THE JOHN LEA COLLECTION OF CRASH & WRECK MAIL
| Lot |
Catalog No. |
Descrip |
Opening |
| 361 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - CANADA - TRAIN DERAILMENT INTO LAKE CHAMPLAIN; Dec. 1894 env. (rear top flap removed & stamp washed away) to
Buxton carried on the Montreal - NY service that derailed at high speed near Port Henry on 3.12.1894 plunging through a walled embankment into Lake Champlain. "Damaged by wreck/of mail train on Lake/Champlain New York" h.s. Cross Reference:
CANADA, CRASH/WRECK MAIL (Image)
|
Starting at £ 65
SOLD for £70.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 362 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - INDIA RAIL DISASTER MADRAS - BOMBAY TRAIN FELL INTO THE RIVER: Pair of 1902 (10/11 Sep.) env. to either
Okehampton or Herne Hill (one with a stamp missing) which were being carried on the Madras - Bombay train when the bridge across the Mangapatnam collapsed due to weakening by floods. Some mailbags were recovered and quickly forwarded to England. Both
env. cancelled on the reverse with 13 Sep. SEA POST OFFICE cds and on arrival in London (29 Sep.) struck with boxed magenta "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION IN SEA WATER" hs with the SEA crossed out. This hand stamp appears to be the same as that used for the
SS Labrador mails. Fine pair. Cross Reference: INDIA, MARITIME MAIL, CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAYS (Image)
|
Starting at £ 200
SOLD for £440.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 363 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - USA - PPC "STOLEN FROM THE MAILS...LEADVILLE COLORADO" (MAIL TRAIN HOLD-UP) TO FRANCE: 1906 PPC ex USA to
France stolen from train with large purple "Cause of Delay/Stolen from the Mails at/LEADVILLE COLO./December 18 1906/Recovered Jan. 20 1907" cachet. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FRANCE (Image)
|
Starting at £ 100
SOLD for £320.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 364 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - MASS COLLISION & FIRE NEAR MELUN, FRANCE: 4 Nov. 1913 env. to Jura franked France 5c Sower tied by
indistinct cancel and with s/l purple "Accident de Service" hs after being salvaged from the collision, and subsequent fire, between two trains caused by three signals being missed and resulting in 39 deaths. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL,
RAILWAY MAIL, FRANCE (Image)
(Image2)
|
Starting at £ 80
SOLD for £85.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 365 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - GREECE/FRANCE - SALONICA RAILWAY STATION BOMBING: 2 charred envs. ex France to soldiers in the Levant
damaged in an aerial bombardment of a train each with different types of the s/l purple "INCENDE WAGON POSTE" cachet on back. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, GREECE, FRANCE (Image) (Image2)
|
Starting at £ 100
CLOSED
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 366 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - FIRE ON A PARIS TO BRUSSELS TRAIN; Scarce 20 Dec. 1918 PPC to Belgium struck with purple "CORRESPONDENCE
RETARDEE/PAR SUITE D'UN INCENDIE". Few of these covers known. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, FRANCE (Image)
|
Starting at £ 100
CLOSED
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 367 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - JAPAN TO CHILE COVER DAMAGED IN 1920 MAIL CAR FIRE AT COLUMBUS, WISCONSIN: Badly damaged 1920 env. ex Kobe
to Iquique via the USA with 2-line violet "DAMAGED BY FIRE IN/MAIL CAR-COLUMBUS, WIS." on back. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, JAPAN, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Image)
|
Starting at £ 80
SOLD for £85.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 368 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - WRECKED TRAIN TO TACOMA, USA; Scarce 7 Dec. 1921 env. struck with purple "Received in bad condition
at/Tacoma, Wash." after removal from wreckage at Everett. Few of these covers known. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Image)
|
Starting at £ 80
SOLD for £85.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 369 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - FIRE AT FRENCH TRAIN STATION; Scarce 1928 env. ex Spain to USA struck with purple "CORRESPONDANCES
