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

ImagesDescriptionCurrent Bid
Lot #5101
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1917 (13.7) ppc bearing double circle and eagle emblem of the State of Moscow free frank with text "Organizing Committee of the All-Russian Aviation Congress" (because of the Bolshevik Revolution, the planned conference never took place), sent by G.Kalinin (a member of the Aviation Congress Committee) to his father, G.V. Kalinin, Murmansk Railway Administration warehouse in Petrograd. This Kalinin family were related to Mikhail Kalinin and to the Kalinins who designed aircraft in the 1920s-30s
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5102
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1918 (5.7) Military Telegram form, with handstamp "K.u.K. Luftahrtruppen k.u.k. stabile Fledwetterstation Kiew", with the Field depot Proskurow and appropriate markings, very Mil. Fluglinienstation Kiew" , rare
Price Realized
$1,100.00

Lot #5103
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1918 (1.10) Military mail/flight document from Kiev flight station with an official 2-line "K.u.K. Luftverkht Mit Fluglinienstation Kiev" handstamp. The Austrian military-civil air mail service connection, Vienna-Lemberg line, began in the summer of 1918. This line was extended to its most eastern outpost in Kiev in July, 1918. The Kiev connection via Proskurov (Ukraine) to Lemberg was operational for only three months and was closed before the end of World War I. This document provides flight data and amount of post (1kg) carried on flight from Kiev/Proskurov to Lemberg, rare
Price Realized
$400.00

Lot #5104
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1918 (24.10) Military mail/flight document from Kiev flight station, pre-printed official "K.u.K. Luftfahrtruppen Mil. Fluglinienstation Kiew" also "Mit dem nachsten Postflugzeug an Flugstation Kiew senden", fine and rare document detailing the military transport acitivities, stops in Proskurow and Baroviszcze
Price Realized
$1,000.00

Lot #5105
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1918 Military mail/flight document from Aspern flight station with an official 2-line "K.u.K. Fliegerkourierlinie Wien-Kiew" handstamp. The Austrian military-civil air mail service connection, Vienna-Lemberg line, began in the summer of 1918. This line was extended to its most eastern outpost in Kiev in July, 1918. The Kiev connection via Proskurov (Ukraine) to Lemberg was operational for only three months and was closed before the end of World War I. The flight station Aspern was located on the outskirts of Vienna
Price Realized
$450.00

Lot #5106
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1918 (11.10) Military Telegram from Kiev flight station, to a commercial stop at Berdiczew, with three-line handstamp "K.u.K. Mil. Fluglinienstation Kiew", rare
Price Realized
$1,100.00

Lot #5107
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1922 (12.6) registered and flown cover (opened for display) from Moscow to Germany, franked on both sides, paying 60r (proper registered air mail rate for June 1922), with faint "Mit Luftpost befordert Konigsberg" air transit handstamp in red, Berlin 16.6. and Munich 18.6. 22 arrival pmks, fine. Moscow-Konigsberg line operated from June-December, with two flights per week. Covers flown during the first month (June) of commercial operation are scarce
Envelope
Price Realized
$2,400.00

Lot #5108
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1922 (27.6) registered and flown cover from Moscow to Germany, franked on reverse with Imperial stamps (imperf. block of 4x5k and 4x10r), paying 60r (proper registered air mail rate for June 1922), with red "Mit Luftpost befordert Konigsberg (Pr.) 1" air transit handstamp, Berlin 29.6 arrival pmk, two stamps torn on opening, otherwise fine
Envelope
Price Realized
$575.00

Lot #5109
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1922 (1.7) registered and flown cover from Moscow to Germany, franked on reverse with Imperial stamps (9x5k and 7x10r), paying 115r (the correct registered air mail rate for July1-24 Oct 1922 was 135r), with red "Mit Luftpost befordert Konigsberg (Pr.) 1" air transit handstamp, Berlin 4.7 arrival pmk, one stamp defective, otherwise fine
Envelope
Price Realized
$425.00

