Rare Stamps & Postal History of the World
September 13-14, 2022
We are pleased to present our September 13-14 auction of Rare Stamps and Postal History of the World. An important sale, with a number of highlights, starting with United States graded stamps, 1847 Issue on cover, 1869 Pictorials Proofs and Essays, including a complete set of Atlanta Trial Colors, two different sets of Columbian Large Die Proofs, a collection of rare Plate Blocks, a newly discovered holding of sheets, blocks of four of the CIA and Stock Exchange Inverts, Flight covers and U.S. Possessions. There are rarities from Bolivia, China including an Inverted Hall of Classics, France and French Colonies, with better Zanzibar, Great Britain and British Commonwealth, Dr. Leslie Rose's collection of Germany and Colonies, Hungary with First Issues on cover and pre-WWII Imperforate souvenir sheets. From Latvia, there is a world-renown collection formed by Imants Timma, with stamps and covers, Occupation Issues, Kurland and a splendid collection of Wenden. The sale also includes a sensational, long-forgotten collection of Imperial Russia. Brought to the United States just after WWII, this collection, only recently unearthed, includes the remarkable unused pair of Russia Number One with original gum, a splendid holding of proofs and essays, (including a collection of 140 different Romanov Proofs) and much more. Many of these items were exhibited in New York in 1927 and until now, had been presumed lost during the War. Finally, the sale includes close to 300 large lots and collections.
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #1159 RUSSIA 1856 (12 Dec) cover from St. Petersburg to Washington, DC, sent by Prussian Closed Mail, with "Franco" in manuscript at top, via Liverpool (the Cunard Steamer "America" left Liverpool on 3rd January for Boston), "Aachen Paid 25 Cts 1/1", Boston (21 Jan Paid) in red, docketing 25th January, 1857 arrival docketing, red wax seal on back just showing through, fine cover  | Price Realized $150.00 |
 | Lot #1160 RUSSIA 1857 10k brown & blue, unused horizontal pair, with original gum, hinge remnant, paper thickness 0.11 mm, colorless "1" watermark shifted to left, margins all around, light bend between stamps, full embossing and vivid colors, very fine. An unused Russia Number One single is a world-class rarity, of which only a few have been recorded. Outside of the Popov Museum in St. Petersburg, this is the only genuine unused pair of the first stamp of Russia in private hands. While "unused" examples have surfaced over the years, they have generally been determined to have been cleaned, have pen cancels removed, etc. It is a privilege to offer this remarkable unused pair of Russia Number One, with full original gum and to our knowledge, never before shown or offered for sale, accompanied by a 2022 Buchsbayew certificate. A wonderful treasure of Imperial Russian Philately (Scott Catalogue "Genuine unused examples of No.1 are exceedingly scarce. Most of those offered are used with pen cancellation removed. The unused value is for an example without gum. The very few known stamps with original gum sell for much more (catalogue value $125,000 as two singles without gum) * Catalog #1 | Price Realized $130,000.00 |
 | Lot #1161 RUSSIA 1858 10k brown and blue, thin paper, unused with full original gum, hinge remnant at top, incredibly fresh and beautiful colors, full embossing with intact perforations on all sides, looking as fresh as originally purchased at the post office. A rarity in unused condition, undercatalogued and seldom found without faults, * Catalog #2 Catalog Value $14,000 | Price Realized $10,500.00 |
