1911 (Sep 9) Violet London to Windsor "Privilege Mail" postcard with "Souvenir of the First United Kingdom "Aerial Post". With the Compliments of the Founder" and "This Post Card was carried in the First Bag and on the First Journey from London to Windsor" printed on the front alongside the violet picture, signed "W. Windham". Franked on the reverse by KEVII ½d tied by the London Aerial Post c.d.s code "4", addressed by Windham to his father, "Major Windham, Bembridge, I. of Wight". Minor corner creasing and pinhole, otherwise fine, a unique use of this rare card. Photo on Page 20. £1,000-1,200
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1911 (Sep 9) London to Windsor brown or red-brown postcards with adverts for Schweppes Ltd or General Accident, Fire & Life Assurance Corporation Ltd on the reverse, both with KGV ½d tied by the London Aerial Post c.d.s code "1", one with a Sept. 11th arrival c.d.s of Robertsbridge. (2). £100-120
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1911 (Sep 9) Green London to Windsor postcard addressed to The Manager of Messrs Harrison & Sons (the stamp printers), the reverse with the handwritten advert for Associated Newspapers Ltd, a KGV ½d tied by the London Aerial Post c.d.s code "1". A very scarce advert. Photo on Page 24. £300-350
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1911 (Sep 14/16) Brown London to Windsor postcards, both the second printing made from the modified envelope plate with "Copyright" to the left of the design and the designers name "Lendon" in the lower left corner. One flown from London with KGV ½d tied by London (Sep 14) Aerial Post c.d.s code "2", the other card flown in the opposite direction with KGV ½d tied by the Windsor Aerial Post c.d.s code "2", this Windsor use with printed message from the Organising Committee acknowledging a remittance to the Coronation Aerial Post Fund. Two fine cards. (2). Photo on Page 24. £180-200
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1911 (Sep 16) Violet London to Windsor "Privilege Mail" newspaper label, removed from a newspaper flown from Windsor, with KGV ½d tied by the Windsor Aerial Post c.d.s code "1", a Cricklewood arrival c.d.s (Sep 18) alongside, a little staining but very rare. Only 20 newspapers were supposedly despatched bearing the violet adhesive labels, ten flown from London and ten from Windsor. Photo on Page 24. £450-500
Great Western Railway Air Service |
1933 (Apr 12) First Flight covers flown from Cardiff to Plymouth, Torquay or Teignmouth; Newport to Teignmouth (3) or Plymouth; or Plymouth to Cardiff all with G.W.R cachets of origin, posted upon arrival franked 1½d, the cover from Plymouth without a railway stamp, the others all bearing a 3d green G.W.R Prepaid Newspaper Parcel stamp, all fine. (8). £120-150
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1933 (May 15/16) First Flight covers all bearing a 3d G.W.R Air Mail stamp, all tied by G.W.R cachets of origin and posted upon arrival franked 1½d, flown from Cardiff to Plymouth (3), Teignmouth or Torquay; Plymouth to Cardiff (3); Torquay to Cardiff (3, one with the G.W.R stamp applied and cancelled upon arrival in Cardiff); and covers flown from Cardiff to Plymouth and on the return flight from Plymouth to Cardiff with a further 3d Air stamp on reverse (2, only 25 flown), all fine. (13). £140-160
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1933 (May 22/24) Covers and a postcard carried on the first flights of the extended air route, all with a G.W.R 3d Air stamp tied by G.W.R cachet of origin, posted upon arrival franked 1½d, comprising May 22 covers flown from Birmingham to Cardiff (2), Plymouth (6, one unusually without the Air stamp and the G.W.R cachet applied upon arrival at Plymouth, another with the Air stamp signed "J. Dismore, Capt. Imperial Airways Ltd") or Torquay (5, one with the Air stamp cancelled in manuscript at Birmingham); Cardiff to Birmingham (4); or Torquay to Birmingham (2); May 23 Cardiff to Birmingham flight; and May 24th covers flown from Birmingham to Plymouth and then back to Birmingham with a second 3d Air stamp (2), all fine. (22). £250-300
