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Portuguese India. 1807 (May 10) Entire letter written from "Agoad near Goa" by Lieut. Archibald Maclean of the 86th Regt, addressed to his father at Lagan, Ulva, Isle of Mull, charged 2/4, with a London backstamp. Maclean reports the death of his uncle Lachlan MacQuarrie, an officer in the 77th Regt. and Aide de Camp to the Governor of Bombay. An early letter for Portuguese India. Photo on Page 162. £300-400
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1816 Entire letter headed "Hyderabad, 8th July 1816, this date six years I was wounded at Bourbon", from Captain Maclean of the 86th Regt to his father at Lagan, Ulva, Isle of Mull, endorsed "p. H.M.S Amphitrite", handstamped boxed "POST PAID" and "MADRAS / PACKET LETTER" datestamp with light but scarce red "PAID / INDIA / PACKET LETTER" datestamp (Rob In P1), prepaid 3/6, charged 1/2 inland postage in G.B £120-150
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Soldiers Letter. 1849 Entire letter to England, headed "From Corporal Quarterman of the Artillery, Regimental Laboratory School" and countersigned by the Captain in charge of the school, prepaid at the 1d soldiers rate with Dum Dum and Calcutta datestamps, red boxed "INDIA / PAID" and a London Paid datestamp. An unusual prepaid soldiers letter, most soldiers letters from India at this period posted unpaid and charged 2d upon arrival. A little staining and strengthened at edges. £100-120
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Soldiers Letters. 1830 Entire letter from D. Mackay, Adjutant of the 1st Brigade Horse Artillery at Cawnpore, to England, informing the addressee that her husband died en route to Calcutta in 1828, the address panel headed "Soldiers Letter" and countersigned, with large part circular "INDIA SOLDIERS &c / 3 / LONDON" (upper flap missing); and 1852 entire letter from Poona to Ireland headed "Soldiers Letter From Regimental No. 1639 Private John O'Brien, No. 8 Company 1st Bombay European Regiment Fusiliers" and countersigned, charged 2d, informing the addressee his son had died and his Punjaub medal with two bars will be forwarded on. Also an 1826 letter from Lt. Brown, 41st Regt., posted from Beverley to Col. Gossip in York informing him of the death of his son killed in action near Prome (with two associated family letters), and 1849 letter to East India House concerning the conduct of a former soldier who ran off with the writers wife despite having a wife back in India, has since married another woman, and has committed two robberies. (6). £200-250
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1868 (Sep 17) Cover (letter enclosed) from Scotland to "Captain Thomson Carmichael, 92nd Gordon Highlanders, Jullundar" sent via Marseilles, with 1867 10d plate 1 tied by Lanark 215 duplex, London, oval Sea Post Office, Travelling Post Office 6 and Jallundur backstamps. A fine example of the 10d Officers concession rate, which only lasted from March 1868 (when the normal rate rose to 1/1) until December 1869 when the officers concession was discontinued. Photo on Page 162. £100-120
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1869 Covers sent at the 6a8p Officers rate from Seepree to London, headed "Officers Letter" and signed "Geo. C. Thomson Capt., Cmdg 1st Bengal Cavalry", franked 8p + 2a + 4a (2 covers) or 8p + 1p pair + 4a (2 covers), one with a few minor edge faults, otherwise fine. Also two 1879 covers from Thomson franked 6a to England. (6). £150-200
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Afghanistan / Lord Roberts. 1879 O.H.M.S Cover to Lt. Colonel Thomson, 1st Bengal Cavalry, enroute to Kohat" and signed "Fred Roberts MG, Cmg Kuran Col" with O.H.M.S 1a tied by diamond of bars, backstamped "FIELD FORCE P.O" c.d.s (Mar 24) and at Kohat (Mar 28), unobtrusive 2cm tear at right edge, otherwise fine. Roberts won a V.C during the Indian Mutiny, and became Commander-in-Chief of the British army in South Africa during the Boer War. Photo on Page 170. £120-150