Lot #5110
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1922 (18.10) registered and flown cover (opened for display) from Moscow to Germany, franked on reverse with Imperial stamps (21x5k, 10k, and 2x10r), paying 135r (the correct registered air mail rate for July1-24 Oct 1922r), with boxed "Mit Luftpost" handstamp, Berlin 22.10 arrival pmk, some usual flaws, otherwise fine letter posted during the last of the 135r air postal rate
Envelope
Price Realized
$270.00

Lot #5111
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1922 (30.10) cover franked with 12x10k dark blue, registered and flown from Moscow to Danzig, with 4 Nov. 22 arrival datestamp, fine
Envelope
Price Realized
$325.00

Lot #5112
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1922 (13.11) registered cover from Moscow to Berlin (20.11) franked on back with 45r airmail overprint, used together with additional franking paying 197r (the correct rate was 195r), filing fold away from the stamps, fine
Envelope
Catalog #C1
Price Realized
$525.00

Lot #5114
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1922 (21.11) registered cover (opened for display) from Moscow to Riga (27.11) franked on both sides back with 45r airmail overprint, used together with additional franking paying 449r (the correct rate in mid-November was 375r), despite the boxed "Mit Lufpost" handstamp, and "Vozdushnoj Pochtouj Zakaznoye" (registered air mail) endorsements, the cover was probably not flown
Envelope
Catalog #C1
Price Realized
$500.00

Lot #5115
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1922 (14.11) registered cover (opened for display) from Moscow to London, England (22.11) franked on both sides back with 45r airmail overprint, used together with additional franking paying 195r (correct rate for registered air mail was 375r but 195r rate continued to be accepted until mid-November), despite the boxed "Mit Lufpost" handstamp, and "Vozdushnoj Pochtouj Zakaznoye" (registered air mail) endorsements, the cover was probably conveyed by rail to Berlin and flown from there to London, filing folds away from the stamps, fine
Envelope
Catalog #C1
Price Realized
$500.00

Lot #5116
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1923 (23.4) cover (opened for display), franked with 50r and 13x100r on 15k Star surcharges, flown from Petrograd to Germany, with Baden-Baden arrival cds, fine
Envelope
Price Realized
$240.00

Lot #5117
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1924 (22.8) registered and flown cover ("Rohrpost Brief") from Krasnodar to Berlin (27.8), franked on both sides and paying 60k (correct registered international air letter rate), inscription at bottom indicates "request transmission to Berlin", v.f.
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5118
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1924 Moscow-Konigsberg and Berlin, selection of six covers, each franked with four surcharged adhesives, various markings and destinations, two with foreign exchange stamps on back, fine-v.f.
Envelope
Catalog #C6-9
Price Realized
$500.00

Lot #5119
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1925 (26.9) registered and flown cover from Tashkent to Berlin (2.10) endorsed "Par avion via Moskou-Riga-Konigsberg", attractively franked, with red "Mit Luftpost befordert Bahnpostamt" hs, three charity labels (one Imperial) on both sides, v.f. An isolated air network formed in Central Asia in 1924 connecting several regional cities. No air connection existed to other regions of the USSR until 1930 when Tashkent-Kuybyshev-Moscow route began
Envelope
Price Realized
$325.00

Lot #5120
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 cover from Italy, originally on the Transpolar flight of the "Norge" (special label on back), with 1,25L cancelled 10.4.26, carried to Trotzk, where it was franked with 2x14k Russian adhesives, cancelled 20.4.26 and registered to Milan, where it arrived on April 26th. A rare combination franking, Russia-Italy-Norge, with appropriate cachets and arrival pmks, with Diena and Raybaudi certificates
Envelope
Price Realized
$45,000.00

