ORDER OF SALETo be sold on Friday 9th March, 2018, at 10.30 a.m.
Africa Air Mails 1-62
Worldwide Air Mails 63-81
Military & P.O.W Mail - Boer War, WW1, WW2 82-109
Service Suspended Mail & Mail Returned or Detained by the Censor 110-126
Thematics, World & British Empire Stamps & Covers 127-149
Aden, Afghanistan, Albania, Antarctica, Australian States 150-160
Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Basutoland, Belgian Congo, Bermuda, Brazil 161-169
British Occupation of Italian Colonies, British Somaliland, Brunei, Bulgaria 170-178
Burma 179-207
Canada, Ceylon, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia 208-233
Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Faroe Islands, France & Colonies 234-276
Germany, Gibraltar, Gold Coast, Greece, Grenada, Haiti 277-291
Hong Kong 292-319
India & States 320-347
Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan 348-375
Kenya, Uganda & Tanganyika 376-394
Levant, Liberia, Liechtenstein 395-405
Malaya 406-453
Malta, Mauritius, Montenegro, Morocco Agencies, Netherlands 454-472
New Zealand, Nigeria, North Borneo, Nyasaland, Pakistan 473-486
Palestine & Israel, Persia, Persian Gulf, Pitcairn Is., Poland, Portugal & Colonies 487-523
Rhodesia, Roumania, Russia, Sarawak 524-555
Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Siam, Sierra Leone 556-560
South Africa featuring Cape of Good Hope Maritime Mail & Postal History 561-685
Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tibet, Tonga, Transjordan 686-701
Tristan da Cunha, Turkey, USA, Venezuela, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zanzibar 702-724
Great Britain
Literature & Ephemera, Stamps 725-764
Postal History - Mixed Lots 765-776
Air Mails including 1911 Coronation Flights, Cancellations 777-795
Express Mail - The Phil Kenton Collection 796-859
Frees, Maritime Mail including Scottish Steamer Mail, Military 860-874
Missent Mail - The Michael Goodman Collection 875-903
Mulreadys, Parcel Post, Postal Reform, Postal Stationery 904-913
Railways, Uniform 4d Post 914-932
Isle of Man, Lancashire, London, Sussex 933-945
Not to be sold before 2.30 p.m.
Channel Islands - The Brian Brookes Collection 946-1356
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AFRICA AIR MAILSR.A.F Survey and Proving Flights |
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1925 Cover to London inscribed "Return Experimental Flight, Kano to Cairo", posted upon arrival at Cairo with Egypt 5m tied by Hilwan c.d.s (Nov 20), initialled by the pilot Sqn. Ldr. Coningham, handstamped "T" with a London Foreign Branch 2d charge mark and a 2d postage due stamp tied by Paddington c.d.s (Nov 28), very fine, approximately 85 covers carried. Photo on Page 7. £140-160
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1925 Cover to "S/L Coningham, R.A.F Hilwan" endorsed "By Special Air Mail Kano - Cairo" bearing Chad 75c with red manuscript "By Air Tchad Cairo" tied by Fort Lamy c.d.s (Nov 3), backstamped at Hilwan (Nov 20). Fine and very scarce, about five covers recorded. Photo on Page 7. £300-350
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1926 Etiquettes intended for use on covers carried on the repeat of the 1925 flight between Kano and Cairo, seven impressions reading "BY AIR / EGYPT - NIGERIA" on blue paper and six impressions reading "NIGERIA - EGYPT FLIGHT" on pink paper. This flight was cancelled as the R.A.F planes flew to Cape Town instead. (2). £60-80
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1926 Cover to Khartoum with violet "Special Flight / Cairo to Khartoum" and "Khartoum 11/1/26", initialled by the Officer Commanding the flight V.E Stoner and signed, bearing Egypt 5m tied by Abu Suwer c.d.s (Jan 9), very fine. 65 Private letters and five official letters were carried on this test flight. Photo on Page 7. £180-200
