The Alfred F. Kugel Collection, Part Three
February 11-12, 2025
Welcome to the third sale dedicated to material meticulously assembled by Alfred "Al" F. Kugel over a multidecade effort to build an expansive collection of philatelic and postal history items focused on military conflicts of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Upon his passing in 2022, Al Kugel entrusted the American Philatelic Society (APS) with his entire philatelic estate, including 180 boxes of philatelic literature and military postal history material. Much of the material offered across the first three sales has not appeared on the market for decades, many of the items originally acquired through Cherrystone Auctions, where Al was a frequent and valued client. Now, this exceptional collection returns to the marketplace, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire significant pieces enriched by Al's extensive scholarship and research.
Al's collection spans global conflicts and military mail from the late 19th century through modern times, with a focus on the break-up of Austrian, German, Ottoman Empire and Russian Empires, military campaigns in the Balkans, with Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Allied Interventions in China during the Boxer Rebellion and in Russia during the Civil War as well as the two World Wars and their aftermaths. An extraordinary array of regional Military and Naval mail from those violent actions form the core of Al's exhibits, China, Japan, and other nations.
This sale will take place via CherrystoneLIVE
Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #5107 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1880 (1 Apr) FL from Mostar to Trieste, with K.u.K.Milit.Post 13 Mostar departure cds, with uncanceled Austrian 5kr red at bottom, franking not recognized, charged "10" in blue crayon,. With boxed "T", Zara transit and Trieste arrival pmks on back. Since first Bosnian stamps were issued on 1 July, 1879, Austrian franking was no longer valid for postage, fine
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5108 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1883-1916 two exhibit pages, showing different types of "NEUM" single circle and serifed letters postmarks, one on the 5kr (1867 Franz Josef) single stamp, then picture postcard, single circle sans-serif (one of only two known, with Ferchenbauer certificate), also double circle postmarks, one on piece dated 1906, others to Wien and Budapest (sent by a soldier in a coastal defense unit during World War I)
| Price Realized $1,300.00
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 | Lot #5109 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1885 (20 Apr) Money order form (sending 200 guldens) to Metkovic, paying the correct fee of 40 kreuzer for amounts of 150 to 200 gulden, postage paid by 15Kr+25Kr litho, both tied by "K.K.Milit.Post XXXII/Sarajevo" cds, with arrival (24.4.85) on back, fine usage from Sarajevo to Metkovic
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5110 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1885-89 exhibit page, with 1889 (16 June) registered cover from Sarajevo to Pest, paying the correct postage with 15kr (Lithographed), tied by "K.K.Milit.Post XXXII/Sarajevo" cds, various crayon markings, also Money Order for 150 Guldens, sent in 1885 (6 July) from Zvornik to Vienna, franked with a horizontal pair of 15kr (Litho), tied by "K.K.Milit.Post XX/Zwornik" cds, filing fold well away from the stamps, fine
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5111 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1886 (11 July) money order for 150 Gulden, addressed to Hungary, franked with 5n rose red, pair of 10n blue, single and strip of three of 25n violet (all Lithographed), tied by Military Administration "K.K.Milit.Post XXXVII/ F0ca" cds, repeated alongside, with "Szinyer-Varallya" (16.7.86) arrival pmk on back, filing fold causing some paper splitting, the form itself with creases and tears, still fine and colorful first issue franking, considered to be one of the outstanding postal history items of Bosnia
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5112 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1891 (2 Apr) registered outer FL from Mostar to Liebenau, franked with a block of 10x2kr orange (Lithographed), canceled by K.und K. Milit. Post 13 Mostar departure datestamps, with Graz arrival pmk on back. Cover has been cleaned (stamps lifted and replaced), fine and remarkable franking. Large multiples of Litho printing are seldom seen on cover, this may be the largest recorded
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5113 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1893 (2 Feb) 5kr stationery entire envelope uprated with 2x2kr+2x3kr litho, registered from Janjici to Sarajevo, paying correct rate of 5kr+10kr registration fee, all tied by "K.K.Milit.Post XXVIII/Janjici" cds with "Sarajevo 2.2" arrival datestamp on back, fine and colorful combination