Lot #5121
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 (14.10) Cablegram (opened for display) flown from London to Moscow (16.10), with "Polucheno z Vozdushnoy Pochtoj" (received by air mail) and 8-line boxed instructional Air Express Reply hs on back; also 1925 (26.10) flown cover from Liverpool to Leningrad, carried on the London-Berlin-Konignsberg-Moscow route
Envelope
Price Realized
$450.00

Lot #5122
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 (3.8) flown cover from Verkhneudinsk to Urga - Ulan Bator, Mongolia (3.8) to Harbin, Manchuria (16.8), paying 35k (air mail letter rate to Mongolia was 29k), filing folds away from the stamps, with appropriate markings on back, fine example of this isolated international air link between Verkhneudinsk (Ulan Ude) in eastern Siberia and Ulan Bator. Mongolia did not permit outgoing mail to be sent by air until 1929. One of 10 known covers carried on first flight to Ulan Bator, returned by courier to Verkhneudinsk and forwarded by Chinese Eastern Railroad to Harbin, signed Field
Envelope
Price Realized
$7,500.00

Lot #5123
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 (5.6) registered and flown cover from Merv (Turkmenistan), via Moscow (14.6) to Berlin (14-15.6), attractively franked, with red "Mit Luftpost befordert.." on back, fine-v.f. This cover was probably flown to Tashkent, carried by rail to Moscow and from there via Riga to Berlin
Envelope
Price Realized
$575.00

Lot #5124
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 (18.8) registered and flown cover from Baku to Tiflis (21.8), paying 35k (actually overpaying by 1k for registered internal airletter), fine, signed Mikulski
Envelope
Price Realized
$325.00

Lot #5125
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 (25.6) registered and flown cover from Kaunas, Lithuania to Moscow, with "Polucheno z Vozdushnoy Pochtoj" (received by air mail) and 8-line boxed instructional Air Express Reply hs on back, v.f., ex-Field, Rolfe
Envelope
Price Realized
$375.00

Lot #5126
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 (30.4) registered and flown cover from Berlin to Moscow (3.5), with "Polucheno z Vozdushnoy Pochtoj" (received by air mail) and 8-line boxed instructional Air Express Reply hs on back, v.f.
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5127
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 (30.4) registered and flown cover from Moscow to Copenhagen (2.5), via Moscow-Konigsberg-Berlin (1.5) line which opened on 1 May, inaugurating the boxed bilingual "Vozdushnaya Pochta" label. These labels replaced post office handstamps. The use of this label is the earliest recorded, as flight season began the next day
Envelope
Catalog #C6-9
Price Realized
$325.00

Lot #5128
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1926 (22.5) registered and flown cover from Moscow to Paris (27.5), with tri-lingual air mail handstamp, used in addition to the bilingual label
Envelope
Catalog #C6-9
Price Realized
$240.00

Lot #5129
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1927 (1.10) registered and flown cover from Moscow to Shanghai, paying 45k with 3x15k Air Post Congress issue on back, with transit and arrival pmks, filing folds away from the stamps, fine
Envelope
Price Realized
$2,600.00

Lot #5130
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1927 (14.9) registered and flown cover from Moscow to Berlin (15.9), franked with 3x10k (one broken "7" in "1927" variety) and 15k, fine-v.f.
Envelope
Catalog #C10-11,10var
Price Realized
$2,500.00

Lot #5131
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (17.9) first flight cover from Moscow to Irkutsk, paying 15k with three diff. stamps (underpaid by 8k for normal air letter to Asian sector) on both sides, with Irkutsk (22.9) arrival pmk, also violet circular First Flight cachet of "Dobrolet" on front, fine and unusual non-philatelic franking. After this first flight event, there was no further air mail until Spring, 1929.
Envelope
Price Realized
$750.00

Lot #5132
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (15.9 and 17.9) two Interbank covers (one registered) from Moscow to Harbin flown with "Dobrolet" on the first flight Moscow-Irkutsk, from there by rail to Manchuria, fine-v.f., one with arrival pmk
Envelope
Price Realized
$2,200.00