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1926 Cairo to Cape Town and return survey flight, cover carried on the return flight from Kenya to Cairo and on to Lee on the Solent bearing KUT 10c pair tied by manuscript "per favour of the R.A.F Capetown to England flight" and a G.B 1 1/2d tied Lee on the Solent c.d.s (June 21), redirected from Liverpool to Birkenhead with a Liverpool c.d.s (June 22) on the front. No official mail was carried on this flight but the Commanding Officer Wing Cdr. Pulford is known to have carried a few covers privately for friends; the unique cover carried by Pulford from Northern Rhodesia to G.B sold in our September 2017 auction for £5,500 + premium. An important and unique KUT flight cover. Photo on Inside Front Cover. £1,200-1,600
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1928 "Royal Air Force, Pilots Handbook of the Cairo - Cape Town Air Route", published by H.M Stationery Office, ring bound within a red board cover, containing a description of the 21 stages of the route from Cairo to Cape Town and Cape Town to Pretoria via Durban, tables of distances, compass bearings between landing grounds, lists of Governors of territories traversed and local authorities at landing grounds, ground to air signal codes and how to send them with action to be taken after forced landings, plans of 46 aerodromes from Heliopolis to Salisbury, and 20 maps showing the route from Sudan to South Africa. Up to six earlier maps possibly missing, otherwise fine and complete, a useful and rare record of this important air route. Only 500 copies printed very few of which can still survive, this copy ex Ministry of Defence library. £150-180
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1934 R.A.F South African Cruise, log sheets of the flight from Heliopolis to Pretoria and the return flight piloted by Sqn. Leader Saunders, the 30 pages detailing the flight via Assiut, Wadi Halfa, Atbara, Khartoum, Kosti, Malakal, Juba, Kisumu, Nairobi, Moshi, Dodoma, Iringa, Mbeya, Mpika, Broken Hill, Salisbury, Bulawayo, Pietersburg to Pretoria and the return flight, with full details of times and places seen, also three pages giving local times and the times for sunrise and sunset on the route, and a note handed to Saunders during the flight, "Here is the railway, we had better follow it to Balatras L.G". A unique original document of this important flight, with a full transcription. £200-240
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1934 "Royal Air Force, Pilots Handbook and Aeronautical Guide to East and South Africa", 85 pages of text + diagrams, blue card cover, signed "C.S Moore" with "Fairey VI F No 5" written in pencil. Contents include descriptions of all stages on the route and plans of the landing grounds, with a mileage chart. A very detailed and scarce record of this important air route. £150-180
| Record Attempts and Pioneer Flights | |
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1927 Cover to London endorsed "Carried by aeroplane from London to Mongalla" and signed by the Pilot R.R. Bentley bearing an uncancelled G.B 1 1/2d ringed in ink and two Sudan 5m stamps tied by Mongalla c.d.s (Nov 28), backstamped at Khartoum (Dec 7). The enclosed note on "Equatorial Battalion, Khartoum" notepaper and dated 27.11.27 reads, "delay in despatch regretted" and is signed by an Officer in the Battalion. Lt R.R Bentley of the South African Air Force made the first solo flight from London to Cape Town, also setting a new time record, beating the previous fastest time of Alan Cobham. Only one other cover recorded from this flight (carried from Broken Hill to Cape Town). Light staining and a little restored with some of the writing strengthened, nevertheless one of the rarest of all pioneer air mail covers from an important African record breaking flight. Photo on Page 7. £1,800-2,200
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1930 (Oct 4) Cover to Cape Town with G.B 1 1/2d cancelled by London W.1 machine, handstamped "AIR POST / SPECIAL" and signed by the pilot R.F Caspareuthus, backstamped at Cape Town (Oct 17), very fine. Caspareuthus flew from Lympne to Cape Town in a new solo record time of 8 1/2 days, a record which stood for six years. Just 20 covers and a few newspapers carried on this flight. Very scarce. Photo on Page 7. £500-600
