KLEIN, EUGENE

Copyright 2011-2018 John N. Lupia, III

Fig. 1. Photo of Eugene Klein circa 1925.

Eugene Klein (1878-1944), was born on June 26, 1878, at Tinnye, Pest, Hungary (then Austro-Hungary), son of Jacob Klein (1850-1916), and Sophia Eisler Klein (1855-1916).

He became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America on June 18, 1900.

Klein is well-known as a philatelic collector, stamp dealer, and stamp auctioneer.

From 1911-1931 he served as the Official Expert for the American Philatelic Society.

From 1911-1944 Kline held stamp auctions.

In 1914, he married Sara E. Conover, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They had a daughter Dolores Klein Hertz (1915-1997)

In 1915, he was a member of the New York Stamp Society.

In 1917, he lived at 53 North 62nd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On May 20, 1918, he purchased from William T. Robey, who had discovered the biplane was printed inverted by error, a whole sheet with blue plate No. 8493 of the 24-cent Curtis JN-4 biplane "Jenny" Air Mail postage stamps for $15,000 with financing stemming from Col. Edward H. R. Green, the renown stamp and coin collector. Robey purchased the sheet on May 14, 1918 at the New York Avenue Post Office, Washington, D.C., paying face vale of $24. Robey turned down the earlier offer made by Percy Mann for $10,000. He also turned down his first offer by his friend and stamp dealer Hamilton F. Colman, who offered $500 the first day the stamp sheet was purchased by Robey.

From August 9-11, 1921 he and his wife and daughter attended the APS Annual at "The Cream City Convention," Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Fig. First Flight Cleveland - Louisville Cover by Eugene Klein mailed to himself and never opened still containing the original circular inside. Courtesy Lupia Numismatic Library.

In 1928 his business address was 200 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

From 1928 - 1935, he served as the International Secretary of the American Philatelic Society.

His residence was 44 North 50th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1935 his business address was 200 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1935, he founded the American Philatelic Congress.

From 1935-1937 he served as President of the American Philatelic Society.

From 1937-1944, he served a second term as the International Secretary of the American Philatelic Society.

In 1940, he published is opus magnus, United States Waterway Packetmarks : Handstamped and Printed Names of Mail Carrying Steamboats on the United States of America Inland and Coastal Waterways, 1832-1899. (J. W. Stowell Printing Company, 1940).

In 1940, his business address was 212 South 13th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He died on April 30, 1944. He was survived by his wife Sara E. Conover Klein (1880-1954), and their daughter Dolores Kline Hertz.

He is buried at Absecon United Methodist Church Cemetery, Absecon, Atlantic County, New Jersey. His daughter Dolores Kline Hertz received the contents of his bank vault container which held a block of four "Inverted Jenny" postage stamps.

He was inducted into the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame soon after his death in 1944.

For Bibliography see blow this advertisement.

Auctions :

1923 Henry Gibson Collection, Part 1

1938 Van Aken Collection, U. S. and Foreign Stamps

1944 Henry Gibson Collection, Part 2

Bibliography :

Philatelic Gazette, Vol. 5 (1915) : 88

Lowell J. Ragatz, "The Cream City Convention," MeKeel's Weekly Stamp News Vol. 35, No. 35, August 27 (1921) : 481-484

"Visit of the Philadelphia Stamp Club, And the Philadelphia Chapter No. 18 A.P.S., March 7, 1934" Collectors' Club Philatelist (1934) : 131

Stamps Vol. 47, May 12 (1944) : 224 Obit

Jeff Stage, Chasing Jenny (2013)

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