Lot #5133
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (10.8) registered first flight cover from Moscow, via Verkhneudinsk to Altan-Bulak, Mongolia (without arrival markings) paying 68k (correct rate to Mongolia), filing folds away from the stamps, fine, signed Mikulski, rare
Envelope
Price Realized
$1,300.00

Lot #5134
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (11.7) registered and flown cover from Moscow to Kabul, Afghanistan, with Termez (21.7) transit pmk, minor cover creases, otherwise v.f. Active air service between USSR and Afghanistan began in 1928. Route extended from Tashkent via Termez across mountain range to Kabul (1,140 miles)
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5135
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (24.7) Red Cross cover, sent registered, Express from Moscow to Samarkand, Uzbekistan (30.7) paying 70k (proper express mail rate as of 1924), filing folds away from the stamps, fine. Regional surface transport in South Central Asia was by horse/camel, with limited access to rail. Local air service began in 1924 but an air connection with other regions of USSR did not start until 1930. Since it only took four days for this cover to arrive in Samarkand, it was probably carried by rail from Moscow to Tashkent and flown from there, or flown from Moscow to Baku and southward by train to Samarkand
Envelope
Price Realized
$950.00

Lot #5136
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (24.5) flown card from Tashkent to Samarkand (25.3), paying 18k, endorsed "Poste Aerienne", fine example of flown regional intercity air service
Envelope
Price Realized
$700.00

Lot #5137
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (3.10) cover from Frunze (Kyrgistan) to Moscow (4.10), paying 70k (internal air express rate from Central Asia), endorsed "Speshnoye", also boxed "Bolshaya Speshnost" (great urgency) and "B" label (for urgent), fine. This cover was probably flown from Frunze to Tashkent and from there by rail to Moscow. Express service would have been by fastest mode available at time of posting by rail or plane. In any case, overnight delivery from Frunze to Moscow is probably difficult even today
Envelope
Price Realized
$875.00

Lot #5138
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (29.8) registered and flown cover from Kabul, paying 105p via Tashkent (4.9) where 20k Russian franking was added for further transmission to Moscow (10.9), minor filing fold, otherwise v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$675.00

Lot #5139
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (31.7) registered first flight cover from Moscow to Novosibirsk, paying 45k with set of Air Post Congress and 20k Lenin, with Moscow actual departure (1.8) and Novo-Sibirsk (2.8) arrival pmks on back, filing fold resulting in small cover tear at top, away from the stamps, fine. Only 10 (!) covers reported carried on this flight
Envelope
Catalog #C10-11
Price Realized
$700.00

Lot #5140
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (18.9) registered first flight cover from Moscow to Irkutsk, paying 45k with set of Air Post Congress and 5k & 15k surcharges, with Moscow actual departure (19.9) and Irkutsk (22.9) arrival pmks, also violet circular First Flight cachet of "Dobrolet", all on back, v.f. After this first flight event, there was no further air mail until Spring, 1929.
Envelope
Catalog #C10-11
Unsold
Lot #5141
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1928 (14.10) registered and flown cover from Leningard to Berlin (16.10), flown during the first months of the air service Leningrad-Moscow, v.f.
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5142
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1929 (28.10 and 5.11) two flown cards from Irkutsk to Sydney, Australia (15.12), attractively franked, carried via Moscow-Berlin-Lourdes-Naples to Sydney, with air and routing endorsements, fine-v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$475.00

Lot #5143
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1929 (21.6) registered and flown cover from Osaka, Japan, via Irkutsk to Turin, Italy (7.7), with three-line "Poluchen. z Vosdushnoj Pochtoj" (received by air mail) handstamp, v.f. The Trans-Siberian air line eastward to Irkutsk became operational in 1929. Mail to and from the Orient was linked to the Chinese Eastern Railroad and to Russia's Far East by the Trans-Siberian Railroad to Khabarovsk and Vladivostok. This cover was transferred from Japan to Chinese Eastern Railroad, flown from Irkutsk to Moscow and from there to Italy
Envelope
Price Realized
$625.00

