Chapter 1

WELL-KNOWN PAST COLOMBIAN AIRMAIL COLLECTORS, 1920-1950

THE COLE, SEREBRAKIAN, SERPHOS AND PRESTON ERA

Prior to 1936, when Kessler produced The Airpost Stamps of Colombia, the only information I am aware of existing regarding this subject is Prof E Schmidt’s history of the SCADTA stamps, which appeared in Das Illustrierte Briefmarken-Journal in 1932. However, there were several German studies of SCADTA issues that appeared in Germany around 1922. This is hardly surprising, as German planes were largely used for carrying both CCNA and SCADTA issues.

At that time, there appeared to be several collectors, such as R B Preston, who were interested in Colombian covers. Preston was a prominent member of the APS and the author of The Postal History of Puerto Rico, published in 1950. Preston was assisted by M H Sanborn. According to Ralph A Kimble, this book was based on extensive research and published serially between 1939-1943 in the American Philatelist. At the time, it was widely regarded as the finest research on the subject. The entire book was eventually published by the APS Philatelic Research of Literature Committee.

The first offering by auction that I can locate is the N. Sanabria sale on 22 December 1935, with 58 lots of the 1919-1921. This extremely comprehensive collection included unused and on-cover Knox-Martins; an unused, used and on-cover multicolored set; a green and light red brown; and used 30-centavos on green 50c, which were offered at the astronomical price of $225 each (in 1935!).

Around the same time, Dr Peter von Bauer and Tomas Borrero of SCADTA were providing Kessler with information surrounding the subject. Norman Serphos was eagerly collecting the same material and had a great wealth of knowledge on the subject, according to Kessler.

The Serphos collection of SCADTA covers was then sold by Harmer & Rooke in 1941, just one year after Kessler’s auction of the Cole material. I have a copy of the auction material, and it is indeed remarkable. Serphos had collected everything from the Knox-Martin issues to the Consular surcharges. Some of the over 200 lots were very rare even then. Of note is the 22 February first CCNA flight from Cartagena to Barranquilla on card, wherein the El Porvenir newspaper handwrites a greeting to its ‘sister city’, which was addressed to the editor of La Nacion newspaper. Serphos valued this at $1,000. Also included was the only 22 June 1920 SURVEY flight by SCADTA, back-stamped 6/23/20. However, I have confirmed this to be a fake, as the SCADTA cancel could only be used after October. Serphos valued this at $500, as he did a 25 September provisional flight cover bearing the rare French Company air label with fourth provisional Danabrai 17, which was only used on this date. What a wonderful collection he had! I am still digesting it, as there are no photos of any of the collection, but it is certainly a study in itself.

Dr Philip G Cole, whom Kessler acknowledged as America’s foremost collector of Colombian airpost stamps as early as 1935 and to whom he dedicated his catalogue, provided the first sight of his collection in 1939-40. Dr Cole was certainly a pioneer airmail collector. His collection was sold in two parts by Kessler in 1939 and 1940 auctions, in which it was described as “the most complete and specialized collection of these issues in the world.” Many of the items displayed took years to reappear. As Kessler had written his catalogue in 1936, he was the natural choice to handle the sale. Cole often bought complete collections (from whom we do not know, but perhaps it included the names above) just to acquire one or two issues that he needed. There is no doubt that it would be regarded a fine collection today, worth much more than it did then, when it was estimated at US$50,000. It even included a rare non-surcharged Condor. But it sold in a single lot to a Belgian dealer called S Serebrakian for just $5,800.

Serabrakian auctioned his own material on 15 December 1950 and 24 June 1952. These auctions included imperforate 4 October 1920 SCADTA issues as well as a black proof by Valiente, together with other proofs. Several half and full sheets were also offered. But the rare Condor did not appear in his sale. It cropped up around 15 years after the initial auction, when more of Cole’s material was sold in a disposal of Larsen’s material by HR Harmer. This included 5 volumes written up by hand over 272 pages and the rare Condor cover.

