Ava Auctions 16th Auction - Summer 2026 sale

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All lots Aftersale lots Sold at auction

China Dowager

Lot 76

150,000 HKD

Sold

1894 Empress Dowager 1st printing 12ca in complete sheet of 25 (Chan 29), pane 3. Showcasing cliche characters such as position 2 retouched

1894 Empress Dowager 1st printing 12ca in complete sheet of 25 (Chan 29), pane 3. Showcasing cliche characters such as position 2 retouched corner and position 13 stop after “China”. Among the rarest of the Dowager Empress complete sheets. Ex- Quintin Tan Kok Tin, Spink (Hong Kong), (21 Mar) 2007, lot 58.1894年慈壽初版12分銀全版25枚新（陳目29），第3盤格，展示了不同子模特徵，如位置2邊框修飾、位置13“China”後帶點等。為慈壽票中版票最為難覓之面值。Quintin Tan Kok Tin舊藏（2007年3月21日斯賓克香港，拍品號58）。

Lot 77

10,000 HKD

Live

1894 Empress Dowager first printing 9ca tête-bêche vertical pair. Lower stamp watermark omitted (Chan 28g, 28q). With bottom left corner

1894 Empress Dowager first printing 9ca tête-bêche vertical pair. Lower stamp watermark omitted (Chan 28g, 28q). With bottom left corner marign. Pane 6. Unused with prisinte original gum. Very fine, not to mention with the interesting variety.1894年9分銀對倒直雙連，慈壽初版，下方一枚漏水印（陳目28g, 28q），帶左下直角邊。出自第六盤格。新票原膠，漏水印更是難得，上品。

Lot 78

5,800 HKD

Sold

1894 Empress Dowager first printing 9ca tête-bêche vertical pair (Chan 28g), cancelled by "Customs / Wuhu" dater of "17 MAR 1895". Pane

1894 Empress Dowager first printing 9ca tête-bêche vertical pair (Chan 28g), cancelled by "Customs / Wuhu" dater of "17 MAR 1895". Pane 4. Very Fine.1894年9分銀對倒直雙連，慈壽初版（陳目28g），銷蕪湖海關1895年3月17日日戳。出自第四盤格。上品。

Lot 79

120,000 HKD

Live

1894 Empress Dowager 1st printing, 24ca in vertical pair, with imperf between variety (Chan 30a), unused with large part original gum.

1894 Empress Dowager 1st printing, 24ca in vertical pair, with imperf between variety (Chan 30a), unused with large part original gum. According to Kelleher & Rogers records, there are sixteen unused and five used examples of this most sought-after variety. Provenance: George Scudder, H.R. Harmer (London), (Jun) 1943,.lot.72. Herbert Johnson, Christie’s Robson Lowe (Zurich), (Nov) 1989, lot 2058.1992 (30 Sep) Christie’s Swire (Hong.Kong),, lot 1393. Ex- Huang.Ming-Fuang, Zurich Asia (Hong Kong), (Jun) 2003,.lot.154.1894年慈壽初版24分銀直雙連新，帶中縫漏齒變異（陳目30c），帶部分原膠。此為Kelleher & Rogers記錄之16例新票及5例舊票之一。源流﹕ George Scudder舊藏（1943年6月倫敦H.R. Harmer，拍品號72）。Herbert Johnson舊藏（1989年11月蘇黎世佳士得Robson Lowe，拍品號2058）。1992年9月30日香港佳士得，拍品號1393。黃明芳舊藏（2003年6月蘇黎世亞洲，拍品號154）。

Lot 80

150,000 HKD

Live

1894 Empress Dowager 1st printing 24c in complete sheet of 25 (Chan 30), pane 4. Showcasing various cliche characters such as position 10

1894 Empress Dowager 1st printing 24c in complete sheet of 25 (Chan 30), pane 4. Showcasing various cliche characters such as position 10 broken frame above “Cn”, position 21 missing dots under “Cn”, and position 23 broken inner frame at top right corner as well as in top right corner tablet above "Cn”. Unused with original gum. Ex- Quintin Tan Kok Tin, Spink (Hong Kong), (21 Mar) 2007, lot 62.1894年慈壽初版24分銀全版25枚新（陳目30），第4盤格，展示了不同子模特徵，如位置10的Cn破框、位置21 Cn缺點、位置23右上角破框等。原膠上品。Quintin Tan Kok Tin舊藏（2007年3月21日斯賓克香港，拍品號62）。

Lot 81

60,000 HKD

Live

1894 Tientsin to Constantinople, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 2ca + 4ca + 12ca, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal in blue, along with oval

