Rare Stamps & Postal History of the World
September 12-13, 2023
Our September 12-13, 2023 Sale of Rare Stamps and Postal History of the World will take place at our Teaneck, N.J. Galleries and over the internet via CherrystoneLIVE. There are 1,500 lots in the sale, which begins with United States and U.S. Possessions. In the Worldwide section we are pleased to offer Great Britain and British Commonwealth, European Countries and the rest of the world, with exceptional China, including Postal History and additional lots from the Carl A. Kilgas collection. There are further selections from the estate of Dr.Martin Stempien, a specialized collection of Greece and Samos, formed by Dr.Frederick Rogers, and a selection of reference material from Sergio Sismondo's estate, with many fascinating offerings. The auction concludes with nearly 250 Large Lots and Collections, ranging from single country albums, specialized collections, multi-carton worldwide groups and large cover lots offered intact.
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #1167 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (6 June) commercial cover "Brothers Sennet" bilingual stationery, franked with unoverprinted 10k dark blue, tied by "Headquarters Field Post Office b" cds, repeated alongside, addressed to Paris, via Port Arthur, violet military seal on back, Paris arrival, v.f., rare usage of military pmk on Civilian mail during Russo-Japanese War, which commenced in February 1904 (Tchilingirian rated "RR")  | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1168 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (18 Nov) red-band cover franked with unoverprinted 10k dark blue, tied by Mukden departure cds, repeated below, sent to Germany, with boxed "Razryshenyo Polkovnik" (allowed by Colonel) censor cachet, with the Colonel's signature, v.f. and most unusual example of civilian mail through military censor | Price Realized $290.00 |
 | Lot #1169 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (19 Nov) red-band stampless cover to Riga, showing a solid strike of "Dalny-Kwantun.Ob. Zhelezno-Dorog." departure cds, with military cachets and Riga (13.12.04) arrival pmks. Situated in Kwantung Province at the end of Lyaotung Peninsula and not far from Port Arthur, the port of Dalny was one of the first places to fall to the Japanese. The Russians abandoned the city in May 1904. The staff of the Dalny Railway Post Office relocated to Kaiyuan Station on Line Nos.265/266 of the C.E.R., from where it continued in service until November 1904. This cover may be the latest date known from Kaiyan (the relocation of "Sedentary" Post Offices during the Russo-Japanese War was discussed by Dr.Casey in the Post-Rider No.52, June 2003) | Price Realized $500.00 |
 | Lot #1170 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (12 Dec) registered red-band cover from "Telin" (Tiehling) to Warszawa, franked with 14k carmine & blue, tied by "Telin Polev. Tel. Ot. Priam.Ok." cds, repeated alongside, supported by Registered label "No.10 F.P.O", with red Warszawa 7.1.05 arrival on back, minor cover tears, otherwise fine, signed Carl Lange, with copies of articles of British Journal of Russian Philately Nr.46 (1971), describing this cover as being the only one known | Price Realized $575.00 |
 | Lot #1171 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (23 Oct) Insured money letter for 30 rubles sent by officer with 12th Siberian (Barnaul) Infantry Regiment to Germany, franked on reverse 4k,10k and 20k (tone spot). Wax seals and cancelations read "Siberian Army Corps Field Post Office No.4", the latter applied 22.10.04, with another strike the next day; passed to Mukden Post Office No.24 received at Head Field Post Office (Harbin) 29 (10) 04, Registry label partly torn off. The violet circular cachet of District HQ of Administration of Military District of the Army in Manchuria, applied as a censor mark before the seals were affixed, suggests that this Siberian Army Corps FPO was situated in Mukden. Only one other example of the double-circle Mukden canceler with serial "a" has been recorded, while the Head FPO canceler of small (25mm) format has not been reported previously | Price Realized $250.00 |