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1933 (June - Oct.) Covers all bearing a G.W.R 3d Air stamp, posted upon arrival franked 1½d, including June 18 Birmingham to Plymouth first Sunday service (2); July 17 Newton Abbot to Birmingham (2) or Cardiff, Birmingham to Newton Abbot and Cardiff to Newton Abbot first flights; July 27 second Birmingham to Newton Abbot flight; Sept 30 last flights from Birmingham to Cardiff (2), Plymouth, Teignmouth or Torquay, Cardiff to Birmingham (2), Plymouth, Teignmouth or Torquay, Plymouth to Cardiff or Newport (2); and other flights from Birmingham (3), Cardiff (4), Plymouth or Teignmouth (2, cancelled in manuscript, one a postcard to Yugoslavia), all fine. (31). £280-320
Railway Air Services |
1934-42 Covers and a card including 1934 (Aug 20/21) first flights from Belfast to Cowes; Birmingham to Belfast, Bristol, Cowes (forwarded from Ireland), Glasgow or Manchester; Cowes to Birmingham (2), Bristol or Southampton; Liverpool to Cowes (2) or London; Manchester to London; Plymouth to Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool or Teignmouth; August 24 Birmingham to Cowes with "RAS / 3d PAID" cachet; Sept 24 first 1d postage rate flights from Cardiff to Liverpool or London to Glasgow; Sept 29 Cardiff to Liverpool last flight; 1936 Glasgow to London with "RAS / 3d Paid" cachet; 1942 (Feb 8) Belfast to Glasgow first flight; also 1935 Hillman Airways first flights from Belfast to Liverpool or Liverpool to London, and 1936 British Airways last flight from Ramsey to Liverpool (pilot signed), etc. (27+). £150-180
Transatlantic Flights |
Newfoundland. 1930 (Sep 25) "General Post Office, St. John's Newfoundland" printed envelope with the royal arms in the upper left corner, inscribed "Air Mail Columbia", franked 50c cancelled at St. John's, to England with Harbour Grace (Oct 9) and London Chief Office (Oct 13) backstamps. Addressed "c/o Postmaster, London" but handstamped "Not called for / E.C", "UNDELIVERED FOR REASON STATED / RETURN TO SENDER" and "RETURN TO SENDER / Unknown" (on reverse), with a further London Chief Office c.d.s (Dec 13), presumably returned under cover. Carried as supplementary mail on the monoplane Columbia", piloted by Capt. Boyd and Lt. Connor, across the Atlantic; the plane was bound for Croydon but a clogged fuel pipe forced it to land on a beach on the island of Tresco, in the Scilly Islands. A fine cover. Nierinck 301010b. Photo on Page 24. £300-350
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Pan-American Airways. 1939 (May 20-30) Covers and cards carried on the first southern route Transatlantic service between New York and Marseille via Lisbon and the Azores, comprising eastbound covers from the USA (7, one flown to Hong Kong and on to New York with Hong Kong stamps), or covers carried on the first return flight (25), comprising covers from G.B (9, one bearing a G.W.R 3d parcel stamp of Pangbourne), Sweden (2), Belgium, France (8) or Azores (5). Also a press notice, photos (3), postcards of the "Yankee Clipper" (4), etc. (40+). £100-120
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Pan-American Airways. 1939 (June 23 - July 1) Covers and cards carried on the first northern route Transatlantic service between New York and Southampton via Canada, Newfoundland and Ireland, comprising east bound covers from USA (6), Canada (9) or Newfoundland (3), or carried on the first return flight from G.B (18, one to Barbados, one flown back to G.B), Switzerland (2), Belgium, Ireland (11), Newfoundland (5) or Canada, also a Canadian P.O notice on first flight covers and a press photo. (58). £120-150