1894 Tientsin to Constantinople, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 2ca + 4ca + 12ca, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal in blue, along with oval Tientsin type 3 registered h.s. Transit Customs Shanghai (2 Feb). In combination with French ovpt Chine 50c, ,tied by Shanghai French PO (7 Feb) cds. Arrived Constntinople (17 Mar). Cover back partly trimmed. With Peter Holcombe certificate.Provenance: “Ming” (Peter.Holcombe), Corinphila.(Zurich), (Mar) 1988, lot.4832. “Cihangir”, Corinphila Asia (Hong Kong), (Jun) 2000, lot 344. Prize Selections from Rocpex Taipei ‘81.(1982), p.121. Tony To-Wah Kwan,.ed.,.Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards, p. 223.1894年天津寄君士坦丁堡，貼慈壽初版2分銀 + 4分銀 + 12分銀，銷天津中文藍色戳記，另見天津3型橢圓掛號戳，背鈐天津海關始發日戳。2.2經上海海關。加貼法國客郵加蓋Chine 50生丁，銷上海法局日戳。3.17抵君士坦丁堡。封背部分被裁。附Peter Holcombe證書。源流﹕“Ming”集藏（Peter Holcombe），1998年3月蘇黎世Corinphila，拍品號4832。“Cilhangir”集藏，2000年6月香港Corinphila Asia，拍品號344。《慶祝中華民國建國七十年郵展選粹》第121頁原件。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》上冊第223頁原件。

Lot 82

22,000 HKD

Sold

1894 Spanish Legation Peking (6 Mar) to Philippines, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 4ca + 5ca, tied by Peking Chinese seal, matching

1894 Spanish Legation Peking (6 Mar) to Philippines, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 4ca + 5ca, tied by Peking Chinese seal, matching with Customs Peking cds on reverse. Showing legation seal on front. Transit Customs Shanghai (14 Mar). In combination with Hong Kong QV 10c, tied by Shanghai BPO cds. Transit Hong Kong (19 Mar). Arrived Manila (25 Mar). With BPA certificate. The earlier of the two recorded Dowager covers to Manila.1894.3.6 西班牙駐北京公使館寄菲律賓，貼慈壽初版4分銀 + 5分銀，銷北京中文戳記，背另鈐北京海關始發日戳。正見公使館紫章。3.14經上海海關。加貼香港維多利亞女皇像10仙，銷上海英局日戳。3.19經香港。3.25抵馬尼拉。為兩件寄馬尼拉的慈壽封中較早的一件。附BPA證書。

Lot 83

12,000 HKD

Live

1894 Tientsin (25 Dec) to Peking, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st print 3ca, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal, matching with Customs Tientins origin

1894 Tientsin (25 Dec) to Peking, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st print 3ca, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal, matching with Customs Tientins origin cds on reverse. Arrived Customs Peking (28 Dec). Nice first year usage of Empress Dowager issue. References:Customs Dater (1875-1913), Taipei: Philatelic.Writers’.Club, 2008, p.168-169. Tony To-Wah Kwan, ed., Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards (Hong Kong 2011), p. 35.1894.12.25 天津寄北京，貼慈壽初版3分銀，銷天津中文戳記，背鈐天津海關始發日戳。12.28抵北京海關。出色之慈壽首年貼用例子。附BPA證書。參考﹕《海關日戳（1875-1913）》第168-169頁。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》上冊第35頁。

Lot 84

15,000 HKD

Live

1895 Chefoo (Jul) to Sweden, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 3ca, tied by Chefoo Chinese seal, matching with Customs Chefoo cds on

1895 Chefoo (Jul) to Sweden, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 3ca, tied by Chefoo Chinese seal, matching with Customs Chefoo cds on reverse. Tranit Customs Shanghai (22 Jul). In combination with German Eagle 20pf, tied by Shanghai German PO cds (26 Jul). The German stamp was affixed by sender himself, hence, an example of relay postage. Tony To-Wah Kwan, ed., Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards.(Hong.Kong 2011), p.141.1895.7 煙台寄瑞典，貼慈壽初版3分銀，銷煙台漢文戳記，背另鈐煙台海關始發日戳。7.22經上海海關。另貼德國票20芬尼，銷上海德局7.26日戳。德國票為寄件人自貼，接力郵資例子。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》上冊第141頁。

China Dowager

China Customs Mail

China Dowager

Lot 85

20,000 HKD

Live

1896 Shanghai (15 Dec) to Peking via winter route, f.w. Empress Dowager first print 3ca x2, tied by Customs Shanghai cds. Arrived Peking (4

