Versailles Part IV; The G. Ackerman Collection of Russian Air Post
June 3-4, 2008

ImagesDescriptionCurrent Bid
Lot #5005
RUSSIA Air Post
1924 10k on 5r green type II, basic stamp wide "5", complete pane of 25 showing diagonal shift of surcharge, never hinged and post office fresh, natural gum creases and gum skips at bottom right, each stamp with a double "Goznak" handstamp on back, also signed in pencil and by Mikulski. A major museum-quality rarity from the Soviet Union, ex-Mikulski collection. Of considerable Air Post and world-wide importance, undoubtedly unique! (Standard Cat. $105,000+ for singles)
Box **
Catalog #C7a
Price Realized
$700,000.00

Lot #5006
RUSSIA Air Post
1924 10k on 5r green type II, basic stamp wide "5", upper left sheet corner single, l.h., v.f., signed "Goznak" etc. (Standard Cat. $2,100)
*
Catalog #C7a
Price Realized
$1,700.00

Lot #5007
RUSSIA Air Post
1924 10k on 5r green type II, basic stamp wide "5", used, v.f., rare
O
Catalog #C7a
Price Realized
$1,500.00

Lot #5008
RUSSIA Air Post
1924 10k on 5r, also 15k on 1r, each with inverted surcharge, used, fine-v.f., the latter with Diena cert.
O
Catalog #C7b,8a
Unsold
Lot #5009
RUSSIA Air Post
1924 15k on 1r brown, surcharge inverted, h.r., v.f., signed Champion etc. (Standard $2,500)
*
Catalog #C8a
Price Realized
$1,600.00

Lot #5010
RUSSIA Air Post
1924 20k on 10r carmine, block of four, lower right stamp with part of the overprint missing and printed on back of the fold-over variety, hinge reinforcements, fine and unusual item
Box *
Catalog #C9var
Price Realized
$5,250.00

Lot #5011
RUSSIA Air Post
1930 Graf Zeppelin, set of two perforated and gummed proofs in issued colors, each overprinted "IIPOEKT 8 September 1930" in red Cyrillic letters and adhered on gray card, v.f., signed Mikulski, probably unique
P
Catalog #C12-13P
Price Realized
$62,500.00

Lot #5012
RUSSIA Air Post
1930 Graf Zeppelin, imperf. sheet margin singles, set of two, l.h., v.f., signed Diena etc.
*
Catalog #C12b-13b
Price Realized
$5,000.00

Lot #5013
RUSSIA Air Post
1931 Airships, perf. and imperf. sets of five, used in 1946 and 1947 on two registered and flown covers from Moscow to England, v.f. and late usage, one with arrival pmk
Envelope
Catalog #C15-24
Price Realized
$500.00

Lot #5014
RUSSIA Air Post
1931 Airships, perf. and imperf. sets of five, used on two registered and flown First Day covers from Moscow (15.5 and 8.6) to Berlin, fine-v.f., each with appropriate transit and arrival pmks
Envelope
Catalog #C15-24
Price Realized
$600.00

Lot #5015
RUSSIA Air Post
1931 Airships, perf. and imperf. sets of five, used on two registered and flown covers from Moscow (8.6 and 13.7) to Berlin, fine-v.f., each with appropriate transit and arrival pmks
Envelope
Catalog #C15-24
Price Realized
$575.00

Lot #5016
RUSSIA Air Post
1931 Airships, 10k gray black, perforated 10 1/2, adhered on gray card and tied by red "IIPOEKT 22 March 1931" Cyrillic letters, v.f., probably unique
P
Catalog #C15P
Price Realized
$24,000.00

Lot #5017
RUSSIA Air Post
1931 Airships, 15k gray blue, partly perforated proof adhered on gray card and tied by red "IIPOEKT 2 April 1931" Cyrillic letters, v.f.
P
Catalog #C16P
Price Realized
$14,500.00

Lot #5018
RUSSIA Air Post
1931-32 50k gray blue, bottom sheet margin single, l.h., v.f.
*
Catalog #C23a
Price Realized
$950.00

