Rare Stamps & Postal History of the World including the Fred Blau Collection
March 3-4, 2020
We are pleased to announce our March 3-4, 2020 Auction, featuring the Fred Blau collection of Palestine Aerophilately and Military Mail, followed by United States and Possessions, with Dr.Ernesto Arosemena's Canal Zone, continuing with selections from Asia, Western European countries, South and Central America, Middle East, as well as extensive Great Britain and British Commonwealth, Poland with an exceptional collection of World War II Occupation proofs & essays, Russia, Vatican City, etc., and ending as usual with Large Lots and Collections. This is a live public auction taking place in our NYC Galleries as well as on CherrystoneLIVE.
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #55 IRAQ Flight Covers 1919 (12 May) Baghdad to Cairo "On Active Service" airmail cover, unfranked cover addressed to Somerset, England with manuscript "On Active Service", "Aerial Mail" and rimless Army Post Office B SZ 22 MY 19 cds (Cairo), red "Civil Posts/Aerial Iraq" double circle handstamp, backstamped FPO 85 12 May 19 (Indian Army FPO), v.f. (following the Boyd and Nuttal flight in February, the 31st Wing of the 72nd flew civilian mail as a forerunner to the "Desert Route")  | Price Realized $650.00 |
 | Lot #56 IRAQ Flight Covers 1921 (9 Dec) "Air Mail Baghdad Cairo"' endorsement on cover addressed to England, Iraq 1a and 6a (3) franking, tied by indistinct cds, with 24 December arrival, filing fold, still a fine cover from the Baghdad to Cairo leg of the RAF "Desert Route" | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #57 IRAQ Flight Covers 1922 Royal Air Force (Baghdad-Cairo) (1 Oct) cover to Switzerland, with boxed "Poste Aerienne Bagdad-Caire" handstamp, via Cairo (15 Oct) to Teheran (18 Oct) where 1kr and 2kr franking was added on back, arriving in Auberson (Vaud) on 23 October, some cover wear, stated by Fred Blau to be one of the first letters flown by the Royal Air Force fortnightly service (to refuel and service the aircraft, they had to land in Jericho or Gaza) | Price Realized $350.00 |
 | Lot #58 IRAQ Flight Covers 1922 (30 Oct) Mail Manifest with "Air Staff Communications H.Q. R.A.F. Iraq" datestamp, details indicated in crayon (mail carried once every three weeks, 15 letters carried, one addressed to Jerusalem), rare document, with additional Baghdad handstamp and postmark | Price Realized $350.00 |
 | Lot #59 IRAQ Flight Covers 1922 (13 Oct) "Letter Bill", Baghdad to Jerusalem, bilingual formular with Baghdad handstamp, corresponding postmark, only 1 (!) letter carried | Price Realized $260.00 |
 | Lot #60 IRAQ Flight Covers 1923 Royal Air Force (Desert Air Route Baghdad-Gaza stage) (15 Dec) Madil to England, flown cover via Basrah, franked with 6a green, fine | Price Realized $280.00 |
 | Lot #61 IRAQ Flight Covers 1923 (25 Jan) Royal Air Force (Cairo-Baghdad) cover from London to Baghdad, franked with 9p, sent by surface mail from London to Alexandria and from there via Palestine to India, arriving Baghdad on 7 February, some hinge marks on front, otherwise fine | Price Realized $150.00 |
 | Lot #62 IRAQ Flight Covers 1924 (16 Oct) Royal Air Force (Baghdad-Gaza-London) registered cover from Baghdad to London, franked with pair of 1/2a and 8a single, stated to be the first acceptance of Registered Mail, with Baghdad R151 label, arriving London on 25 October, fine | Price Realized $525.00 |
 | Lot #63 IRAQ Flight Covers 1925 (22 Jan) Royal Air Force (Baghdad-Gaza-London) registered cover from Baghdad to England, franked with 1a and 8a tied by cds, with Lower Baghdad R78 label, fine and early flown registered mail cover | Price Realized $375.00 |
 | Lot #64 IRAQ Flight Covers 1933 (24 July) First flight KLM Airlines from Baghdad to Gaza, registered and flown cover, special handstamped cachet and 25 July 33 arrival pmk, only 33 carried | Price Realized $375.00 |
