Lot
2399 
1909, 8¢ olive green, on bluish paper, o.g., lightly hinged, strong color on deep distinctively blued paper, nicely centered with wide margins for this difficult issue, Very Fine, a choice example of the rarest of all bluish paper issues; with 1998 P.F. certificate.Scott No. 363 $30,000.
A WELL CENTERED AND FRESH ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 8¢ BLUISH PAPER.
According to Johl, the only source of the 4¢ and 8¢ Bluish paper stamps was the archives of the Post Office Department. Approximately 80 of each were traded for rare stamps missing from the archives.
Realized: $10,500
Lot
1611 
Mexico, Airmail, 1935, 20c lake, Amelia Earhart Goodwill Flight, top right corner margin block of 4, o.g., never hinged (trivial fingerprint on top right stamp), rich color and well centered throughout, Very Fine and choice; signed Kessler.Scott No. C74 $24,000 for singles.
AN EXTREMELY RARE MULTIPLE, IT IS BELIEVED ONLY THREE BLOCKS EXIST.
Realized: $7,000
Lot
2080 
1938, Presidential Issue, 20¢ Garfield, tied by "Chicago, Ill., Dec 2, 1941" machine postmark on cover addressed to "George H. Hotchkiss, c/o Operations, U.S. Naval Air Station, Pearl Harbor, T.H.", with airmail label and cellophane tape seal at left, circular "Passed By Naval Censor" handstamp and manuscript "12-14-41" receiving docketing, Very Fine, a remarkable airmail cover sent to the Naval Air Station at Pearl Harbor.Scott No. 825 Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
A HISTORIC FLIGHT COVER FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO HONOLULU ON THE ANZAC CLIPPER, ARRIVING IN HAWAII LATE ENOUGH ON DECEMBER 7, 1941 FOR DIVERSION TO HILO AS THE BOMBS FELL ON PEARL HARBOR.
Ken Lawrence has written extensively on WWII postal history and the Pearl Harbor Day flight of the Anzac Clipper. In his Linn's article, "International airmail covers recall the 'Day of Infamy' ", he writes how the Pan American Airways FAM 14 Anzac Clipper, a Boeing B-314A flying boat, registration No. NC 18611 had taken took off from San Francisco late on the afternoon of December 5 but experienced mechanical trouble 400 miles out and had to return for repairs. "After being repaired, she had been rescheduled to leave at 2 p.m. California time on Dec. 6, but the veteran pilot, Capt. H. Lanier Turner, had been granted a brief postponement of the departure time, about half an hour, so he could attend his daughter's first piano recital at Oakland. At 8 a.m. the next morning, Anzac Clipper was less than an hour away from Honolulu when its radio officer received a coded flash warning that Pearl Harbor was under Japanese air attack. Turner's providentially late departure from San Francisco had delayed his approach just long enough to have kept his vulnerable aircraft out of harms way. Turner's "Plan A" secret instructions in the event of war rerouted Anzac Clipper to Hilo, 220 miles southwest of the combat zone. Gen. Walter C. Short, the military governor of Hawaii, had immediately declared martial law in the islands and had ordered the newly created Information Control Board, headquartered beside the Honolulu post office, to open and examine all transit and outbound civil mail."
The Anzac Clipper's mail was forwarded from Hilo to Honolulu for censorship, with transiting mail receiving the handstamped "RELEASED BY I.C.B." marking in black ink and the cellophane tape seal on the cover. This cover is unusual because it received the U.S. Navy censorship handstamp before being delivered to the addressee at Pearl Harbor. Mail to destinations in Hawaii was delivered, while flights farther west ceased.