 | Lot #1162 RUSSIA 1858 20k blue & orange, thin paper, unused, disturbed original gum, h.r. (the original old-style hinge still adhering), fresh, but with couple of perf. stains and imperceptible abrasion at bottom right, good embossing with intact perforations on all sides, fine stamp in spite of minor imperfections, rare unused with original gum, * Catalog #3 Catalog Value $13,000 | Unsold |
 | Lot #1163 RUSSIA 1858 20k green & violet, perforated trial color proof on watermarked paper, unused (gum not original), well centered, small flaws, fine appearance, P Catalog #3P Catalog Value $1,000 | Price Realized $210.00 |
 | Lot #1164 RUSSIA 1858 30k carmine and green, very thick paper, unused with full original gum, h.r. (the original old-style hinge still adhering), remarkably fresh and proof-like appearance, well centered for issue, full embossing with intact perforations on all sides, also as fresh as originally purchased at the post office. A rarity, especially in this pristine quality, * Catalog #4 Catalog Value $18,500 | Price Realized $10,500.00 |
 | Lot #1165 RUSSIA 1858-64 1k (2), 5k, 10k (2), 20k and 30k perf. 12 1/2, also 5k Local Post (2), h.r., mostly unused (regummed), still nice colors, fresh and fine, *(*) Catalog #5,7,8-11 Catalog Value $3,955 | Unsold |
 | Lot #1166 RUSSIA 1858-64 Perf. 12 1/2, 3k black & green, horizontal pair, h.r., well centered, v.f., scarce multiple, * Catalog #6 Catalog Value $2,200 | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1167 RUSSIA 1865 1k, 5k, 10k, 20k and 30k perf. 14 1/2 (unwatermarked), five different, 5k h.r., others unused (regummed), fresh colors and well centered, fine-v.f. (*) Catalog #12,14-18 | Price Realized $600.00 |
 | Lot #1168 RUSSIA 1865 20k blue & orange (unwatermarked), thick paper, l.h., post office fresh, beautiful stamp, * Catalog #17 Catalog Value $2,750 | Price Realized $750.00 |
 | Lot #1169 RUSSIA 1866-70 1k-30k selection of 49 unused singles (few pairs), good showing of different shades, 5k black & gray, 1k with strongly shifted groundwork, 10k with offset of center, 20k cross-shaped "T", 30k blurred background, part original gum, h.r., occasional minor flaws, mostly fine or better * Catalog #19-30 | Price Realized $700.00 |
 | Lot #1170 RUSSIA 1866-70 1k, 3k, 5k and 10k vertically laid paper, h.r., 5k unused (regummed and repaired), also additional examples of 1k, 3k and 5k, unused, last one defective, fine appearance, high catalogue value *(*) Catalog #19c-23a | Unsold |
 | Lot #1171 RUSSIA 1866-70 3k black & deep green, "V" in groundwork (error), h.r., small thins, well centered, fine appearance, * Catalog #20d Catalog Value $2,000 | Price Realized $290.00 |
 | Lot #1172 RUSSIA 1866-70 5k (5) and 7k (3), total of eight different perforated trial color proofs on stamp paper, small part original gum, h.r., fresh and mostly fine P Catalog #22P,27P | Price Realized $1,600.00 |
 | Lot #1173 RUSSIA 1866-70 30k carmine & green, vertically laid paper, h.r., fresh and fine, * Catalog #25a Catalog Value $1,000 | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #1174 RUSSIA 1875-82 2k black & red, 7k gray & rose, 8k gray & rose, each vertically laid paper, unused (regummed), first one with pressed-out creases and other minor faults, excellent colors and fine appearing examples of these rare stamps unused (catalogued as unused without gum) (*) Catalog #26a, 27a, 28a Catalog Value $2,475 | Price Realized $700.00 |
 | Lot #1175 RUSSIA 1883-88 2k, 5k, 7k (2), 14k and 70k selection of six varieties, misperforated, paper-folds, shifted center, 5k with unpunched perf. disc creating a white space at bottom, uncommon * Catalog #32/38var | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1176 RUSSIA 1883-88 2k dark green, imperforate top sheet margin single, h.r. at top margin only, stamp n.h., v.f., * Catalog #32b Catalog Value $1,100 | Price Realized $625.00 |
