Sale 1213 — The Santiago Cruz Large Gold Medal Collection of Colombia SCADTA Air Post Issues
Sale Date — Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
Category — Consular Forerunners
COLOMBIA, 1920, 30c Black on Rose, "G. Mejia" Signature, Signature Trial in Black (CLEU1 var). Top right corner sheet margin, unused (no gum), small area of additional ink (from signature) causing minor pinhole erosion, small thin mostly in top marginVERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY THREE "G. MEJIA" MANUSCRIPT TRIAL OVERPRINTS ARE KNOWN, EACH DIFFERENT AND TWO ON THE 30-CENTAVOS -- ALL THREE OFFERED HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT PUBLIC AUCTION.
These trial overprints were signed by Gonzalo Mejia and entered the philatelic market when offered in a private sale of SCADTA archives. Both the 30c and 50c were eventually signed in red ink. They were sold in New York at the SCADTA office for Air Post covers sent to Colombia.
Ex SCADTA Archives
COLOMBIA, 1920, 30c Black on Rose, "G. Mejia" Signature, Signature Trial in Gray Blue (CLEU1 var). Sheet margin at right, h.r., bold colorFINE. ONE OF ONLY THREE "G. MEJIA" MANUSCRIPT TRIAL OVERPRINTS, EACH DIFFERENT AND TWO ON THE 30-CENTAVOS -- ALL THREE OFFERED HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT PUBLIC AUCTION.
These trial overprints were signed by Gonzalo Mejia and entered the philatelic market when offered in a private sale of SCADTA archives. Both the 30c and 50c were eventually signed in red ink. They were sold in New York at the SCADTA office for Air Post covers sent to Colombia.
Ex SCADTA Archives. With 2008 Colomphil certificate
COLOMBIA, 1920, 30c Black on Rose, G. Mejia Signature in Red (CLEU1). Cancelled by violet SCADTA Barranquilla handstamp, used with National 3c on cover front only to Bogota, red boxed Bogota datestamp applied upon arrival which ties both stamps, "Feb. 18, 1922" datestamp, front with few minor file folds not affecting stamps and three hole punches at leftFINE. A RARE COVER FRONT WITH THE 30-CENTAVOS "G MEJIA" CONSULAR OVERPRINT. ONLY FIVE COVERS OR COVER FRONTS ARE RECORDED.
In order to provide and encourage foreign air post service to Colombia, SCADTA made its stamps available at consular offices around the world. Gonzalo Mejia established an office in New York and signed stamps "G Mejia" to designate use from the United States. Two covers were used with the first for the sending to the SCADTA office in Barranquilla. The inner cover bore the consular stamp and a National stamp, such as the example offered here. The outer cover was removed in Barranquilla with the inner cover forwarded onwards by SCADTA.
We have recorded five covers or fronts. There is 1) Oct. 28, 1921 - single (ex Gebauer), 2) Dec. 19, 1921 - unique 30c (2) and 50c combination, 3) 1921 - 30c single (ex Myer and Goeggel), 4) Feb. 18, 1922 single on cover front (offered here), and 5) 1922 single (ex Kaplan and Goeggel).
COLOMBIA, 1920, 30c Black on Rose, G. Mejia Signature in Red (CLEU1). Bold violet "Sociedad Colombo Alemana, Transportes Aereos de Barranquilla" with pointing hand handstamp applied upon arrival, irregularly separated at top left just touching outer portion of design, often seen due to poor perforating of stamps, otherwise Fine and exceptionally rare, only two examples are recorded, this handstamp was applied upon arrival when the cover was received from the SCADTA office in New York, ex Goeggel
COLOMBIA, 1920, 50c Green, "GM" Signature, Signature Trial in Black (CLEU2a). Sheet margin at bottom, h.r., manuscript overprint inverted, vertical creaseVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE MANUSCRIPT "GM" IN BLACK TRIAL OVERPRINT ON THE 50-CENTAVOS. TWO ARE KNOWN ON THE 30-CENTAVOS -- ALL THREE OFFERED HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT PUBLIC AUCTION.