Lot #5144
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1929 (4.6) registered and flown cover from Leipzig, Germany, via Moscow (6.6), with three-line "Poluchen. z Vosdushnoj Pochtoj" (received by air mail) handstamp, to Japan, with Tsuruga (21.6) and Tokyo (22.6) arrival pmks, with "via Siberia" endorsement at top. The Trans-Siberian air line eastward to Irkutsk became operational in 1929. Mail to and from the Orient was linked to the Chinese Eastern Railroad and to Russia's Far East by the Trans-Siberian Railroad to Khabarovsk and Vladivostok. This cover was flown from Moscow to Irkutsk and transferred via the Chinese Eastern Railroad to Japan, filing folds, and cover flaws, otherwise fine
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5145
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1929 (19.5) registered and flown cover from Irkutsk to Moscow (3.6), via Berlin (4.6) to Sydney, Australia (8.7), paying 97k with all adhesives on front, fine. Although the cover bears a first flight endorsement, the postmarks suggest that it was sent on a second flight out of Irkutsk, scarce destination
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5146
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1929 (September 29) - special flight from Moscow to New Jersey (7.8) to promote Soviet Aviation. The flight paralleled the Trans-Siberian RR to Khabarovsk and northeast to Seward, Alaska, to Seattle and the East Coast. The plane - "Land of the Soviets" covered the distance of 13,300 miles in 70 days. Two covers, one to East Orange, NJ; other from Seward, Alaska to Seattle, bearing an inscription "this letter was carried to Seattle, Wash, by Russian airplane "Land of Soviets" through the courtesy of Commander Shestakoff" and signed by postmaster of Seward. Only 10 covers were carried on the "Land of the Soviets" from Seward, nine to New York, only one to Seattle, v.f.
Envelope
Catalog #AAMC TO1095,1095a
Price Realized
$6,250.00

Lot #5147
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1927 (23.8) registered and flown cover from Irkutsk to Sydney, Australia (30.9), via Moscow and Berlin (30.8) attractively franked, fine-v.f.
Envelope
Catalog #C6-9
Price Realized
$350.00

Lot #5148
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1930 (26.6) registered and flown 5k postal card from Irkutsk to Moscow (30.6), via Berlin (30.6) and Paris (1.7) to Sydney, Australia, paying 70k with all adhesives on front, fine and scarce destination
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5149
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1930 (15.1) registered and flown cover from Ulan Bator, Mongolia (via Verkhneudinsk where the Cyrillic "Vozdushnaya Pochta" was applied) to Harbin, paying 80m, charged 50c postage due on arrival in China, with strip of 5x10c dark blue added in Harbin, fine. This cover was carried on the Ulan Bator-Verhneudinsk route soon after outgoing air mail was permitted (late 1929). From there, the letter passed by rail to Chinese Eastern Railroad to Harbin
Envelope
Price Realized
$1,500.00

Lot #5150
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1930 (13.8) flown cover from Leningrad to Tashkent (19.3), paying 70k (internal air express rate to Central Asia), endorsed "Speshnaya Pochta" (Express Mail), probably flown via Moscow (air route to Tashkent opened in 1930), with appropriate markings, fine
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5151
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1930 (26.7) registered and flown cover from Batum to Kuopio, Finland (6.8), paying 68k (actually underpaid by 7k for registered airletter), with transit and arrival pmks, flown on four different routes: Batum-Tiflis-Baku, Baku-Moscow, Moscow-Leningrad, Leningrad-Tallinn-Helsinki, rare
Envelope
Price Realized
$550.00

Lot #5152
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1930 (27.1) flown cover from Archangelsk to Ustsysolsk (6.2), fine-v.f., only 30 covers carried on this flight
Envelope
Catalog #C10-11
Price Realized
$525.00