 | Lot #1177 RUSSIA 1883-88 7k blue, imperforate sheet margin single, h.r., fine, * Catalog #35a Catalog Value $800 | Price Realized $300.00 |
 | Lot #1178 RUSSIA 1889 1r light brown, brown & orange, horizontal pair, imperf. between, h.r., v.f., * Catalog #45a Catalog Value $900 | Price Realized $290.00 |
 | Lot #1179 RUSSIA 1889 1r light brown, brown & orange, horizontal pair, imperf. between, l.h., v.f., * Catalog #45a Catalog Value $900 | Price Realized $400.00 |
 | Lot #1180 RUSSIA 1889-92 1k orange, 5k red violet, 7k blue, imperforate plate proofs, first two on pelure paper, 5k on "government" paper (underprint in Cyrillic), last one on wove paper, fine P Catalog #46P,49P,50P | Price Realized $375.00 |
 | Lot #1181 RUSSIA 1889-92 2k green, imperforate horizontal pair, h.r., v.f., scarce, * Catalog #47a Catalog Value $1,600 | Price Realized $950.00 |
 | Lot #1182 RUSSIA 1901-03 unissued designs, 2k (5), 3k (5), 5k (10), 7k (5), also 15k and 25k, for a total of 27 different, perforated plate proofs on wove stamp paper, variety of colors, many bicolor, fresh and v.f. An extraordinary assembly P | Price Realized $22,000.00 |
 | Lot #1183 RUSSIA 1902-05 1k-1r selection on two album pages, with good showing of offsets, perforation shifts, 7k dark blue horizontal pair printed on gummed side only, 1k, 2k, 3k, 5k and 4k hand stamped "Specimen", plus others, fine-v.f., with some outstanding, if not unique varieties * Catalog #55/68var | Price Realized $2,300.00 |
 | Lot #1184 RUSSIA 1902-05 1k orange, imperforate top sheet margin single, margin folded and hinged, stamp n.h., v.f., ** Catalog #55a Catalog Value $1,550 | Price Realized $650.00 |
 | Lot #1185 RUSSIA 1902-05 2k green, double impression, horizontal pair, l.h. at left, right stamp n.h., v.f., */** Catalog #56d Catalog Value $825 | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1186 RUSSIA 1902-05 7k dark blue, imperforate bottom sheet corner margin single, l.h., v.f., * Catalog #59b Catalog Value $675 | Price Realized $700.00 |
 | Lot #1187 RUSSIA 1902-05 7k dark blue, imperforate horizontal bottom sheet margin pair, paper hinge remnant, natural gum crease, otherwise v.f., * Catalog #59b Catalog Value $1,350 | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1188 RUSSIA 1902-05 7k dark blue, groundwork shifted to top, imperforate horizontal sheet margin pair, h.r., v.f., * Catalog #59b Catalog Value $1,350 | Price Realized $525.00 |
 | Lot #1189 RUSSIA 1902-05 7k dark blue, groundwork shifted, imperforate horizontal pair, h.r., v.f., * Catalog #59b Catalog Value $1,350 | Price Realized $525.00 |
 | Lot #1190 RUSSIA 1902-05 15k brown violet & blue, printed on gum only, horizontal pair, v.f. * Catalog #62var | Price Realized $400.00 |
 | Lot #1191 RUSSIA 1902-05 1r light brown & orange, perf. 11 1/2, well centered, h.r., good colors, v.f., scarce and undercatalogued stamp, * Catalog #68a Catalog Value $700 | Price Realized $400.00 |
 | Lot #1192 RUSSIA 1902-05 1r light brown & orange, perf. 13 1/2, red color (center and numeral) omitted, h.r., v.f., rare, * Catalog #68e Catalog Value $675 | Price Realized $1,200.00 |
 | Lot #1193 RUSSIA 1902-05 1r light brown & orange, perf. 13 1/2, vertical pair imperf. between, also misperforated single and another variety imperf. at bottom, h.r., v.f. (catalogue value for vertical pair imperf. between only) * Catalog #68g,68var Catalog Value $900 | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1194 RUSSIA 1902-05 7r black & yellow, large sheet margin, variety imperf. at top, fine, scarce * Catalog #70var | Price Realized $1,200.00 |
 | Lot #1195 RUSSIA 1903-06 Tsar Nicholas II, full face and profile facing right, two of each, perforated bi-colored essays (by Louis Eugene Mouchon) in various colors, value tablets blank, fresh and v.f., extremely rare E | Price Realized $6,750.00 |