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Pan-American Airways. 1939 Covers and cards including three part first flight covers flown from New York to Paris, Paris to Hong Kong and Hong Kong to Washington D.C (2); 1939 (July 11) registered cover from Liverpool to Peru via New York bearing KGV 10/- re-engraved seahorse; the others mainly commercial covers from USA to Europe, several censored in Bermuda, one returned Service Suspended cover to Germany; also an admission card and associated news cutting for the Air Rally at Ambler, Pa. in aid of the Royal Air Force. (42). £100-120
USA, South & Central America, West Indies |
Colombia - Scadta. 1926-29 Covers from the USA to Colombia all inscribed via differing United Fruit Co ships, flown from Cartagena (3) or Barranquilla to Bogota by Scadta franked by U.S 2c + Scadta 30c with EU overprint, three covers with both stamps cancelled in New York, the other cancelled by U.F.C S.S "Esparta" handstamp. An unusual group, one handstamped "Consignees Mail". (4). £100-120
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USA - France / GB 1927 Covers from France (3, one registered) or G.B to the USA, all with USA 1927 10c (2) or 1928 10c (2) air mail stamps applied in the country of origin to pay for internal air mail within the USA, the two 1927 USA 10c stamps both cancelled in France. Also 1929 cover with USA 5c air stamp cancelled by "U.S GER. SEA POST / S.S AMERICA" duplex, probably posted whilst the ship was at New York. Four attractive combination covers, the US air stamps available at certain USA Consulates abroad to enable letters to be franked for air mail within the USA. (5). £150-180
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British Guiana / West Indies. 1927-46 Covers including 1929 first flights from British Guiana to Paramaribo, Miami (2) or Trinidad (2), or Miami to British Guiana (2), Trinidad to San Juan, St. Lucia to San Juan, Miami to St. Lucia and onto San Domingo, also 1944 B.W.I Airways Ltd first flight from Barbados to Jamaica, 1946 Pan Am test letter from New York to British Guiana reposted back to New York, etc. (16). £100-120
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Bermuda. 1939 Covers comprising May 25th France to Bermuda first flight, pilot signed; May 30th G.B to Bermuda P.A.A first flight by the southern route and June 9th return flight (3, one to South Africa); June 21st Bermuda to G.B P.A.A first flight by the northern route (addressed to South Africa); August 5th Bermuda to G.B Imperial Airways northern route first flights from Montreal to Bermuda or Bermuda to G.B, etc. A good lot with some very scarce first flight covers. (13). £140-160
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British South American Airways. 1946-49 Covers, photos and ephemera, the interesting collection comprising photographs of aircraft (47); covers from G.B, Argentina (22), Chile (3), Jamaica or Uruguay (6); and ephemera with unused air letter, luggage labels (6), air travellers dictionary, route map, leaflets giving fares, freight rates or time-tables (9), also books on the airline or its philately by S. & I. Otterway or R. Beith. An interesting lot. (100). £350-400
Belgium |
1923-47 Sabena flight covers and ephemera including 1923 cover from Ireland bearing seven ½d coil stamps and 1d pair (S.G. 67/8) flown from London to Brussels, 1935 first flight from Leopoldville to Brussels, 1936 first accelerated service from Brussels to Elizabethville and back (2), 1937 Brussels - Paris - Brussels flight, 1938 European Airpost Conference flight to Prague, etc. Also 1936 and 1938 time-tables and route map for the service to Belgian Congo, luggage labels (3) and a press photo. (16). £160-180
France & Colonies
(Also See Lots 33, 55, 78, 84/5, 153, 182, 189, 192) |
