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 #5284 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH Canadian Expeditionary Force in North Russia 1818 (11 Nov) "O.A.S." cover to Markham, Ontario, with clear "Field Post Office P.B.44" (Bakharitza) departure cds, violet "Censor R.A. School" (Royal Artillery School) handstamp and signature below, Dec 17, 18 arrival pmk on back  | Price Realized $260.00 |
 | Lot #5285 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH Canadian Expeditionary Force in North Russia 1918-19 two "On Active Service" covers to Canada, one "Field Post Office PB 55" (Bereznik) cds (rounded upper left corner), the other with embossed "the Royal Canadian Field Artillery" emblem on reverse (also two uncanceled Russian stamps) "Field Post Office PB 88" pmk, two different censor cachets, faint arrival pmk, fine and rare pair of covers, with the only recorded Canadian Intervention mail from Berezniki and Medvezhya Gora (after Lenin agreed to the terms of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on 3 March 1918, the Allies sent troops to Northern Russia. The stated goal was to prevent the Germans from using Murmansk as a submarine base, but in reality, the Allies intended to support the White Russian (anti-Bolshevik) forces against the Red Army. There were two companies under the command of a Canadian officer, Lieutenant-Colonel J.B. Leckie, one sent to Murmansk and the 16th Canadian Artillery Brigade to Archangel. The Canadians fought alongside the White Army. The 67th and 68th Batteries distinguished themselves during a Red Army assault at Tulgas, 200 kilometers south of Archangel. Before their departure in 1919, ten Canadians received the St. George's Cross, the Russian equivalent of the Victoria Cross, and a further 10 received the St. George's Medal. They were the only Allied troops to be decorated by the Russians) | Price Realized $750.00 |