 | Lot #1196 RUSSIA 1903-06 Tsar Nicholas II, full face facing right, three different perforated essays (by Louis Eugene Mouchon) in brown, red and green, value tablets blank, fresh and v.f. (portrait of the Tsar was redrawn by Richard Zarrinch to give a more realistic image of the Tsar. Instead of the wavy horizontal lines, the portrait is made up of cross-hatching, with scroll frame showing minor variations of shading) E | Price Realized $3,750.00 |
 | Lot #1197 RUSSIA 1903-06 Tsar Nicholas II, full face, 1r perforated plate essay (designed by Richard Zarrinch, Tsar in military uniform, laureated frame), six different colors, one with faint toning, otherwise fine-v.f. E | Price Realized $4,750.00 |
 | Lot #1198 RUSSIA 1903-06 Tsar Nicholas II, full face, 1r imperforate plate essay (by Louis Eugene Mouchon), horizontal pairs in black and in violet blue, the latter on thin paper, v.f. E | Price Realized $2,800.00 |
 | Lot #1199 RUSSIA 1903-06 Tsar Nicholas II, full face, die essay (by Louis Eugene Mouchon), nine different, including one bicolor, one frame only and one center only, various paper varieties and colors, v.f. E | Price Realized $9,000.00 |
 | Lot #1200 RUSSIA 1906 Imperial Arms, 5r, selection of four die proofs in various colors, each center omitted, printed on white, chalky paper, fresh and v.f., extremely rare (Mandrovsky cat. $8,000) P Catalog #71P | Price Realized $4,500.00 |
 | Lot #1201 RUSSIA 1906 5r dark blue, green, perf. 11 1/2, h.r., v.f., * Catalog #71a Catalog Value $500 | Price Realized $160.00 |
 | Lot #1202 RUSSIA 1906 5r dark blue, green, perf. 13 1/2, bottom sheet corner margin horizontal pair, variety imperf. at bottom, l.h., fresh and v.f. A rare pair * Catalog #71var | Price Realized $950.00 |
 | Lot #1203 RUSSIA 1909 1k (2), 5k (9) and 7k (12), total of 23 different imperf. die proofs, different colors, each with vertical lozenges of varnish on face, fresh and v.f., extremely rare (Mandrovsky cat. $46,000) P Catalog #73,77,78P | Price Realized $16,500.00 |
 | Lot #1204 RUSSIA 1909-12 1k (3), 5k (10), 7k (12) and 10k (1), selection of 26 perforated trial color proofs on thin wove paper, without varnish lozenges, an incredible assembly, mostly v.f. (Mandrovsky cat. $26,000) P Catalog #73,77,78,79P | Price Realized $15,000.00 |
 | Lot #1205 RUSSIA 1909-12 1k, 2k, 3k, 4k, 5k, 7k (2) and 10k die proofs in black, eight different including incomplete/unissued design of the 7k, each on thin or thick glazed card, v.f. (Mandrovsky cat. $16,000) P Catalog #73-79P | Price Realized $7,500.00 |
 | Lot #1206 RUSSIA 1909-12 proofs of postal stationery, 3k red, 7k blue, each double impression, also an additional die proof of 10k dark blue, die proof on glazed card, v.f. P | Price Realized $1,500.00 |
 | Lot #1207 RUSSIA 1909-12 7k blue, light blue,10k blue, light blue, two different of each, die proofs on thin wove paper, without varnish lozenges, v.f., extremely rare, possibly unique P Catalog #78,79P | Price Realized $2,600.00 |
 | Lot #1208 RUSSIA 1909-12 7k light blue, Three Pearls, proof on thin wove paper, without varnish lozenges, horizontal pair, with margins at sides, unused without gum as issued, v.f., rare (Mandrovsky cat. $4,000) P Catalog #78P | Price Realized $2,300.00 |
 | Lot #1209 RUSSIA 1909-12 7k blue, Three Pearls, proof on wove paper, with varnish lozenges, two slightly different shades, horizontal pairs, each with margins at sides, unused without gum as issued, v.f., rare (Mandrovsky cat. $8,000) P Catalog #78P | Price Realized $4,250.00 |
 | Lot #1210 RUSSIA 1909-12 7k light blue, Three Pearls, proof on thin wove paper, without varnish lozenges, horizontal gutter tete-beche strip of four, with margins at sides, unused without gum as issued, v.f., rare (Mandrovsky cat. $8,000) P Catalog #78P | Price Realized $5,250.00 |