 | Lot #1172 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (1 Aug) free frank cover to Riga, with oval violet Field Hospital Lifland Red Cross cachet, corresponding handstamp and Postal Car No.1 TPO cancel, with Riga arrival, fine and scarce | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1173 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (24 Apr) free-frank cover, with letter addressed to "Manchuria. Gunzhulin (Kungchuling). To the General Staff of the Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces. To the Senior Adjutant of the Intelligence Department, Lt.-Colonel of the General Staff Baron Viteken". Sent by wounded officer recuperating in St Petersburg voicing his suspicions that the British Military Observer with the Russian forces in Manchuria, Colonel Waters, is spying for the Japanese and wants him placed under surveillance (following receipt of this letter, the accreditation of Col. Waters was withdrawn and on attempting to return to Manchuria from leave, he was stopped at Irkutsk and made to turn back). The envelope bears a St. Petersburg cds of 24 4 05 and receipt cds of "Headquarters Field Post Office "d" (29.5.05)", also red crayon "Handed to Lt.-Col 29.V" (Wallscourt Walters, who became a Brigadier-General, was Military Attache in St Petersburg 1893-1898, observer with the Russian Army in Manchuria 1904-05 and chief of the British Military Mission at Russian GHQ in 1916. His book "Secret and Confidential" (1926) describes the Irkutsk incident) | Price Realized $450.00 |
 | Lot #1174 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (2 Sep) stampless lettercard to Station Skhodnya, Nikolaevsk Railway, dateline MUKDEN, nobility logo inscribed in blue "Gift of his Royal Highness Grand Duke Mikhail Aleksandrovich", posted "Field Post Office 3.17th Army Corps" (at Mukden during autumn 1904) | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1175 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (13 Sep) Chinese native pictorial cover to Zwolen (Radom Guberniya), canceled "Siberian Army Corps Field Post Office No.4" (b), Radom transit and Zwolen arrival (8.10.04), circular violet free-frank cachet reading around Imperial Eagle "Mobile Field Hospital of the 2nd Siberian Infantry Division" (This hospital must have received many of the 14,301 Russian wounded from the Battle of Liaoyang, concluded shortly before this item was sent) | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #1176 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1904 (5 May) registered cover to St. Petersburg, franked on back with pair of 7k blue, tied by Headquarters Field Telegraph Branch pmks, corresponding Registry label on front, with 27 May arrival, roughly opened on front, otherwise fine | Price Realized $140.00 |
 | Lot #1177 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (14 Dec) registered cover (opened for display) from active 3rd Manchurian Army to Simbirsk, franked on back with 14k carmine & blue, tied by Manchurian 3rd Army Fieldpost pmk, repeated on front, which also bears Registry label "No.920 3rd Army Headquarters", negative seals of "Navarin" and arrival (18.1.06) in Simbirsk, fine registered usage from the Manchurian Army, with what might be unrecorded Registry label | Price Realized $450.00 |
 | Lot #1178 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (8 Mar) Pictorial envelope and letter on military-motif note paper, written in Kungchuling and canceled "TELIN" (Tiehling), sent to Biryuch, with blue departure cds, red military cachet, charged "160" in blue crayon, some toning and roughly opened, Tchilingirian (pages 456 and 473 "only one recorded so far on a stampless military letter") | Price Realized $450.00 |
 | Lot #1179 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (12 Aug) service military cover sent from the Active Army Reserve FPO No.12 (Ershitsiatse) to Telegraph branch of the 1st Army, missent FPO 31 and redirected and missent again, this time to TALADZHAO, with 9.9.05 arrival pmk, opened and resealed with official seals, redirected to its final destination (15th Field Telegraph branch), exceptional usage, parts of the cover replaced and mended, rare | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1180 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (30 Nov) registered cover to Denmark, franked on back with combination Russia 1k and 3k Arms and 10k "Kitai", tied by Fieldpost Corps No.1 Post Office "b" pmks on both sides, supported by corresponding Registry label ("1st Siberian Corps"), "R" in circle, with Copenhagen (5.2.06) arrival pmk, rare registered usage, mistakenly paying 14k domestic, instead of 20k overseas Registry rate. The mixed franking of Imperial and Russian Offices in China adhesives on cover to a foreign destination is unusual (The 1st Siberian Corps was at the time in Taolaichao) | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1181 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (18 Sep) picture postcard (military officer) to Bohemia and Moravia, with TAOLAICHAO departure cds, sent through the Field Post Office (24 Sep), with violet General Headquarters Manchurian Army (rear) censor hs, Red Cross "Russo-Dutch Medical Detachment" cachets and bilingual Iglau (11.11.05) arrival pmk, fine and intriguing usage from Taolaichao (postmark not recorded in Tchilingirian). The Dutch Red Cross was active in Manchuria during the war and provided medical assistance to the wounded soldiers of both sides. It was one of the few organizations that was allowed to operate there because it was neutral and had no political affiliations | Price Realized $500.00 |
 | Lot #1182 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (4 Aug) registered cover from St. Petersburg to Gungchzhiulin, care of Headquarters of the chief commander Danish Military Service, Registry label at bottom, with additional St. Petersburg departure and Main Central Field Post Office at Gungchzhiulin (25.8.05) arrival on back, with "Legation de Denmark" consular label in red, fine and historical item, cover was sent to a Danish International observer stationed in Manchurian theater of War | Price Realized $450.00 |
 | Lot #1183 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (5 Oct) cover to St. Petersburg, with "Taladzhao" (Taolaichao) departure pmk, two handstamps Red Cross of the Russo-Dutch Medical detachment and arrival (3 Nov) on back, minor tears, fine cover, Tchilingirian "No Examples known so far, Rating: RRR" | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1184 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (25 May) card sent to Empress Maria Feodorovna from Harbin, with two excellent strikes of "Harbin Gospit. Gorodok" (Harbin Hospital Compound), with red cachet of 4th Harbin covered hospital, St. Petersburg arrival (14.6.05) arrival pmk, all on front. The wounded soldier writes giving thanks for a gift and that he was evacuated by Empress Maria's Military Medical Train from Station Kungchuling, to which the Russian GHQ moved after the fall of Mukden. Also included is an additional picture postcard depicting transport of wounded to a Harbin hospital | Price Realized $140.00 |
 | Lot #1185 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (22 July) red-band cover to Austria, franked with three each 3k and 7k, paying 30k rate and tied by "Field Post Office 6th Siberian Corps (b)" cds, with corresponding cachet of "5th Battery 18th Artillery Brigade", registered, with large "R", endorsed "Via Vienna", with Reichenau (28.8) arrival pmk on back, fine | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #1186 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (17 July) Chinese-style envelope to Warszawa, sent from "4th Reserve Field Post Office", violet "Senior Doctor 8th Sapper Battalion" cachet, with Warszawa arrival. The 4th Reserve Field Post Office was at that time located in Kwangchentze, fine | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1187 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (4 Apr) Pictorial envelope and letter on military-motif note paper, datelined ERTSENDYANGTZE, sent to Biryuch, with "12th Reserve Field Post Office (b)" and red free-frank cachet of the "29th Arbyaniy Wartime Transport", some toning and roughly opened, Tchilingirian (page 438 "no examples recorded yet") | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1188 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (22 Jan) native Chinese style envelope sent from Mukden to Libau, violet "Lazaret 9th Infantry Regiment" ("Ivangorod Border to Estonia"), with arrival (16.II) on back, filing fold, otherwise fine usage from Mukden | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #1189 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (16 Feb) red-band cover endorsed "From 1st Active Army" and registered to Simbirsk, franked 14k tied "12th Reserve Field Post Office a", no registration label, but manuscript "628/FUSHUN", Simbirsk 13 3 05 arrival backstamp along with intaglio cachet of 2nd Company 7th (Krasnoyarsk) Siberian Infantry Regiment. This cover confirms the location of 12th Reserve FPO at Fushun, on the Hun Ho, 40km ENE of Mukden. Three days after this cover was posted the office was evacuated in the face of the Japanese advance | Price Realized $290.00 |