As well as the Serphos collection, Harmer presided over a number of auctions from 1947 through to the mid 50s. In November 1947, he sold the significant collection of Jose L Gildred of Los Angeles, which featured 179 lots. One was a superb complete set of unused multicolored CCNA vignettes, offered at $455 and realized at $780. Also sold was the surcharged 50c on an already surcharged VALOR 10-centavos. This double surcharging was then considered very rare, and Harmer claimed this lot to be one of just two or three existing.

As before, no price was EVER estimated. So where have the more recent estimate of numbers come from? As we can see, the auctions of Cole, Serabrakian, Larsen, Gildred and others uncovered a few and these came to light on later dates. They certainly were not easy to forge!

Since that offering, other double surcharges of the 50c on 10-centavos with the similar $30c on 10-centavos (Cruz Bortfeldt, 16 and 18) were sold collectively for $4,000 in the 2008 Cherrystone Deborah Friedman sale.

The DG 11-15 in red-brown shades drew attention at that time, which is of interest. As mentioned later, there is some controversy in more recent years as to the timing of their issue. I mention ‘timing’ rather than ‘date’ as all SG10-15, including the green issues, were noted as 1 March 1920. Such covers were auctioned somewhere between the 40s to 60s, and all dates in March, April and June were accepted. Thus, certificates are vital. Some of the fakes bore SCADTA cancels, which only came about in October 1920. If genuine, they are VERY rare. Issues after October are certainly genuine.

In December 1949, Harmer sold the Julio Gomez Duncan collection from Barranquilla, Colombia. It appears that the CCNA set from the Gildred collection was resold here. Some light-brown-red used 0-20 sand 0-30 typewritten surcharges from the fourth issues were offered at around the same prices as the multicolored CCNA items.

In September 1950, John N Myer contributed to The American Philatelist regarding the second issue of airmail stamps of Colombia. He had a collection, but I cannot ascertain what he did with it: “However, I have located items mentioned by Goeggel, which he said is ex John Myer, and these include a 30c yellow 5 May 1922 on cover as well as a 19 December forerunner cover.” Previously, Myer had written and self-published Studies in the Philately of Colombia, and his controversial article on the Knox-Martin flights suggested the surcharges were bogus or illicit. At best, he said the post office canceled them by favor.

Myer also suggested the first Knox-Martin flights were never official but a private venture by an American stunt flyer. He also wrote on bisects of Colombian official stamps, stating that writers announced new discoveries of contemporary US bisects in philatelic magazines every now and then, and that “they were just as illegal as in Colombia.”

In October 1950, Harmer also sold the 154-lot R J Herschmann collection. This included the rare unlisted $50c and the $30c on an already surcharged green Valor 10-centavos on 50c – it was unpriced.

Incidentally, these two stamps were removed from American Woolen Company covers sent to New York. These two are usually acquired together due to their unique origins. The first appeared in the Cole collection, and it was believed that just four existed of each. According to Cruz and Bortfeldt in the Handbook of SCADTA Provisional Surcharges, one mint of the 30c and 2-mint of the 50c have been seen and are shown in their book. These number seven and five respectively, both used. No covers have been found. In all auctions up to the late 50s, they were regarded as so rare that no price estimate was generally given.

In December, Harmer sold another 33 lots, including the light-brown-red unused 0-20 and 0-30 typewritten surcharges. These were offered at $150, slightly more than the asking price for the unused multicolored CCNA. By 2015, these were not considered as of the same value. Quite strange, as very few have survived, even unused. As only a few were printed and just a handful flown, current values could be rather underpriced. In turn, the used flown items are similarly underpriced.