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Boxer Rebellion - C.E.F. 1901 (Oct 1) C.E.F ½a envelope endorsed from Tientsin, registered to India, the embossed stamp unusually cancelled by the boxed "F.P.O No 4" registration handstamp, franked on the reverse by a QV C.E.F 2a6p cancelled by "F.P.O No 4" double ring c.d.s, the envelope unusually tied around with silk string (which still remains, affixed to the reverse with sealing wax), Calcutta arrival backstamp. A scarce and unusual registered cover. Photo on Page 170. £300-400
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P.O.W & Internee Mail. 1916 Stampless "Civil Detenus Letter" printed envelope from Ahmednagar Civil Camp with blue boxed censor cachet; and WW2 covers and cards including registered cover franked 3a from the parole centre at Purandhar with triangular censor cachet, stampless covers from civil internees at Ahmednagar (2), and lettersheets or postcards from Italian P.O.Ws. (10). £100-120
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, cover posted locally franked KEVII ½a tied by the pictorial Aerial Post cancel in magenta, arrival backstamps (Feb 18/19), very fine. Photo on Page 170. £180-220
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, cover to Bareilly franked KEVII 1a tied by the special pictorial Aerial Post cancel in magenta, backstamped at Allahabad (Feb 18) and Bareilly, very fine. Photo on Page 170. £180-220
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, cover to Pachmarhi franked by two KEVII 3p stamps tied by the special pictorial Aerial Post cancel in magenta, backstamped at Allahabad (Feb 18) and Pachmarhi (Feb 20), very fine. Photo on Page 170. £180-220
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, cover addressed to the renowned philatelist C. Stewart Wilson in Calcutta and redirected to Ambala, franked KEVII ½a tied by the special Aerial Post cancel in magenta, backstamped at Allahabad (Feb 18), Cal-Punj and Ambala (both Feb. 21), fine. Photo on Page 170. £200-240
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, cover to Garakhpore endorsed "Aerial Post fee paid" (confirming the additional 6a fee paid in cash), franked KEVII ½a tied by the special Aerial Post cancel in magenta, backstamped at Allahabad (Feb 18) and Garakhpore (Feb 20), upper edge with small defect and tears, still an attractive cover. Also a press photo of Windham's original drawing of the special cancel; newspaper cutting reporting the arrival of a flown cover in England; and the March 25th 1911 edition of "Flight" magazine which contains an advert for Humber Ltd with an illustration of a flown Allahabad cover addressed to the company, and a small article on the flight and mails carried. (4). £200-240
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, registered cover to Etawah endorsed "Per Aerial Post, stamped -/6/-", franked KEVII 6a tied by the special Aerial Post cancel in magenta, with black boxed "R / U.P. EXHIBITION CAMP / ALLAHABAD", numbered "45". Backstamped with registered datestamps of Allahabad (Feb 18) and Etawah (Feb 20). A fine registered cover, posted at the United Provinces Exhibition Post Office. Photo on Page 172. £300-400
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, first type postcard, 160x127mm, depicting Pequet in his biplane with the printed heading "FIRST "AERIAL POST", FEBRUARY 18 '11", signed by Pequet, posted to England with KEVII 1a tied by the special Aerial Post cancel in magenta, an Allahabad c.d.s (Feb 18) alongside. Several light creases but still much finer than most of the few recorded examples of this very scarce pilot signed postcard. Photo on Page 170. £900-1,200
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, first type postcard, 160x127mm, depicting Pequet in his biplane with the printed heading "FIRST "AERIAL POST", FEBRUARY 18 '11", signed by Pequet, posted to England with KEVII 1a tied by the special Aerial Post cancel in magenta, an Allahabad c.d.s (Feb 18) alongside. Two vertical folds and other lesser creasing, 3cm tear at base and 15mm tears at right and upper edges, still a reasonable example of this very scarce pilot signed postcard. £250-300
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1920 (Jan 23) Karachi to Bombay experimental air service, KGV 2a6p registration envelope (4⅛x10inches) bearing KGV 3p - 5r tied by "KARACHI / AIR POST" datestamps, carried on the first flight, Bombay arrival c.d.s. An unusual franking. Photo on Page 172. £200-250
