368. Auction

BOLSHEVIK PERIOD: 1917-19 (16.5) money transfer card for 15 rubles, sent from Lemburg, Lifland to a soldier with the 13th Finland regiment, via the Head Field Post Office at Velikie-Luki, from where it was directed to F.P.O. No.19, then to F.P.O. No.20, then F.P.O. No.18. Over 3 months later received in Kovrov, then to Riga (2.4.18), back to Kovrov (22.3.19) and finally returned to Lemburg two years later! A historical document, reflecting the fluid military situation and the disruption of postal communications during this period which saw the Bolshevik Revolution, German occupation of the Baltic States, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, the Allied Armistice and civil war in Russia. Despite the nearly two years of effort, the poor soldier never received his (now vastly devalued and nearly worthless) 15 rubles

1918, 20k. on 14k. as vertical strip of three tied by cyrillic cds. "VELIKIE LUKI 27.7.18" to registered cover addressed to the Royal Dutch Consulate in Riga, with censor label and arrival mark "RIGA 17.8.18", a fine and scarce cover

1919, 3k. lilac as complete sheet with two rows perforated 9 3/4, mint never hinged, scarce, fine

1919, 3-5 k. and 15-75 k. black on chalky paper, horizontal resp. vertical pairs, without gum, fine

10 k. blue with clear double-print, block of 12 with right sheet margin on multicoloured label paper, without gum, fine

10 k. blue, block of 24 from the upper left sheet corner on multicoloured label paper, without gum, fine

1919, Issue for North-Latvia, 10 k., proof black on rose paper, without gum as issued, fine

"MAJORI 4.9.19", cds., clear strikes on 15 k. green and two singles stamps 5 k. red on cover with boxed "SERVICE SUSPENDED", fine

1919, 1st Anniversary of Indendence 10 k., archive proof, without gum, very rare only few copies known, fine

1922, Coat of arms 50r. brown tied by cds. "RIGA 9 9 23" to small sized insured letter to Heidelberg, reverse with 5 intact wax seals and 100r. four singles and 50r. brown with additional franking tied by cds. „RIGA 8 8 23“ to reverse of insured letter to Hamburg, two rare and attractive high-value frankings

1923, Coat of arms 5s. green vertical pair tied by cds. "LEEPAJA 14 5 25" to complete printed matter to Denver, fine

1925, Coat of arms 5l. green with additional franking tied by cds. "RIGA DZ. ST 8.12.33" to reverse of registered airmail cover to Sydney, Australia, few marginal imperfection and roughly openend, scarce

1928, 10th Anniversary of Independence 30s. with reversed horizontal watermark, unused and used, fine, very scarce, signed Rucins a.o.

1928, 10th Anniversary of Independence 50s. with reversed vertical watermark, mint never hinged, short perf at lower left, otherwise fine, scarce, signed

1928, 10th Anniversary of Independence 50s. with reversed vertical watermark, used, fine, scarce, signed Rucins

1928, Liberty Memorial fund 15s. with reversed vertical watermark, unsed, fine, scarce

1928, Liberty Memorial fund 50s. with normal horizontal watermark, used, small paper split on reverse, a very rare stamp not listed in HvH catalogs

1930, Rainis-Fonds 1-15s. imperforated as blocks of four with frist day cancel "RIGA 23.V.30", fine

1932/33, Vigilante Aizsargi and Airmail, 12 photo essays in issued designs, fine, scarce

1933, Riga-Bathurst Flight, 10-100s., mint never hinged, fine, signed

1933, Riga-Bathurst Flight, 10-100s., mint never hinged, 25s. tiny adherence, very fine

1933, Riga-Bathurst Flight, 10-100s., unused resp. 50s. mint never hinged, fine, signed

1933, Riga-Bathurst Flight, 10-100s., unused, fine

1933, Riga-Bathurst Flight, 10-100s., unused, very fine  

1933, Riga-Bathurst Flight, 10-25s. in blocks of ten with left sheet margin, mint never hinged, fine, scarce multiples, signed

Africa flight 10-25 s. on ornamental cover from "RIGA 28.5.33" to Toronto and in addition 1933, Africa flight, self-protection organization 1-5s. with additional franking tied by special cds. "RIGA-LIDPASTS 28.5.33" to Bruxelles, fine (see also Harry v. Hofmann "Latvia: Airmail 1920-1940" page 134)

1934, New Constitution 3-40s. perf. 11½ with inverted vertical watermarke, used, fine

1934, New Constitution 20 and 35s. with additional franking tied by cds. "RIGA 6 12 36" to cover to Germany, front with straight-line censor mark "Devisenrechtlich geprüft", reverse with corresponding seal, folded horizontally, otherwise fine and New Constitution 3s. with additional franking tied by cds. "RIGA 13.IX.41" to cover to Riga (occupied by Germany), fine

1937, Ulmanis 20k. with reversed horizontal watermark, mint never hinged, a very rare stamp, fine

1940, Coat of arms 2-3, 5 and 10s. tied by cds. "RIGA -8.8.40" to censored card to Bohemia and Moravia, small rust spots at left, otherwise fine and Coat of arms 20s. as pair and 40s. single with additional franking tied by normal and cyrillic cds. "RIGA 21.10.40" to First Day airmail printed matter to USA and Russia Coat of arms 60k. tied by cds. "STAMERIENE -2.9.41" to registered cover to Riga (occupied by Germany), fine

1940, Coat of arms 3 s. orange, horizontal pair without watermark, mint never hinged, scarce, very fine, certificate Zarins

LATVIAN SS-DIVISION: 1945, 44 stamps on chalky paper, different designs, in blue, green, orange, red, fine

1929, IAS Stockholm design, uncut block of four, unused, a very rare multiple

"Stomersee", red straight line, five clear strikes to reverse of registered cover with Russia 2 k. green (4) and 10 k. blue (5) to Russia with red double line "13.MAP.1919 Стомерзее" and registered label on front, undeliverable and retour with red arrival postmark, rare (H.v.H. 254.1, 254.2, 254.4)

1919, 15-30k., each as imperforated pair tied by cds. "ELEJA" with handwritten date to small piece, fine, signed Hofmann BPP

1919, 15-30k., two imperforated singles each tied by cds. "ELEJA" with handwritten date to censored cover to H. Jäger in Liepāja, some toning, otherwise, certificate v. Hofmann BPP (1998)