Ava Auctions 16th Auction - Summer 2026 sale

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All lots Aftersale lots Sold at auction

German Post China Postal stationery

China Postal stationery

China

German Post China Postal stationery

China Postal stationery

German Post China Postal stationery

Lot 1004

500 HKD

Live

St. Helena to Germany and China - Boer War POW Postcard Intended for German Naval Forces in Tsingtau 25 July 1900, a 1d red postal

St. Helena to Germany and China - Boer War POW Postcard Intended for German Naval Forces in Tsingtau 25 July 1900, a 1d red postal stationery card of St. Helena, cancelled by a crisp "ST. HELENA /JY 28/00" c.d.s., sent from the Boer War prisoner-of-war camp on the island. The card bears a prominent "CENSOR / PRISONERS OF WAR" cachet and was carried via Southampton, showing a SHIP LETTER / SOUTHAMPTON / 28 AU 00 transit mark. Addressed to Herr David S. Hirsche, on board S.M.S. Gefion, a German naval cruiser, the original delivery address roughly reads "Tsantau in China" (Tsingtau), which was at the time Germany's leased territory and naval stronghold in East Asia. This line was not crossed out, indicating the card was initially intended to reach "Kiel, Germany" and was later added to Berlin, with a final redirection to Tsantau in China. A German arrival mark KIEL / 29.8.00 confirms its arrival in Germany. The handwritten note at the top references the 1st Seebataillon bound for Tientsin, further linking this card to the German intervention in China during the Boxer Rebellion, making it a rare and historically significant example of Boer War POW mail with direct ties to East Asian military operations

China Postal stationery

Lot 1005

1,000 HKD

Live

South Africa to Tsingtau Kiautschou, China via German P.O. 3 February 1908, a German PO registered stationery envelope in South Africa (on

South Africa to Tsingtau Kiautschou, China via German P.O. 3 February 1908, a German PO registered stationery envelope in South Africa (on the top part of the cover: AANGETEEKENDE BRIEF: Registered Letter in German) with a printed registered mark of "R ZA.R."addressed to E.W, Volckmann Esq., Tsingtau, Kiautschou, China, On the front side, affixed with a 2-1/2 d King Edward stamp in blue cancelled by a double circled c.d.s. in purple "REGISTERED JOHANNESBURG/-3 FEB 08", together with two boxed registration mark "R/JOHANNESBURG / No.578" in purple color. HK registered c.d.s. "REGISTERED HONG KONG / 20 MR 08", German P.O. arrival c.d.s. "TSINGTAU KIAUTSCHOU /27.3/08". On the reverse side, cancelled by entry port Shanghai bilingual c.d.s. dated 23 MAR 08. A very desirable South Africa registered postal stationery envelope.南非經德國郵局寄往中國膠州灣掛號郵件 1908年2月3日,本件為一封德國郵政格式的掛號郵資信封,於南非使用,信封頂部印有荷蘭語「AANGETEEKENDE BRIEF」(即掛號信,對應德語 Eingeschriebener Brief),並印有紫色「RZAR」掛號標記,寄往:E. W. Volckmann Esq. Tsingtau, Kiautschou, China(寄達地址為德國租借地膠州灣青島)。信封正面貼有英王愛德華藍色2%便士郵票一枚銷以紫色雙圈日戳 “REGISTERED JOHANNESBURG-3 FEB 08 並加蓋兩枚紫色掛號框戳 “R/JOHANNESBURG /No. 578”,途中經香港註冊郵局中轉戰“REGISTERED HONG KONG / 20 MR 08" 德國膠州灣郵局到達戳 “TSINGTAU KIAUTSCHOU / 27.3/08" 此封展示南非早期掛號郵資信封的實寄用途,使用德式格式設計掛號信封,但於英屬南非實際寄出。

China

China Japanese PO

China

Lot 1017

700 HKD

Sold

Canada to Jesfield, Shanghai, China - 1892-93 Cover with Rare HEADWOOD Cancellation 15 November 1892, a cover addressed to S. E. Smalley

Canada to Jesfield, Shanghai, China - 1892-93 Cover with Rare HEADWOOD Cancellation 15 November 1892, a cover addressed to S. E. Smalley Esq., St. John's College, Jesfield, Shanghai, China, franked with a 5¢ Small Queen (black-grey), tied by a duplex-style cancellation likely reading "HEADWOOD" a possibly undocumented Manitoba postmark, linked to a railway post office near Winnipeg according to research findings. The cover shows clear transit c.d.s. "VANCOUVER B.C. / NO 29/92", U.S. Postal transit via "SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. / DEC 4/1892", arrival at "U.S. POSTAL AGENCY SHANGHAI / JAN 1/93", neatly struck in black on reverse, confirming 1893 New Year's Day delivery. This item showcases an unusual routing from interior Canada to China, passing through British Columbia, California, and the U.S. Postal Agency in Shanghai. The HEADWOOD cancel, not found in standard Canadian postal listings, suggests either a discontinued early post office or a railway mail booth, adding research interest.