Lot #5019
RUSSIA Air Post
1931-32 50k gray blue, sheet margin block of four, one stamp n.h., others l.h., fresh, v.f., rare block
Box ***
Catalog #C23a
Price Realized
$21,000.00

Lot #5020
RUSSIA Air Post
1931-32 15k gray, imperforate horizontal pair, l.h., v.f., signed Sanabria. A rare pair, only 100 imperf. stamps printed (Standard $8,300+ for two singles)
*
Catalog #C25c
Price Realized
$10,000.00

Lot #5021
RUSSIA Air Post
1931 North Pole Issue, perf. and imperf. sets used on large registered and flown cover from Moscow (11.9) to Berlin (12.9), filing fold away from the stamps, cover roughly opened at right, fine. These stamps were issued for Graf Zeppelin/Icebreaker Malyguin North Pole Expedition flights and are not commonly found on commercial mail. This is probably the only known cover franked with both perf. and imperf. sets
Envelope
Catalog #C26-33
Price Realized
$6,500.00

Lot #5022
RUSSIA Air Post
1931 North Pole, 30k dark violet, perf. 12, variety imperf. at left, l.h., v.f., signed Romeko
*
Catalog #C30var
Price Realized
$1,000.00

Lot #5023
RUSSIA Air Post
1931 North Pole, 30k dark violet, perf. 12, variety imperf. at left, l.h., v.f.
*
Catalog #C30var
Price Realized
$1,000.00

Lot #5024
RUSSIA Air Post
1932 International Polar Year, set of two perf. 12 1/4, blocks of four, n.h., natural gum creases, v.f.
Box **
Catalog #C34-35
Price Realized
$2,700.00

Lot #5025
RUSSIA Air Post
1932 Polar Year, cover and card from Franz Josef Land to Archangelsk to Berlin, fine-v.f., signed Mikulski
Envelope
Catalog #C34-35
Price Realized
$160.00

Lot #5026
RUSSIA Air Post
1932 International Polar Year, set of two, used on flown cover from Franz Josef Land (27.8.32) via Archangelsk to Moscow, v.f., with 30.8.32 arrival pmk on back, signed Diena
Envelope
Catalog #C34-35
Price Realized
$325.00

Lot #5027
RUSSIA Air Post
1932 Polar Year, set of two used on cover from Franz Josef Land to Archangelsk to Moscow, fine-v.f., with appropriate markings
Envelope
Catalog #C34-35
Price Realized
$290.00

Lot #5028
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Stratostat Balloon, set of three, n.h., v.f.
**
Catalog #C37-39
Price Realized
$325.00

Lot #5029
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Stratostat Balloon, set of three, plus additional 20k, used on flown cover from Moscow (4.6.34) to Germany, fine-v.f., with arrival pmk
Envelope
Catalog #C37-39
Price Realized
$1,900.00

Lot #5030
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Stratostat Balloon, 5k indigo blue, imperf. trial color proof, watermarked and gummed paper, v.f.
P
Catalog #C37P
Price Realized
$5,250.00

Lot #5031
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Stratostat Balloon, 5k ultramarine, imperforate horizontal pair, h.r. and small gum disturbance, fresh and v.f. pair, ex-Small collection, rare
*
Catalog #C37var
Price Realized
$12,000.00

Lot #5032
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 5k olive green, 10k brown, 20k dull blue, 50k carmine and 80k magenta, imperf. trial color proofs on watermarked and gummed paper, complete set of five, l.h., fresh and v.f., signed Mikulski
P
Catalog #C40-44P
Price Realized
$8,000.00

Lot #5033
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 5k-80k orange, imperf. proofs on watermarked and gummed paper, complete matching set of colors, l.h., fresh and v.f., rare
P
Catalog #C40-44P
Price Realized
$9,500.00

Lot #5034
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 50k and 80k green, imperf. proofs on watermarked and gummed paper, matching colors, l.h., fresh and v.f.
P
Catalog #C43,44P
Price Realized
$3,500.00

Lot #5035
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, unwatermarked set of five, used on registered and flown cover from Moscow (14.9.34) to Berlin, fine-v.f., with arrival cds
Envelope
Catalog #C45-49
Price Realized
$1,400.00

