I spotted a couple of interesting covers up for auction. If you’re a Zeppelin collector, Daniel F. Kelleher auction house might be worth a quick look. Hell, even if you aren’t looking to buy, go look anyway.

The first one is a nice US Lakehurst to Lakehurst cover with an excellent US airmail/ Zeppelin cancel and Eckener cachet.  The current bid is sitting at $100 with the estimates between $200 and $300. The cover lacks Zeppelin stamps but the cachet and cancel make it worth a bid. If you’re just starting your Zeppelin collection, this would be a great starting point.

The one that floats my boat is Lot 5015 – Zeppelin mail to Canada airmail by way of the US. Ok, a bit convoluted so I’ll let the catalogue do the talking:

Canada, 1930 (May 18-31), Europe-Pan-American Flight, Friedrichshafen to Lakehurst (Michel 66 G), cover franked with 15¢ Canadian postage canceled Vancouver, 15 Apr, flown to New York where U.S. $2.60 Zeppelin was applied and canceled 29 Apr; German & U.S. flight cachets, backstamped green Lakehurst Zeppelin receiver; then returned by Airmail to the sender/addressee in Vancouver; 5¢ Canadian Airmail with corner neatly replaced, otherwise Very Fine. Sieger 64 Ib.
Sieger €2,000 ($2,120).

Kelleher puts the the estimate at between $1,000 and $1,500. But look at that beauty – both a US Zeppelin stamp and a Canadian airmail,  and absolutely brilliant cancels and cachets. Be still my beating heart. That’s the cover of Canadian airmail collector’s dreams. As of this writing, the opening bid is already $500.  I’ll be watching this one.

Kelleher Auctions has a large number of Graf Zeppelin LZ 127 flight covers available.  Even if you aren’t looking to bid or these are beyond your stamp budget, check the offerings out anyway. It’s a great way to see what’s out there and learn more about this specialty.

I’d love to be in Danbury, Connecticut to watch this lot go on May 18-19, 2017.

** Both cover images courtesy Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions.