219）。參考﹕Major Richard Pratt《Imperial China. History of the Post 1897》第64-65頁。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》中冊第506頁原件。Jeffrey SChneider《Census of New.Currency Surcharges on Covers and Fronts Used Between 7 January and 1 February 1897》《亞洲郵學家2022》第85至88頁。

Lot 102

2,500 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager 2nd print surch large figure wide spaced complete set (Chan 56-64), all tied by Customs and Dollar cds, including more

1897 Empress Dowager 2nd print surch large figure wide spaced complete set (Chan 56-64), all tied by Customs and Dollar cds, including more scarce Customs Ningpo cds.1897年慈壽再版加蓋大字長距全（陳目56-64），銷海關英文日戳或大圓戳。當中包含較少見之寧波海關日戳。

Lot 103

2,500 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure complete set (Chan 37-46), all tied by Pakua chop. 2024 (Jul) AVA Auctions, lot 222.

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure complete set (Chan 37-46), all tied by Pakua chop. 2024 (Jul) AVA Auctions, lot 222.1897年慈壽加蓋小字全（陳目37-46），銷八卦戳。2024.7 艾華拍賣，拍品號222。

Lot 110

18,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager small Figures surcharges 1c/1ca, with inverted surcharge variety (Chan 38d), tied by Hankow dollar cds. With signature

1897 Empress Dowager small Figures surcharges 1c/1ca, with inverted surcharge variety (Chan 38d), tied by Hankow dollar cds. With signature of Peter Holcombe. It is believed that 80 of this varieyt stamp exist (2 panes of 40) and only one fourth of them remain mint as most of thm were used by Hankow pakua, dollar or customs cancel.1897年慈壽加蓋小字1分蓋1分銀新，帶加蓋倒蓋變異（陳目38d），銷漢口大圓戳。小字加蓋1分倒蓋票相信存世僅八十枚（兩盤格各四十枚），當中僅約四分一為新票，餘大多銷漢口八卦戳、大圓戳或海關戳。經典之“四複八倒”之一。

Lot 112

30,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 2c/2ca with inverted surch variety (Chan 39d), tied by Shanghai dollar cds. Of the one sheet (40

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 2c/2ca with inverted surch variety (Chan 39d), tied by Shanghai dollar cds. Of the one sheet (40 stamps) produced with this error, there are less than 25 documented examples which have survived. To date, practically all known examples are canceled by “Shanghai” dollar daters between 20 Sep and 8 Nov 1897. There a number of defective examples, which resulted from the postmaster at Hankow having torn stamps with this error from commercial mail. Reference: Lam Man Yin Collection, Spink (Hong Kong), (Jan) 2019, p.139.1897年慈壽加蓋小字2分蓋2分銀，帶加蓋倒蓋變異（陳目39d），銷上海大圓戳。此倒蓋票僅印製0枚，當中有記錄者不足25枚，並都銷上海大圓戳。部分存世例子有損，原因為漢口郵局局長將這些變異票從封上撕下。參考﹕2019年1月斯賓克香港林文琰專場，第139頁。

Lot 113

100,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 4c/4ca in vertical pair, with double surch variety (Chan 40f), setting.B with interpane margin at

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 4c/4ca in vertical pair, with double surch variety (Chan 40f), setting.B with interpane margin at left and adjoining single. Unused with large part original gum. Of the one sheet of 40 stamps (double pane) produced with this error, the Agnew collection had a nearly complete pane of nineteen which has been split up, so that today only a block of four remains as the largest multiple (ex Beckeman, Lam Man Yin collections). Less than 35 examples of this variety have been recorded to date. Expertization: Signed Herbert Bloch, Lyons Livingston, Peter Holcombe. Provenance:John A Agnew This was originally a pane of nineteen (top left stamp missing).Lyons Livingston, H.R. Harmer (New York), (Dec)1973, lots141 and 142. “Renaissance”, Michael Rogers (Winter.Park), (Feb) 1999,lot 126 (for the pair).Reference Chen.Shih-Jen,.ed.,.Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharge. 110 Anniversary of Empress Dowager Jubilee Issue (2004),.pp..296-300.1897年慈壽加蓋小字4分蓋4分銀直雙連新，帶加蓋複蓋變異（陳目39d），B版式，帶左過橋邊紙，另附一枚鄰票。此複蓋票僅印製40枚，當中Agnew 收入了近乎完整的一盤格19枚，後來被拆開散逸，故四方連已是存世最大方連（見於貝克曼及林文琰集藏）。有記錄者不足35枚。帶Herbert Bloch、Lyons Livingston及Peter Holcombe簽署。參考﹕2019年1月斯賓克香港林文琰專場，第139頁。源流﹕John A Agnew舊藏（十九方連）。Lyons Livingsons（1973年12月紐約H R Harmer，拍品號141及142）。Renaissance集藏（1999年2月Micharl Rogers，拍品號126）。請參閱陳仕仁著作第296至300頁。

