Ava Auctions 16th Auction - Summer 2026 sale

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All lots Aftersale lots Sold at auction

China Dowager

Lot 94

15,000 HKD

Sold

1896 Chinkiang (6 Apr) to USA, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 3ca + 9ca on reverse, tied by Customs Chinkiang cds. Transit Customs

1896 Chinkiang (6 Apr) to USA, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 3ca + 9ca on reverse, tied by Customs Chinkiang cds. Transit Customs Shanghai (8 Apr). In combination with Japanese Koban 10s, tied by IJPO Shanghai cds. Transit Vancouver (29 Apr).1896.4.6 鎮江寄美國，背貼慈壽初版3分銀 + 9分銀，銷鎮江海關日戳。4.8經上海海關。加貼日本小判10錢，銷上海日局日戳。4.29經溫哥華。

Lot 95

20,000 HKD

Live

1894 Tientsin (19 Dec) to London, f.w. Empress Dowager 9ca, cancelled by Tientsin seal in blue, alongside with Customs cds. Winter route to

1894 Tientsin (19 Dec) to London, f.w. Empress Dowager 9ca, cancelled by Tientsin seal in blue, alongside with Customs cds. Winter route to Shanghai (1 Jan). In combination with Peace and Commerce ovpt. Chine 25c, tied by Shanghai French PO (8 Jan). Arrived London (11 Feb). Illustration A-1 894-029, p. 29 in “Covers and Cards of Empress Dowager Jubilee and its Surcharged Issues” Vol I by Tony To Wah Kwan. 1989 (24 May) Christie’s Ex- Mr Wilson Te 2006 (18 Mar) Zurich Asia.1894.12.19 天津寄倫敦，背貼慈壽9分銀，銷天津中文戳記，另鈐天津海關藍色日戳。走冬季郵路至上海（1.1）。加貼和平及商貿神像加蓋Chine 25生丁，銷1.8上海法局日戳。2.11抵倫敦。關道華著《慈禧壽辰票暨其加蓋票信封圖鑑》第一冊第29頁圖A-1 894-029原件。1989.5.24 佳士得。戴招榮舊藏。2006.5.18 蘇黎世亞洲。

Lot 96

15,000 HKD

Sold

1895 Tientsin (23 Jan) to Italy, f.w. Empress Dowager 24ca stamp, cancelled by Tientsin seals, alongside with Tientsin type 2 Registration

1895 Tientsin (23 Jan) to Italy, f.w. Empress Dowager 24ca stamp, cancelled by Tientsin seals, alongside with Tientsin type 2 Registration h.s and Customs Tientsin origin cds. Took Winter Route to Shanghai (1 Feb). In combination with French 75c stamp, cancelled by Shanghai French PO cds (1 Feb). Arrived Firenze (25 Mar). Empress stamp scissored and re-joined. Commerical usage of 24ca stamp is scarce. 1895.1.23 天津寄意大利，貼慈壽24分銀，銷天津中文戳記，旁鈐天津II型橢圓R章及天津海關日戳。經冬季郵路至上海（2.1）。加貼法國客郵75生丁，銷上海法局2.1日戳。3.25抵Firenze。封頂被裁。貼用慈壽24分銀實寄少見。

China Dowager

China Imperial Post

Lot 97

20,000 HKD

Live

1894 French Legation Peking cover front, to France, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 9ca + 24ca for reigstered triple rate, tied by Peking

1894 French Legation Peking cover front, to France, f.w. Empress Dowager 1st printing 9ca + 24ca for reigstered triple rate, tied by Peking Chinese seal. In combination with French 1f, tied by Shanghai French PO (11 Dec) cds, along with and REGISTERDE mark and R mark. Transit Modane - Paris (16 Jan). Berteaux correspondence. Commercial usage of 24ca stamp is very rare.1894年法國駐北京公使館封封面，寄法國，貼慈壽初版9分銀 + 24分銀，合33分銀掛號三倍重量郵資，銷北京中文戳記。加貼法國票1法郎，銷上海法局12.11日戳。另見REGISTERED橫戳及R章。1.16經Modane-Paris。Berteaux書信。24分銀實寄十分難得少見。

China Imperial Post

Lot 98

6,000 HKD

Lot retreated

1897 Tientsin (8 Jan) to Peking. Cash cover, applied with Customs Tientsin violet cds and extremely scarce "POSTAGE PAID" cachet. Arrived