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5114 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1894 (27 Sep) registered cover from Bosanski Brod to Italy, correctly franked on the reverse with pair of 10kr (Typo), paying 10kr postage and 10kr registry, tied by oval "K.K.Milit.Post.XXXI/Bos.Brod" departure datestamp, repeated on front, with Sospirolo arrival (29 Sep), some toning, otherwise fine
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5115 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1896 (5 Aug) registered cover to Vienna, franked with single 25n violet, tied by "K K.Milit. Post. XXXII/Sarajevo" departure cds, with "R nr. 207" and "Recommandirt" by hand, paying triple-weight registry rate (3x5kr+10kr for registration), v.f., extremely scarce usage of 25n violet on commercial, non-philatelic mail, one of the most outstanding items in Bosnia's postal history
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5116 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1897 (4 Nov) registered cover from the German Consulate in Sarajevo to Cassel, franked with 20kr olive (typographed), tied by "K.K. Milit.Post.XXXII/Sarajevo" departure pmk, with 17.11.98 arrival pmk on back, blue "Kaiserlich Deutsches Konsulat in Serajevo" embossed label, various directional crayon markings, fine and rare commercial usage of 20kr Typo issue
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5117 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1898 (1 Apr) a wedding invitation envelope sent from Sarajevo to Sisak, correctly franked with 2kr typographed, canceled by double circle Military Administration Sarajevo cds, fine and scarce usage of single 2kr franking paying printed matter fee
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5118 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1898 (22 Mar) small cover to Wiener Neustadt, franked with 2Kr+3Kr typo printing, each tied by "K.K.Milit.Post XXXIX/Zupanjac" cds, v.f., with 26 March arrival, v.f. and attractive cover to Austria
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5119 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1899 (15 June) registered cover to Zurich, franked with single 20n gray green, tied by "K.und K.Milit. Post. XXXII/Sarajevo" departure cds, with "R nr" and "Recommandirt" typewritten at bottom left, paying the correct rate for registered mail to a foreign destination (10kr+10kr for registration), v.f., scarce single franking usage, with 17.VI.99 arrival pmk on back
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5120 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1900 (23 Feb) registered cover from Banjaluka to Sarajevo, franked with single and horizontal pair of First Issue 5kr red and single 2kr yellow, paying 17kr (equivalent of 34h), used in combination with 1900 1h Eagle, with framed Banja Luka departure datestamps and corresponding arrival (25.2.00) on back, v.f. and spectacular mixed franking of first and second issues during the transitional period
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5121 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1900 (19 Feb) 2kr stationery card, used in combination with 1900 1h gray, paying the required 5 heller rate from Rudolfsthal to Vienna, fine and scarce mixed issues franking (Kreuzer and Heller Eagle issues)
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5122 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1902 (12 Dec) Value declared letter, originally containing 4,000 gulden in banknotes (8,000 Kronen), sent from Sarajevo to Rudolf Friedl in Vienna. The basic postage was 1.65 Kr + 1.92kr for insurance, total of 3.57kr paid with 3x1kr dark rose, plus single 2h, 5h and 50h, all tied on back by octagonal "Sarajevo-Filiale" datestamps, repeated on front, with intact wax seals, minor backflap tears, fine and elusive high value franking
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5123 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1906 (24 Oct) large part of a registered cover (bottom half of the front/address portion missing), with intact Registry and private pharmacist's labels, franked on reverse with the complete set of 16 (all values current at that time), with Third Coat of Arms (with black denominations) where appropriate and Second Issue stamps otherwise, sent from a pharmacy at "Brcka" to "Kral. Vinhorady" in Bohemia, "K.u.K. Milit.Post Brcka" departure and arrival pmks on back, philatelically inspired, nevertheless remarkable franking which includes the rare 5 krone stamp
| Unsold
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 | Lot #5124 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1918 Emperor Karl I, 2h-90h complete set of 13, n.h., fine-v.f., ** Catalog #128-40 Catalog Value $ 338 | Price Realized $160.00
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 | Lot #5125 BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 1918 1kr olive green, greenish paper, h.r., well centered, v.f., * Catalog #141 Catalog Value $ 1,900 | Price Realized $1,200.00
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