Realized: $2,700
Lot
1108
Australia, 1934, Kangaroo and Map, £2 black & rose, C of A watermark, in combination 1933, KGV, 5d brown buff, horizontal pair + 1932-35, Kangaroo and Map, 5sh yellow & gray + 10sh pink & gray + £1 gray (120, 126, 127, 128) on line gold bullion parcel tag addressed to the "United States of American Mint, San Francisco, U.S.A.", all tied by "G.P.O. Perth, 14 Fe, 39" cds's with registry etiquette alongside, Very Fine. SG No. 138.Scott No. 129 Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
A REMARKABLE KANGAROO & MAP ISSUE HIGH VALUE FRANKING ON A PARCEL TAG FOR SENDING GOLD BULLION TO THE SAN FRANCISCO MINT.
In Australia until at least 1925, gold bullion was a prohibited export. However by the 1930's gold bullion was routinely sent to the United States for refining. The shipment accompanying this tag mail from Perth W.A. (Feb 14, 1939) was probably one of the last exported, as during 1939 the export of gold was restricted and from then on, all gold produced within Australia was required to be lodged in a refined state with the Australian Commonwealth Bank.
Realized: $4,750
Lot
1540
Mexico, 1865, Eagle (4th Period), 4r green, Mexico, in combination with Mexico, 1865, Eagle (4th Period), 2r orange (23), both from the very scarce Gutierrez invoice (77-1865), tied by light circular Morelia handstamp (Schatzkes 856 - 60 points) on 1865 folded letter to Celaya, Very Fine, a major rarity of the issue in such exceptional condition; with 2024 M.E.P.S.I. certificate.Scott No. 24 Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
Realized: $3,750
Lot
1373
French Offices in Yokohama, France, 1872, Ceres, 80c rose on pinkish, in combination with France, 1871-72, 5c yellow green on blue bluish + 15c bistre on yellowish (53, 56) on cover to Lyon, France, all tied by "5118" dotted lozenge handstamps and "Yokohama, Bau Francais, 30 Juin, 74" cds, reverse franked with Japan, 1874, 1s blue, syllabic 1, horizontal pair (33) tied by cds, Marseilles transit and "Lyon, 24 Aout, 74" receiving cds; France 80c with light wrinkling, otherwise Very Fine. Yvert No. 57.Scott No. 63 Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
A WONDERFUL FRANCE - JAPAN MIXED FRANKING USAGE FROM THE FRENCH OFFICES ON YOKOHAMA.
Realized: $3,500
Lot
1262
Mauritius, 1848-59, "Post Paid", 2d blue on bluish, worn impression, o.g., hinged, four nice margins, fresh and Very Fine. SG No. 22.Scott No. 6b $7,500.
A RARE MINT ORIGINAL GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 1848-59 2D "POST PAID" ISSUE IN THE WORN STATE.
Realized: $4,250
Lot
1352
Finland, 1866, Finnish Coat of Arms, 10p red brown on lilac laid paper, roulette III, color error, full o.g. and neatly hinged at top, well centered amid full intact teeth all around, rich color and exceptional freshness, Very Fine and choice, accompanied by 1944 Carl Pelander auction sale lot card, ex-Faberge, Rothschild & Gross; signed C. Pelander and backstamped Faberge, with 2006 R. Gummesson certificate. Michel No. 7 C F. Facit No. 7C3v6.Scott No. 13c $7,000.
A REMARKABLE MINT ORIGINAL GUM EXAMPLE OF THEE 1866 10P FINNISH COAT OF ARMS COLOR OF ERROR.
Complete images including certificate(s):
View gallery or Download PDF (5.5MB).
Realized: $6,000
Lot
1538
Mexico, 1865, Eagle (4th Period), 2r orange (Chihuahua), with large capitol Parral district overprint, cons 169-1865, tied by oval Parral handstamp (similar to Schatzkes 162 with addition of ornaments at sides) with manuscript "Mro 16, 1866" date n folded letter to Durango, Very Fine; with 2024 M.E.P.S.I. certificate.Scott No. 23 var. Estimate $4,000 - 6,000.
There are very few covers known from this district as it was under control of the Liberal army most of the war time. A similar cover with large capitol Chihuahua overprint sold in Spink at $16,000.
Realized: $4,000