Syria / Lebanon / Indo-China. 1926-33 Covers showing the development of Air Orient routes to Syria and Lebanon, and then on to Indo-China, comprising 1926 (May 24) Tartous to Damascus flight bearing Alaouites set of four with red aeroplane overprint; 1929 (June 9) Beyrouth to Marseille first flight (2, edge faults) and June 16th second flight covers from Beyrouth or Damascus, all with Syria or Lebanon stamps overprinted with an aeroplane in red; 1930 (Apr 1) first flight from Beyrouth (2) or Damascus to Baghdad with circular flight cachets (one also with boxed first flight cachet and circular Air Orient cachet); 1930 flight from Marseille to Aleppo; 1931 (Jan 16-21) first flight from Marseille or Beyrouth to Saigon; 1931 cover flown from Beyrouth to Marseille; 1933 covers flown from Saigon to Marseille (2, registered, with boxed "Saigon - Marseille"), faults to three covers, otherwise largely fine. (14). £300-350
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1931-32 Registered covers to Australia, the 1931 (May 15) cover from Aubervilliers to Victoria franked 4f.80, carried by Air Orient to Baghdad then transferred to KLM and flown to Bangkok; the 1932 (May 25) cover from Le Bourget Airport to New South Wales franked 11f (1930 1f.50 lake air block of four + 1931 5f) carried on the first weekly Air Orient flight to Karachi. Two unusual covers, received within two days of each other. (2). Photo on Page 24. £180-200
Germany |
Zeppelins - Germany / USA. 1928 Cover from New York to Switzerland franked $1.05 in air stamps, carried by Graf Zeppelin to Friedrichshafen with arrival backstamp and flight cachet; and 1936 Hindenburg flight covers comprising March 23rd trial flight with Hindenburg air stamps cancelled "LUFTSCHIFF / LZ 129" c.d.s, May 4th registered cover carried on the first flight to USA, and May 11th cover from New York to England franked 40c carried on the return flight to Frankfurt. (4). £180-200
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Graf Zeppelin - Japan. 1929 Picture postcard of the Graf Zeppelin, posted by a passenger on the Round the World flight whilst at Tokyo, addressed to Switzerland with Germany 2m cancelled "LUFTSCHIFF / GRAF ZEPPELIN" c.d.s (Aug 15) and a Tokio c.d.s (Aug 19) alongside, red "LUFTSCHIFF GRAF ZEPPELIN / WELTRUNDFAHRT 1929" and "AN BORD DES / LUFTSCHIFF / 19 AUG 1929 / GRAF ZEPPELIN", fine. Sieger S20e. Photo on Page 24. £130-150
Greece & Cyprus |
1932 (Apr 19/23) First flight covers from Athens to Limassol franked 7½d, or from Limassol to Athens franked 2½p, both fine, with flight cachets. (2). £100-120
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1929-35 Covers flown by Imperial Airways to or from Greece or Crete including 1929 first flight from Suda Bay to Cairo; 1931 Athens to Cairo or Gaza, Corfu to Karachi first flight (to New Zealand), Heraklion to Karachi (19 flown), Heraklion to Kisumu first direct flight (17 flown), Athens to London, Corfu to London first flight (3, two to USA), Heraklion to London first flight, Paris to Athens; 1932 Khartoum to Heraklion, Athens to Tanga or Dar-es-Salaam first flights, etc. (19). £350-400
Netherlands & Netherlands Indies
(Also See Lots 32, 57, 152, 225) |
1920-21 Commercial covers flown by KLM from Amsterdam to London inscribed "Luchtpost", the 1920 (Oct 22) cover franked 27½c, the 1921 (July 15) cover franked 35c including the special 15c air stamp to pay the air fee. (2). £100-120
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1921-29 KLM Ephemera, letters and photos including 1921-22 time-table with an airman greeting two Dutch children on the cover and a perforated label with the same illustration, c.1921 tie-on luggage tag, various other advertising leaflets or time-tables (23), Amsterdam to London and Amsterdam to Hamburg route maps, luggage labels (6), photos or postcards (7), and a 1922 letter from KLM in London. A scarce lot of early flight ephemera, many very attractive. (42). £350-450
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1931 KLM Experimental flight to Australia, covers from G.B, Holland, Batavia or Johore to Australia, the first three with the "ABEL TASMAN / BATAVIA - CENTRUM" cachet, the Holland and Batavia covers both bearing the special Dutch stamp issued for this flight; and covers from Australia to Java or G.B carried on the return flight with the oval flight cachet. Also the special flight envelope intended to catch the flight in India (but forbidden to do so by the Indian postal authorities) posted from Calcutta to India by surface mail bearing the Indian New Delhi set, with enclosed explanatory letter from the Dutch Consul; and 1933 Amsterdam to Singapore first flight cover. E194/204, $725+. (8+ letter). £150-180