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1930 (Oct 3) Complete copy of the "Evening Standard" newspaper enclosed within a 1/2d wrapper addressed to Cape Town, the wrapper tied to the newspaper by a 1/2d stamp both cancelled by London W.1 c.d.s (Oct 4) and handstamped "AIR POST /SPECIAL", backstamped at Cape Town (Oct 17), the newspaper signed by the pilot R.F Caspareuthus. A little staining to the wrapper, otherwise fine and very rare. Very few newspapers were carried on this record breaking flight and even fewer survive. Photo on Page 9. £800-1,000
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1931 Cover to London with reverse flap now attached to the cover front, endorsed "Puss Moth G-ABEH "Good Hope"" and signed by Peggy Salaman, the front also signed A. Gordon Store, bearing G.B 1 1/2d cancelled at Lympne (Oct 30) and South Africa 2d cancelled at Cape Town (Nov 6). Handstamped oval "DUTY OFFICE / 31 OCT 1931 / LYMPNE AIR PORT" and light "Found in E.C / without contents", the reverse again signed by Store and bearing part label "The article which has become separated from the attached cover cannot at present be identified" (probably due to the flap being attached to the cover front prior to posting and the cover therefore sent unsealed with no reverse flap, and presumably without contents). Also a photo of Salaman with the two lion cubs which she flew from Juba to Kimberley, a letter referring to the flight and cubs and enclosing this photo, and the cover in which these were sent to Canada bearing a photo of Salaman and Store alongside the aeroplane, and contemporary news cuttings (4). Salaman and Store flew from Lympne to Cape Town in a new record time of 5 days, 6 hours, 40 minutes. The cover a little stained but very rare; just ten covers carried for personal friends, of which just two or three are believed to survive. (6). Photo on Page 7. £800-1,000
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1931 (Nov 1) Fairey Monoplane proving flight by S/L A.R Gayford and Ft. Lt. W.L.G Bett, cover flown from Cranwell to Cairo and on to Khartoum, posted upon arrival on November 3rd bearing Sudan 10m pair, addressed to USA. Typed flight inscription, handstamped "T" and "POSTAGE DUE 15 CENTS", backstamped in New Jersey. Also a news cutting reporting their arrival at Cairo, a preliminary stop in their attempt to break the non-stop long distance flight record. Very rare, four covers flown. Photo on Page 7. £400-500
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1932 (Apr 19) Cover franked 1d from Cape Town to London with datestamps of Abercorn, N.E Rhodesia (Apr 22), handstamped bilingual "FOUND WITHOUT CONTENTS" and "ACCIDENT AT ABERCORN / 22 APRIL 1932 / Flight Abandoned". Carried by Oscar Garden in his attempted record flight from Cape Town to Croydon in a Spartan Hermes biplane, which was abandoned when he crashed at Abercorn. Fine and scarce, 25 covers carried. Photo on Page 7. £650-750
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1933 (Mar 6) Cover with G.B 1 1/2d tied by London W.C machine with undated cachets of the airports at Perpignan, Oran, Reggan, Douala and "CAPETOWN MUNICIPAL AIR-PORT / 14 MAR. 1933 / WINGFIELD", the reverse endorsed "Left Lympne 9th March 1933, was forced to land at Van Rhyndorp 160 mls short of Capetown, continued to Capetown 13th" and signed by Victor Smith. Smith attempted to beat Amy Mollison's G.B to Cape Town record by the west coast route, but had to abandon his flight just 160 miles short of Cape Town due to a shortage of petrol. Also two contemporary news cuttings. Fine and rare, just six cover carried. Photo on Page 9. £800-1,000