R[ET]ARDEE/par suite du incendie/gare MANTES", heavily repaired with official paper tape before forwarding to USA. Few of these covers known. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SPAIN (Image)
|
Starting at £ 80
SOLD for £85.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 370 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - USA COVERS DAMAGED BY FIRE IN RAILWAY STORAGE CAR; 2 scarce 1937 charred envs. ex New York to Los Angeles
struck with purple "DAMAGED BY FIRE / OG & LA TR.5 AUG 22" or red "DAMG'D BY/FIRE TR. AUG 22/OGDEN & L.A." cachets. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Image) (Image2)
|
Starting at £ 80
CLOSED
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 371 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - CANADA - TRAIN WRECK IN RIVER: 1937 (Apr.) env. (missing stamps) ex Strathroy to Toronto with blue "DAMAGED
BY WATER/DUE TO TRAIN WREC[K]" cachet. Resealed with label at P.O. in London 2 May. Due to extensive flooding around London, Ontario, a train was derailed into the river. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, CANADA (Image)
|
Starting at £ 65
SOLD for £70.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 372 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - GREAT BRITAIN/SWEDEN/PORTUGAL/HOLLAND/USA: 1954-84 collection on leaves inc. 1954 PPC ex Sweden on train
which crashed at Rorvik with partial purple "Denna forsandelse har forse[?]/och skadats genom tagolycka/Rorvik den 6/9/1954./Postdirektionen i St[?]"cachet, also env. from same crash with a different cachet; 1963 charred small portion of env. ex GB
forwarded in stamped Ambulance env. with Post Office covering letter (most unusual); 1965 env. ex Italy to Portugal recovered from crash at Villar de los Alamos with large boxed "Nota da Estacao Central des Correios/LISBOA/Correspondencia recuperada
dos/salvados postais do desastre ferro-/viario corrido com o Sud-Expre-/nas proximidades Salaman[ca.]" cachet on back; 1984 large env. ex UK (lightly charred) with large purple "THE POST OFFICE/regrets delay damage/DUE TO RAILWAY/FIRE ON 19.12.84"
cachet; plus other related examples, some with Post Office explanatory letters. (16 items) Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, GREAT BRITAIN, SWEDEN (Image) (Image2)
(Image3)
(Image4)
|
Starting at £ 130
SOLD for £140.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 373 |
|
 RAILWAY DISASTER MAIL - U.S.A.: 1958 charred env. recovered from train fire near Ogden, Nevada with purple "DAMAGED IN HANDLING/IN
THE POSTAL SERVICE" hs; 1960 charred p.stat. PC with purple "DAMAGED IN FIRE/IN RAILWAY MAIL CAR/DAGGETT, CALIFORNIA" cachet; and 1960 env. (missing flap) with faint purple "DAMAGED IN FIRE IN RAILWAY/MAIL CAR AY CADIZ,, CALIF." cachet. (3 items)
Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, RAILWAY MAIL, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Image) (Image2)
(Image3)
|
Starting at £ 80
SOLD for £320.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 374 |
|
 MAIL VAN FIRES: 1936 (Apr.) charred env. ex Holland to Germany with "Wegen s Brand in Postaut./Arnhem-Emmerich bescha dig" cachet
applied after mail van fire; 1936 (Nov.) envs. (one charred) ex Los Angeles to San Francisco, USA with "Damaged in Mail Chute" with 'Mail Chute' crossed out and ms 'Fire' added or "DAMAGE/BY/FIRE" ('B' INVERTED) cachets; and 1938 (Oct.) env. ex UK to
Palestine charred after mail van fire during riot (no cachet), plus covering env. returning item to UK. (4 items) Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, NETHERLANDS, PALESTINE (Image)
|
Starting at £ 65
SOLD for £160.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 375 |
|
 SHIP WRECK MAIL - NEW SOUTH WALES/GIBRALTAR - RARE COVER FROM THE STORM-DAMAGED "KINNEAR": 16 Aug 1841 EL from Sydney to England
sealed with complete "New South Wales/Commissariat" red wax seal having partly fine red oval "PAID SHIP LETTER/[crown]/SYDNEY" ds on the front with red ms "3"; apparently carried by the ship "Kinnear" which ran into storms & limped into Gibraltar for
repairs on 1st Dec. This cover was then transferred there to H.M.S. Aucheron but it seems that the Gibraltar P.O. noticed the official N.S.W. & applied their own red wax "Gibraltar" seal on the front which has the remnant of what is said to have been
a note explaining the reason for the delay to the letter. It then reached London on 12 Dec. (cds) with a black "SHIP LETTER" across the join & a ms "8" charge. No other covers from this sailing appear to have been recorded (not noted by Peace, 2013).
