Philatelic & Postal History

15-1. A Transoceanic Record Flight Rarity – and the Russian Myth of the North.

Postcard flown on Russia’s attempted 4,600-  mile non-stop east-west Transatlantic flight  from Moscow to New York City, hoping to  coincide with the opening of the 1939 “World  of Tomorrow” World’s Fair. Only about 50  pieces were carried, including a letter to Pres.  Roosevelt, greetings to World’s Fair officials,  and 32 postcards. Flown by already-famous  test pilot Brig. Gen. Vladimir Kokkinaki and  Maj. Gen. Mikhail Gordienko, harsh weather  over Canada forced their plane up to 30,000 feet. Nearly out of oxygen, their radio frozen,  Kokkinaki passed out, his co- pilot making a crash landing near New Brunswick’s ironically-  named Miscou Island, just 700 miles from their goal. (After making repairs, the plane finally  reached New York.) Twin Moscow Etranger postmarks, Apr. 28, 1939; same-day destination  cancel Miscou Lighthouse, Canada. Four colorful Russian postage stamps. Addressed in  purple ink to Amtorg Trading Corp., 261 Fifth Ave., N.Y. Russian-French airmail and Russian  registered label. On verso, realphoto of Lenin’s mausoleum. “...With the approaching war, this  well-publicized debacle spelled the end of the Soviet Arctic aviation exploits of the 1930s.  Despite failing to reach his original destination, [Kokkinaki] still covered a distance of 8,000  km in 22 hours, 56 min., at an average speed of 348 km/h, and since 1959, the route he used  (Moscow-Novgorod-Helsinki-Trondheim-Iceland-Cape Farewell-Miscou Island) is used for  the regular flights between N.Y. and Moscow. In 1965, he was honored by the International  Air Transport Association...for his finding the ‘shortest flight route between Europe and  America.’”--wikipedia. This 1939 flight is mentioned in Red Arctic: Polar Exploration and the  Myth of the North in the Soviet Union (John McCannon, Oxford University Press, 1998).  Trivial wear, else excellent. With photocopy of map in N.Y. Daily News, showing route of the  flight. AAMC TO1320; old catalogue value 900.00, 5th ed., Vol. 4, 1981; 1250.00 in Pricing  Supplement, 1990. The only auction sale comparable found is a signed cover from this flight,  sold at Cherrystone, 2007, for 9,000.00. Ex-William H. Peters, noted aerophilatelist, who  acquired all surviving pieces from Amtorg, after the Fair closed in Nov. 1939. A rare artifact of  coalescing dashed dreams – the flight seeking Russia’s ultimate aviation triumph, on the eve  of a World’s Fair promising world peace; just months later, the world changed. $1900-2750 

15-2. The World of 20th-Century Local Posts.

Splendid collection of 48 varied covers, some oversize, and 2 postcards, all sent through U.S.  Mail via local posts, 1935-89. Almost all with both private “postage stamps” and handstamps,  together with U.S. postage. Some enthusiastically decorated, variously with multiple  handstamps, cancels, and colorful and fanciful designs, others plainer, but fascinating dual  usage. Including: three “Revival of the Camel Express - Fort Tejon to Los Angeles,” 1935,  celery, lilac, and orange labels. • Ten “Via Rattlesnake Island [Ohio] Local Post,” 1967-71,  varied sizes, with total of twelve triangular local stamps. • Two Rattlesnake postcards. •  “Cadillac Post - College Football 1869-1969 - 10¢.” • Cadillac, Boy Scouts, 1952, with curious  stiffener card inside postmarked “1912,” either a postal error or a fantasy. • Nine diff.  Zynzmystyr Local Post, 1977-80, ½¢ labels, handstamps commemorating Revolutionary War  events, space - and animals. • Lake Harmony, Pa., home-printed franking. • Boca Raton  Bicycle Post, 1978, large humorous pictorial handstamp, goldenrod 5¢, “This stamp franks  mail to the Post Office only - All receipts to charity.” • Three “Brook Hill Local Service - To Speed Mail from Genesee Depot, Wis. after  P.O. is Closed,” 1954-58. • “Doc’s Revolting Political Parody Local Post,” Tigard, Ore., 1989, 6 x 9, with three large labels, showing  Lincoln, Reagan, and Gorbachev, latter with anti-Soviet editorial. • Doc’s, Mount St. Helens cachets. • Doc’s, “First Annual National  Local Post Day,” 1989, 20th anniversary cover, Apollo 11 cachet. • Doc’s, “Concord(e) - First Landing - Portland International Airport,”  1990. • Doc’s “Cycle Crane First Flight - 25th Anniversary of First U.S. Manned Space Flight,” 1986. • Nick’s Local Post Runners,  Sanibel Is., Fla., humorous baseball label, 1986. • Nick’s, Lunar New Year, 1987. • Two diff. Juan de Fuca Port Angeles-Victoria  Despatch Service, 1986-87. • Three diff. Rocky Run Local Post, Chantilly, Va., 1955-58. • Pooch Local Post, Los Gatos, Calif., 1974. •  Shrub Oak Local Post, 1955, (Herman Herst, Jr.). • Centerport, L.I. Local Service, 1954. • Park Cities Penny Post. • Confair Local Post,  1971. • Plus “C5A Aircraft First Flight to Ascension Island,” 1972. Camel Express toned with some light waterstains, Confair  considerably wrinkled, one Zynzmystyr inner flap folded, else all others fine to excellent. Many are now very scarce. On Hagner album  pages, contained in old, durable ring binder, very fine. Much fun, sure to entertain non-philatelists too. $350-550 (51 pcs. in binder) 