Lot #5153
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1930 (27.1) flown cover from Archangelsk to Ustsysolsk (6.2), fine-v.f., only 30 covers carried on this flight
Envelope
Catalog #C10-11
Price Realized
$375.00

Lot #5154
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (Aug) registered and flown cover from Sverdlowsk to Moscow, with special bilingual "Sverdlovsk Par Avion" cachet, stamps removed from cover, with Moscow arrival (11.8) on back. This distinctive air mail handstamp was applied on special freight-exchange air mail letters sent to Moscow 1928-1931, rare
Envelope
Price Realized
$525.00

Lot #5155
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (2.5) flown ppc (Zeppelin "Klim Voroshilov") from Leningrad to Berlin (5.5), carried on the Leningrad-Riga-Berlin line, paying 30k (flown postcard rate), little toning, rare
Envelope
Price Realized
$950.00

Lot #5156
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (24.6) registered and flown cover from Verkhneudinsk to Switzerland, paying 1.15r (international registered airmail letter rate), via Berlin (2.7) and with Trogen (3.7) arrival pmks. The Moscow-Irkutsk section of the Trans-Siberian airline began commercial operations in the Spring of 1929, with additional sections eastward toward the Pacific added during the next three years. These include Irkutk-Chita-Verkhneudinsk-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok
Envelope
Price Realized
$250.00

Lot #5157
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (29.7) commercial cover from Bremen to Kabul, Afghanistan, endorsed "par avion au dela de Moscow", with red bilingual "Par Avion" label applied in Moscow, sent via Tashkent (6.8) arriving in Kabul (9.8), filing folds and some toning. The Tashkent-Kabul route, via Termez and Mazar-e-Sharif provided weekly service. This is the only known cover flown on this route
Envelope
Price Realized
$475.00

Lot #5158
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 Colombian stationery entire envelope franked with five Russian adhesives, used in combination with six Colombian stamps cancelled from the first flight in 1931 and re-opening Leningrad-Berlin line, forwarded to Buenaventura where it was consigned to Scadta for the internal delivery within Colombia, v.f., with Cali arrival pmk
Envelope
Price Realized
$300.00

Lot #5159
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (30.6) flown cover from London, via New York (9.7) to Yokohama (14.8), returned to London from Japan, via Changchun, China (18.8), via Siberia, Moscow to Berlin (31.8), franked with English, U.S. and Japanese adhesives, bearing appropriate labels and markings. A well traveled "around the world" in 62 days item, covering 18,000 miles (London to New York by ship, across USA by air, to Japan by ship, returned by air from Japan to China, rail to Chita, flown Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin-London), v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$750.00

Lot #5160
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (13.6) flown cover from Japan to Gotebord, Sweden, with unusual "Par Avion de Chita et au dela Via Moscou" handstamp, also "Via Siberia", flown Chita-Irkutsk-Moscow route, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$850.00

Lot #5161
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (16.6) flown cover from Berlin to Wuchang, China (4.7), endorsed "Par Avion au dela de Moscou et en Chine" handstamp, via Moscow to Irkutsk, rail to Manchouli (25.6) with Kuling, Kiuchang and Nanking (29.6) pmks on back
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5162
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (Aug-Sept), three registered and flown covers from Sverdlowsk to Moscow, each with special bilingual "Sverdlovsk Par Avion" cachet, stamps removed, covers damaged, but the markings are quite good, with Moscow arrival pmks, These distinctive air mail handstamps was applied on special freight-exchange air mail letters sent to Moscow 1928-1931, rare
Envelope
Price Realized
$325.00

Lot #5163
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (5.5) flown cover (opening day of Leningrad-Berlin flight line), forwarded to Colombia, with Cali arrival pmks on back, mixed franking with Colombian stamps, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$240.00

Lot #5164
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (21.6) flown cover from Batum to Berlin (3.7), paying 85k (registered airmail rate to Germany), with red transit and arrival pmks, flown on the Tiflis-Baku-Moscow-Berlin line
Envelope
Price Realized
$425.00

