Ivanov Collection of Russia; Matuzas Collection Of Lithuania; U.S. & Worldwide
September 7-8, 2011 and September 13-15, 2011

ImagesDescriptionCurrent Bid
Lot #6258
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1932 (Oct 30) "barnstorming" cover from the Mayfair Fair in Cleveland, Ohio, where the local Lithuanian American community organized an air meet to honor the pilots and raise money to finance the forthcoming Transatlantic flight, v.f. The cover has a special cachet and is signed "Stephen Darius" and "Stanley Girenas"
Envelope
Price Realized
$170.00

Lot #6259
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1933 (July 15) New York-Kaunas Transatlantic flight by Stefan Darius and Stanley Girenas in their plane "Lituanica", with appropriate cachets and postmarks (Kaunas 18 July), signed by both fliers, fine. After successfully crossing the ocean, the fliers lost their lives when their plane was wrecked at Soldin, Germany, some 400 miles short of their goal
Envelope
Price Realized
$240.00

Lot #6260
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1933 (July 15) New York-Kaunas Transatlantic flight by Stefan Darius and Stanley Girenas in their plane "Lituanica", addressed to the Aero Club of Lithuania, with Kaunas 18 July arrival pmk, fine
Envelope
Price Realized
$190.00

Lot #6261
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1933 (July 15) Darius-Girenas overprinted issue by the Darius-Girenas Transatlantic Flight Committee with the aid of the Consul General of Lithuania, who received the necessary authorization from the government of Lithuania for the overprinting of its stamps. The purpose of the issue were to aid in financing this transatlantic flights. These overprinted stamps, affixed to mail being flown on this flight to Kaunas, had the proper U.S. franking cancelled at Brooklyn Post Office July 15, with special cachet "Lituanica." The plane crashed in Soldin Germany. On arrival of the mail in Kaunas, a rectangular cachet was added "Conquering the Atlantic, they perished for the glory of Lithuania." The complete set of five, three on registered mail addressed to Nicolas Sanabria (of the Sanabria Air Post Catalogue), each used in combination with U.S. 5c Beacon (Scott's No.C11), with additional 1.20L Lithuanian franking on back to pay for the return postage to New York; another to A.J.Mazeika (secretary of the Transatla
Envelope
Price Realized
$8,500.00

Lot #6262
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1933 (July 15) commemorative 2c stationery entire, with a special printed cachet, also "Crashed Soldin, Germany" handstamp, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$150.00

Lot #6263
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1935 F.Vaitkus Trans-Atlantic attempt cover with US 6c orange (Sep 21) and special overprinted adhesive, also two additional stamps on back, tied by Kaunas (31 Oct) return trip to Kohler, Wisconsin, numbered "964" and signed by Lt. Felix Vaitkus, v.f. with violet cachet and appropriate markings (Vaitkus actually arrived at Floyd Bennett Field in New York in May 1935 but no transatlantic flights were allowed due to adverse weather conditions. It was not until four months later, on the evening of September 20, that the Meteorological Service gave him a favorable report and Vaitkus decided to fly. The next day, September 21, at 6:45 in the morning, Lituanica II headed for Europe. Unfortunately, Vaitkus had to fight the worst possible weather conditions, flying through rain, fog, and icy conditions, so that most of his navigation had to be by his new radio compass. More than once he noticed ice forming on the wings and had to descend to a lower altitude until it all thawed off. Vaitkus was helped considerably by
Envelope
Price Realized
$800.00

Lot #6264
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1935 F.Vaitkus Trans-Atlantic attempt cover without the US franking (rare) but still cancelled Brooklyn, Sep 21, with 2 Oct. arrival, franked with 40c and 20c (on back), each tied by Kaunas (1 Nov) for the return trip to New York, v.f., signed Lt. F.Vaitkus
Envelope
Price Realized
$425.00

Lot #6265
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1935 Vaitkus Trans-Atlantic attempt cover with US 6c orange (Sep 21) and special overprinted adhesive, this one an unauthorized issue by the Second Transatlantic Flight Committee of Chicago to raise funds for a 2nd transatlantic flight from New York to Lithuania) tied by the Lithuanian Aero Club cachet, with Kaunas (2 Oct) postmark and special violet cachet at left, addressed to the Aero Club of Lithuania, numbered "12" and signed by Lt. Felix Vaitkus, v.f., accompanied by the actual letter headed "via Lituanica II" written by Anthony Dobbs (Antanas Dubickas) member of the flight committee
Envelope
Price Realized
$2,600.00

Lot #6266
LITHUANIA Flight Covers
1935 Vaitkus Trans-Atlantic attempt cover with US 6c orange and 3c violet (Sep 21) and special overprinted adhesive, this one an unauthorized issue by the Second Transatlantic Flight Committee of Chicago to raise funds for a 2nd transatlantic flight from New York to Lithuania) tied on back by Kaunas (2 Oct) postmark, with special violet cachet at left, addressed to Anthony Mazeika (secretary of the earlier Transatlantic Flight Committee for Darius-Girenas), numbered "43" and signed by Lt. Felix Vaitkus, v.f., accompanied by the actual letter headed "via Lituanica II"
Envelope
Price Realized
$2,500.00

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