1897 Tientsin (8 Jan) to Peking. Cash cover, applied with Customs Tientsin violet cds and extremely scarce "POSTAGE PAID" cachet. Arrived I.G. of Customs Peking (9 Jan). Only a few examples of this h.s exist which was used during the transitional period between the Customs and Imperial Post. Other examples of this h.s. were mostly addressing to Alfred E. Hippisley, Inspectorate-General of Customs.1897.1.8 天津寄北京。現金封，鈐天津海關始發日戳及極為稀罕之“POSTAGE PAID”橫戳。1.9抵北京海關。此戳用於海關郵政至大清郵政間的過渡時期，僅有數例存世。其他例子大多寄北京海關稅務總司賀璧理。

Lot 99

8,000 HKD

Sold

1897 Peking (16 Aug) to Austria. Registered cover, applied with type 5 bilingual “PAID” h.s. in brown, Peking dollar origin cds in

1897 Peking (16 Aug) to Austria. Registered cover, applied with type 5 bilingual “PAID” h.s. in brown, Peking dollar origin cds in brown and R mark. Transit Shanghai (25 Aug). In combination with Peace and Commerce issue ovpt. Chine 50c in pair, tied by Shanghai French PO (27 Aug) cds. Transit French paquebot (Aug). 1897.8.16 北京寄奧國。掛號封，鈐5型“已付信資”漢英橫戳、棕色北京大圓戳及R章。8.25經上海。加貼和平及商貿神像加蓋Chine 50生丁雙連，銷上海法局8.27日戳。同月經法國郵船。

China Dowager Overprint

China Customs Mail

China Dowager Overprint

China Customs Mail

China Dowager Overprint

Lot 100

150,000 HKD

Sold

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。

China Customs Mail

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 Dowager Overprint

Lot 102

2,600 HKD

Sold

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。

China Dowager Overprint

China Red Revenue

Lot 103

2,600 HKD

Sold

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。

China Red Revenue

Lot 104

4,000 HKD

Sold

1897 (21 Jun) Red Revenue surch small figure 2c/3c in horizontal strip of 3 on piece (Chan 84), tied by Customs Foochow type A cds in

1897 (21 Jun) Red Revenue surch small figure 2c/3c in horizontal strip of 3 on piece (Chan 84), tied by Customs Foochow type A cds in black.1897.6.21 紅印花加蓋小字2分蓋3分橫三連剪片（陳目84），銷福州海關A型黑色日戳。

Lot 105

1,800 HKD

Sold

1897 Red Revenue surch large figure 2c mint stamp and Small Dragon surch small figure used complete set, all hinged.

1897 Red Revenue surch large figure 2c mint stamp and Small Dragon surch small figure used complete set, all hinged.1897年紅印花加蓋大字2分新及小龍加蓋小字舊全。背貼。

China Customs Mail

China Imperial Post

China Customs Mail

Lot 106

3,400 HKD

Sold

A group of about 30 classic Chinese mint and used stamps, including Large Dragon, Small Dragon used complete sets, Empress Dowager odd

A group of about 30 classic Chinese mint and used stamps, including Large Dragon, Small Dragon used complete sets, Empress Dowager odd values etc. Please view.一組約30枚中國古典郵票，包括大小龍舊全、慈壽散票等，請預覽。

Lot 107

1,600 HKD

Sold

A group of 15 Imperial classic mint and used stamps, including Small Dragon, Coiling Dragon, Empress Dowager odd values, Red Revenue surch

A group of 15 Imperial classic mint and used stamps, including Small Dragon, Coiling Dragon, Empress Dowager odd values, Red Revenue surch 1c and Hsuan Tung complete set.一組15枚清朝古典新舊票，包括小龍、蟠龍、慈壽、紅印花加蓋大字1分及宣統新全等。

China Imperial Post

China Republic of China Revenue stamps

China Imperial Post

Lot 108

3,600 HKD

Sold

1901 Flying Geese $5 in horizontal pair on remittance form piece, tied by oval Peking PO d.s. Very scarce.

1901 Flying Geese $5 in horizontal pair on remittance form piece, tied by oval Peking PO d.s. Very scarce.1901年飛雁5元橫雙連，貼於匯票剪片（陳目128），銷北京郵政局橢圓形日戳。

China Republic of China Revenue stamps

China Dowager Overprint

China Dowager Small Surcharges

China Republic of China Revenue stamps

Lot 109

800 HKD

Sold

A group of 32 Imperial and ROC revenue and postal saving stamp. All mint.

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。