Lot #5036
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 5k orange (small crayon mark), 10k violet, 20k brown, 50k purple and 80k blue black, imperf. trial color proofs, unwatermarked paper, without gum, complete set of five, fresh and v.f.
P
Catalog #C45-49P
Price Realized
$7,250.00

Lot #5037
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 5k-80k brown, complete set of imperf. trial color proofs, unwatermarked paper, each used in 1949, in combination with with additional franking on registered covers from Moscow to England, fine-v.f., rare set of "J.Barry" covers, signed Mikulski
Envelope
Catalog #C45-49P
Price Realized
$4,750.00

Lot #5038
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 5k ultramarine, 20k carmine, imperf. singles, without watermark, n.h., v.f., signed Mikulski
**
Catalog #C45,47var
Price Realized
$7,000.00

Lot #5039
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 5k brown, imperf. trial color proof, used in 1957 on registered cover, with additional franking, from Riga to Switzerland, v.f., with Speicher arrival pmk, signed Mikulski
Envelope
Catalog #C45P
Price Realized
$950.00

Lot #5040
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 10k green, horizontal pair, imperf. between, h.r., natural gum wrinkles, v.f., signed Diena, very rare unused
*
Catalog #C46a
Price Realized
$2,800.00

Lot #5041
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 10k green, sheet margin block of four containing two pairs imperf. between, cancelled to order (25.3.34), v.f., signed Mikulski
Box
Catalog #C46a
Price Realized
$3,750.00

Lot #5042
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 10k green, corner sheet margin block of four containing two pairs imperf. between, cancelled to order (25.3.34), v.f., signed Mikulski
Box
Catalog #C46a
Price Realized
$4,250.00

Lot #5043
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 10k brown, imperf. trial color proof, unwatermarked paper, without gum, bottom portion of design partially omitted, v.f., signed Mikulski
P
Catalog #C46P
Price Realized
$1,350.00

Lot #5044
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Civil Aviation, 20k ultramarine, imperf. trial color proof, used in 1957 on registered cover, with additional franking, from Riga to Switzerland, v.f., with Speicher arrival pmk, signed Mikulski
Envelope
Catalog #C47P
Price Realized
$950.00

Lot #5045
RUSSIA Air Post
1933 Stratosphere Disaster, set of three, plus additional 20k Fedoseinko, used on registered and flown cover from Moscow (21.9.34) to Switzerland, fine-v.f. The 55k franking underpaid the letter by 20k and was charged 40rp penalty rate, with postage due added on back
Envelope
Catalog #C50-52
Price Realized
$1,400.00

Lot #5046
RUSSIA Air Post
1934 Stratosphere Disaster, 5k violet brown, perf. 14, horizontal sheet margin pair, n.h., tiny perf. separations, v.f.
**
Catalog #C50a
Price Realized
$850.00

Lot #5047
RUSSIA Air Post
1934 Airships ("Pravda", "Lenin" etc.), complete set of five blocks of four, n.h. and post office fresh (5k with tiny perf. separations), v.f. (a similar set sold for $35,000 plus commission in our September 2007 auction)
Box **
Catalog #C53-57
Price Realized
$55,000.00

Lot #5048
RUSSIA Air Post
1934 Airships, set of five used on registered and flown cover from Moscow (31.1.35) to Germany, fine-v.f., with arrival pmk
Envelope
Catalog #C53-57
Price Realized
$1,200.00

Lot #5049
RUSSIA Air Post
1934 Airships, set of five used on registered and flown cover from Moscow (16.11.35) to Germany, fine-v.f., with arrival pmk
Envelope
Catalog #C53-57
Price Realized
$1,300.00

Lot #5050
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Chelyuskin, complete set, h.r., fresh, fine-v.f.
*
Catalog #C58-67
Price Realized
$1,700.00

Lot #5051
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, selection of 25 singles (including five with small "f" ), many different and distinct positions of the overprint, originally intended as a reconstruction of the original setting of 25, all are l.h., v.f., signed Mikulski, Brun, Goznak and others. A rare opportunity to obtain a holding of this popular issue (Standard $33,000+)
*
Catalog #C68,68b
Price Realized
$29,000.00