 | Lot #1190 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (22 Mar) Pictorial envelope and letter on military-motif note paper, datelined "Ertsendyangtze", sent to Biryuch, with "6th Reserve Field Post Office (b)" and red free-frank cachet of the "Wartime Transport Battalion", fine and attractive item, Tchilingirian (page 438 "no examples recorded yet") | Price Realized $475.00 |
 | Lot #1191 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (29 Jan) decorative Chinese cover to Moscow with circular violet free-frank cachet of 3rd Division 35th Artillery Brigade (faint strike) plus circular datestamp of "Field Post Office 1 No. 27". FPO No. 27 was attached to 3rd Manchurian Army and opened September 1904 at "Suyantun" (Suchiatung) a station of the Chinese Eastern Railway immediately south of Mukden. After the Battle of Mukden (23 Feb-10 March 1905) the Russian Army retreated to the north and FPO 27 moved to Koukiatien (Gouotszydyan), fine cover, signed Maslowski | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1192 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (12 Apr) card addressed to the President of Russo-Dutch (Medical) detachment in St Petersburg written from Talaitha by a staff Captain in charge of Railway Field Corps. Free-frank cachet in blue "Base Commandant TAOLAICHZHAO" and circular datestamp of "30th Reserve Field Post Office 'b'" (12.4.05). This card fixes the location of Field Post Office No. 30 in April 1905 as Taolaichao, which had a station of the Chinese Eastern Railway (Line 265/266). | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1193 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (10 July) registered insured money letter for 3 rubles, franked on back with 3k and 14k Arms, sent from Field Corps No.2 to St. Petersburg, with two intact wax seals, Insured Correspondence Field Corps No.2, corresponding Registry label, arrival pmk, some cover toning and wear, otherwise fine | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1194 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (4 July) large registered cover from "No.9 Reserve Field Post Office" to Paris, franked on back with strip of 3x10k dark blue, tied by the FPO cds, with corresponding Registry label on front, red circular cachet of "Chancellery Field HQ 1st Manchurian Army", some cover faults and minor repairs, with 11.8.05 arrival | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1195 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (12 Oct) registered cover from a Chinese firm in Ninguta, with "4th Reserve Field Post Office (e)" to Moscow, franked on back with pair of 7k blue, tied by the FPO cds, with corresponding Registry label on front, Moscow 4.11.05 arrival pmk, fine and rare usage from NINGUTA (present-day Ning'an) | Price Realized $240.00 |
 | Lot #1196 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (18 May) picture postcard to Moscow, Head Fieldpost Harbin departure pmk, showing an elaborate cachet of "Vereinslazareth der Deutschen Vereine von Roten Kreuz" in red, endorsed "From Active Army" at top, with Moscow arrival pmk, fine example of this rare German Red Cross cachet on mail from Manchuria | Price Realized $230.00 |
 | Lot #1197 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1905 (21 Feb) large part of a registered parcel card from Bendin (today Bedzin, Poland) to a soldier (Roniewski) with Active Army East Siberia Reserve Harbin City, Kwangchentze (FPO 14), card redirected several times, with Main Field Post Office arrival and finally sent back to Bendin and Sosnowice, with corresponding transit and arrival markings nine months later (17 Nov), fine and impressive item | Price Realized $450.00 |
 | Lot #1198 RUSSIA Russo-Japanese War 1906 (28 Dec) Japanese picture postcard to Moscow with a large "Head Field Post Office (a)" negative seal cachet, arrival pmk alongside, fine post-war usage from a large military unit in Manchuria. Also included a block of 20x4k red (vertically laid paper), with 3.10.06 Head Field Post Office cds | Price Realized $230.00 |