Lot 114

150,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 10c/9ca, with double surcharge variety (Chan 44f), pane 4, position.10. Unused with large part

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 10c/9ca, with double surcharge variety (Chan 44f), pane 4, position.10. Unused with large part original gum. Only one sheet was produced with the double surcharge, and Tony Kwan has documented and plated all twenty-five examples (24 unused and one used). Provenance: M.D. Chow, Sotheby’s and Corinphila.(Hong.Kong), (Apr) 1996, lot 249. Huang Ming-Fuang, Zurich Asia (Hong Kong), (Jun) 2003, lot 226. Reference:Chen Shih-Jen,.ed.,.Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharge. 110 Anniversary of Empress Dowager Jubilee Issue (2004), p. 301-312. 1897年慈壽加蓋小字1角蓋9分銀新，帶加蓋複蓋變異（陳目44f），第四盤格，位置10，帶部分原膠。關道華已記錄所有二十五枚（當中二十四枚為新）。源流﹕周今覺舊藏（1996年4月香港蘇富比及Corinphila，拍品號249）。黃明芳舊藏（2003年6月蘇黎世亞洲，拍品號226）。參考﹕陳仕仁著作第29至34頁。關道華《慈壽9分銀加蓋小字暫作洋銀10分複蓋票》《亞洲郵學家2014》第29至34頁。

Lot 115

40,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 30c/24ca in vertical pair, with imperf between variety (Chan 46b), tied by Customs Swatow cds.

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 30c/24ca in vertical pair, with imperf between variety (Chan 46b), tied by Customs Swatow cds. According to Kelleher & Rogers records, there are less than five examples of this variety recorded in which two pairs unused (one is ex Stoloff, the Beckemans, and Huang Ming-Fuang) and two used. The other used pair (Lam Man Yin) is also canceled by the Swatow Customs dater.1897年慈壽加蓋小字3角蓋24分銀直雙連，帶中縫漏齒變異（陳目46b），銷汕頭海關日戳。按Kelleher & Rogers記錄，此票存世不足五例，當中兩件雙連為新票（Stoloff、貝克曼、黃明芳舊藏），兩件為舊票。而另一件舊票雙連則見於林文琰，同樣銷汕頭海關日戳。

Lot 116

120,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager 1st printing surch large figure wide spaced 1/2c on 3ca in block of 4, with inverted surch variety (Chan 47b), pane.3,

1897 Empress Dowager 1st printing surch large figure wide spaced 1/2c on 3ca in block of 4, with inverted surch variety (Chan 47b), pane.3, tied by “Customs Shanghai” cds. One of two recorded blocks of four. Only one sheet of forty was produced with this variety, and Tony Kwan has accounted for 35 surviving examples, all of which are canceled to order by the “Customs/Shanghai” dater of “Mar 24 1897”. 2009 (Oct) John Bull, lot 186. Reference: Tony Kwan, “Large Figure 2.5mm Inverted Surcharge Half Cent on Empress Dowager First Printing Stamp”, Asian Philatelist, Vol 4 (September.2013), p. 71-78. Tony.T.W..Kwan,.Tony.T.W..Kwan,.“Introduction.to.the.Four.Double.and.Eight.Inverted.of.Empress.Dowager. Surcharged Issues”, Studies of Classic Stamps of Ching Dynasty,.Vol..17.(2015),.pp..22-25.1897年慈壽初版加蓋大字長距半角蓋3分銀四方連，帶加蓋倒蓋變異（陳目47b），銷上海海關日戳。為存世兩件四方連之一。此票印製僅40枚，關道華已記錄當中35枚，全部銷上海海關1897年3月24日日戳。2009年10月布約翰，拍品號186。參考﹕關道華《慈壽初版大字長距三分銀暫作洋銀半分倒蓋票》《亞洲郵學家2013》第71至78頁。

Lot 117

30,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager 1st printing surch large figure wide spaced 2c/2ca in block of 4 (Chan 49), MH with large part original gum.

