Leon Trotsky was a key figure in the Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia, second only to Vladimir Lenin in the early stages of Soviet communist rule. But he lost out to Joseph Stalin in the power struggle that followed…
Henry Richard Charles Wellesley, 1st Earl Cowley KG GCB PC (17 June 1804 – 15 July 1884), known as The Lord Cowley between 1847 and 1857, was a British diplomat. He served as British Ambassador to France between 1852 and…
Italian Social Republic passport issued in September 1944 Repubblica Sociale Italiana, RSI Right: Service passport (stamp) with low document number Left: normal version with document number 21189 The Italian Social Republic (Italian: Repubblica Sociale Italiana, RSI), informally known as the…
United States Passport – Island of Puerto Rico 1926 When it comes to US passport history this type from the ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO is one of the rarest passports a collector can find! Issued 1926 in the city of…
British Passport 1859 with very unusual customized wallet This British passport is extraordinary because of its wallet, actually its rather a case. I have seen many British passports with different leather wallets, which also have sometimes a secret or hidden…
The passport of Prof. Dr. Franz Böhm – Luxembourg Agreement This passport from 1950, issued by the Military government for Germany belonged to Franz Böhm (16 February 1895, Konstanz – 26 September 1977, Rockenberg) who was a German politician, lawyer, and economist. Böhm was a member of the German Bundestag from…
United Nations Diplomatic Visa On Benjamin Franklin Passport A collector friend from USA has send in this interesting United Nations visa which was issued on a “Ben Franklin” passport (issued only 1993-1994) by the U.S. State Dept., to commemorate the…
East German Passport issued in 1989 with visa from 1995 The German Democratic Republic (GDR) is already history since 28 years but one still can find most interesting documents from this time. Here is one. A GDR passport with a…
Union of South Africa Passport 1923 Well Traveled If you see this precious piece you could think the passport is covered in Elephant leather (which is of course not the case). Meet Shopkeeper David Weinberg, born in Lithuania in 1894.…
Austrian passport issued in Shanghai – Return from escape to Europe/USA The Austrian passport is quite interesting as it was issued 1948 in Shanghai. It’s Jewish bearer was most likely fleeing from the Nazis. Shanghai was during the Nazi area a…