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1935 Cover to Scotland bearing South Africa Silver Jubilee 3d and 6d cancelled violet "CAPETOWN MUNICIPAL AIR-PORT / 5 NOV 1935 / WINGFIELD" and G.B Silver Jubilee 1 1/2d tied by London F.S Air Mail machine (Nov 12), red bars then applied to the G.B stamp and airmail etiquette, signed by the pilot David W. Llewelyn, minor staining, otherwise fine and unique in private hands. Mrs Jill Wyndham and David Llewelyn flew from London to Cape Town in easy stages in October; they then did the return flight in a record time of just 6 1/2 days beating Amy Mollison's time by 18 hours. Just three covers were carried on this record breaking flight, one of which was in the Fritz Gerald Collection which was lost in the war and a second is in the Monk Collection in the British Library, this cover therefore being the only one in private hands. Also several contemporary news cuttings. An important and rare cover. Photo on Inside Front Cover. £2,000-£2,500
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1936 Long cover to Amy Johnson at Gravesend Airport and redirected to London with typed inscription detailing her round flight from Gravesend to Cape Town and back to Croydon, bearing two G.B 1 1/2d stamps cancelled at South Kensington on May 3rd and May 15th and two circular "CAPETOWN MUNICIPAL AIR-PORT / WINGFIELD" cachets dated 7 May and 10 May, signed by Amy Johnson. A rare cover carried by this famous aviator on this record breaking flight completed in under 8 days flying time, just ten covers carried, very fine. Photo on Page 9. £2,000-2,500
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1936 (May 3) Covers both posted in Harrogate franked 1/2d, then flown from Leeming to Cape Town with a South African 1/2d stamp cancelled upon arrival (May 24), one with violet cachet "Carried by 36 H.P Praga Baby first flight England - Cape Town. Ultra Light Planes. In record time, 16 days 20 hrs, Piloted by H.L Brook May 6th - May 23rd 1936", the second with a similar endorsement and signed by H.L Brook, both fine. (2). £150-200
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1937 Mrs H. Bonney Brisbane to Cape Town first solo flight, three covers all with Australia stamps cancelled at Brisbane (Apr 3) and large flight cachets, all signed by Bonney, flown on differing legs of her flight in East Africa bearing KUT stamps cancelled at Nairobi (July 22) or Mbeya (July 31) or Southern Rhodesia stamps cancelled at Bulawayo (Aug 18), all then returned to Brisbane by surface mail. Three fine covers. (3). Photo on Page 9. £400-500
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1937 Cover to Denmark with typed inscription "Kobenhavn - Capetown med Michael Hansen 1937" bearing a South Africa 1/- cancelled at Cape Town (Oct 30), the reverse signed by the pilot Lt. Michael Hansen. Hansen and Aage Rasmussen carried twelve covers on their flight from Copenhagen to Cape Town, which were then posted upon arrival. Fine and rare. Photo on Page 9. £400-500
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1937 (Nov 7) Picture postcard posted from Arusha to Germany bearing KUT KGV 10c + 1937 Coronation 20c, handstamped with violet boxed cachet "Junkers Flugzeug-und-Motorenwerke A. G., Dessau / Rund-Afrika-Flug / Okt./Nov. 1937 an Bord der Ju 52 D-AMUO", an air mail label cancelled by large cross at Brindisi. A rare card, very few items known from this round Africa flight; a similar card posted at Johannesburg sold for £540 in our February 2017 auction. Photo on Page 9. £250-300
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1939 Stampless cover to "L.A Wyndham, House of Assembly, Cape Town" endorsed "By favour of Alex Henshaw Esq", and signed by Henshaw, both sides with violet circular "LONDON EAST AIRPORT / GRAVESEND" (the cachet on the front dated 5-2-39) and boxed "CITY OF CAPETOWN / 6 FEB. 1939 / MUNICIPAL AIRPORT", with enclosed letter from D.S Glover - "4th Feb 1939, Dear Wyndham, This cover comes to you with Alex Henshaw with all good wishes. He is due off early tomorrow morn from Gravesend airport. Good luck to him - he's a great lad". Henshaw flew from Gravesend to Cape Town in 39 hours 23 minutes and then made the return journey in 39 hours 3 minutes, a record which still stands. Fine and scarce, 32 covers carried on this outward flight. Photo on Page 11. £300-350