1897 Empress Dowager 1st printing surch large figure wide spaced 2c/2ca in block of 4 (Chan 49), MH with large part original gum.1897年慈壽初版加蓋大字長距2分蓋2分銀四方連新（陳目49），原膠背貼。

Lot 118

50,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager 1st printing surch large figure narrow spaced 10c/9ca in pane of 20 with margin (Chan 71), pane 1. Showcasing

1897 Empress Dowager 1st printing surch large figure narrow spaced 10c/9ca in pane of 20 with margin (Chan 71), pane 1. Showcasing surcharge positions 11, 15 and 19 with surcharges 1mm higher. Unused with original gum. Ex- Jane and Dan Sten Olsson, Interasia (Hong Kong), (Jan) 2010, lot 187.1897年慈壽初版加蓋大字短距1角蓋9分銀盤格二十枚新（陳目71），第一盤格。位置11、15及19可見加蓋高出1毫米。原膠上品。Jane and Dan Sten Olsson舊藏（2010年1月Interasia，拍品號187）。

Lot 119

270,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager 1st printing surch large figure narrow spaced 30c/24ca (Chan 73), nicknamed “Red Ruby”, unused.with large part

1897 Empress Dowager 1st printing surch large figure narrow spaced 30c/24ca (Chan 73), nicknamed “Red Ruby”, unused.with large part original gum. A great rarity. The “Red Ruby” ranks among the rarest stamps of China. One sheet was reportedly discovered by Adolphous Diercking at the Chungking Post Office (ref. Sir Percival David, Robson Lowe, 22 Jul 1970, p. 25). All known examples, including two blocks of four, are unused from the same sheet. Tony Kwan has located 21 examples to date in his reconstruction of the original sheet. ProvenanceEx- Paul Hock, Robson Lowe (Zurich), (Oct) 1983, lot 264. “Ming”, Corinphila (Zurich), (Sep) 1988, lot 4213. 1994 (16 Dec) Sotheby’s (London), lot 30. References:Chen Chung-Ching, “Briefing on the Major Modification and Surcharge on the Empress Dowager’s Birthday Commemorative First Printing Issue 24 Cents Stamp,” Journal of the China Stamp Society, Inc. (R.O.C. Chapter), Taipei, August 2002, p. 158-159. Tony T W Kwan, “Watermarks Studies of Empress Dowager Jubilee and Its Surcharged Issues”, Studies of Classic Stamps of Qing Dynasty, Vol. 15 (2013), p.11-13. Tony T W Kwan, “Watermarks on the Dowager and Surcharged Issues, China Clipper (China Stamp Society), Vol. 78, No. 3 (Mar 2014), p.76-85.1897年慈壽初版加蓋大字短距3角蓋24分銀新“紅寶石”（陳目73），帶大部分原膠。紅寶石為中國珍郵之一，據稱由德鏗於重慶郵局發現一版。所有存世例子均出自此版。關道華已發現此原版中的二十一枚。源流﹕ Paul Hock舊藏（1983年10月蘇黎世Robson Lowe，拍品號264）。“Ming”集藏（1988年9月蘇黎世Corinphila，拍品號4213）。 1994.12.16 倫敦蘇富比，拍品號30。

Lot 120

14,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager 3rd printing surch large figure narrow spaced 2c/2ca, with inverted surch variety (Chan 76c), unused with large part

1897 Empress Dowager 3rd printing surch large figure narrow spaced 2c/2ca, with inverted surch variety (Chan 76c), unused with large part original gum. With Peter Holcombe certificate.1897年慈壽後期再版加蓋大字短距2分蓋2分銀新，帶加蓋倒蓋變異（陳目76c），帶部分原膠。附Peter Holcombe證書。

Lot 121

15,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager 3rd printing surch large figure narrow spaced 2c/2ca, with inverted surch variety (Chan 76c), tied by Zhao Tsun

1897 Empress Dowager 3rd printing surch large figure narrow spaced 2c/2ca, with inverted surch variety (Chan 76c), tied by Zhao Tsun tombstone cancel. Only four used examples are recorded, the other three are canceled by “Shanghai” bilingual c.d.s.1897年慈壽後期再版加蓋大字短距2分蓋2分銀，帶加蓋倒蓋變異（陳目76c），銷趙村碑形戳。此票僅見四例舊票，餘三枚銷上海日戳。

Lot 122

14,000 HKD

Live

1897 Empress Dowager 3rd printing surch large figure narrow spaed 30c/24ca (Chan 81), unused with large part original gum. With Peter

