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 #5337 MONTENEGRO 1844 (10 Mar) cover (backflap missing) sent by Bishop-Prince Njegos from Vienna to Count Vujic London, "Wien Recommande" departure datestamp, red "Registered" applied on arrival in London, French transit and red wax seals mostly intact on reverse, overall ageing, fine cover, one of only two (!) surviving from the most famous Montenegrin in history (Petar II Petrovic-Njegos was a Montenegrin prince-bishop, philosopher and poet, recognized for his significant influence on Montenegro's cultural and political landscape. His most notable work is the epic poem "The Mountain Wreath" ("Gorski vijenac"), a patriotic and philosophical exploration of Montenegro's history and struggles. Njegos played a crucial role in shaping Montenegro's identity during a crucial period in the 19th century)
| Price Realized $475.00
|
 | Lot #5338 MONTENEGRO 1874 (8 July) cover to Trieste, franked with single 7 novcica light lilac, tied by Cetinje cds, with Cattaro transit and Trieste (14.7.74) arrival pmks on back, fine and very scarce usage of the First issue 7n Prince Nicholas stamp, sent just two months after issue-date, paying the concession letter rate to Austria. Covers franked with the first printing Nicholas stamps are quite elusive as the quantity of mail handled in the early years was very limited (due to a high rate of illiteracy and the fact that the populace was not accustomed to using a postal service)
| Price Realized $800.00
|
 | Lot #5339 MONTENEGRO 1876 (24 Jan) FL to Belgrade, franked with horizontal pair of 5 novcica rose red, canceled by Cetinje thimble cds, Cattaro transit and arrival pmks on back, filing fold away from the stamps, fine (Postal service to Serbia was established on January 1st, 1876 and this is possibly the Earliest Recorded example of mail from Cetinje to Serbia)
| Price Realized $850.00
|
 | Lot #5340 MONTENEGRO 1880 (27 Apr) address label for a parcel (2kg & 258gr), value-declared (204 Florins in silver), sent from Rieka to Trieste, franked with 5 novcica First Printing Prince Nicholas stamp, tied by departure cds, manuscript annotation indicates payment in cash for value declared letter abroad, collected 48n (Montenegro postage) plus 52n for Foreign postal service, and 25n Parcel fee from Rieka to Cattaro, some paper mending and wrinkles, elusive early handwritten postal form sent abroad (use of the first definitives on mail matter other than letters or postcards is rare)
| Unsold
|
 | Lot #5341 MONTENEGRO 1880 (28 Sep) cover from Cetinje to Belgium, paying the International 10n postage with 2n and 3n (First printing), used in combination with similar 2n and 3n (Second printing), all tied by Cetinje departure cds, with Brussels (5 Oct 1880) arrival pmk on back, fine and extraordinary mixed issues franking, one of the premier rarities of the country (Fleck handbook states that "mixed franking of the first printing with later issues is exceedingly scarce") (Mi.1 I/II, 2I/II) (ex-David Feldman auction 26 May 2000, SFr 2,200 hammer)
| Price Realized $1,700.00
|
 | Lot #5342 MONTENEGRO 1888 (12 June) registered cover from Cetinje to Germany, franked with single 25 novcica lilac gray, tied by departure cds, with "Recommender" handstamp and "Charge" at left, blue crayon directional mark, Hannover 18.6.88 arrival pmk on back, v.f. example of the highest denomination First Printing stamp on cover, one of only two or three recorded
| Unsold
|
 | Lot #5343 MONTENEGRO 1888 (17 Nov) registered cover from Cetinje to Sierra Leone, franked with 5n+10n+15n (Second printing Prince Nicholas), paying the proper 20n letter rate for overseas mail (including 10n registration fee), tied down by departure cds, endorsed "Via Liverpool", with "Charge" handstamp, alongside, red oval London (24 Nov) transit, Liverpool datestamp and Freetown (Dec 13) arrival pmks on back, small stain at top of the 5n adhesive, fine and highly attractive Montenegro cover to uncommon destination
| Price Realized $625.00
|