1896 Shanghai (15 Dec) to Peking via winter route, f.w. Empress Dowager first print 3ca x2, tied by Customs Shanghai cds. Arrived Peking (4 Jan). It is one of the earliest recorded cover carried by the 1896 Winter route. Robert Kong recorded only 5 domestic mail matter covers taking the northbound winter route and it is the 6th one. Also, it an an important example of transition between Customs and Imperial Post as mails dated before 31 Dec 1896 was still subjected to the regulation of the Customs Posts. 2012 (15 Dec) Interasia "Selection from the Huang Ming-Jeng Grand Prix Collection of Imperial China 19th Century Postal History Part 1", lot 159.1896.12.15 上海經冬季郵路寄北京，貼慈壽初版3分銀x2，銷上海海關日戳。1.4抵北京。此為記錄中走1896年冬令郵路之最早郵例。按龔秀彬記錄，向北走冬令郵路之國內公文封僅有五件，此為第六件。另外由於1896年12月1日前之郵件仍遵行海關郵政之規章，故此可謂海關與大清郵政過渡時期之重要例證。 2012.12.15 Interasia“黃明正大清郵政史得獎郵集第一部分”，拍品號159。

China Customs Mail

China Dowager

China Customs Mail

Lot 86

26,000 HKD

Sold

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 Dowager

Lot 87

12,000 HKD

Sold

1895 Peking (15 Nov) to France. Chinese style cover, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 3ca in strip of 3, tied by Peking Chinese seal,

1895 Peking (15 Nov) to France. Chinese style cover, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 3ca in strip of 3, tied by Peking Chinese seal, matching with I.G. Customs of Peking cds. Transit Customs Shanghai (21 Nov). In combination with French ovpt Chine 25c, tied by Shanghai French PO (22 Nov) cds. Cover opened out for display. With BPA certificate. Tony To Wah Kwan, Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards.(Hong.Kong,.2011), p.187.1895.11.15 北京寄法國。中式封，背貼慈壽初版3分銀橫三連，銷北京中文戳記，另鈐北京海關始發日戳。11.21經上海海關。加貼法國客郵加蓋Chine 25生丁，銷上海法局11.12日戳。封剖開以作展示。附BPA證書。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》上冊第187頁。

China Dowager

China Small Dragon

Lot 88

15,000 HKD

Sold

1895 Tientsin to USA, f.w. Small Dragon 1c x6 + Empress Dowager 1st printing 1ca + 2ca + 4ca + 5ca on both sides, tied by Tientsin Chinese

1895 Tientsin to USA, f.w. Small Dragon 1c x6 + Empress Dowager 1st printing 1ca + 2ca + 4ca + 5ca on both sides, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal. Transit Customs Shanghai (16 Dec). in combination with Japanese Koban 5s + 10s, tied by IJPO Shanghai cds. Transit Yokohama (28 Dec). Arrived USA (16 Jan). Nice triple preferential rate example. With B.P.A..certificate. Tony To-Wah Kwan,.ed., Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards.(Hong Kong 2011), p. 199.1896年天津寄美國，正背貼小龍1分銀x6 + 慈壽初版1分銀+ 2分銀 + 4分銀 + 5分銀，銷天津中文戳記。12.16經上海海關。加貼日本小判5錢 + 10錢，銷上海日局日戳。12.28經橫濱。1.16抵美國。附BPA證書。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》上冊第199頁。

Lot 89

14,000 HKD

Live

1896 Peking (7 Jan) to USA, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 3ca in horizontal pair, tied by Peking Chinese seal, matching with I.G.

1896 Peking (7 Jan) to USA, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 3ca in horizontal pair, tied by Peking Chinese seal, matching with I.G. Customs of Peking cds on reverse. Transit Customs Shanghai (20 Jan) In combination with Japapnese Koban 5s, tied by IJPO Shanghai cds (21 Jan) cds. Transit Yokohama (28 Jan), Vancouver (11 Feb). Arrived New York (18 Feb). Example of 6ca preferential rate to USA through Japanese PO. Provenance:Ex- Ellery.Denison, Christie’s Robson Lowe.(Zurich), (Nov) 1998, lot 1441. Ex- Anna-Lisa and Sven-Eric Beckeman, Sotheby’s and Corinphila (Hong Kong), (Nov) 1999, lot D18. Reference:Tony To-Wah Kwan, ed., Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards.(Hong.Kong 2011), p.215.1896.1.7 北京寄美國，貼慈壽初版3分銀橫雙連，銷北京漢文戳記，背另鈐北京海關始發日戳。1.20經上海海關。加貼日本小判5錢，銷上海日局1.21日戳。1.28經橫濱，2.11經溫哥華。2.18抵紐約。經日本客郵局寄美國6分銀特惠郵資例子。源流﹕Ellery Denison舊藏（1998年11月蘇黎世佳士得Robson Lowe，拍品號1441）。貝克曼舊藏（1999年11月香港蘇富比及Corinphila，拍品號D18）。參考﹕關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》上冊第215頁。