1897 Empress Dowager 3rd printing surch large figure narrow spaed 30c/24ca (Chan 81), unused with large part original gum. With Peter Holcombe signature.1897年慈壽後期再版加蓋大字短距3角蓋24分銀新（陳目81），帶部分原膠。帶Peter Holcombe簽署。

Lot 123

10,000 HKD

Live

1897. Peking (19 Sep) to France. Cover franked with Dowager 10c/6ca stamp, tied by Peking dollar dater. Transit Shanghai (24 Sep) with

1897. Peking (19 Sep) to France. Cover franked with Dowager 10c/6ca stamp, tied by Peking dollar dater. Transit Shanghai (24 Sep) with dollar dater. In combination with French “Chine” 25c stamp tied by Shanghai Fr.PO (24 Sep ) cds. Transit “Ligne N” (25 Sep) to arrive La Roche Bernade (27 Oct). 2024 (Nov) AVA Auctions, lot 22. Ex- Steve Chazen.1897.9.19 北京寄法國，貼慈壽6分銀加蓋小字1角，銷北京大圓戳。9.24經上海，鈐大圓戳。加貼法國和平及商貿神像加蓋“Chine”25生丁，銷上海法局9.24日戳。9.25經法國郵船。10.27抵La Roche Bernade。2024.11 艾華拍賣，拍品號22。蔡盛舊藏。

Lot 124

12,000 HKD

Live

1897 (22 Mar) Small lady cover used in local, from Masonic Club to Baron Gunzberg, f.w. Shanghai LPO Coat of Arms 1c and Empress Dowager

1897 (22 Mar) Small lady cover used in local, from Masonic Club to Baron Gunzberg, f.w. Shanghai LPO Coat of Arms 1c and Empress Dowager surch large figure narrow sapced 2c/2ca, tied by obliterator, matching with Local Post cds on reverse. Fine and rare combination of Imperial Post and Coat of Arms issues despite probably philatelic. Baron Gabriel de Gunzburg was a famous stamp dealer as well as a spy of Russian secret service. 1897.3.22 Masonic Club小型封寄上海本埠Baron Gabriel de Gunzburg，貼上海工部市徽圖1分 + 慈壽加蓋大字短距2分，銷殺手戳，另鈐上海工部郵局日戳。雖應為集郵封，但大清郵政與上海工部市徽圖票混貼十分難得少見。Baron Gabriel de Gunzburg則為著名之郵商兼俄國間諜。

Lot 125

50,000 HKD

Live

1897 Tientsin (9 Sep) to Austria. Large registered cover, f.w. Empress Dowager 2nd printing surch large figure wide spaced 30c/24ca (with

1897 Tientsin (9 Sep) to Austria. Large registered cover, f.w. Empress Dowager 2nd printing surch large figure wide spaced 30c/24ca (with "30" 2mm above "cents") + small figure surch 10c/9ca in vertical pair with gutter margin(Chan 44, 64f), tied by Pakua cancel, along with Tientsin dollar cds and R mark. In combination with French ovpt. Chine 1f + 25c, tied by Shanghai French PO cds (17 Sep). The 30c/24ca variety is from the right Pane, position 5. Striking four times weight registered franking, especially so with the.variety. Provenance:Ex- Sir David Roseway, Robson Lowe (London), (Jan) 1973, lot.1411. Ex- Lam Man Yin, Spink (Hong Kong), (Jan) 2019, lot 899. The Revenue Surcharges 1897, Vol. II.(Taipei: Directorate General of Posts of Taiwan, 1987),p. 867. Tony To-Wah Kwan,.ed., Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume Two: Surcharged Issues Covers and Cards - 1897. (Hong Kong, 2011),p. 943.1897.9.9 天津寄奧國。大型掛號封，貼慈壽再版加蓋大字長距3角蓋24分銀（“30”於“cents”上方2毫米）+ 加蓋小字1角蓋9分銀直雙連帶過橋邊紙（陳目44, 64f），銷八卦戳，另鈐天津大圓戳及R章。加貼法國客郵加蓋Chine 1法郎 + 25生丁，銷上海法局9.17日戳。當中3角變異票出自左盤格位置5。出色難得之四倍重量掛號例子，貼用變異票更是難得。源流﹕ Sir David Roseway舊藏（1973年1月倫敦Robson Lowe，拍品號1411）。林文琰舊藏。（2019年1月斯賓克香港，拍品號899）。交通部郵政總局《紅印花郵票》第二冊第867頁。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》中冊第943頁。