Carl Kilgas Collection of China Part II
August 23-24, 2023
We are proud to present Part II of the Carl A. Kilgas collection of China, with 762 lots to be sold on August 23-24, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. each day, at our Teaneck, New Jersey Galleries.
Mr. Kilgas authored a number of articles for the China Clipper from 1976 to 1985. As a member of the Collector's Club of New York, he presented in the CCNY journal, outlining China's postal history, with illustrations of stamps and covers of from his own collection to tell the story. In 1984, he was selected to lend some of his rarities to the 1984 ROCPEX exhibition in Taipei. Carl's few proteges who are still alive (the youngest of whom is now 73) remember him as a very private person, who was embarrassed that his collection had become legendary. He was regarded by his peers as an expert in Chinese Philately. Almost forty years later, we continue to offer selections from Carl's extensive holding of his Large and Small Dragons, Dowagers, Chinese Imperial Post Coiling Dragons, Republic and Nationalist Issues, as well as Japanese Occupation and selection of Alien Offices. All of the collecting areas of the Kilgas collection contain important items, including some that have never been listed, even in specialized catalogues. Many of these "new discoveries" have in fact been hibernating in this collection for over 80 years, mounted on personalized type-written pages, with minimal annotations in pencil.
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #4282 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1887 (19 Jan) cover (opened for display and slightly reduced) from Hankow to Germany, with red "Hankow Customs Mail Matter" oval on front, with unoverprinted France 25c Type Sage tied by "Shang-hai Chine" departure postmark (Jan 25), repeated alongside, red "Customs Hankow" departure pmk and "Customs Shanghai" (Jan 22) transits on back, Kiel, Germany (8 Mar) arrival, some toning, otherwise fine and scarce usage from Hankow, via the French Office in Shanghai to Germany  | Price Realized $2,900.00 |
 | Lot #4283 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1890 (ca) "Customs Mail Matter" handstamps, group of 13, mostly different handstamped impressions on envelope paper or white card, including "Jinchuan" and "Seoul, Korea", fine-v.f. | Price Realized $3,500.00 |
 | Lot #4284 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1894 (16 Feb) large double-weight registered cover from Shanghai to Denmark, franked with unoverprinted France 25c Sage strip of three tied by "Shang-hai Chine" postmarks, repeated alongside, small hexagonal "R" registration handstamp in red, French Maritime "Ligne N Paq. Fr. No. 4" and "Marseille a Lyon" entry pmks (March 22), Copenhagen arrival backstamp (March 25), filing fold away from the stamps, fine cover | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #4285 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1895 (28 Mar) stampless cover from Peking to Tientsin showing "I.G. Mail Matter" oval on front, with corresponding "I G of Customs Peking" and "Customs Tientsin" arrival, all markings in blue, with additional red chop on reverse, cover roughly opened with tears on back, still fine | Unsold |
 | Lot #4286 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1896 (28 July) cover (opened for display, with mended tear on back) from Chefoo ("Custom House Chefoo" embossed on backflap) sent to Germany with "Customs Chefoo" postmark of origin in black on reverse, "Chefoo Customs Mail Matter" boxed handstamp in red on front, "Customs Shanghai" transit in blue (July 30), sent through the French Post Office, where 25c "Chine" was added, tied by Shang-Hai Chine postmark, with additional strike alongside, Berlin arrival (Sept 4) on back | Price Realized $2,100.00 |
 | Lot #4287 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1897 (21 Oct) cover franked on back with pair of 4c ICP (portion of cover removed, along with possible additional franking), tied by Chinkiang large dollar pmks, sent via the Japanese Post Office in Shanghai, with 20sen added on front and tied by Shanghai I.J.P.O. departure pmk, addressed to New York | Unsold |
 | Lot #4288 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1898 (9 Nov) subscriber's cover from Chinkiang to USA, with bold strike of Chinkiang large-dollar postmark at left, two China I.C.P. Lithographed 5c Dragons (Chan 96), tied on reverse by Chinkiang pa-kuas in black, "Shanghai" large-dollar transit backstamp (No. 11), sent through the Japanese Post Office, with 5sen U-Koban pair on front canceled by indistinct Shanghai IJPO postmark, Yokohama transit (Nov.17) and New York PONY Paid All arrival backstamps, some toning, and cover wear, otherwise fine and attractive combination | Price Realized $950.00 |
 | Lot #4289 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1898 (12 Nov) cover from Tientsin to Shanghai, franked with 2c on 2ca Third Printing and Waterlow 2c scarlet C.I.P. (Chan 76,118), tied by blue "Tientsin" ("Customs" removed) cds, "Shanghai Local Post" arrival (indistinct date) on back, some cover wrinkling, fine and highly unusual mixed issues combination | Price Realized $950.00 |
 | Lot #4290 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1898 (13 May) cover from Tientsin to Shanghai franked with 2c on 2ca Third Printing (Chan 76), straight edge at bottom, tied by Tientsin pa-kua in blue with "Tientsin" ("Customs" removed) cds in blue at bottom, "Shanghai Local Post" (May 18) arrival | Price Realized $1,000.00 |
 | Lot #4291 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1898 (3 Oct) cover from Tientsin to Shanghai franked with 2c on 2ca Second Printing (Chan 58), tied by Tientsin pa-kua in black with indistinct "Tientsin" ("Customs" removed) pmk alongside, "Shanghai Local Post" (Oct 7) arrival on back, fine | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #4292 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1898 coverfront with "Service Des Postes" bilingual cachet in red, pre-printed address to "On Postal Service to the Chinese Imperial Post Office", Soochow filled-in by hand, fine | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #4293 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1900 (14 May) registered red-band cover from Canton to Tientsin, franked with 1c, 2c, 4c (2) tied by departure cds, also 5c salmon tied by R.R. handstamp, additional large "R" with registry number filled-in by hand, Tientsin (23 May) arrival, fine and unusual 16c internal rate | Price Realized $1,800.00 |