1951-1970

A number of auctions took place in the early 50s. Kessler sold the 200-lot collection of Charles L Nicholls of Bogota, Colombia in 1951, which Kessler called the “entire airmail collection of Colombia.” This included the Knox-Martins on covers, and some fine unused copies of the multicolored CCNA stamps. Of great interest at the time are items seldom seen now, such as a flown light-red-brown dated 13 March 1920. I am not aware of any existing light-red-brown of this date. At the time, unused 30 CVS surcharged stamps fetched high prices, and these were offered at $100 each. Kessler also offered the rare $030c on 10c on 50c green at $450, and the same with $50c, of which he stated only five and three copies respectively are known. Of the 200 lots, 145 were of Consular issues.

In October 1952, the Mercury Stamp Company auctioned a small collection of pristine condition unused multicolored CCNAs and SCADTA provisionals. The CCNA stamps were those sold by Kessler of the Nicholls collection.

In February 1961, Kessler auctioned the brilliant Thomas Matthews collection in three parts. There were 95 lots from the first issues of 1919, all the way up to the SCADTA issues of 1921. This was almost complete, with all the CCNA vignettes unused and some on cover, with unused blocks of SG 1-15 plus some used on flights. There were many of the issues in complete sheets as well as the Sanabria 32a rare $050c surcharge and the 10c surcharged on the green 50c issue. In addition, there were four famous American Woolen Company covers with bisects. Finally, there were 44 lots of the Consular issues.

GENERAL NOTES ON EUGENIO GEBAUER

Eugenio Gebauer had a fine collection, which he produced in his voluminous book, Los Primeros 50 Anos de Correo Aereo en Colombia, in 1975. Prior to that, Gebauer had written The Neglected Second Issue of Colombian Airmail Stamps in the Airpost Journal of October 1956.

His later book updated all that was known by the early 70s. His research into evidence given by the Pilot Bazin in his diaries, and his subsequent explanatory letter, enabled more details of all the fights and dates in the SCADTA period of 1920-1922. He went to great lengths to enlarge his information from Captain Waldemar Wuebke, pilot of AVIANCA and successor to SCADTA, as well as from Örjan Lüning of Stockholm and Dr Marco Tulio Jimenez of Medellin.

1951-1970

In 1955, Harmer auctioned a fine collection specializing in SCADTA issues, as well as the entire range from 1919 through to the Consular surcharges, “by order of an unknown Latin American collector” (possibly, but not for certain, believed to be Larsen). It realized $32,729 for 326 lots.

Who was the South American who consigned the collection to Harmer, if not Larsen? Having viewed the contents, I noted some items that originated from Dr Cole’s collection. Perhaps they could have come from the Serphos sale of 1941. If so, this South American collector might have retained the collection for some 15 years and likely added to it. Of significance was the inclusion of lot 22, a unique used non-surcharged Condor CCNA cover, one of the gems of Colombian airmail philately, which realized just $675! Since those days, realizations of the same item have reached the $30,000 plus mark. Also of great interest was the specific offering of two post 4 March 1920 covers: 6 March Cartagena to Barranquilla and 6 April Barranquilla to Medellin.

In March 1955, Kessler sold the collection of Col. James L Hayden, of Berkeley, California, which included Knox-Martins on cover and a small lot of SCADTA provisionals. As in all early sales, juxta-positioned and tête-bêche multiples were highly priced, much higher than today. Why, one asks, as there are so few of them remaining?

In June 1958, Harmer sold the Rothschild collection, which included rare Canadian issues as well as Colombians. The sale took only three hours and realized GBP 11,830.

The next sale of significance was that by Robson Lowe on 25 March 1959, which featured the property of the Marquess of Bute. This seems to be the first appearance of the much-desired pair of unused numbers 5 (with serif) and 6 of the Knox-Martin issue. It was offered at GBP 225 without gum. Apparently, the serif copy was not considered worth much more than regular copies. The sale offered a normal unused copy with part gum at GBP 100, and a used copy on cover of the serif number 5 at GBP 135. The sale also included a fine lot of multicolored CCNAs of the first flight on cover, as well as a notable fine lot of very rare Colombian SG 11-15 vermilions, red-brown and bright-carmine on covers, including the 0-20 and 0-30 typewritten. No more than five of this rare lot on cover were ever flown! Some of these lots appeared in the Harmer sale of 1955.

