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.

ImagesDescriptionCurrent Bid
Lot #4604
CHINA Sinkiang Flight Covers
1932 30c brown violet, used on back of registered and flown cover from Tihwa (26 Nov) to Wuchang (4 Dec), additional franking on front, with a seal across the flap and rose red chop (censor markings), v.f. The trial flights between Tihwa and Peiping or Shanghai began in June 1932, regular service started in December. This registered cover addressed to Eugene Turner in Wuchang, is the earliest recorded use of Sinkiang adhesive with Provisional overprint (Starr-Mills lists one a day later)
Envelope
Catalog #C4
Price Realized
$1,400.00

Lot #4605
CHINA Sinkiang Flight Covers
1933 (6 June) cover flown from Tihwa to Kunming, Yunnan Province, franked with pairs of 45c Chinese Air Post and 5c Claret provisional overprints, with additional 19c postage on back, fine-v.f., with arrival pmk. A rare First Day of Issue
Envelope
Catalog #C1
Price Realized
$1,900.00

Lot #4606
CHINA Sinkiang Flight Covers
1933 (22 June) cover flown from Tihwa to Wuchang, Hupei Province, attractively franked with a combination of Air Post Commemoratives, Sinkiang overprints and pair of 5c claret provisional overprints, all tied by Urumchi departure pmks, with Hankow transit and Wuchang arrival pmks, v.f. (First Tihwa to Shanghai flights started on 22 December,1932)
Envelope
Catalog #C1
Price Realized
$1,700.00

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