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1930-49 KLM Ephemera and air mail labels, including booklets of air mail labels (6, five types), advertising leaflets and time-tables, photos, postcards, letters, tickets, etc., almost all pre 1940, a superb lot, virtually all different, in an album. (115). £600-700
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1930-38 KLM Scandinavian Air Express Service advertising leaflets with time-tables (13) and route maps (4), also a cover from G.B to Sweden. (18). £140-160
KLM Flights to Dutch East Indies |
1924 (Oct 1) Cover to Makassar franked 10.20g, flown by KLM from Holland to Batavia, four 2.50g on 10g stamps cancelled by violet "VLIEGTOCHT NEDERLAND-INDIE" datestamps with a star at base, another 20c stamp cancelled violet "VLIEGTOCHT / NEDERLAND-INDIE" datestamp, arrival backstamps of Weltevreden (Nov 24) and Makassar. 281 Covers flown, very few of which received both air datestamps. Very light edge stain at base, otherwise fine and very scarce. Photo on Page 24. £400-500
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1926-27 Covers and cards from Holland to the Netherlands Indies (3) or from Batavia to Holland all flown by KLM, comprising 1926 (May 27) 12½c card flown from Rotterdam to Marseille to catch the M.S "Indrapoera" and 1927 (Mar 18) registered cover franked 40c carried on the second flight to Marseille to connect with the same ship, both flights allowing mail for the Netherlands Indies to be posted up to two days later; 1927 (Oct 1) postcard franked 5c + 2½g air fee flown from Amsterdam to Batavia with "POSTVLUCHT NEDERLAND - NED INDIE / AMSTERDAM" c.d.s, and a card from Makasser (Oct 7) registered to Holland franked 30c, sent on the return flight with similar "POSTVLUCHT NED-INDIES - NEDERLAND / BATAVIA" c.d.s. (4). £180-220
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1928-30 Covers and cards flown between Holland and the Netherlands Indies on the 1928 trial flights resulting from the delivery of aircraft to Batavia, and later proving and regular flights, comprising 1928 Holland to Batavia first trial fight (2), second trial flight (2), third trial flight, fourth trial flight (2), fifth trial flight (2), sixth and final trial flight, or from Batavia to Amsterdam carried on the first return flight (2, one with complete set of the airmail overprint stamps); 1929 card from Amsterdam to Batavia carried on the eighth proving flight, and covers from Batavia to Holland carried on the sixth or seventh return proving flights; and 1930 (Sep 25) first G.B acceptance by KLM to Batavia, cover from London to Java carried on the first regular fortnightly service. A good lot including interrupted flights and crashes, all but the last cover with Netherlands or Netherlands Indies air stamps, four with red "Propellor" cachets of The Hague (3) or Rotterdam, four registered, one 1928 cover to Australia. (16). £400-500
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Switzerland. 1928 (Sep 14) Registered cover from Zurich to Makasser franked 70c, carried on the first KLM trial flight from Amsterdam to Batavia, with red Rotterdam propeller cachet and an arrival backstamp (Oct 8), uncommon from Switzerland. £80-100
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1928 Covers from Soerabaja to Holland carried on the return proving flights, comprising two November 2nd covers with Luchtpost overprint stamps carried on the first flight both signed on the reverse by the co-pilot (minor faults); and December 29th registered cover bearing the new airmail set of five, carried on the second flight, signed by the crew of four (one signature on reverse). Unusual pilot signed covers. (3). Photo on Page 24. £160-180