15-3. Postage Paid through Sale of a Horse.

A postal history oddity: A.L.S. of Lt. Col. N. Towson, (Commanding Officer), Fort Wolcott (on Goat Is., Newport, R.I.), Dec. 31, 1817, 8  x 9¾, 1 p. To Capt. M. Mason, A.D.Q.M.G. “I have enclosed the Auctioneers ac(count) for Selling the Horse and my accts. for postage  from the last quarter which deducted from the price of the horse - leaves a balance of $17.25 which I will send you by L(t). Wilkins who  leaves in a day or two for Boston.” Chipping along lower left margin and at left corner, with no loss of text, toning, else good. That  Summer was an eventful one at Fort Wolcott: Pres. Monroe made an official visit, mentioned in The World’s Most Mysterious Castles,  by Fanthorpe. And Lt. Wilkins found himself in the center of a scandal: music under his supervision, performed for the Gov. of R.I.,  was found insulting and indecorous by the misconduct of an underling, leading to a court martial (modern copy of account  accompanies). Fascinating. $65-85 

15-4. Poster Stamps.

Delightful collection of 53 original Cinderella poster stamps, many oversize, 1910-49 but principally before about 1925. Many colorful,  all with inviting, bold period artwork. Including: 1918 Textile Exposition, N.Y.; 1911 Industrial and Educational Expo., Boston, gold  embossing; 1916 “America’s Electrical Week”; 1921 Graphic Arts Expo., Chicago; 1925 Jewelry Expo., Boston; 1920 N.Y. Electrical  Show; 1915 Kansas State Poultry Show; 1917 National Canners Convention, Cleveland; 1912 Electric Show, Boston; “Florida Oranges &  Grape Fruit, Tampa”; 1917 “First Pan-American Aeronautic Expo.,” N.Y.; 1917 National Orange Show, San Bernardino, Calif.; 1916  250th Anniversary Celebration of Newark, N.J.; oversize 1909 “Clackamas County - Gem of the Willamette - No Blizzards - No  Cyclones...Oregon City, Ore...”; 1918 “Come to Portland” (Ore.); “Tampa - The City of Tropical Splendor...”; 1949 Air Conditioning  Expo., Chicago; and many more. • Plus 4 stylish bookplates, including old-fashioned train moving through a snowy landscape, all  probably prewar. Neatly arranged on older, ribbed sticky-face photo mounting boards, now dried, with clear film overlap; some stamps  with light show-through of honey-toned ribs in unprinted areas, else excellent. Splendid representation of this under-collected corner  of twentieth-century graphics. $125-175 (57 pcs.)

15-5. To a North Carolina Officer.

Confederate cover with manuscript “Smithville N.C. / January 10th [1862] / Paid 5,” to “Capt. George Wortham, 2d N. Carolina Vols.,  Norfolk, Virginia.” Caramel tan cover. Tear where opened, roughly outlining “Smithville N.C.” and through first and last letters, usual  fine postal creases, cellophane mending strip on back blank flap, else good plus. Wortham more correctly served in the 2nd D Co., of  the 12th N.C.; in April, he moved to Field & Staff of the 50th N.C. Ancient Dietz catalogue value 50.00 in old pencil on verso. $90-120 

15-6. “It is fine weather today for fighting....”

Confederate cover with green due “10” handstamp, from Pvt. J.H. Hamilton, 7th Regt., Tenn. Volunteers [Infantry], to his mother,  Emily Hamilton, Stewarts Ferry, Tenn. “1861” in collector’s hand in pencil. Diagonal crease at lower right, dust toning, else good plus  and pleasing for display. • With enclosed note on irregular 2 x 5¼ scrap of paper salvaged by writer from a larger piece. “This morning  is very clear & plenty of frost in the valley. Winter will be here by 10th of Oct. One company from our Regt. have gone out this morning  & are to try and bring the enemy out of their entrenchments. It may bring on a fight in a day or two. It is fine weather to day for  fighting. We have the privilege of sending our letters now without prepaying....” Old folds, else good. Unusual postal reference by a  Confederate soldier. With brief service record; Hamilton fought through the war, surrendering at Appomattox. $150-200 (2 pcs.) 