Very rare early wreck cover. Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, NEW SOUTH WALES, GIBRALTAR, MARITIME MAIL (Image) (Image2)
|
Starting at £ 200
SOLD for £380.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 376 |
|
 SHIP WRECK MAIL - N.Z./SAUDI ARABIA - WRECK S.S. "EMEU" 'CHALON HEADS' 6d-RATE COVER EX GOLDFIELDS P.O.: July 1857 env. (some wear,
edge-tears & part flap lost) from the New Zealand mobile Goldfields P.O. with Chalon blue strip of three (cut into at base) tied by mainly fine "18" barred numerals (believed to have been used in one of the mobile Goldfields post offices); also
having a 75% mainly fine "AUTARGO/[NEW Z]EALAND" cds on reverse. This letter was carried to Sydney & then Melbourne (17 Sep.) & then shipped on the S.S. "Emeu" bound to Suez. The ship ran aground on 22 Oct. on a reef near Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); this
letter was taken to Suez from the stranded ship & then taken from Alexandria to Southampton where it arrived on 18 Nov. There is a proving "LONDON/PAID" arrival cds of 19 Nov. on the front. Arguably the most unusual cover recorded from this famous
wreck. Cross Reference: SAUDI ARABIA, NEW ZEALAND, GOLD/MINING, CRASH/WRECK MAIL (Image) (Image2)
|
Starting at £ 260
SOLD for £850.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 377 |
|
 SHIP WRECK MAIL - INDIA/CEYLON/LONDON - "Saved from the w[reck]/of the Ava." COVER FROM INDIA TO G.B.: 10 Feb. 1858 env. (usual
faults) from Calcutta to England "Via Marseilles" having had 4 stamps washed off with a red boxed "INDIA/PAID" & 11 May "LONDON/PAID" cds on the front; also having a partly fine strike of the rare "Saved from the w[reck]/of the Ava." (struck in
London) on the flap. A good example of mail from this famous wreck on Pidgeon Island. Plus an 1857 E from Calcutta to Glasgow endorsed "P.Str. Ava via Marseilles". (2 covers) Cross Reference: INDIA, CEYLON/SRI LANKA, LONDON POSTAL HISTORY,
CRASH/WRECK MAIL (Image)
(Image2)
|
Starting at £ 130
SOLD for £240.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 378 |
|
 SHIP WRECK MAIL - INDIA/LONDON - BOXED "Saved from the wreck of/the Colombo." COVER FROM INDIA TO LONDON: 11 Nov. 1862 env. (usual
faults, stamp presumably washed off & opened out for display) from "CHINGLEPUT" (cds & matching crescent-framed "INDIA PAID" on the reverse) to London "Via Southampton" having an exceptionally fine strike of the type-2 boxed "Saved from the wreck
of/the Colombo." nicely placed on the front. On arrival in London the addressee could not be found & there are 7 "LONDON" transit date stamps in all as well as the London quartered circle "M/SW/A" missent mark. A spectacular & unusual cover from this
famous wreck. Cross Reference: INDIA, LONDON POSTAL HISTORY, CRASH/WRECK MAIL, MARITIME MAIL (Image)
|
Starting at £ 200
SOLD for £280.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 379 |
|
 SHIP WRECK MAIL - WRECK OF THE SS COLOMBO; 1862 (19 Nov.) env. (side flaps missing; stamps floated off) Sydney to London salved from
the wreck of the SS Colombo with red London (22 Jan. 63) ds and on the reverse a fine boxed "Saved from the wreck of the Colombo" (2nd Type) hs (Ex Hoggarth) Cross Reference: CRASH/WRECK MAIL, MARITIME MAIL, NEW SOUTH WALES (Image) (Image2)
|
Starting at £ 130
SOLD for £160.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
| 380 |
|
 SHIP WRECK MAIL - SS OREGON TYPE 2 LABEL WITH MS DATE ALTERATION; 1886 (14 Mar.) wrapper Winterthur, Switzerland to La Crosse WI. in
two parts joined together by a Type 2 PO New York Apr. 12th 1886 label with ms "27" date amendment. Scarce and unusual. (see MDM p.68). (Ex Hoggarth) Cross Reference: SWITZERLAND, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (Image)
|
Starting at £ 130
SOLD for £140.00
Closing..Mar-05, 03:00 AM |