Lot #5052
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, block of four, positions 4-5, 9-10, both of the bottom stamps small "f", never hinged, v.f., signed Goznak
Box **
Catalog #C68,68b
Price Realized
$52,500.00

Lot #5053
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, block of four, positions 6-7, 11-12, both of the top stamps small "f" , lightly hinged, bottom stamps n.h., v.f., signed Goznak
Box ***
Catalog #C68,68b
Price Realized
$47,500.00

Lot #5054
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, vertical block of six, positions 3-4, 8-9, 13-14, both of the middle stamps small "f", n.h., v.f., signed Romeko, with 1982 Trachtenberg certificate. A unique combination block showing the small "f" in the middle
Box **
Catalog #C68,68b
Price Realized
$170,000.00

Lot #5055
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, position 1,h.r., v.f., signed Goznak etc.
*
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$1,200.00

Lot #5056
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, position 1, l.h., v.f., signed Goznak, with Mikulski cert.
*
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$1,600.00

Lot #5057
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, position 25, right sheet margin single, stamp n.h., v.f., signed Goznak
**
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$5,250.00

Lot #5058
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, position 15, variety period after the word "CEB." in the form of oval, n.h., v.f., signed Diena etc.
**
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$2,800.00

Lot #5059
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, position 15, variety period after the word "CEB." in the form of oval, used on piece, v.f.
O
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$800.00

Lot #5060
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, position 21, left half of the letter "M" in "Moscow" defective, l.h., v.f., signed Goznak
*
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$2,300.00

Lot #5061
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, horizontal pair, left stamp short "p" in "San Francisco", l.h., with some pencil notations and minor gum toning, v.f., with Trachtenberg cert.
*
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$2,800.00

Lot #5062
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, position 5, sheet margin at right, cancelled to order "Moscow 3.8.35", creases in margin only, v.f., signed Goznak, great positional piece
O
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$3,250.00

Lot #5063
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, used on registered and flown cover from Moscow (27.8) to J.Rosenberg in Berlin, with arrival pmk the next day, v.f. While this stamp was prepared for exclusive use on mail carried on the special Air Flight from Moscow to San Francisco through the North Pole (by Levanevsky on August 2), some were used on commercial mail to Germany. A rare cover, with Rossica cert.
Envelope
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$4,500.00

Lot #5064
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, used on registered and flown ppc (Sigismund Levanevsky) from Moscow, addressed to Mr. Troyanovsky, Ambassador of the USSR in Washington, with bilingual "Special Air Flight Moscow-San Francisco through the North Pole" cachets, with New York and San Francisco transits, also Washington 18.9.35 arrival pmks, v.f. Three Soviet fliers, Sigismund Levanevsky, George Baidukov and Victor Levchenko, took off from Schlovsky Military Airport near Moscow in the red-winged Soviet monoplane "O 25" at 6:30 A.M. on a 6,000 mile non-stop flight to San Francisco, via the North Pole. Flying over Siberia and 700 miles across the Arctic Ocean, the plane developed problems, and on radio instructions, the fliers returned to their base
Envelope
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$17,000.00

Lot #5065
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, used on registered and flown ppc (Sigismund Levanevsky) from Moscow, addressed to Mr. Troyanovsky, the Ambassador of the USSR in Washington, with bilingual "Special Air Flight Moscow-San Francisco through the North Pole" cachets, with New York and San Francisco transits, Washington Sept.18 arrival pmks (on both sides), v.f. and rare card
Envelope
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$19,000.00

Lot #5066
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, cancelled 21.9.35, v.f., signed Mikulski
O
Catalog #C68
Price Realized
$450.00

Lot #5067
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, inverted overprint, l.h., v.f., signed Diena, with Mikulski and Trachtenberg certificates. Only two sheets (50 stamps) were printed with inverted overprint (10 with small "f"). A rarity, ex-Mikulski collection (Standard $62,500+)
*
Catalog #C68a
Price Realized
$105,000.00

Lot #5068
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, surcharge inverted, lightly hinged and post office fresh, v.f., signed Brun, Romeko and Mikulski. Only two sheets (50 stamps) of the inverted surcharge were printed (40 with the regular overprinted, 10 with small "f"). A rarity, with Mikulski certificate (Standard $62,500+)
*
Catalog #C68a
Price Realized
$145,000.00

