German states, worldwide in April 19-24 Koehler auction

By Linn’s Staff 

The April 19-24 auction series from the Heinrich Koehler firm in Wiesbaden, Germany, offers a broad selection of worldwide material, with several specialized groupings in individual catalogs.

Included among these special sections are Christopher King’s “Slesvig: From Danish Duchy to German Empire,” Josef Altmann’s “Departements Conquis, Prussia, Saxony, Thurn & Taxis,” the Werner Knuettel collection of Bavaria, the Albert Schroeder collection of Faroe Islands, the Hasse Brockenhuus von Loewenhielm collection of India and feudatory states, and more.

Also featured is the fifth in a series of auctions offering material from the collections of prominent German-American businessman Erivan Haub, who died in 2018. The auctions have been conducted by the five firms comprising the Global Philatelic Network, including Heinrich Koehler.

In the April auction, Koehler presents German states material from the Haub collection.

One remarkable example from this group is the 1850 3-pfennig cherry red stamp of Saxony (Scott 1a) in a postmarked block of four.

A multiple of four is the largest known for this first stamp of Saxony.

This block is struck four times with a black double-ring cancel of Chemnitz dated Aug. 10, 1850.

The block is described as having “full to wide margins except for a minimal touch of the upper margin” (in translation from the Heinrich Koehler auction catalog description).

The translation also identifies the block as “a crown jewel of classic philately” once housed in the collection of eminent U.S. philatelist John Boker Jr., who specialized in German states.

The block, with 2020 certification by Bund Philatelischer Pruefer (BPP), is listed with an opening bid of €100,000 (approximately $117,400 at the beginning of April).

Found among the United States material is an 1869 cover mailed to Hinsdale, N.H., with the 1861 black local stamp of Prince’s Letter Dispatch of Portland, Maine (Scott 122L1).

The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers explains that mail sent using Prince’s service was “carried nightly by messenger travelling by steamer to Boston.”

The stamp on this cover is affixed to the 1863 3¢ pink George Washington stamped envelope, “the only recorded example of this rare stamp used on U.S. postal stationery,” according to Koehler.

The local stamp is tied by a cork marking and by the blue “Prince’s Express 9 Milk St.” serrated oval cancellation.

A black “Boston Mass. Jun. 23 5 A.M.” postmark is also struck on the front.

The opening bid on this cover is €800 (approximately $940).

The main catalog for this sale includes an extensive selection of material from Germany, with additional German states plus Germany after 1945, Europe including French colonies and Ireland, collections and much more.

For the collector of forgeries, the current sale also includes a large number of creations by the famed Italian philatelic forger Jean de Sperati (1884-1957), including proof items enhanced with the artist’s signature.

The illustrated catalogs for the Heinrich Koehler auction series are available for download.

Bidding is also accepted online through Stamp Auction Network.

For additional information, contact Heinrich Koehler Auctions GmbH & Co., Hasengartenstrasse 25, 65189 Wiesbaden, Germany.

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