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Special Auction - National and international Airmail
+++For our online catalog please click on the cover above+++
Dear fellow collectors,
People have always been fascinated with flying. To watch the world from above – continues to be one of the great dreams of mankind. Flying and stamps have been going hand in hand for some time now as well. The ability to cover great distances at high speeds has made aviation into one of the major catalyst of worldwide mail.
We are proud to offer our special catalogue “German and International Airmail” on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the start of the German Airmail and the accompanying philatelic exhibition AeroBerlin 2019. This offer documents the time between the beginnings of aviation up the present. Two covers are particularly noteworthy: An Apollo 15 moon cover from series of 100, signed by all astronauts Astronauten David Scott, Alfred Worden and James Irwin (Lot 285) and a 1992, space mail Berlin-space station Mir cover (lot 304) signed by participants of the astronautic congress. The Zeppelin airship period is represented by several covers with rare origins (e.g. Yemen and Najd). The auction will also feature a choice selection of autographs (e.g. Neil Armstrong).
With this catalogue, we try to provide an overview of the field of aerophilately beautiful collection. Be inspired by this convincing offer, get ready to bid or simply enjoy this elaborate publication.
We would be very pleased if you accepted our invitation to come to this special auction on April 27th 2019 at the Russisches Haus der Wissenschaft und Kultur ( Friedrichstraße 176-179, 10117 Berlin). We look forward to seeing you at our sale and wish you success with your bids!
Also, please note another service we offer: You can bid „Live“ from your PC at home! You can actively participate in the sale, place bids and insure you do not miss any bargains. Please visit https://www.philasearch.com for more info.
Peter Zgonc - German Rarities: The most known rarity of German Empire – the Vineta Provisional
1901, 3 Pfg. VINETA-PROVISIONAL, connected pair from the upper left margin of the sheet, left stamp with inverted overprint, cancellation „KAIS. DEUTSCHE MARINESCHIFFSPOST 2/5 01“. This pair has been documented since 1907 and represents one of the GREATEST RARITIES OF THE GERMAN PHILATELY. This inverted item is unique and represents one of the key values of the German Reich. The left stamp is in perfect condition, minor crease in the right stamp.
Extensive photo expertize Jakubek BPP, signature Richter, Pfenninger, Friedemann
The history of this fabulous piece is well known. Due to the lack of 3-Pfennig stamps, the upper purser aboard the cruiser Vineta placed violet handstamped overprints „3 PF“ on three sheets of 100 stamps from the Germania 5-Pfennig-Reichspost issue. How exactly that took place might be not so well known.
Dr Herbert Munk describes it way in the Kohl handbook: „At first each sheet received 200 overprints, then the ten vertical rows of the sheets were seperated into two halfs by paper scissors but only up to the top margin which kept the bisected rows together.“ The overprint was manufactured by “graving“ the rate embossed in a piece of soft rubber. Munk: “In the process due to primness of the rubber small parts dropped out of it, e.g. in the head of the P, which became important as an authenticity feature“.
Munk already knew the unique copy which will be offered at our auction: „The inverted overprint exists only on a single copy which formed the left half of the upper left corner stamp of one sheet and together with a sheet margin, a right half and a cancellation to order of May 2nd, 1901.“
Philatelic doyen Wolfgang Jakubek adds: „Since 1907 the pair has been documented in the philatelic literature. It was shown on light pressure board 4 of the script „The Vineta Provisional“ published by „German Ring“ (Hannover 1907).“ 112 years later this rarity of the Tre-Skilling-banco category will be offered in our Zgonc auction.
Peter Zgonc - German Rarities: The first printing of the „Reichspost“-Mark-values
Similar to the Pfennig values the Mark values were printed before their official release in a form which differed from the later regular form. The main difference is the perforation. In contrast to the later perforation measure of 14¼ respectively 14½ comb perforation the values 1 Mark, 2 Mark, 3 Mark and 5 Mark (by the way, this highest value of that issue was the first German stamp showing two colours) of the very small first printing exhibit a line perforation of 11½.
These stamps are already searched rarities in hinged condition. Used items or even on a letter are exponentially rarer. The Kohl handbook spreads the former official statement that the necessary row perforation machines were not delivered yet. But it seems , most likely that the wide perforation as well as the „fat inscription“ of first printing of the Pfennig values was used as a feature to forgery protection (see Michael Jäschke-Lantelme: „100 Jahre Germania“, Dessau 1999) because possible forgeries – made with wide perforation following the first publications – would have attracted attention immediately. You have the unique possibility now to purchase the complete issue of the sought-after line perforation 11½. In addition, appropriate to the at that time high postage, each on marvelous insured letters:
- 1 Mark dark red as single franking on an insured letter of 4,800 Mark
- blackish blue 2 Mark as mixed franking on insured letter of 12,600 Mark
- violet black 3 Mark as mixed franking on insured letter of 18,600 Mark
- legendary 5 Mark Reichspost black/lilac red as mixed franking on insured letter of 30,300 Mark
All stamps show fresh colours, good perforation and are offered as well as the covers in
flawless quality.
Peter Zgonc - German Rarities: The GERMANIA Trilogy
For more than 20 years the Germania was the dominant postage stamp theme of German Empire and Weimar Republic and was consistently expanded by new issues and additional stamps it offers a wide range of peculiarities.
Amongst them the precious watermarks stand out the most. They represent the Champions League of philatelic specialties. We are talking about the Germania Trilogy, gorgeous stamps which have been printed with inverted watermarks or even on different watermarked paper. Only in 1995 a copy of the November 1905 10 Pfennig stamp issue was discovered with a horizontal rhombs watermark instead of a vertical. The reason: incorrect inlayed paper
in the printing machine. Expert Michael Jäschke-Lantelme in his certificate from Nov 30th, 2018: “The stamp shows fresh colours, is very well perforated and stands in flawless used condition“. Cancelled on July 1st, 1908 in Frankfurt/Main this top rarity of the 10 Pf. Germania „Friedensdruck“ dark carmine red can be purchased at our auction as well.
The same goes for for the used 30 Pf. Germania dark reddish orange/black on mid chrome yellow, likewise with horizontal in place of vertical watermark. As early as 1942 Gustav Kobold called attention to the existence of a third copy: „After our recent report of the stamp’s first copy, examined by Infla Berlin, the same examination office was submitted a second copy.“ Kobold writes about the 2 Mark Germania with watermark
„Vierpass“, better known to philatelists as „ Kreuzblüten“ (engl.: Cruciferae / Michel #152 Y). The paper with the “Kreuzblüten“-watermark was actually provided for revenues. But the state-owned printing house was authorized to sidestep to different watermarked paper when faced with the lack of paper. A cancelled copy of the #152 Y represents another top rarity from the Peter Zgonc collection. Until today only four cancelled copies emerged. Hence that stamp has to be three times rarer than the Blue Mauritius.