Lot #5165
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (10.6) registered and flown cover from Leningrad to Khabarovsk (27.6), via Moscow-Irkutsk on Trans-Siberian air route, paying 85k (airmail rate), with additional 5k collected at destination (boxed postage due handstamp), rare
Envelope
Price Realized
$500.00

Lot #5166
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (31.5) registered first flight cover from Shanghai to Dieppe, France, carried on the Eurasia Line via Manchouli, Irkutsk, Moscow-Berlin (11.6), with arrival pmk, endorsed "via Siberia", filing fold away from the stamps, fine
Envelope
Price Realized
$500.00

Lot #5167
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1931 (21.6) record Round the World flight by Wiley Post and Harold Gatty, cover cancelled Mineola, New York, Berlin (24.6), Moscow (29.6), with July 1, Mineola arrival cds. The route was from New York, via Harbour Grace, Chester, England, Hanover, Berlin, Moscow, Novo-Sibirsk, Irkutsk, Blagoveschensk, Khabarovsk, Nome, Edmonton and back to New York, signed by both pilots, with Russian "Dobrolet" cachet, v.f
Envelope
Catalog #AAMC TO 1141
Price Realized
$475.00

Lot #5168
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1932 (30.10) registered and flown cover from Tiflis to Belgium, paying 1.30r (correct franking for air express registered mail was 1.35r), with red Cologne Germany rail transit hs, bilingual "Par Avion" label on back, fine
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5169
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1933 (31.5) registered first flight cover from Leningrad to Vytegra (1.6), a small city in the Vologda oblast, 1250 miles NE of Leningrad, rare
Envelope
Price Realized
$650.00

Lot #5170
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1933 (4.7) reported First Flight from Birmingham, England to Tokyo, Japan (8.7), via the Trans-Siberian air route, endorsed via Berlin-Irkutsk, with two Air Mail handstamps in Cyrillic (applied in Moscow), v.f., signed Field, ex-Joffe
Envelope
Price Realized
$240.00

Lot #5171
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1933 (24.8) home made flown cover from Verkhoyansk (Yakut ASSR) to Nizhnekolymsk (8.9), franked with a combination of stamps depicting Siberian and North native people. An interesting cover flown during the first five months of a sporadic air service in the coldest region on earth - the Siberian Far North above the Arctic Circle, from a small city (population 1700), a region known for fur trapping, gold mining, reindeer herding and Gulag labor camps
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5172
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1933 (7.8) registered and flown cover from Karaganda (Kazahstan) via Aktyubinsk to Moscow (14.8), franked on back with 8x15k (one defective), rare. The Moscow-Penza-Samara (Kuibyshev)-Aktyubinsk route was in operation by late 1920s. In the 1930s, two separate lines continued eastward to Karaganda and the other 1,000 miles southeastward to Tashkent
Envelope
Price Realized
$550.00

Lot #5173
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1934 (September 2) Pan-American Airways Survey Flight cover from Tellier, Alaska to Uelen (Siberia), USSR and from there to Nome, Alaska, with U.S. franking cancelled Petropavlovsk 22.10.34 (Kamchatka), with a notation "this letter was mailed by me at Uelen, Siberia", signed Harlee Branch, 2nd Asst. P.M.G. In addition "was carried via Vladivostok, Moscow, Scandinavia, across the Atlantic, the United States to Nome, Alaska". One of the few covers carried on the Survey flight to evaluate best Trans-Pacific route to Russia. Approved for posting by the U.S. Postmaster General (a member of the flight crew), this cover was carried from Uelen (Northeastern tip of Russia) by ship ("Around the World") to Petropavlovsk, then Vladivostok and flown westward across Russia and beyond
Envelope
Price Realized
$2,000.00

Lot #5174
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1935 (12.11) registered and flown cover from Kharkov to Vienna, paying 85k with attractive franking, v.f. The Kharkov-Rostov-Baku-Tiflis route provided the trunk line south from Moscow during the 1920s and 30s
Envelope
Price Realized
$375.00

