Rare Stamps & Postal History of the World
February 7-8, 2023

Welcome to our February 7-8, 2023 Sale of Rare Stamps and Postal History of the World, which will take place at our Teaneck, N.J. Galleries and over the internet via CherrystoneLIVE. This 1,366 lot sale features better United States, with quality material assembled by a Japanese gentleman. Foreign countries include Albania, with 1913 Double Eagle handstamps, Austria, France and Colonies, Germany with a selection of WWII Occupation Issues, Great Britain and British Commonwealth with Australia, BNA, New Zealand, British Asia and Africa. There are rarities from Iran, including postal history, Italy and Italian Colonies, a collection of hand-painted Karl Lewis covers and more. The auction concludes with over two hundred Large Lots and Collections, ranging from single country albums and specialized collections, to multi-carton worldwide groups and large cover lots offered intact.

ImagesDescriptionCurrent Bid
Lot #1888
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1933 (7 July) Fujiyama to Hollis, L.I., illustrated cachet with pre-printed caption at top, franked with four different definitives making up the 10s international letter rate, tied by two strong strikes of the Fuji-san scenic datestamps, blue "To US" handstamp at right of Mt.Fuji's summit, cover slit open at top, with typed "C-1" and vertical oval kan handstamp sealing the backflap. Also a "C-6" cover to Chicago, with Air Post 9 1/2s and 1/2s gray brown, fine-v.f. cover
Envelope
Price Realized
$260.00

Lot #1889
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1933 (8 July) return printed envelope "The Gossip Printery" Holton, Kansas, typewritten "Mailed at the Post Office on the Summit of Japan's Peerless Mountain Fujiyama" caption at top, no illustration, blue "To US", "KL" and square kan handstamps on back, with signed Karl Lewis letter
Envelope
Price Realized
$190.00

Lot #1890
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1934 (10 Dec) Yokohama to "the Gossip Printery", Holton, Kansas, two covers, each franked with three Red Cross commemoratives, one not hand-painted, with Karl Lewis return address printed on backflap (small tears at right), the other with Mt. Fuji, sampans and bids illustration, "To US" handstamp, "O" and "C-6" in backflap which is further sealed by oval handstamp. There are two signed Karl Lewis letters accompanying, fine-v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$280.00

Lot #1891
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1934-37 Fujiyama. Mt.Fuji with printed "This cover was mailed at the Summit post Office on Mount Fuji" at top, 4 covers, one to Korea (Haiju Chosen), others to USA, also a coverfront, all with beautiful hand-painted illustrated cachets, different combinations of Japanese franking, one with minor toning on back, others v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$550.00

Lot #1892
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1935 (6 Aug) cover with printed caption at top, franked with 9 1/2s Air Post and 1/2s definitive used to pay 10s international letter rate to Cincinnati, Ohio, attractive cachet, with trees and bridge, also two sampans, blue "To US" handstamp, with typed "C-6" and oval vertical kan handstamp sealing the backflap, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$210.00

Lot #1893
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1935 (9 Sep) Yokohama to Quebec, Canada, franked with three different regular issues paying 10s rate, tied by Steamer handstamps, blue "To Canada" at bottom right, illustration of sun cresting behind Mt. Fuji and birds whirling in the air, typed "N" and "C-8", with square kan sealing the flap, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$160.00

Lot #1894
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1935 First Visit of the Emperor of Manchukuo to Japan, illustrated Temple and Palace Walls by the sea FDC, franked with the set of four commemoratives, tied by Yokohama 2.4.35 cds and red cachets, background illustration, addressed to C.L. Battle in Seminole, Oklahoma, with typewritten "N" and oval handstamp sealing the backflap, with a letter signed by Karl Lewis
Envelope
Catalog #218-21
Price Realized
$375.00

Lot #1895
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1936 (8 Oct) Hase, Kamakura to Quebec, Canada, pretty cachet showing Mt.Fuji, birds, tree line and waves in foreground, franked with "C-34" combination, tied by two strikes of the Kamakura Great Buddha Statue datestamp, with blue "To Canada" handstamp at lower right, typed "N" and vertical blue kan sealing the backflap, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$240.00

Lot #1896
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1936 (1 Oct) Census cover to Holton, Kansas, with 2s and 8s paying 10s international letter rate, attractive hand-painted illustration, "To US" directional handstamp, with signed Karl Lewis letter accompanying, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$350.00

Lot #1897
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1937 (26 Feb) Karl Lewis corner card cover (not illustrated) with 6sn and 4sn regular issue franking, tied by large ship cachet, with letter addressed to Al Burns, Holton, Kansas, also newspaper clippings, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$110.00

Lot #1898
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1937 Tokyo, one of only two known covers from the capital city to Holton, Kansas; cachet is the Tokyo central scene with the bridges across the Edo Castle moat, franked with two different 10s adhesives, tied by "7th World Conference of W.F.E.A." cachets, v.f., with blue Karl Lewis handstamp tying the backflap, accompanied by personal letter from Karl Lewis describing the cover and cachet
Envelope
Price Realized
$1,900.00

Lot #1899
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1937 cover with Red Cross commemorative and 4s regular issue, tied by large ship cachet, addressed to Al Burns, Holton, Kansas, v.f.
Envelope
Price Realized
$240.00

Lot #1900
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1938 (11 Oct) First Showa Series, 25s Horuyu Temple, Nara, tied by Yokohama cds on a splendid all-over cachet, design showing two sampans with a hilltop castle overlooking the scene, with a touch of foreign substance added to the sun in the design, v.f. unopened cover, addressed to Chicago, with "B" and violet genkan sealing the backflap, one of only two Karl Lewis covers recorded with this all-over cachet
Envelope
Catalog #270
Price Realized
$625.00

Lot #1901
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1940 (11 Feb) 2600th Anniversary of the Accession of H.M. the Emperor Jin-Mu, cover with the second issue date for the set honoring the 2600th anniversary of Japan's founding, the two stamps are tied by a clear strike of the Yokohama commemorative datestamp, with colorful cachet showing sampans on water, two close-up with detailed sails and Mt.Fuji in the background, v.f., with another adhesive on back tied by Yokohama Nippon departure pmk, cover addressed to Holton, Kansas, unopened, with "O" typewritten on reverse. A rarity, only four known
Envelope
Catalog #299,301
Price Realized
$550.00

Lot #1902
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1940 (25 Oct) Imperial Edict on Education FDC sent to Al Burns, "Gossip Printery", with set of two stamps, tied by violet cachet, hand-painted lantern atop break water with two sampans, with printed description at top, blue "To US" directional; handstamp at left, with additional 14s adhesive tied by the same violet cachet on back, v.f., only a few recorded. Also included a letter from Karl Lewis
Envelope
Catalog #313-14
Price Realized
$525.00

Lot #1903
Karl Lewis Hand-Painted covers
1941 National Parks FDC, with attractive hand-painted illustration sent from Tokyo to Lost Nation, Iowa, with 1 April, 1941 arrival pmk on back, v.f., typed "N" and violet seal, one of only four known
Envelope
Catalog #315-18
Price Realized
$425.00

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