In 1965, Harmer & Rooke sold a collection of Colombian airmails known as Airmail Classics, while Stanley Gibbons auctioned Dr Ernst Raab’s catalogue, Airmails, in 1968. This included 29 rare lots, but unfortunately, I have not been able to find this offering since.

1971-1999

In June 1974, J & H Stolow of New York offered “the third installment of one of the world’s most extensive airmail collections – to be continued in following sales.” The offering included full 72 and 68 sheets and part sheets of unicolored issues showing a re-touched mountain. Of interest were several SG11-14 used vermilion, including a used tête–bêche pair.

In Zurich, March 1975, Mabaphila Auctions sold a large collection that mainly consisted of Consular issues, but also included some unused Knox-Martin lots and several used and on cover multicolored CCNA vignettes.

Alex Rendon was actively collecting CCNAs in the 1970s, and he was a significant buyer at the 1979 Robson Lowe sale described below. After three large golds in the early 80s, he sold the collection intact to Jack Boonshaft in 1986. Alex passed away in 2009. Though born in Medellin, Colombia, he lived and died in New York and was a man of varied interests – an amateur comedian and James Bond enthusiast. Inspired by his childhood in Colombia, he formed a very fine reference collection of Colombia airmails.

The Robson Lowe auction in question was held in Bermuda and included a very fine collection of rare items. The only name associated with this sale is reputedly ‘Kosac’. Perhaps this was part Kessler’s collection? It’s worth noting that some of the prices realized then were prices that might be realized today! A large part was acquired by Deborah Friedman and Brigitte Kaplan, including a number of famous and unique items such as the non-surcharged CCNA Condor on cover.

While Deborah Friedman’s collection was not sold by Cherrystone until 2007, Brigitte Kaplan’s was sold privately in the 1980s, reputedly privately, to Goeggel and/or Peinado. She held many distinguished philatelic awards, including the ONYX Medal of Federated Philatelic Clubs of Southern California. She also assisted in the compilation of La Bibliotheca with Alex Rendon, concerning Colombian philately.

Up to the 80s, there were also several collectors besides those mentioned – Everhard, Perez, Oriol, Bernie Harmer, and with smaller collections, Neuberger, Leo Harris, James Hayden, Jewell and Lilly.

In 1991, Phillips auctioned an impressive collection, some of which was acquired by Jack Boonshaft and Maurice Porter (an airmail specialist dealer who worked for J.A.L. Franks in London). This included some fine used “socked on the nose” vignettes, which had not been seen at previous auctions. There is no information on the source but it is reputed that a member of the family walked in off the street with the collection and that it had been found in the estate.

Jack Boonshaft passed away in 1993. He was a world-renowned design engineer and avid pilot with a love of flying, and consequently his love steered him to collect rare airmail stamps. His collection comprised 167 stamps, of which 65 were consular overprints. 102 were a mixture of Knox-Martins and SCADTA provisionals.

On 16 December 1993, Harmer auctioned the first part of the Boonshaft collection. This included one of the finest collections of the first and second 22 February and 4 March multicolored vignette covers. Amongst these was a 6 March third flight on cover with the tilted wing vignette. In February 1994, the second part of Boonshaft’s collection was offered by Harmers. This comprised mostly scarce and rare Consular issues.

2000-2014

In October 2000, Harmer sold the Augusto Peinado Colombian airmail collection of 144 lots, comprising 27 Knox-Martin, 57 CCNA, 24 SCADTA and the balance in forerunners. The magnificent lot of Knox-Martin issues showed in complete form all 10 possibilities on cover as well as the famous mixed CCNA frankings. I understand these were subsequently acquired by Hugo Goeggel. It was in this auction that the now well-known unique “mixed franking” multiples appeared. I was also interested to note one lot included some 12 single SCADTA provisional surcharges, number 2090 with a perfect mint copy of a Valor 10-centavos surcharge type 1, with the “upright 1” (one of the rarest in the category of 10-centavos surcharges). It appears that Cruz and Bortfedt omitted this in their Handbook.

