1928 World's First Stratosphere Mail Flight (10 June) flimsy envelope with 3gr label, supplemented by 15gr franking, canceled Graz, with two-line "Geflogen mit Hohenballon F.S.1" handstamp, numbered "88" (200 carried), v.f. (in the summer of 1928, Schmiedl released a stratosphere balloon, at a height of 16 to 18km, instruments registered air pressure and wind velocity. It also carried 200 numbered lightweight covers, which had a triangular vignette applied. On the vignette were printed a picture of a balloon and "Hochflugpost 3 Groschen". The covers were addressed to friends and acquaintances and had a 25g stamp applied. Both the stamp and the vignette were postmarked at the Graz Post Office (June 10, 1928) and then dispatched) (Cat No. 1C1) (Image)

Est.$750

1928 World's First Stratosphere Mail Flight (10 June) flimsy envelope with 3gr label, supplemented by 15gr franking, canceled Graz, with two-line "Geflogen mit Hohenballon F.S.1" handstamp, numbered "194" (200 carried), v.f. (Cat No. 1C1) (Image)

Est.$750

1928 (July) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V1 test flight, numbered "04" (out of only 19 carried), signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $1,400 in our September 2017 sale) (Friedrich Schmiedl, educated in civil engineering, became fascinated in the practical aspects of rocketry and began development and testing of solid propellant rockets in 1921. He first tested his designs at Schoeckl bei Graz in 1924, concentrating on tests of "photographic rockets", which could map large areas from high altitude. In June 1928 he attempted flight tests of instrumented rockets that were to be launched from stratospheric balloons. In 1930 Schmiedl launched further rockets from Schoeckl, perfecting a parachute recovery system. His first successful post office rocket on 2 February 1931 transported 100 letters from Schoeckl to Sankt Radegund. He began with what he called "regular mail service" in September 1931 with launch of his G1 rocket from Hochtroetsch to Semriach. Schmiedl refused to participate in development of military rockets, either for the Nazis or the Americans and died in 1994) (Cat No. 2C1) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1928 (July) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V1 test flight, numbered "08" (out of only 19 carried), signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $1,400 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 2C1) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1928 (July) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V2 test flight, numbered "02" (out of only 19 carried), signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $2.200 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 3C1) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1928 (July) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V2 test flight, numbered "13" (out of only 19 carried), signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $2,200 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 3C1) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1930 (6 March) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V3 test flight, numbered "07" (out of only 18 carried), signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $1,500 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 4C1) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1930 (6 March) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V3 test flight, numbered "16" (out of only 18 carried), faint toning, signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $1,500 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 4C1) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1930 (6 March) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V4 test flight, numbered "07" (out of only 18 carried), signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $1,300 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 5C1) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1930 (6 March) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V4 test flight, numbered "14" (out of only 18 carried), signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $1,300 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 5C1) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1930 (14 May) Rocket flown souvenir lettersheet, carried by Rocket V5 test flight, numbered "07" (out of only 16 carried), signed Schmiedl (a similar item brought $4,750 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 6C1) (Image)

Est.$2,500

1931 (9 Sep) Hochtroetsch "R1" Rocket Mail Cover registered from Semrlach to New York, franked on both sides, with arrival 18 Sep 1931 markings, some backflap mending, fine and rare usage, only three (!) covers were re-posted to New York (Cat No. 10C1a) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1931 (28 Oct) flimsy white card franked with 5gr brown orange, tied by triangular "V8" in violet, also "Geflogen mit Postrakete V8" cachet alongside, addressed to Graz, with penciled inscription "nachtflug 28.X.1931" and signature Schmiedl, numbered "069" of 84 carried, v.f. (Cat No. 11C1) (Image)

Est.$750

1931 (28 Oct) flimsy white card franked with 5gr brown orange, tied by triangular "V8" in violet, also "Geflogen mit Postrakete V8" cachet alongside, addressed to Graz, with penciled inscription "nachtflug 28.X.1931" and signature Schmiedl, numbered "067" of 84 carried, v.f. (Cat No. 11C1) (Image)