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1933-34 Covers flown on the "Pelikaan" from Holland (3, one from Luxembourg pilot signed, also unused vignette) or return flight from Bandoeng (6), and postcards (3), booklet, route map; 1934 "Postjager" flight covers (12, four transferred en route to the "Pelikaan") and time-table; or 1934 "Uiver" London to Melbourne MacRobertson air race covers from G.B or Holland (3), return flight covers (2), photos and postcards (7), most with special named datestamps of the three aeroplanes. Also 1934 "Uiver" crash cover and photo, and a 1938 cover with Air Service Fund stamps. (44). £200-240
Sweden |
1928-45 ABA Flight covers, cards and ephemera including 1928 Stockholm to London first night flight (2), first return flight (2) and later flights from Stockholm (2, one from Switzerland); 1929 Stockholm - Amsterdam night flights (6, with first flights from Stockholm, Malmo or Copenhagen); 1936 Stockholm - Malmo first day flight; 1936 Bromma airport 50ore F.D.C and 1937 first flight from the airport; also photos and postcards (8), ABA luggage labels (3) and poster with route plan and time-tables, commercial covers, etc. (35). £200-240
Switzerland |
1922 Zurich First International Air Meeting official postcards (7, one with Flugmeeting c.d.s, one with Zurich slogan for the air meeting), cover with the Zurich slogan, cover flown to Stuttgart with the Flugmeeting datestamps and "SCHWEIZER FLUGPOST" c.d.s, and Flugmeeting tie-on luggage label with details of free flights on the reverse. (10). £120-140
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1922-23 Covers from G.B to Switzerland (3) or Switzerland to G.B (9, one posted back to Switzerland) all intended for air mail between London and Paris, including 1922 (Feb 16) cover from London paid for the Instone Airways flight but with violet boxed "NO FLIGHT / SENT BY / ORDINARY SERVICE", 1923 (Apr 26) registered cover with "CONFERENCE POUR LA PAIX EN ORIENT / LAUSANNE" datestamps and registration handstamp, express cover, etc. Also c.1927-60s picture postcards of Swiss aircraft or airports (26), and three 1930s photos of the crash of Swiss Air HB-ITI. (41). £240-280
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1924-47 Covers and cards, various commercial and first flights including 1924 Laufen to Zurich, 1926 Chaux-de-Fonds to Basle (2), Geneva to Lausanne with League of Nations Assembly c.d.s, 1927 Lausanne to Chaux-de-Fonds (2), Lausanne to Geneva (addressed to Togo), 1943 cover to G.B with Service Suspended cachet crossed out, 1946 "O.A.T" on cover to Canada, etc. (24). £100-120
India
(Also See Lots 79, 230, 245/6, 263, 303, 317, 319, 327-334) |
1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, registered cover to Etawah with KEVII 6a pair tied by the violet pictorial "FIRST AERIAL POST / 1911 / U.P. EXHIBITION ALLAHABAD" cancel with black boxed "R / U.P. EXHIBITION CAMP / ALLAHABAD", numbered "48", backstamped at Etawah, minor tone spots in lower left corner, otherwise a very fine registered cover with the scarce U.P Exhibition registration handstamp. Photo on Page 28. £300-400
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, first type postcard (153x120mm) headed "FIRST "AERIAL POST", FEBRUARY 18, '11", depicting Pequet in his biplane, signed above "H. Pequet", posted to Meerut with KEVII ½a tied by the special pictorial Aerial Post cancel in violet, datestamps of Allahabad (Feb 18) and Meerut (Feb 20). Small repair to lower right edge and tear to upper edge (both clear of the picture) and two pinholes, still a good example of this very scarce card, very few recorded (most of which have faults due to their size), just 40 cards supposedly printed. Photo on Page 28. £800-1,000