Lot #5175
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1935 (10.7) Hamamatsu, Japan to Leipzig, Germany, via Irkutsk and Berlin, flown Tokyo-Sinking, China, from there via Chinese Eastern Railway to Chita, USSR and flown Irkutsk-Moscow-Berlin, v.f. Airmail routed to and from Japan was usually transported through China/Manchuria on the Chinese Eastern Railroad from Eastern Coast to Chita, which was the western terminus of this rail line
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5176
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1936 (3.7) reported First Flight from Brussels, Belgium to Vladivostok (19.7), via Irkutsk, pc with "premier pli" and "ou del de Moscou" endorsements, unclaimed and returned to sender
Envelope
Price Realized
$425.00

Lot #5177
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1937 (12.5) registered and flown cover from Ulan Bator, Mongolia (via Verkhneudinsk where the boxed "Aviopochta" was applied) to United States, with New York (1.6) arrival pmk, fine. This cover was carried on the Ulan Bator-Verhneudinsk and transferred eastward to Vladivostok and forwarded to USA
Envelope
Price Realized
$850.00

Lot #5178
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1937 (3.6) registered and flown cover from Bryansk to Mukachevo (8.6), attractively franked on both sides, v.f.
Envelope
Unsold
Lot #5179
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1938 (10.7) record Round the World flight by Howard Hughes, cover from New York, with U.S., French and Russian adhesives, with appropriate cancels and cachet. Howard Hughes made stops at Paris, Omsk, Yakutsk, Fairbanks, Minneapolis and returned to New York. Covers were not sold to the public and only given to persons connected with the flight, v.f.
Envelope
Catalog #AAMC TO 1307
Price Realized
$2,000.00

Lot #5180
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1939 (22.9) registered and flown cover from Ulan Bator, Mongolia (via Verkhneudinsk) to USA, with New York (23.10) arrival pmks, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$325.00

Lot #5181
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1939 (April 28) - Attempted non-stop Trans-Oceanic Flight from Moscow to the World's Fair in New York. The actual flight was to Miscou Lighthouse, New Brunswick, where the Russian aviators (Brig. Gen. Vladimir Kokkinaki and Maj. Gen. Mikhail Gordienko) crashed after a successful flight across Europe and the Atlantic Ocean. A picture postcard (Lenin Mausoleum), with usual franking and appropriate markings, v.f. Only 32 (!) carried
Envelope
Catalog #AAMC TO1320
Price Realized
$1,900.00

Lot #5182
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1939 (April 28) - Attempted non-stop Trans-Oceanic Flight from Moscow to the World's Fair in New York. The actual flight was to Miscou Lighthouse, New Brunswick, where the Russian aviators (Brig. Gen. Vladimir Kokkinaki and Maj. Gen. Mikhail Gordienko) crashed after a successful flight across Europe and the Atlantic Ocean. Intercontinental air communication between Soviet Union and North America was viewed as an important step in future development. Difficulties with Transpolar flights made it necessary to seek alternative routes. A straight line course was chosen - Moscow, crossing Stockholm and Oslo, along southern Iceland and Greenland, along the coast of Newfoundland and Maine to New York. A coverfront , paying 2r30k (international registered air letter rate) addressed to President Franklin Roosevelt at the White House, sent by pilot Kokkinaki. This flight is considered an aviation milestone, only three covers and 32 postcards were carried. After the plane's forced landing at Miscou Lighthouse, the
Catalog #AAMC TO1320
Price Realized
$20,000.00

Lot #5183
RUSSIA Flight Covers
1944 (18 Jan) Moscow to Damascus, Syria, cover franked with set of two, with special bilingual cachet "Mission Militaire France Libre" and red First Flight Moscou-Damas at bottom, v.f., ex-Boris Joffe collection
Envelope
Price Realized
$750.00

Previous Country/Group Auction Index Next Country/Group

Back to Top