Est.$750

1931 (28 Oct) cover franked with 10gr brown orange, tied by triangular "V8" in violet, also "Geflogen mit Postrakete V8" cachet alongside, addressed to Graz, with penciled inscription "nachtflug 28.X.1931" and signature Schmiedl, numbered "051" of 84 carried, v.f. (Cat No. 11C1) (Image)

Est.$500

1931 (2 Feb) white card franked with 10gr brown, handstamped "Raketen Flugpostkarte Raketenpost Schmiedl", numbered "073" and dated, carried by Rocket V7, addressed to Hern F. Rosner in Graz, signed Schmiedl, v.f. (On 2nd February 1931, Schmiedl launched the first Rocket Mail. On this flight (V7), 102 covers and cards were flown from the top of Mount Schockel to the village of Radegund in the valley below. Only 57 items received the 10g stamp (No.32) which had been numbered and inscribed by Schmiedl) (a similar item realized $2,100 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 8C1c) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1931 (2 Feb) beige card franked with 10gr brown (No.38), handstamped "Raketen Flugpostkarte Raketenpost Schmiedl", numbered "089" and dated, carried by Rocket V7, addressed to Hern Ing. Langer in Graz, signed Schmiedl, v.f. (a similar item realized $2,100 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 8C1d) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1931 (2 Feb) beige card franked with 10gr brow (No.20), inscribed "Raketen Flugpost Schmiedl", numbered "018" and dated, carried by Rocket V7, numbered "92", signed Schmiedl, v.f. card from the "World's First Rocket Mail Flight", addressed to Graz, very rare (Cat No. 8C1d) (Image)

Est.$500

1931 (2 Feb) beige card franked with 10gr brown (No.35), handstamped "Raketen Flugpostkarte Raketenpost Schmiedl", numbered "086" and dated, carried by Rocket V7, addressed to Hern Ing. Langer in Graz, signed Schmiedl, v.f. (Cat No. 8C1d) (Image)

Est.$1,000

1931 (21 Apr) white card franked with 10gr brown, tied by "Geflogen mit Registrier-Rakete 21 April 1931" overprint (repeated alongside and on back), also "Mit Registrier Rakete befordern" in manuscript at bottom, addressed to Graz, signed Schmiedl, filing fold away from the stamps, faint toning, otherwise fine (EZ catalogue: "total of 79 were flown, but very few exist and are extremely rare") (Cat No. 9C1) (Image)

Est.$500

1931 (21 Apr) white card franked with 10gr brown, tied by "Geflogen mit Registrier-Rakete 21 April 1931" overprint (repeated on back), also "Raketenpost Schmiedl" cachet alongside, addressed to Graz, signed Schmiedl, faint toning, otherwise fine (EZ catalogue: "total of 79 were flown, but very few exist and are extremely rare") (Cat No. 9C1a) (Image)

Est.$750

1931 (21 Apr) white flimsy envelope franked with 20gr gray, tied by "Geflogen mit Registrier-Rakete 21 April 1931" overprint (repeated on back), also "Raketenpost Schmiedl" cachet alongside, addressed to Graz, signed Schmiedl, also a signed flimsy letter signed Schmiedl, v.f. (EZ catalogue: "total of 79 were flown, but very few exist and are extremely rare") (Cat No. 9C1b) (Image)

Est.$750

1931 (21 Apr) cover franked with 20gr gray, tied by "Geflogen mit Registrier-Rakete 21 April 1931" overprint (repeated on back), also "Raketenpost Schmiedl" cachet alongside, addressed to Graz, signed Schmiedl, filing fold away from the stamp (EZ catalogue: "total of 79 were flown, but very few exist and are extremely rare") (Cat No. 9C1b) (Image)

Est.$500

1932 (11 Apr) flimsy envelope franked with 3gr orange and 10gr Postage Due, tied by Liebenau cds, with red rectangular Rocket cachet alongside (repeated on back), signed Schmiedl on both sides, with black script "mit Postrakete V11 befordert", faint toned speck, fine. Only 11 carried (a similar item realized $1,400 in our September 2017 sale) (Cat No. 12C1) (Image)

Est.$750

1932 (23 July) registered cover from Kumberg to Graz, four different Rocket labels and "V12" cachet, 50gr franking, additional "Geflogen Mit Postrakete V12" cachet and arrival pmk on back, fine and attractive item (Cat No. 15C1) (Image)

Est.$250