15-7. Where the Great Locomotive Chase Ended – with Link to the Commander of the Merrimac.

Diminutive ladies envelope, just 1¾ x 4½, with Confederate #11 (else 12),  10¢ rich blue, greenish- black “Ringgold Geo(rgia) / Jul 10” c.d.s., “1863” in  ink. It was in Ringgold where The General locomotive finally stopped during  the Great Locomotive Chase; the Battle of Ringgold Gap was fought later in  1863. To “Miss Gertrude T. Tartt, Care Dr. Mabry, Selma, Ala.,” two of the  four lines crossed out in contemporary ink, likely when the tiny envelope was  reused after receipt, for a non-postal purpose. Perhaps the ultimate  reflection of adversity use - and reverse use at that, repurposing a mailed  envelope for domestic use. Gertrude married Confederate Capt. Catesby ap  Roger Jones, commander of the ironclad Merrimac (also known as the CSS Virginia) in its battle with the Monitor, one of history’s  most famous clashes. He was shot in the streets of Selma in 1877, by a parent whose son had a disagreement with theirs. Light edge  tears, stamp very closely trimmed, molasses evident at edges, molasses(?) stain along blank bottom of cover, else about very good. The  smallest Confederate cover we have handled in years, with association with two of the Civil War’s most storied events. A conversation  piece. $140-170

64/15-8. The Road is Long....

Attractive cover addressed in cobalt blue to ill-fated Union soldier in  Arkansas, routed via Cairo, the Illinois port base under command of Gen.  Grant. “Bloomfield Iowa / Feb 9” (1863) c.d.s. on cerise postal stationery, 3¢  Washington entire, attributed on old dealer’s slip as “No. 92, Die 15, Size 3,  Knf. 2, Wmk. 1.” To (Pvt.) John W. Barnes, “Helena, Ark(ansa)s, Co. F, 30th  Iowa Infantry, In care of Capt. H. Mings.” Black backstamp Cairo, Ill., Feb.  13. Manuscript “Recd. Feb. 23...,” probably in soldier’s hand. Helena was a  Mississippi River base for Western Campaign. Barnes died of disease in Aug.  of that year, at Black River, Miss. Uniform postal soiling, else good plus.  Interesting address, routing, and uncommon indicia on soldiers mail.  $75-100

15-9. The Liberator of Ireland.

Envelope front addressed and signed by Daniel O’Connell, Irish Catholic leader popularly known as the Liberator of Ireland. Lord  Mayor of Dublin, Member of Parliament, arrested 1843 for seditious conspiracy. In his hand, “Boynton Esq. / Trin(ity) College /  Cambridge,” signed at lower left, with “London” and manuscript date apparently in another hand. Orange-red Royal postmark, Mar.  29, 1836, during his period of leading “agitation for abolition of tithes and of established church in Ireland; opposed poor law and  movement against rent...”--Webster’s Biographical. Some edge staining, else good plus, attractive, and now uncommon. Both anti-  slavery and pro-Jewish, O’Connell’s Catholic Emancipation campaign served as precedent for emancipation of British Jews, repealing  the law mandating special attire. King George IV once complained, “O’Connell is King of Ireland, and I am only the dean of Windsor.”  O’Connell’s portrait appeared on Ireland’s first commemorative stamps in 1929, and on a modern Irish £20 banknote. His life and  philosophy were said to have inspired Frederick Douglass, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. $100-130 

15-10. Postage Stamps on Cigarette Cards.

Delightful group of 15 different, colorful Duke’s “Postage Stamps” cigarette cards (series N85), issued during John Wanamaker’s term  as Postmaster Gen., 1889-92, chromolithographed, each with an actual used foreign postage stamp affixed to mail-themed picture on  front of card, as part of design. Including soldier with “Letters for the Front,” “Loading Mail, N.Y. Post Office,” “Mail Aboard Ship,”  “Mexican Mail” with two men riding shotgun, sentimental woman “Burning Old Letters”, mother guiding child’s hand in “First Letter,”  “Mail Car Interior,” “Fast Mail” showing train, and others. Some light tip wear, one creased, else vivid and about very fine. One of the  more unusual issues of tobacco cards, each requiring hand-mounting of a postage stamp. Charming. $110-150 (15 pcs.) 

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