China Japanese PO

China

China Japanese PO

Lot 1018

800 HKD

Live

1896 USA (10 Sep) to USS Detroit, Japan, redirected to US Navy Hospital, f.w. Presdiential issue 5c, tied by Harrisburg cds. Transit Tacoma

1896 USA (10 Sep) to USS Detroit, Japan, redirected to US Navy Hospital, f.w. Presdiential issue 5c, tied by Harrisburg cds. Transit Tacoma (15 Sep). Arrived Yokohama (10 Oct). Redirected to IJPO Shanghai (20 Oct) but further redirected to Navy Hospital., alongside with Japanese postage due cachet and 25 CTMS T cachet. Arrived Yokohama (1 Nov) with a slip, stating the unpaid 10s due. Peculiar and interesting.1896.9.10 美國寄日本之美國戰艦Detroit號，改寄美國海軍醫院，貼總統像票5分，銷Harrisburg日戳。9.15經Tacoma。10.10抵橫濱，改寄上海日本客郵局，10.20抵達。再改寄美國海軍醫院，鈐日文欠資直戳及25 CTMS T欠資戳。11.1抵橫濱。貼有憑單指未貼欠資10錢。迂迴有趣。

China

Lot 1535

500 HKD

Live

1858 and 1907 a pair of entire letter and cover from USA to France and Hong Kong. Former rated "8", applied with San Francisco and New York

1858 and 1907 a pair of entire letter and cover from USA to France and Hong Kong. Former rated "8", applied with San Francisco and New York cds. Arrived Reimes. Latter f.w. imperf Washongton 2c in pair. No arrival.1858及1907年一對美國寄法國及香港封。前者鈐郵資“8”，蓋有三藩市、紐約及法國到達戳。後者貼無齒華盛頓票2分雙連。無到達戳。

Lot 1536

800 HKD

Sold

1858 England (7 Aug) to Royal Engineers, Hong Kong, f.w. QV 6d, tied by Guernsey duplex d.s. Showing "via Southampton" annotation. Transit

1858 England (7 Aug) to Royal Engineers, Hong Kong, f.w. QV 6d, tied by Guernsey duplex d.s. Showing "via Southampton" annotation. Transit London (19 Aug). Arrived Hong Kong (9 Oct) with double-arc cds.1858.8.7 英國寄香港皇家工兵，貼維多利亞女皇像6便士，銷Guernsey雙聯日戳。寫有“via Southampton”。8.19經倫敦。10.9抵香港，鈐雙弧日戳。

China

China Republic of China

Lot 2701

1,000 HKD

Live

San Francisco China Town view lithographes on paper.

三藩市唐人街之版畫印刷品。 OVERSEA CHINESE LETTER 僑信

Lot 2758

2,000 HKD

Sold

1935 Hong Kong (28 Dec) to Cuba, f.w. Silver Jubilee 10c with forwarding agent seal. aerogramme.1935.12.28

1935 Hong Kong (28 Dec) to Cuba, f.w. Silver Jubilee 10c with forwarding agent seal. aerogramme.1935.12.28 香港寄古巴，貼佐治五世銀禧10仙x2，銷香港日 TRINIDAD 千里達

China Republic of China

China

China Republic of China

Lot 2858

2,200 HKD

Sold

1943 Kenya (12 Sep) to Bank of China, Bombay. Registered cover, f.w. Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika KGVI 30cx 2 + 1/- on both sides, tied by

1943 Kenya (12 Sep) to Bank of China, Bombay. Registered cover, f.w. Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika KGVI 30cx 2 + 1/- on both sides, tied by Mombasa cds., along with censor mark and registered label. With scarce example from British Africa to India.1943.9.12 肯亞寄孟買中國銀行。掛號封，正背貼肯亞/烏干達/坦干依喀30分x2 + 1便士，銷Mombasa日戳，另見檢查章及掛號標籤。稀罕之英屬非洲寄印度例子。

China

Lot 2864

3,200 HKD

Sold

1936 Madagascar (11 Jul) to Canton, f.w. General Gallieni 50c on reverse, tied by Madagascar meter stamp. Showing 12-pointed star patriotic

1936 Madagascar (11 Jul) to Canton, f.w. General Gallieni 50c on reverse, tied by Madagascar meter stamp. Showing 12-pointed star patriotic seal against Japanese aggression. Transit Canton (22 Aug). Arrived Ngokpo (23 Aug). Nice incoming example from Africa.1936.7.11 馬達加斯加寄廣州，背貼加列尼將軍50分，銷馬達加斯加機戳。另鈐星形抗日愛國戳記。8.22經廣州。8.23抵岳步。出色之非洲進口封。