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1939 Stampless cover with "House of Assembly Cape Town" printed on the flap, to Capt. Glover in England endorsed "Per favour of Alex Henshaw" and signed by Henshaw, with circular "LONDON EAST AIRPORT / GRAVESEND" signed and dated "9.2.39" and boxed "CITY OF CAPE TOWN / 8 FEB 1939 / MUNICIPAL AIRPORT", the reverse numbered "5". Also two photos of the plane and two contemporary news cuttings. Fine and scarce, just 12 covers carried on this return flight from Cape Town to Gravesend. Photo on Page 11. £400-500
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1939 Covers carried on the Indian Ocean survey flight by the flying-boat "Guba", with cover flown from Australia to Africa bearing Australia 2d cancelled "Guba 3/6/39" in manuscript, and cover to India bearing Seychelles 3c + 9c cancelled at Victoria (June 17) and KUT 20c tied by Kisumu c.d.s (June 23), the first cover with various faults, the Seychelles cover with a few minor tone spots but otherwise fine and scarce. Also 1939 letter from the Mombasa Postmaster stating no mail was carried on the Guba, and 1940 letter stating covers were carried and are being sold by a New York dealer at $15 (£3) each. (4). Photo on Page 11. £300-400
| 1936 Schlesinger Air Race (Portsmouth to Johannesburg) | |
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Ephemera, news cuttings and articles including Official Programme signed by the timekeeper and starter A.G Reynolds, menu for the pilots pre-race dinner at the Queens Hotel in Portsmouth, photocopies of two pages from a magazine depicting most of the pilots with autographs of eleven pilots, photo of six of the pilots, press photos of two planes at the start of the race or of C.M Allington alongside his plane "Eagle" and a piece signed by Allington, large press photo of Ken Waller and Max Findley (who died when his aircraft crashed at Abercorn) about to take off for a trial flight, many contemporary news cuttings and later articles. (8++). £200-250
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Scott/Guthrie. Mock-up for one of the official covers carried by Scott and Guthrie, winners of the air race, showing how the covers were to be endorsed and where the G.B and South Africa postage, airmail and registration stamps were to be placed, signed on the reverse by both pilots. Very scarce as all the official mail was lost, just two privately carried covers recorded. Also a cover to Johannesburg signed by Alan Goodfellow, Clerk of the Course, with G.B 1/2d tied by Portsmouth c.d.s (Sep 28), violet oval "CITY AIR PORT / 29 SEP 1936 / PORTSMOUTH" and a South Africa 1d meter, clearly carried in the race but without any indication which plane carried it; and an unused "Schlesinger African Air Race" cover franked 1 1/2d with printed address of Goodfellow in Johannesburg and space for the pilots signature and machine number. (3). £150-200
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A.E Clouston. 1936 (Sep 28) Covers with Portsmouth datestamps, sent to L.A Wyndham in Johannesburg franked KEVIII 1 1/2d and signed by Clouston with violet oval "IMPERIAL AIRWAYS LTD / 6 OCT 1936 / GERMISTON", or franked KGV 1/2d endorsed "crashed, engine failure, Felixburg Rd, Southern Rhodesia, 3rd Oct. 1936" and signed by Clouston. Clouston crashed in Southern Rhodesia but then travelled by car to Bulawayo where he got a ride in another plane to Johannesburg; he carried 45 covers with him. Also a press photo of his aeroplane. (3). Photo on Page 11. £180-200
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S.S Halse. 1936 Covers carried by Halse in his Percival Mew Gull "Baragwaneth" which crashed upon landing 20 miles from Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. One cover endorsed "Per S.S Halse", bearing G.B KEVIII 1/2d tied by Portsmouth c.d.s (Sep 28) and two Southern Rhodesia 1d stamps each tied by Salisbury c.d.s (Oct 7 and Oct 12); the other cover to Johannesburg and redirected to Pretoria bearing G.B KEVIII 1d cancelled at Bristol (Sep 22), Southern Rhodesia 1d tied Salisbury c.d.s (Oct 3) and South Africa 1d tied Jeppestown c.d.s (Oct 7), violet "The De Havilland Aircraft Co. (Rhodesia) Ltd." and endorsed "Salvaged from the wreck of Capt. Halses plane crashed at Domboshawa S. Rhodesia 30-9.36". Also two large press photos of Halse's aeroplane and two contemporary news cuttings. 24 Covers carried of which just four bear the De Havilland cachet and explanatory endorsement. (4). Photo on Page 11. £300-400
