Petite Treasures – May 2026.

1930 (Sept 2):, 'American Legion Convention / International Flight' card franked by Washington 2 c. red tied by Boston slogan cancel, mailed on the Russell Boardman / John Polando flight that was delayed, initially for nearly a year, with eventual acceptance datestamp on reverse of ISTANBUL in black (July 30, 1931). The card is signed by the Pilot, Russell Boardman, on reverse, the ´Cape Cod´ flew direct from New York to Istanbul / Turkey in a flying time of 50 hours and 8 minutes for the 5´011 mile journey. Extremely rare flight from both the American and Turkish point of view. (Muller #343 = 20´000 pts)

1929, LZ 127 “Graf Zeppelin” Orientfahrt, Karte ab Fhafen 24.3. mit 1 Mk Flugpost, fehlender Ankunftsstempel Ramle, weitergeleitet nach Istanbul mit rückseitiger Ankunft 2.4.29, adresssiert an den bekanntesten türkischen Händler der Zeit Ali Noussret, eine ungewöhnliche Destination.

1913, letter written from Rochefort, signed at base by Pierre LOTI (1850-1923), French Naval Officer and writer of 'Madame Chrysanthème', a novel of Japanese manners that is a precursor to Madame Butterfly and Miss Saigon, Le Roman d'un enfant (The Story of a Child), a somewhat fictionalized recollection of Loti's childhood that would greatly influence Marcel Proust; Ramuntcho (1897), The Last Days of Peking (1902); in later years he was a fervent pro-Ottoman supporter during the Balkan Wars, fine.

1932, Zeppelin 4th South America Flight postcard with varied franking tied at Istanbul on April 26, shows connecting flight Berlin-F’hafen cachet and flight cachet plus Recife receiver (5.V.32), small bit of endorsement ink-erased before sending, colourful and very fine card

1934, 12. Südamerikafahrt, Weihnachtsfahrt, Einschreiben ab Istanbul 29.11.34 via Bahnpost Breslau - Oderberg 1.12. mit R-Zettel "Vom Ausland über Bahnpost 5" und Friedrichshafen nach Pernambuco 12.12., einwandfrei. Es sind insgesamt nur zwei Türkei Belege mit Weihnachtsfahrten befördert worden, dieser nach Brasilien, der zweite nach Peru. (Corinphila 2013, 177.Auktion/Los 455, Zuschlag 3.600 SFr.)