China Small Dragon

China Dowager

China Small Dragon

Lot 90

12,000 HKD

Sold

1896 Tientsin (17 Oct) to England. Newspaper wrapper, f.w. Small Dragon 3ca and Empress Dowager 1ca, cancelled by Tientsin seal, with

1896 Tientsin (17 Oct) to England. Newspaper wrapper, f.w. Small Dragon 3ca and Empress Dowager 1ca, cancelled by Tientsin seal, with Customs Tientsin origin cds on reverse. Transit Shanghai (21 Oct). In combination with French 5c stamp for 25g rate, cancelled by Shanghai French PO cds (23 Oct). No arrival. Outgoing newspaper wrapper with Small Dragon stamp is extremely scarce with only a few exist. 1896.10.17 天津寄英國。報紙包裝紙，貼小龍3分銀 + 慈壽1分銀，銷天津中文戳記，另鈐天津海關始發日戳。10.21經上海海關。加貼法國客郵5生丁合25克印刷品郵資，銷10.23上海法局日戳。寄國外並貼小龍票之印刷品極為難得，存世不過數件。

China Dowager

Lot 91

12,000 HKD

Live

1896 Tientsin (16 May) to England, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 6ca + 12ca on reverse, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal, matching with

1896 Tientsin (16 May) to England, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 6ca + 12ca on reverse, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal, matching with Custmos Tientsin cds. Transit Customs Shanghai (20 May). In combination with French ovpt. Chine 25c in pair, tied by Shanghai French PO (21 Apr) cds. Transit French paquebot (25 May). Double rate examle. Cover opened out for display. Tony To-Wah Kwan,.ed., Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards (Hong Kong, 2011), p. 288.1896.5.16 天津寄英國，背貼慈壽初版6分銀 + 12分銀，銷天津中文戳記，另鈐天津海關日戳。5.20經上海海關。加貼法國客郵25生丁雙連，銷上海法局5.25日戳。雙倍郵資例子。封剖開以作展示。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》中冊第288頁。

Lot 92

15,000 HKD

Sold

1896 Tientsin (3 Feb) to Germany, f.w. Empress Dowager 9ca on reverse, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal, along with Customs Tientsin origin

1896 Tientsin (3 Feb) to Germany, f.w. Empress Dowager 9ca on reverse, tied by Tientsin Chinese seal, along with Customs Tientsin origin cds. Transit Customs Shanghai (14 Feb). In combination with German Eagle 10pf x2 + 20pf, tied by Shanghai German PO (14 Feb) cds. Arrived Hamburg (20 Mar). According to the Holcombe certificate, it is unclear whether the sender prepaid the triple internal postage of 9 cand and underfranked the German postage or whether the 9 cand prepaid the entire single rate and it was found to be underpaid and the German P.O. added a further 20Pf. postage. Tony To Wah Kwan,.ed., Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards.(Hong.Kong,.2011), p. 234.1896.2.3 天津寄德國，背貼慈壽9分銀，銷天津中文戳記，另鈐天津海關日戳。2.14經上海海關。加貼鷹徽圖10芬尼 x2 + 20芬尼，銷上海德局2.14日戳。3.20抵漢堡。Holcombe證書指未知9分銀為三倍國內郵資抑或正常國外郵資。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》上冊第234頁。

Lot 93

15,000 HKD

Live

1896 German Consulate Peking to Hong Kong, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 9ca x2, tied by Peking Chinese seal, matching with I.G Customs

1896 German Consulate Peking to Hong Kong, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 9ca x2, tied by Peking Chinese seal, matching with I.G Customs of Peking cds. Transit Customs Shanghai (27 Nov). In combination with Hong Kong QV 5c in strip of 3, tied by Shanghai BPO. On reverse with German Consulate label. Provenance:Ex- Milo D. Rowell, Christie’s Swire, (Hong Kong), (Sep) 1992, lot 1645.Tony T W Kwan,.ed, Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues. Volume One: First Printing Covers and Cards.(Hong.Kong,.2011), p. 401.1896年德國駐北京領事館寄香港，貼慈壽初版9分銀x2，銷北京漢文戳記，背鈐北京海關始發日戳。11.27經上海海關。加貼香港維多利亞女皇像5仙橫三連，銷上海英局日戳。背以德國領事館貼紙封口。 Milo D Rowell舊藏（1992年9月香港佳士得，拍品號1645）。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》上冊第401頁。