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A.M Miller. 1936 Stampless cover to Johannesburg with violet oval "CITY AIR PORT / 29 SEP 1936 / PORTSMOUTH", endorsed and signed "Carried on Percival "New Gull" 25 - AHM, Allister M. Miller, 29/9/36". Miller retired from the race at Belgrade after suffering fuel problems. Just five covers are recorded from his flight. Very scarce. Photo on Page 11. £200-250
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Tommy Rose & J. Bagshaw. 1936 Printed or typed covers bearing KEVIII stamps cancelled in London (Sep 28) and Egypt air stamps cancelled at Cairo (Oct 2), one signed on the reverse by both pilots, and a printed cover depicting Rose sent to The Robertson Stamp Co. in Johannesburg (numbered 5 of 6 covers) with G.B KEVIII and South Africa stamps all cancelled at Johannesburg (Oct 12), signed by Rose. Rose and Bagshaw retired from the race at Cairo when the aeroplanes undercarriage collapsed; 100 covers were carried of which 25 were posted at Cairo. (3). £200-250
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Tommy Rose & J. Bagshaw. 1936 Stampless cover to Vereeniging with a South Africa 1d meter, endorsed "Carried by Flight Lt. Tommy Rose (BA4 Double Eagle) in the Portsmouth - Johannesburg Air Race 29th September 1936", the reverse endorsed and signed "By air mail, Tom Rose, Portsmouth - Joburg Sept. 29 1936" with a Vereeniging backstamp (Oct 13). A very unusual cover privately carried by Rose and posted upon arrival in South Africa. Also a press photo of his aeroplane. (2). Photo on Page 11. £150-200
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Victor Smith. 1936 Cover to "L.A Wyndham, House of Assembly, Cape Town" bearing G.B 1/2d cancelled at Portsmouth (Sep 28) and South Africa 1d cancelled at George (Oct 9), signed by Smith. Smith had to retire from the race at Khartoum, but flew on to South Africa in easy stages. 35 Covers carried, all posted upon arrival. Also a press photo of Smith and his aeroplane "Sparrow Hawk". (2). £100-120
| East African Flights | |
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Tanganyika - Gladstone Airways. 1927 (Jan 4) Cover franked 1/- from Dar-es-Salaam to Gold Coast endorsed "via air Route" and bearing a blue "BY AIR MAIL" label, carried on Captain Gladstone's first flight from Kisumu to Khartoum. Redirected from Accra to Obuasi, backstamped at Cairo (Feb 20), Accra T.P.O Dn, Kumassi and Obuasi. Two small tears at upper edge, otherwise fine and a very scarce commercial first flight cover to an unusual destination. Photo on Page 11. £300-350
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Tanganyika - Gladstone Airways. 1927 (Jan 3) Cover from Tabora to England bearing four 15c stamps, endorsed "Air Route" and bearing a blue "BY AIR MAIL" label, backstamped at Cairo (Feb. 20). Enclosed letter reads "Just a hurried note from my office to catch the first experimental air mail from East Africa to England". A few minor edge faults, otherwise a fine and scarce first flight cover. Photo on Page 15. £250-300
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Uganda - Gladstone Airways Crash Cover. 1927 (Mar 11) Cover from Kampala to London franked 20c + 50c and bearing a blue "BY AIR MAIL" label, red "AIR MAIL / UGANDA SUDAN" skeleton c.d.s (Mar 12) and violet "Owing temporary failure / Air Service Mail / forwarded normal route". Carried on the Kisumu to Khartoum Gladstone Airways survey flight which crashed when landing on Lake Victoria, with a contemporary news cutting. Uganda mail very scarce from this crash. Photo on Page 15. £320-350