 | Lot #1211 RUSSIA 1909-12 7k light blue, horizontal pair, right stamp Type II (three pearls instead of four), n.h., se-tenant with Type I, h.r., fresh and v.f., incredibly rare Settings Error, only a few actual (aside of the proofs) examples recorded (YT 66a, €9,000) */** Catalog #78,78var | Price Realized $5,750.00 |
 | Lot #1212 RUSSIA 1909-12 10k light blue, horizontal pair, l.h. or h.r., v.f., rare * Catalog #79a | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #1213 RUSSIA 1909-12 10k blue, 10k light blue, proofs on thin wove paper, without varnish lozenges, sheet margin horizontal pairs of each, unused without gum as issued, v.f., rare (Mandrovsky cat. $4,000) P Catalog #79P | Price Realized $1,500.00 |
 | Lot #1214 RUSSIA 1909-12 10k blue, proof on thin wove paper, with varnish lozenges, horizontal gutter tete-beche strip of four, with margins at sides, unused without gum as issued, v.f., rare (Mandrovsky cat. $8,000) P Catalog #79P | Price Realized $4,750.00 |
 | Lot #1215 RUSSIA 1909-12 15k light blue, perforated and gummed trial color proof, horizontal strip of five, middle stamp h.r., others n.h., v.f. P Catalog #81P | Price Realized $525.00 |
 | Lot #1216 RUSSIA 1913 Romanov Tercentenary, 1k-5r complete (less 3k), 16 different imperforate singles, each perforated with portions of "Obrazets" (Specimen) letter, h.r., 10k creased, otherwise v.f., extremely rare S Catalog #88-104S | Price Realized $3,000.00 |
 | Lot #1217 RUSSIA 1913 Romanov Tercentenary, selection of perforation varieties, including shifts, double and errant perforations, also a striking 7k fold-over, plus others, including 15k with pre-print inclusion, etc., 26 different items, fine-v.f. * Catalog #88/100var | Price Realized $1,700.00 |
 | Lot #1218 RUSSIA 1913 Romanov Tercentenary Proofs, collection of 140 different, with 1k (9 and 8 frame only, one center only, including 3 bicolor), 2k (2 and 5 frame only), 3k (2, 5 with center colored in, 4 frame only), 4k (4, 6 frame only, 1 center only), 7k (5 frame only, 1 center only), 10k (5 frame only, 2 center only), 14k (4, 8 frame only), 20k (3 and 7 frame only), 25k (8 and 6 frame only, including 1 bicolor), 35k (5 and 8 center colored in, including 2 bicolor), 50k (12 and 3 frame only, including 9 bicolor), 70k (8 frame only), 2r (5) and 5r (2), excellent variety of colors, different papers (thin and thick), couple of minor flaws possible, generally v.f. A splendid collection, offered for the first time in nearly 100 years P Catalog #88/104P | Price Realized $60,000.00 |
 | Lot #1219 RUSSIA 1913 1k orange, horizontal sheet margin pair, printed on both sides, including partly on margin, fresh and v.f. * Catalog #88var | Price Realized $260.00 |
 | Lot #1220 RUSSIA 1913 3k blue, imperforate Essay showing profile of Alexander II, designed by Zarrinch, v.f., extremely rare E | Price Realized $1,500.00 |
 | Lot #1221 RUSSIA 1913 3k rose red, double impression, one inverted, 7k brown, imperforate single (faint crease), also another, with double impression, l.h. or h.r., * Catalog #90b,92a,92b Catalog Value $1,700 | Price Realized $525.00 |
 | Lot #1222 RUSSIA 1913 15k brown, thin (ordinary) paper variety, horizontal pair, also imperforate proof, pair on bluish paper, fine and unusual * Catalog #95var | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #1223 RUSSIA 1913 Alexander I, 20k red orange, proof of frame only, cut to shape, v.f. P Catalog #96P | Price Realized $210.00 |
 | Lot #1224 RUSSIA 1936 Pioneers Issue, 2k green and 5k violet, perf. 14, unissued values, first one with "1" and second with "3" inserted by pen over the printed denominations (1k green and 3k violet were the issued values), both n.h., v.f., extremely rare P Catalog #584P, 586P | Price Realized $2,900.00 |