These trial overprints were signed by Gonzalo Mejia and entered the philatelic market when offered in a private sale of SCADTA archives. Both the 30c and 50c were eventually signed in red ink. They were sold in New York at the SCADTA office for Air Post covers sent to Colombia.
Ex SCADTA Archives. With 2008 Colomphil certificate
COLOMBIA, 1920, 30c Black on Rose, 50c Green, Manuscript "G Mejia" in Red (CLEU1-CLEU2). Mint N.H. top right corner blocks of four (30c) and six (50c), 30c with minor gum bend, 50c right vertical pair with crease and minor toned spots on gum, both with few minor perf separations, otherwise Fine-Very Fine and scarce multiples, the 50c is the largest recorded multiple, we are aware of only one other block this size (ex Boonshaft and Fletcher), Scott Retail as singles $1,500.00
COLOMBIA, 1920, 50c Green, G. Mejia Signature in Red (CLEU2). Cancelled by violet SCADTA Barranquilla handstamp, used with National 3c horizontal pair, tied by red boxed Bogota datestamp on cover front only to Bogota, "Apr. 23, 1922" datestamp, 50c with minor toned spot at top, front with two vertical file folds, one which affects 50cFINE AND EXCEPTIONALLY RARE COVER FRONT WITH THE 50-CENTAVOS "G MEJIA" CONSULAR OVERPRINT. ONLY THREE COVERS OR COVER FRONTS ARE RECORDED.
In order to provide and encourage foreign air post service to Colombia, SCADTA made its stamps available at consular offices around the world. Gonzalo Mejia established an office in New York and signed stamps "G Mejia" to designate use from the United States. Two covers were used with the first for the sending to the SCADTA office in Barranquilla. The inner cover bore the consular stamp and a National stamp, such as the example offered here. The outer cover was removed in Barranquilla with the inner cover forwarded onwards by SCADTA.
We have recorded three covers or fronts. There is 1) Dec. 19, 1921 - unique 30c (2) and 50c combination, 2) Apr. 23, 1922 - 50c single on cover front (offered here), 3) 50c single (illustrated in Fletcher, pg. 77).
With 2003 Sismondo certificate
COLOMBIA, 1920, 50c Green, G. Mejia Signature in Red (CLEU2). Sheet margin at right, cancelled by violet Barranquilla four-line handstamp in transit and blue boxed Bogota datestamp upon arrival, Fine and scarce, only a small handful of used examples are known, Scott $500.00
COLOMBIA, 1921, 30c Rose, "Servicio Postal Aereo de Colombia, PANAMA" Oveprint (Sanabria 45). H.r., light but clear overprint, well-centered, bold color, pinpoint thinEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENTAVOS WITH THE PANAMA SCADTA OVERPRINT. AN IMMENSE CONSULAR OVERPRINT RARITY.
This overprint, known on the 30c and 50c, were one of the first experiments with consular overprints outside of New York. They were made available for use in the SCADTA office in Panama in 1921. Only four examples of this overprint have been recorded to date, the other three in used condition with no covers known. Only one unused example of the 50c value has also been recorded (ex Cole, Gebauer and Johnson). Unlisted in Scott and mentioned in Sanabria as unique.
Ex Cole and Atherton. Signed Sanabria and Kessler. With 1970 P.F. certificate
COLOMBIA, 1921, 30c Rose, "Servicio Postal Aereo de Colombia, PANAMA" Oveprint (Sanabria 45). Violet Barranquilla cancel at bottom right, light but clear overprint, minor creases and trace of toning along perfsVERY FINE APPEARANCE OF THE 30-CENTAVOS WITH THE PANAMA SCADTA OVERPRINT. ONLY THREE USED EXAMPLES ARE RECORDED.
This overprint, known on the 30c and 50c, were one of the first experiments with consular overprints outside of New York. They were made available for use in the SCADTA office in Panama in 1921. Only four examples of this overprint have been recorded to date, three in used condition - a) the example offered here, ex Goeggel (Sept. 2013 Corinphila), b) ex Johnson (Jan. 2014 Spink Investphila), and c) Offered in Jun. 2014 Spink Investphila. The fourth example is the unique unused example offered in the prior lot. Unlisted in Scott.
Ex Goeggel