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Tanganyika. 1928-30 Covers to Tanganyika comprising 1928 G.B 1 1/2d lettercard franked 2d for air mail to Marseille; two 1930 covers from G.B franked 1 1/2d + 2d for air mail to Egypt, one inexplicably with red boxed "NO AIR MAIL SERVICE / Please ask your correspondents to / see Air Mail leaflet" and the Air Mail label obliterated by two red bars; also 1929 Imperial Airways England to India first flight cover flown from Athens to Alexandria and then carried by surface mail to Dar-es-Salaam. (4). £100-120
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Tanganyika. 1930-32 Covers flown by Tanganyika Government aircraft including 1930 (Dec 2) Korogwe to Dar-es-Salaam first flight (47 carried), Dec 24/26 last flights between Tanga and Dar-es-Salaam (2), 1931 (Oct 20/21) first regular despatch from Tanga or Dar-es-Salaam to Mombasa (4) and first return service (2), Oct 22 covers from Nairobi carried by train to Mombasa then flown by first flight to Tanga, Zanzibar or Dar-es-Salaam, P.O notice attached to covers carried on the first feeder service, Wilson Airways flights, 1932 (Jan 20) final Tanganyika Government flight to Mombasa, etc. Also 1932 (Sep 24) registered postcard flown by Wilson Airways to Nairobi and Imperial Airways to Athens. (21). £400-500
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1931-39 Covers and cards nearly all with cachets including "FEEDER SERVICE" (19) or "TANGANYIKA TERRITORY / FEEDER / SERVICE" (4), boxed "By Air to / London" (8) or "By Air to / Brindisi" (2), "LOCAL AIR FEE PAID" (4), "PAR AVION / JUSQU'A LONDON" (3) or "AIR FEE PREPAID / TO EUROPE", four with Air Mail etiquettes obliterated by bars or a cross. (43) £300-350
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1931 Covers from Batavia or India to Kenya both flown to Cairo and then forwarded by sea; 1931 (Dec 1) cover from Copenhagen flown by KLM to Egypt and then on the special Christmas flight to Nairobi; and 1932 cover from Nairobi to Scotland unusually signed by the pilot J.S Sheppard. (4). £80-100
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1931 Booklet "England - Egypt & Northern Africa, Imperial Airways" containing timetables, fares and air mail information, posted from Alexandria (Mar 5) addressed to "A.R Prendergast Pilot, 1st Egypt - East Africa Airmail, Imperial Airways, Mwanza" with arrival backstamp, very unusual. £80-100
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Zanzibar. 1931-36 Covers, mainly first flights including 1931 (June 5) Zanzibar-Mwanza feeder service to London, October/November flights to Nairobi (2) or Tanga, Dec. 8 G.B to Zanzibar; 1932 (Jan 20) Zanzibar to London, Zanzibar to Cape Town cover signed by the pilots J.S. Sheppard, M.K Pearce and R.F Caspareuthus, Jan. 27 Cape Town to Zanzibar (2) and Jan. 20 London to Zanzibar, August 6 Athens to Zanzibar first flight by Imperial and Nairobi to Dar-es-Salaam feeder service, August 17 Nairobi to Zanzibar by Wilson Airways (2), October 6 Zanzibar to Athens; 1933 (July 10/11) India to Zanzibar (2), also 1936 cover with boxed "TOO LATE", undated cover with Zanzibar stamps cancelled violet "per SMITH MACKENZIE & CO", etc. (19). Photo on Page 15. £300-350
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1932 (Jan) Covers flown on the first Imperial Airways service between Cape Town and London comprising cover from Salisbury to Broken Hill signed "J.M Gettins, Pilot, City of Delhi"; registered cover from Windhoek to Germany signed by the pilot A.O Wright; registered cover from Broken Hill to Mpika signed by the pilot "J.S Sheppard" (with COP); covers from Dodoma to Malta, or to London signed "J.S Sheppard, Pilot Broken Hill - Kisumu"; cover from Soy, Kenya to Canada sent by Wilson Airways charter from Nairobi to Kisumu to connect with the Imperial Airways first flight; and 1932 registered cover from Kimberley to G.B via Bloemfontein franked 8d, the reverse endorsed "This letter is insufficiently prepaid for transmission by air direct to England. It has accordingly been forwarded by air to Cape Town and from there by steamship" and "Bloemfontein. Received too late for inclusion air mail Bloemfontein to Capetown. Returned to Kimberley" with accompanying Kimberley P.O letter. An unusual group, pilot signed covers uncommon. (7). £400-500