Goeggel, born in Ecuador in 1936 and a subsequent resident of Colombia, I understand, is a Swiss businessman and philatelist. He is a former member of the Council of Philatelists of the National Postal Museum, which was a joint venture of the Smithsonian Institute and the US Postal Service, and he signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 2010. He was also a brilliant rower. In the 1960 Rome Olympics, Goeggel was included in the men’s coxed eights. In 2013 and 2014, Corinphila sold his gold medal winning collection in several sections for over 1.3 million Swiss Francs. In every way, this was the most complete collection I have ever seen, perhaps lacking only some of the used SG11-15 with the rare red and brick red surcharges from November/December 1921.

The collection of James Johnson was auctioned by Spink of Lugano in January 2014. The three sections included 305 lots, of which 139 were Consular overprints. The auction also included items I had never seen before, including evidences of post 4 March 1920 vignette usages that I had sought for years and never seen in the various past auctions. Incidentally, there are just a handful of these elusive covers and stamps on piece authenticating the actual flights mentioned by Bazin. It was often rumored that there were a few multicolored vignettes not used from 22 February and 4 March from the first and second flights, as mentioned in a letter to Gebauer. Goeggel’s auction included two such dated 6 March.

Both Johnson and Goeggel seem to have brought these ‘missing’ items to light. Collectors today regard these post 4 March items as a separate collecting sub-area. Indeed, collectors tend to want all post 4 March flight covers, whether using the surplus multicolored vignettes OR the SG10 green uni-colored items. They are all very scarce, many being one of a kind. I searched through dozens of catalogues of the earlier vintage and only found one multicolored vignette dated 6 March.

In my opinion, Johnson’s auction revealed some of my most elusive and most-wanted issues. The realizations were somewhat low, perhaps because December is rather an inappropriate month for auctions. Both Cruz and Johnson are, I might mention, still active collections.

It is clear that Bazin wanted to use all the unused stamps that had not been set aside for ‘interested parties’. On on the outward flight of 22 February 1920, for example, he saw that there were a very large number of the Ocean Liner SG9/C10 existing, and some 62 were used on that flight. However, this rebounded in that only four were left for the return flight. This is why there are many more covers on the market today from the outward flight.

There is no particular reason why a few were left over, but seven ended up being used after 4 March. These are very rare. Meanwhile, SG2 and SG 5-9 (C3 and C6-10) were never used after 4 March.

Carlos Velasquez deals with this in more detail in Bortfeldt’s Workbook.

For collectors who wish to acquire sets of the CCNA, I suggest they initially try to find the very scarce and only a few extant. While some 15 sets could conceivably be found of the unused copies, ONLY five of the outward flight AND four of the return flight are possible!

Yet these CCNA are desired by far more than by Colombian collectors.

Covers are the infinitely rarest of all.

As one expert noted, if these were, say, US stamps, the value would be at least ten times that paid in an open auction of Colombian rarities. The unique unsurcharged Condor would rank into the hundreds of thousands of US dollars.

This is especially true of the SCADTA provisionals I deal with in greater detail within Chapter 6.

Of these, a number are unique (only one exists)!

The condition of these SCADTA provisionals seems somewhat doubtful, many with bad perforations, poor centering and so on. The word ‘acceptable’ would be appropriate.

The 5 May 1922 yellow provisionals are often given away at auction, but these are very rare. Only six of the mint unused exist, and there are four varieties. So, at least one is unique! On cover, 12 exist, but those with a type A on the cover are extremely special.

A set of all (mint or on cover) with certificates would be a collectors’ dream.

I acknowledge with thanks the extract from Bortfeldt’s The Workbook: Notes on Reprints and Forgeries of Colombian Stamps: The Colombian Airmails, which shows the drawings of the ten plate positions of the Knox-Martin stamps