​From ERIVAN to the whole world: exciting, top-quality philatelic material and extraordinary results - a look at the 377th Heinrich Koehler Auction (20-25 September 2021)

From 20 to 25 September 2021 the eagerly awaited autumn auction of Germany's oldest stamp auction house Heinrich Koehler took place in Wiesbaden. The more than impressive auction programme, which had already caused a sensation in the run-up with a total of ten catalogues, offered many highlights and many a surprise that only very few would have expected. Rediscovered treasures, valuable rarities and remarkable items, among others from the ERIVAN collection, kept the philatelic public in suspense. Many of the stamps, covers etc. each told their own very interesting stories, which were able continually to captivate and motivate collectors. The high demand and the interest of the bidders once again resulted in exciting bidding "battles", breathtaking price increases and a number of top realisations.
Highlights of the "ERIVAN - German States" Collection
With the continuation of the "German States" auction series of the ERIVAN collection, once again an outstanding selection of covers was offered for sale, which had everything to offer for lovers of classic German philately. For the first time there were also ten covers with the first stamps of the German Empire, the "Shield" issues, which were in no way inferior in beauty and rarity to the lots of the German States collecting areas. The best example may be a first day cover of the German Empire, which caused astonishment and enthusiasm. This cover with a mixed franking of the Michel 1 (¼ groschen) and Michel 3 (½ groschen) from the first day of use, 1 January 1872, soared to an incredible 130,000 euros after a starting price of 5,000 euros. The combination of first day usage together with the Michel 1 on this cover motivated the bidders to "top performance". A truly remarkable result, surpassed only by a Hanover cover from the ERIVAN collection, which was knocked down at 145,000 euros. Here, too, a first day was involved, because the mixed franking of the 10 groschen, 1 groschen and (two) 3 groschen values on cover to Caldera, Chile was sent on the first day of use of the 10 groschen stamp, the highest value in the set. And these are only two examples of the lots from the ERIVAN collection that sold extremely well, without exception.
Philatelic treasures, exciting backgrounds and stories
A small sensation was already in the offing with the discovery of a very special cover. A letter from Bavaria, which had been lying dormant in a Franconian family archive, was offered at auction for the first time in 170 years and fascinated collectors. The cover with a strip of three black one Kreuzer, the “Schwarzer Einser”, and a blue three kreuzer stamp is a top rarity in Bavarian philately, as it is the only known coloured franking of the first issue of German stamps. This rarity had caused a sensation far beyond philatelic circles and appealed to the media and also to new interested parties. As luck would have it, the unique background story of the find left a lasting impression on the highest bidder, who won the cover for 54,000 euros (starting price: 25,000 euros).
Overall, it was striking how much interest there was in the respective individual histories of the stamps and covers. Knowledge of the background, whether it be that of the cover itself or of its provenance, is of decisive importance to many bidders. It was also noticeable that a personal connection to the item was often linked to a personal auction visit in the case of the "great" rarities. Especially with the valuable items from the ERIVAN collection, the room was filled to capacity, aided by the relaxation in COVID-19 precautions - naturally in compliance with all safety requirements.
Philately that inspires - from the auction room to the whole world
Needless to say, the fascination with the major and minor rarities went far beyond the auction room. Thanks to the possibilities of online live bidding, collectors and dealers from all over the world vied for the philatelic treasures, among which the specialised collections of the collecting areas of the German States were just as much in demand as the lots from Europe and the wider world. An example of this was the "Bavaria from 1849 - The Eliahu Weber Collection (Part 1)", which was notable for remarkable bidding increases and top hammer prices. Also the lots from the "Duchy of Brunswick" and "Bremen: Hanover Post Office, North German Confederation und Shield Issue" collections of Friedrich Meyer were very popular. In the field of international philately, the "International Postal Connections via Trieste (Part 1)" and "Austria - First Issue Used in Hungary (Part 1)" collections of Rolf Rohlfs were impressive, as were the collections "Gems of Indian States 1864-1950" and "Dominican Republic from 1863 - The Hansmichael Krug Collection".
All the results of the 377th Heinrich Koehler Auction are available online at www.heinrich-koehler.de.
Further information at
Heinrich Köhler Auktionshaus GmbH & Co. KG, Hasengartenstr. 25, 65189 Wiesbaden 
Telephone: +49 (0)611 3414 9-0, Fax: +49 (0)611 3414 9-99, Email: info@heinrich-koehler.de
Internet: www.heinrich-koehler.de

 
Illustrations:
The Rolf Rohlfs Collection
Lot 8009: Austria 1861, 2 kr., 5 kr. and 15 kr. (5) on a cover from Teplitz via Trieste and Alexandria to Batavia. Starting price: 8,000 euros - hammer price: 25,000 euros
The "ERIVAN – German States" Collection 
Lot 282: German Reich 1872, Small Shield ¼ groschen and ½ groschen with ELBERFELD horseshoe postmark of 1 January 1872 from the first day of issue of the "Breastplate" stamps. Starting price: 5,000 euros - hammer price 130,000 euros
Main catalogue "German and International Philately
Lot 1644: A sensational find! Bavaria 1849, strip of three of the "Schwarzer Einser" in a mixed franking with a 3 kreuzer blue on cover from Augsburg to Immenstadt. Sensational new discovery. Starting price 25,000 euros - hammer price: 54,000 euros
North German Confederation
Lot 8597: 1869, 5 groschen bistre, three singles with a perforated 2 groschen blue on cover from the well-known Apotheker Steudemann correspondence to Soerabaja, Java (Dutch East Indies). Starting price: 2,000 euros - hammer price: 7,500 euros
Hanover Post Office in Bremen
Lot 9738: German Empire 1872, ¼ gr., 1 gr. and 2½ gr. on cover from Bremen to Hawaii. Provenance: Silvain Wyler collection, Heinrich Koehler Auction (2013). Starting price: 5,000 euros - hammer price: 16,000 euros
"Stars of India" – Indian Convention and Feudatory States stamps and postal history from 1864
Lot 10028: Barwani 1917, ¼ Anna blue, the first stamp of Barwani in a pair on cover. Unique item. Starting price: 9,000 euros - hammer price 11,500 euros
Duchy of Brunswick – the "Victoria Luise" collection
Lot 9372: The 'Alfred Krupp cover': provisional numeral cancellation "50" of the Braunschweig court post office on a vertical pair of 1 sgr. on yellow, on a 1 sgr. yellow postal stationery envelope to the well-known Krupp family of entrepreneurs in Essen. One of the great philatelic rarities of Old Germany; only one other cover known. Provenance: Pfaff Brothers (1904), 71st Corinphila auction (1984), 27th Kruschel auction (1988). Starting price: 40,000 euros - hammer price: 76,000 euros
Postal History of the Faroe Islands in the Second World War - The Jack Petersen Collection
Lot 6069: 1942, "Undercover Mail" via P.O. Box 506 from Copenhagen to Lisbon. Intercepted by the Germans and returned to the sender. Hammer price: 4,000 euros
Dominican Republic from 1863 – the Hansmichael Krug Collection
Lot 6593: British Post Office in Santo Domingo, 1877, GB 1s. (2) and 1d. (3) on cover to Italy. Starting price: 500 euros - hammer price: 9,500 euros
Bavaria from 1849 - the Eliahu Weber Collection
Lot 9009: 1 kr. black with open millwheel cancellation "418" of REGENSBURG on printed item dated 20 February 1858. Latest use of a "Black One"! Provenance: 10th Maier auction (1916), 6th Stock auction (1919). Starting price: 50,000 euros - hammer price: 75,000 euros