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 #5280 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH Canadian Expeditionary Force in Siberia 1918 (4 Dec) cover mailed aboard "RMS Monteagle", with letter headed "Canadian Pacific Railway Co. R.M.S. Monteagle" explaining that the writer is posting letter on ship to speed delivery, cover franked with 3x1c green, canceled Vancouver (Jan 22, 1919), handstamped "Passed by Censor 001", with Martins, New Brunswick Jan 30, 19 arrival pmk on back, ex-Brown correspondence, earliest recorded Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force censored cover  | Price Realized $260.00 |
 | Lot #5281 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH Canadian Expeditionary Force in Siberia 1919-20 four covers and card to Canada or USA, canceled "Field Post Office Canadian Siberian Exp.Force", "On Active Service" endorsements, different Censor markings, described on two exhibit pages | Unsold |
| Lot #5282 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH Canadian Expeditionary Force in Siberia 1920 collection (expertly described on pages), Postal History of the Canadian Contingent in Siberia, 24 covers or cards from the well known "Brown correspondence" to West Quaco, New Brunswick, corner cards of the "Canadian Red Society" Vladivostok, three sent unfranked, one endorsed "On Active Service", the others charged "T" and "6" or "10 cents" by hand, many sent via Japan, one via Yokohama by British Consular bag, others carried by favor to Harbin and Shanghai, China, usually date-lined "Vladivostok" and then via Changchun and Shanghai, also cover carried by favor to Vancouver, others from Manchuria City, one sent via the Russian system, with 1r franking, plus incoming mail to Vladivostok. There is a printed "The Mag" (British Middlesex Regiment magazine), published in Vladivostok July 1919 (fascinating contents), corner card of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco (on the way back home), additional ephemera, Menu, postcards of the "Empress of Japan" (Ocean liner ordered by Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Ltd), registered covers from Russia and Far Eastern Republic, Newspaper clipping, 14 covers or cards from the Canadian training Depots, mail en-route to Siberia, one from Fort William, Ont., regimental crests, photographs, charity label and more. In addition, there are 16 covers or cards which were not mounted or described, mostly the Brown correspondence, mixed condition, with some interesting items. This collection was formed by Robert C.Smith and acquired by Al Kugel for further study and educational exhibits. A most appealing glimpse into this largely forgotten piece of Canadian history, thanks to this exhibit showing letters from Sgt-Maj. Douglas Marr Brown who served with the Canadian Red Cross in Siberia, distributing relief supplies to refugees fleeing Bolsheviks along the Trans-Siberian Railway and Vladivostok | Unsold |