Lot #5069
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, surcharge inverted, l.h., v.f. and post office fresh, signed Diena, Roig, Brun and Diena (Standard $62,500+)
*
Catalog #C68a
Price Realized
$140,000.00

Lot #5070
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f", h.r. and post office fresh, v.f., signed Mikulski, Goznak
*
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$2,000.00

Lot #5071
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f", l.h., v.f., signed Mikulski, Goznak
*
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$1,900.00

Lot #5072
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f" variety, l.h., v.f., signed Mikulski, Goznak
*
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$2,100.00

Lot #5073
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f" variety, l.h., v.f., signed Mikulski, Goznak
*
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$2,100.00

Lot #5074
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f" variety, n.h., v.f., signed Mikulski, Goznak
**
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$4,000.00

Lot #5075
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f" variety, l.h., v.f., signed Mikulski
*
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$2,400.00

Lot #5076
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f" variety, n.h., v.f., signed
**
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$4,250.00

Lot #5077
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f", position 6, n.h., v.f., signed Goznak (Standard $3,500+)
**
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$4,000.00

Lot #5078
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f", never hinged, post office fresh, v.f., signed Mikulski
**
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$4,750.00

Lot #5079
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f", lightly hinged on piece, v.f., signed Goznak etc. (Standard $2,300)
O
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$1,200.00

Lot #5080
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f", used with additional franking on piece, cancelled 'Vozdushnaya Pochta Leningrad-Berlin 12.X.36", v.f., rare and unusual usage
O
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$1,500.00

Lot #5081
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f", v.f. used, signed Mikulski (Standard $2,300)
O
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$1,100.00

Lot #5082
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small "f" used on registered and flown ppc (Sigismund Levanevsky) from Moscow, addressed to Mr. Arens, Consul General of the USSR in New York, with bilingual "Special Air Flight Moscow-San Francisco through the North Pole" cachets, with New York September 17 arrival pmks, v.f., with Diena certificate. Only a few small "f' on flown cards are known. A major rarity
Envelope
Catalog #C68b
Price Realized
$67,500.00

Lot #5083
RUSSIA Air Post
1935 Moscow-San Francisco, small Cyrillic "f" in "San Francisco", surcharge inverted, small hinge remnant, various pencil signatures, also signed Romeko, Brun and Mikulski, with his 1985 certificate, also with 1989 Diena cert. Only two sheets (50 stamps) of the inverted surcharge were discovered. The small "f" occurs five times per sheet, which means that only 10(!) of this double error can exist. Including this copy, we have recorded a total of six inverted small "f" varieties, of which two are contained in a unique combination block of four. A major Soviet and air post rarity, ex-Mikulski collection (Standard $400,000+)
*
Catalog #C68c
Price Realized
$625,000.00

Lot #5084
RUSSIA Air Post
1937 Jubilee Aviation Exhibition, 40k violet brown & black, vertical pair, imperf. between, h.r., little toning on back, otherwise v.f., signed Kessler (a similar item brought $7,250 plus commission in our March 25-26, 2008 sale)
*
Catalog #C72var
Price Realized
$6,750.00

Lot #5085
RUSSIA Air Post
1937 Aviation Jubilee souvenir sheet, used on flown cover from Moscow (23.11) to Vienna, fine-v.f., scarce
Envelope
Catalog #C75a
Price Realized
$450.00

Lot #5086
RUSSIA Air Post
1939 Aviation Day overprints, complete set tied by 25.8.39 cds on registered cover to New York, v.f., with 21.9.39 arrival pmk
Envelope
Catalog #C76-76D
Price Realized
$400.00

Lot #5113
RUSSIA Air Post
1922 45r green & black (7 copies including a single, horizontal pair and vertical strip of four), used in combination with 3x100,000r on 250r violet, on both sides of a registered and flown cover (opened for display and trimmed at top and bottom) paying from Moscow, 23.11.22 to Postorna (Czechoslovakia), fine and rare, actually flown cover, signed Mikulski
Envelope
Catalog #C1
Price Realized
$4,000.00

Previous Country/Group Auction Index Next Country/Group

Back to Top