 | Lot #4294 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1900 registered cover (opened for display), with 2c and 5c franking, one tied by "R", the other boxed tombstone strike, with Hankow transit and Yochow arrival (19 Jan 00) pmks, fine and extraordinary internal usage | Price Realized $1,600.00 |
 | Lot #4295 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1900 cover franked with 1/2c on 3ca Dowager, used in combination with 3pf German "China" overprint, sent from Kiauchau to J.Maus in Germany, M.Breitenfeldt I.M.C. Kiaochow, China return address handstamped on back, small piece of cover missing at top, filing fold away from the stamps, fine combination cover | Unsold |
 | Lot #4296 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1901 (Sep) picture postcard (Buddhist temple in Tschu-Yung-kuan in Nankonpass), franked with pair of 1/2c C.I.P., tied by red chops, with additional markings alongside, Wriezen, Germany arrival (10.9.01) pmk | Unsold |
 | Lot #4297 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1901 (6 Sep) registered picture postcard sent to Julius Maus in Germany (14c rate), franked with Small Figures 4c on 4ca, 5c on 5ca, and Large Figures 5c on 5ca Dowagers (Chan 40, 41, 60), all tied by Shanghai bisected-circle postmarks in black (Sep 9) with Large "R" registration handstamp alongside, additionally franked with two French Offices 25c Sage singles each tied by "Shang-Hai Chine" postmarks and additional strike at top right, German "Lichtenthal" arrival backstamp (Oct 13), with original Chinese Imperial Post "Registered Article" sender's receipt (small faults), postcard in excellent condition | Price Realized $3,000.00 |
 | Lot #4298 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1902 registered red-band cover franked with 5x1c and single 2c, tied by framed letter box and Chia-shu daters, with oval "Kiaochow" (Jan 29, 1902) datestamp alongside, violet "R" with registry number filled-in by hand, fine | Price Realized $1,700.00 |
 | Lot #4299 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1902 (28 May) Wiley Memorial Hospital corner card cover (opened for display), sent from Foochow to USA, franked with 10c green, tied by framed dater, red letter-box below, Shanghai (4 June) transit, additional markings on back include Foochow departure, framed dater, Yokohama and Nagasaki, Japan and Oakland arrival pmks | Price Realized $1,500.00 |
 | Lot #4300 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1903 (23 Sep) large cover "Via Siberia" to London, franked on back with 2x50c CIP, tied by Tientsin departure pmk, sent via Newchwang (25 Sep), with Russian "Kitai" overprints 10x10k (horizontally laid), tied by Trans-Siberian Railroad "Nikolayevsk Priamur.Okr." cds, with 29 Sep transit and London Oct.16 arrival pmks, some toning on back, most of the red wax seals still intact, rare usage | Price Realized $800.00 |
 | Lot #4301 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1903 (2 Apr) red-band cover franked on back with 2c and 5c Coiling Dragons, with Shanghai departure pmk, stamps tied by Canton (4 Apr) pmks, with large red double circle pmk alongside, small red letter-box and Tientsin (14 Apr) arrival markings | Price Realized $900.00 |
 | Lot #4302 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1903 (10 Apr) cover with American Baptist Mission, Huchow, China corner card address, franked with single 1c C.I.P, tied by oval "Imperial Post Office Huchow" departure datestamp, sent via Hangchao to Kinhwa, with various transit and arrival markings on back, including "Imperial Post Office Nanjing", "Hangchow" and Shaoling daters, impressive internal usage | Price Realized $1,300.00 |
 | Lot #4303 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1903 (7 Feb) registered cover sent to J. Maus in Germany (20c rate), franked with Small Figures 10c on 8ca Dowager, also 1c, 4c, 5c Waterlow C.I.P. Dragons, each tied by "Canton" bisected-circle postmark in black, Canton (China) boxed registration handstamp alongside, French Maritime "Ligne N" Packet boat and Canton transit pmks, with Lichtenthal, Germany arrival pmk (March 13) on back, fine-v.f. | Unsold |
 | Lot #4304 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1903 Russian 3k postal card from Dalny (9.5.03), canceled by Priamur.Okr. No.17 Polev. Pocht.Kont., sent to Shanghai, with Russian Post Office and Shanghai Local Post arrival pmks, the latter tying 1c CIP adhesive (May 15), some soling, otherwise fine, with red "My First Russian Postal Card" endorsement by addressee | Price Realized $270.00 |
 | Lot #4305 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1904 (June) cover (opened for display) from Chefoo to Shanghai, franked with 1c C.I.P., addressed to the French Consul, redirected to Paris, with uncanceled (defective) 3c Japanese Offices in China overprint and taxed on arrival, with 10c French Postage Due and "T" handstamp, with hinge overlay, showing numerous markings on back, including "Shanghai Local Post", French Post Office departure pmks, framed "Inconnu" and Paris arrival, sent back to China, with French Post Office Chefoo (22 Nov) arrival, cover faults, interesting five month round-trip voyage | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #4306 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1908 (19 Sep) red band cover from Tsingtao to Shanghai, sent from German Kiauchau, with 2x2x and 4c Yacht adhesives, tied by Tsingtau-Tapautao pmks, with Shanghai Deutsche Post arrival alongside | Unsold |
 | Lot #4307 CHINA Imperial China - Postal History 1910 registered cover from Hsiku-Tientsin to Boston (pre-printed New England Stamp Co. address), franked with 2x3c and 3x10c C.I.P., tied by Tientsin departure pmks, with Registry label affixed in Yokohama, "RR" in circle, transit and arrival pmks on back, fine | Price Realized $300.00 |