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1920 (Jan 23 - Mar 11) Karachi - Bombay experimental air service flown by the RAF, covers and cards with the special Karachi datestamp flown to Bombay on the first, second, fourth, fifth or seventh (and final) flights, or with the special Bombay datestamp flown to Karachi on the first, second or seventh flights, four registered. A good group including Bombay first flight cover bearing QV 3p block of four each with a typed "AIR MAIL" overprint, Great Britain 1890 Penny Post Jubilee envelope insert card carried on the fifth flight from Karachi, KEVII ¼a postcard with "I.E.F" overprints in both red and purple carried on the final flight from Bombay, etc., a few faults. (8). £500-600
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1920 (Feb 7) I.E.F ¼a Postcard franked India 2a6p and 8a, registered from Bombay to Karachi, flown on the third experimental flight with four "BOMBAY / AIR POST" datestamps, the message concerning cards to be dispatched on the return flights, small tear at right edge, otherwise a fine registered card. £80-100
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1925 (Feb 5) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, cover flown from Calcutta to Akyab with a small aeroplane handstamp, bearing a KGV 1a cancelled upon arrival, backstamped on the following day, initialled "AJC" by Cobham. 34 Covers carried, fine and scarce. Photo on Page 28. £160-180
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1925 (Feb 8) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, 1a postal stationery envelope flown from Rangoon to Akyab and on to Calcutta, cancelled at Rangoon with an Akyab transit c.d.s on the front and a Calcutta backstamp, signed in full "Alan J. Cobham". Fine and scarce, just 32 covers carried. Photo on Page 28. £240-280
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1925 (Feb 15) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, ½a postcard flown from Calcutta to Delhi, cancelled at Havelock Square, with a 1a due mark applied, bearing the cut down pink vignette "By Anglo-India Air Survey. DH. 50", signed by the flight engineer Arthur B. Elliott. The reverse with the triangular cachet "ANGLO-INDIA / AIR SURVEY / BY AEROPLANE D.H 50 / 1924 1925 / CALCUTTA TO KARACHI" (altered to "Delhi" in manuscript), the message signed by Stephen Smith. Minor creasing, otherwise fine, 40 cards flown. Photo on Page 28. £150-180
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1925 (Feb 16) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, covers carried on the return flight from Calcutta to Karachi (100 items carried) or Calcutta to London (121 items carried) both with differing flight vignettes and triangular cachets, the cover to Karachi with QV ¼a block cancelled at Drigh Road (Feb 19), the cover to England bearing an uncancelled 2a stamp with a 3d London E.C charge mark and a 3d postage due stamp cancelled at Paddington, backstamped "WADDON AERODROME / CROYDON" c.d.s (Mar 17), both signed on the reverse "Arthur B. Elliott, Engineer". (2). Photo on Page 28. £180-220
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1927 (Feb 1) Air Ministers flight, an Indian "Director-General of Posts and Telegraphs" official cover carried on the Delhi to London return flight, written by the Director-General H.A Sams to his wife in Switzerland, franked 3a cancelled at New Delhi then hand carried on the flight to Cairo, handstamped violet boxed "LONDON TO DELHI / FIRST THROUGH FLIGHT IMPERIAL AIRWAYS / CAIRO-KARACHI COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE / JANUARY 1927" (the first line altered in manuscript to "Delhi-Cairo"), backstamped at Glick. The London to Delhi flight was intended to inaugurate the Cairo to Karachi air mail service, and carried the Secretary of State for Air Sir Samuel Hoare and his wife, and other dignitaries. This cachet was supplied for use on covers hand carried by V.I.Ps on the flight, but we only know of one other example on cover (in its unaltered state, also three proof impressions on unused envelopes), this "Delhi to Cairo" version probably unique. An exceptional cover from this important flight. Photo on Inside Front Cover. £1,200-1,500
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