Ava Auctions 16th Auction - Summer 2026 sale

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China Customs Mail

Lot 57

1,000 HKD

Live

1870. Peking to Calcutta. Cover addressed to “Osc. Trefftz Esqr., care of Messrss Schoene, Kilburn & Col, Calcutta.” Original

1870. Peking to Calcutta. Cover addressed to “Osc. Trefftz Esqr., care of Messrss Schoene, Kilburn & Col, Calcutta.” Original letter within in German datelined “Peking den 20th Februar 1870,” written by C. Bismarck, translator of the Prussian Legation in Peking. Customs Post were first introduced in 1866 to handle legation mail. Early mail before postal markings was introduced by Customs Post is scarce.1870. 北京普鲁士使馆寄往印度加尔各答信件，带德文原信，在冬季水路冰封期间的2月20日寄出，使馆对外通信平时能自理，冬季邮路需依赖官府、催生了海关邮政，海关启用邮政戳记之前的使馆信件，十分珍罕。

Lot 59

8,500 HKD

Live

1889 Canton (11 Jan) to Customs Chaochow. Red band cover, applied with Customs Canton type A cds. On reverse f.w. Hong Kong QV 5c, tied by

1889 Canton (11 Jan) to Customs Chaochow. Red band cover, applied with Customs Canton type A cds. On reverse f.w. Hong Kong QV 5c, tied by B62 obliterator, alongside with Hong Kong (12 Jan) cds. Arrived Swatow. Red band top damaged but the postmark still clear. Illustration fig 3-6, p. 22 in “Customs Dater (1875-1913)”1889.1.11 廣州寄潮州海關。紅條封，鈐廣州海關A型日戳。背貼香港維多利亞女皇像5仙，銷B62殺手戳，旁鈐香港1.12日戳。抵汕頭。紅條上方受損但不影響郵戳。《海關郵戳（1875-1913）》第22頁圖3-6原件。

Lot 63

3,500 HKD

Live

1895 Tientsin (21 Jan) to France, applied with scarce "TIENTSIN CUSTOMS MAIL MATTER" oval marking on front, matching with Customs Tientsin

1895 Tientsin (21 Jan) to France, applied with scarce "TIENTSIN CUSTOMS MAIL MATTER" oval marking on front, matching with Customs Tientsin origin cds on reverse. Transit Customs Shanghai (4 Feb). In combination with Peace and Commerce issue ovpt. Chine 25c, tied by Shanghai French PO (8 Feb) cds.1895.1.21 天津寄法國，正鈐少見之TIENTSIN CUSTOMS / MAIL MATTER”橢圓形公文戳，背鈐天津海關始發日戳。2.4經上海海關。加貼和平及商貿神像加蓋25生丁，銷上海法局2.8日戳。

China Customs Mail

China Province Yunnan

Lot 86

7,000 HKD

Live

1895 Customs Wuhu (15 Aug) to USA, f.w. Empress Dowager 3ca in vertical pair on reverse, tied by Customs Wuhu cds. Transit Customs Shanghai

1895 Customs Wuhu (15 Aug) to USA, f.w. Empress Dowager 3ca in vertical pair on reverse, tied by Customs Wuhu cds. Transit Customs Shanghai (17 Aug). In combination with Peace and Commerce issue ovpt. Chine 25c, tied by Shanghai French PO (17 Aug) cds. Transit Yokohama (22 Aug), Victoria (3 Sep). Arrived USA (6 Sep).1895.8.15 蕪湖寄美國，背貼慈壽3分銀直雙連，銷蕪湖海關日戳。8.17經上海海關。加貼和平及商貿神像加蓋Chine 25生丁，銷上海法局10.17日戳。8.22經橫濱，9.3經維多利亞。9.6抵加拿大。

China Customs Mail

China Province Yunnan

Lot 101

70,000 HKD

Live

1897 Jenchuan (14 Dec) to Shanghai. E Meyer cover, f.w. Small Dragon 5ca on reverse, tied by scarce Customs Jenchuan type D2 cds Transit