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Tanganyika. 1946-47 Covers comprising registered cover to Uruguay with red boxed "O.A.T", registered cover to USA franked at the quadruple rate with 30c (3) + 2/- + 10/-, and a cover to Fiji. (3). £80-100
| Other African Air Mails | |
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Belgian Congo. 1926-42 Covers comprising 1926 first Sabena flight from Bukama to Antwerp (2); 1934 Leopoldville to Antwerp flight by Marie-Louise and G. Hansez; 1940 Usumbura to Entebbe first Sabena flight (stamp damaged); also 1942 (Dec 4) cover carried on the special Sabena flight from Johannesburg to Douala via Elisabethville. (5). £100-120
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Egypt. 1910 (Nov 6) Picture postcard of Cairo with an aeroplane superimposed, posted from Heliopolis to Alexandria on the first day of the air meeting, the picture side bearing 2m tied fine "HELIOPOLIS / AERODROME" c.d.s and an advertising label for the air meeting, the reverse with datestamps of Cairo and Alexandria. A few stained perfs (mainly to the label), otherwise fine. Photo on Page 15. £220-260
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Air Mails via Gambia. 1934-35 Covers from Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Johannesburg both carried by D.L.H, the first posted 20 November 1934 carried on the "Westfalen" to Porto Praia as the airport at Bathurst was closed due to quarantine; the second cover of 15 January 1935 carried on the usual route via Bathurst. Very scarce, just two D.L.H flights were diverted by the closure of Bathurst airport. (2). £100-120
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South Africa. 1918 (Nov 24) Red Cross "Make Your Sixpence Fly" second type card with small R.A.F arms in ultramarine, carried on the Johannesburg to Germiston flight with 1/2d tied by the Aerial Post c.d.s, the reverse with a well executed and amusing drawing of an airman appearing out of a fireplace and delivering a postcard to a startled lady and cat, very fine and unusual. Photo on Page 15. £240-260
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South Africa. 1925-29 Covers and cards flown by internal air services, with sixteen 1925 (Mar. 2 - June 15) items flown on the first experimental air services between Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Durban, East London and Oudtshoorn, various flights mostly bearing the special air stamps, one cover only franked by KGV definitives and another from G.B, one cover unusually with the oval Royal Tour cancel. Also eight 1929 (Aug. 26-29) covers flown by Union Airways between Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth or Johannesburg, one cover registered to Kenya, one cover from G.B, the others all bearing 4d Air Post stamps. (24). £280-320
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South Africa - 1947 Royal Tour. Stampless cover to England from Cpl. P. Hawkins endorsed "On Service Air Mail" with circular violet "THE KINGS FLIGHT / 7 MAR 1947 / ROYAL AIR FORCE", and a philatelic cover with Royal Visit 1d - 6d pairs tied by the Kings Flight cachets dated 16 APR 1947. Also cover with the Royal Visit set tied by the usual Royal Visit datestamps, addressed to Kenya and flown by C.A.A. (3). £100-120
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Southern Rhodesia/Mozambique. 1932 Cover from Beira to Germany marked "por aviao" bearing Mozambique 85c + $1.40 cancelled on the Beira-Umtali T.P.O, manuscript "1/9", Southern Rhodesia 3d + 1/6 added and cancelled at Salisbury. Prior to 1934 there was no direct air mail service from Mozambique and air mail covers had to be sent via Salisbury with the air mail fee paid in Southern Rhodesia stamps. Fine and scarce. Photo on Page 15. £200-250
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