Ava Auctions 16th Auction - Summer 2026 sale

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All lots Aftersale lots Sold at auction

China Dowager Overprint

China Dowager Small Surcharges

China Dowager Overprint

China Dowager Small Surcharges

China Dowager Overprint

Lot 110

19,000 HKD

Sold

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。

China Dowager Small Surcharges

Lot 111

30,000 HKD

Sold

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 2c/2ca, with double surch variety (Chan 39c), setting B, tied by pakua cancel and cds. Of the two

1897 Empress Dowager surch small figure 2c/2ca, with double surch variety (Chan 39c), setting B, tied by pakua cancel and cds. Of the two sheets (80 stamps) produced with this error, there are less than 35 documented examples. The vast majority are unused and come from what is referred to as the type A surcharge from Setting A. There are approximately five or six examples of the type B surcharge double variety from Setting B, which has the surcharge applied higher than that of type A. All of these are canceled by pakua. Provenance:Anna-Lisa and Sven-Eric Beckeman, Sotheby’s and Corinphila (Hong Kong), (Nov) 1998, lot B81. Reference:Neill Granger, “China: Varieties on the 1897 Small Figure Surcharges. Philatelic Extracts”, Spink (Hong Kong), p. 204-206.1897 Small Figure Surcharges. Philatelic Extracts”, Spink (Hong Kong), p. 204-206. 1897年慈壽加蓋小字2分蓋2分銀，帶加蓋複蓋變異（陳目39c），B版式，銷海關中文戳記及圓戳。此複蓋票僅印製80枚，當中有記錄者不足35枚，當中絕大多數為A版式，B版式僅有五六枚，均銷八卦戳。源流﹕貝克曼伉儷舊藏（1998年11月香港蘇富比及Corinphila，拍品號B81）。參考﹕Neill Granger《China: Varieties on the 1897 Small Figure Surcharges. Philatelic Extracts》第204至206頁。

China Dowager Overprint

Lot 112

30,000 HKD

Sold

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

Sold

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

15,000 HKD

Sold

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。

China Dowager Overprint

China Shanghai

Lot 122

18,000 HKD

Sold

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。

China Shanghai

China Dowager Overprint

China Shanghai

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。

China Dowager Overprint

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。

Lot 126

11,000 HKD

Sold

1897 Wuhu (8 Pct) to Canada, f.w. Empress Dowager 3rd printing surch large figure narrow spaced 5c/5ca, tied by Wuhu Dollar cds. Transit

1897 Wuhu (8 Pct) to Canada, f.w. Empress Dowager 3rd printing surch large figure narrow spaced 5c/5ca, tied by Wuhu Dollar cds. Transit Shanghai Chinese PO. In combination with Japanese Koban 5s, tied by IJPO Shanghai (12 Oct) cds. Arrived Canada (11 Nov). Showing ctms / T" h.s. in violet and "5" and blue crayon "12-1/2". Since the 5 cents preferential rate through the Japanese Post Office was eliminated on 1 October 1897 and the rate raised to 10 cents to conform to the U.P.U. rate, the 5 cents underpayment of postage was taxed. Provenance:Ex- Wen Sun Kong. Interasia (Hong Kong) (Jul) 2009, lot.143.Reference:Explore Dollar Daters (1897-1913), p. 93. Tony T W Kwan, “Large Figure 1½mm Surcharge on Third Printing 5c/5Cn Covers”,. Journal of China Philately, Vol. 3.(2008),.p..268. Tony T W 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. 1025.1897.10.8 蕪湖寄加拿大，貼慈壽後期再版加蓋大字短距5分蓋5分銀，銷蕪湖大圓戳。經上海清郵。加貼日本小判5錢，銷上海日局10.12日戳。11.11抵加拿大。鈐“ctms / T”欠資章及“12-1/2”欠資字樣。由於日本客郵局之5分特惠郵資已取消，故需收取1角萬國郵盟郵資，故此封欠資。龔文生舊藏（2009年7月Interasia，拍品號143）。《大圓戳探索(1897-1913)》第93頁。關道華《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》中冊第1025頁。