1897 Jenchuan (14 Dec) to Shanghai. E Meyer cover, f.w. Small Dragon 5ca on reverse, tied by scarce Customs Jenchuan type D2 cds Transit Chefoo with Dollar chop (16/17 Dec). Arrived Shanghai Local Post (19 Dec). Only 3 covers used in Korea are known with single franking of 5ca. Meyer & Co. was established 1866 in Hong Kong by Hamburg merchants Hermann Constantin Eduaro Meyer (1841-1926) and his brother H. D. Johannes Meyer. In 1873 they opened a branch in Tientsin under Meyers business partner, Carl Andreas Wolter (1858-1916). More branchers followed at Hamburg (1877), London (1883), Shanghai, Hankow, Antung, Tsinan and Tsingtao, also in Korea where Wolter became manager in charge: Chemulpo (1884), Pusan (1886) etc. The Chinese name of the company was “Shi Chang Yang Hong”. E. Meyer was honorary Korean Consul in Hamburg, Germany 1886-1906. The Meyer company exists in Hamburg until today. 1897.12.14 仁川寄上海。世昌洋行封，背貼小龍5分銀，銷稀罕少見之仁川海關D2型日戳。12.16/17經煙台，鈐大圓戳。12.19經上海工部信局。朝鮮封單貼小龍5分銀票者僅見三件。世昌洋行創立於1866年，由漢堡商人Eduaro Meyer及其兄弟H. D. Johannes Meyer於香港成立。E. Meyer在1886至1906年間曾任韓國駐德國漢堡榮譽領事。世昌洋行至今仍在漢堡營業。

China Province Yunnan

Lot 2158

15,000 HKD

Live

1893 Mengtzu (9 Dec) to England, applied with scarce Customs Mengtzu cds on reverse F.w. France 25c on front, tied by Laokay (10 Dec) cds.

1893 Mengtzu (9 Dec) to England, applied with scarce Customs Mengtzu cds on reverse F.w. France 25c on front, tied by Laokay (10 Dec) cds. Transit Yen Bai (23 Dec), Hanoi (25 Dec), Haiphong (26 Dec), Hong Kong (31 Dec). Arrived England (5 Feb). Customs Post was only available for internal mails so no Chinese franking was required. 1893.12.9 蒙自寄英國，背鈐少見之蒙自海關日戳。正貼法屬印支票25生丁，銷老街12.10日戳。12.23經安沛，12.25經河內，12.26經海防，12.31經香港。2.5抵英國。當時海關郵政僅供內部職員使用，故毋需貼中國票。

China Customs Mail

Lot 2160

280,000 HKD

Live

1898 Szemao (15 Mar) to C.E.Tanant, Customs Wuhu via French Indochina, applied with Customs Szemao origin cds. Transit Customs Mengtzu (25

1898 Szemao (15 Mar) to C.E.Tanant, Customs Wuhu via French Indochina, applied with Customs Szemao origin cds. Transit Customs Mengtzu (25 Mar). In combination with Navigation and Commerce ovpt. Chine 25c, tied by Laokay (31 Mar) cds. Further transit Hanoi (8 Apr), Haiphong (9 Apr), Shanghai (21 Apr) with dollar cds. Arrived Wuhu (23 Apr) with dollar cds in brown. Cover opened out for display. Covers of Customs Szemao are extremely scarce with only 5 examples known. This one dated the second. Ex- Steve Chazen. 1898.3.15 思茅經印支寄蕪湖海關稅務司譚安，鈐思茅海關始發日戳。3.25經蒙自海關。加貼航海及商貿神像加蓋Chine 25生丁，銷3.31老街日戳。4.8經河內，4.9經海防，4.21經上海，鈐大圓戳。4.23抵蕪湖，鈐棕色大圓戳。封剖開以作展示。思茅海關封極為難得，存世僅見五例，此為日期第二早者。蔡盛舊藏。 1. 1897.7.21 思茅關 Customs Szemao → 重慶 Chungking. Rate: 25 ctm. 2. 1898.3.15 思茅關 Customs Szemao → 4.23 蕪湖 Wuhu. Rate: 25 ctm. 3. 1898.9.15 思茅關 Customs Szemao → 倫敦 London. Rate: 25 ctm. Provenance: Steve Chazen (Ava Auctions, 2023.3.11 sales) 4. 1898.12.22 思茅關 Customs Szemao → 2.27 倫敦 Kew Gardens. Rate: 25 ctm. 5. 1899.4.9 思茅關 Customs Szemao → 5.19 北京 Peking. Rate: 75 ctm triple rate.