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1920 Karachi to Bombay experimental air service, covers (10) and cards (2), with the special Karachi Air Post c.d.s flown to Bombay on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (3), 5th (2) or 7th flights, or with the special Bombay Air Post c.d.s flown to Karachi on the 2nd or 7th (2) flights. One card torn and a couple of covers with faults, otherwise fine, three registered, one with enclosed letter from the Karachi G.P.O stating the cover is forwarded on behalf of the Deputy P.M.G Mr Romer. (12). £500-600
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1925 (Jan 23) Calcutta to Risalpur R.A.F demonstration flight, cover to Nowshera signed by Ft. Lt. Gordon with the violet cachet "CALCUTTA - RISALPUR DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT / CALCUTTA / 1925", arrival backstamp, 124 covers flown of which 89 were addressed to Nowshera. Also "A Grand Military Searchlight Tattoo" leaflet with circular cachet "DELIVERED BY AIR OVER CALCUTTA / 31 DEC. 25 / 10 A.M", one of 3,000 leaflets (most of which were destroyed) publicising a forthcoming event to aid R.A.F charities, dropped over Calcutta during an R.A.F demonstration flight. (2). £130-160
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1925 (Feb 16) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, cover flown from Calcutta to Karachi with KGV 1a cancelled at Drigh Road, and a cover flown from Calcutta to London bearing an uncancelled 2a with a 3d charge mark and 3d postage due stamp cancelled at Kensington, backstamped "WADDON AERODROME / CROYDON" c.d.s (Mar 17). Two fine covers both with the appropriate violet triangular flight cachet and pink or green vignette, both signed on the reverse by the flight engineer Arthur B. Elliott. 100 items flown to Calcutta and 121 to London. (2). Photo on Page 172. £180-220
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1926-27 Neville Stack and Bernard Leete Paris to India flight, 1926 cover flown on the Baghdad to Karachi leg with Iraq 6a tied by Baghdad c.d.s (Dec 21) and boxed "IRAQ to INDIA / By Light Aeroplane / with Messrs Stack and Leete"; and 1927 (Feb 14/15) covers flown from Karachi to Lahore (2, only 60 flown) or Delhi with India stamps cancelled violet boxed "AIR MAILS INDIA / By Light Aeroplane / KARACHI G.P.O / WITH MESSRS STACK & LEETE" and Royal Air Force Display arrival backstamps of Lahore (2) or Delhi. (4) £160-180
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1926 (Jan 2) Calcutta to Patna R.A.F flight, cover bearing photographic "BY AIR" vignette depicting an aeroplane and elephant, and the cachet "HAWASAE / BY AIR", a KGV 1a cancelled at Patna. 69 Covers flown. £100-120
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1926 (April 4) Copenhagen to Tokyo flight by the Danish aviators Botved and Herschend, cover flown on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg bearing the coloured Air Mail vignette and "BY DANISH FOKKER AEROPLANES 1926 / CALCUTTA TO RANGOON" cachet, franked by two KGV ½a stamps cancelled at Mill Road, Rangoon, lightly folded, otherwise fine. 78 Covers flown. £100-120
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1927 (Feb 1) Delhi to London Air Ministers flight, cover to Liverpool bearing "Carried With / The Rt. Hon Sir Samuel Hoare / INDIA TO ENGLAND 1927" vignette tied by violet "By the D.H "City of Delhi"", with an uncancelled KGV 1a, numbered "33", signed on the reverse by the addressee Unis Abdullah. 48 Covers carried on this important flight. Photo on Page 172. £200-250
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1927 (Feb 14) Cover to Rawalpindi, flown by Stack and Leete from Karachi to Lahore, KGV 1a tied by the violet boxed flight cachet with a further strike on reverse, datestamps of Karachi, Royal Air Force Display Lahore and Rawalpindi, signed by Neville Stack. 60 Covers were flown to Lahore, very few of which were pilot signed. Photo on Page 172. £100-120
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1927 Indian Air Pageant, 17th February cover flown from Peshawar to Lahore, delivered by R.A.F plane en route to Delhi with Royal Air Force Display despatch and arrival datestamps, redirected back to Peshawar with Lahore (Feb 18) and Peshawar (Feb 20) backstamps. Also 23rd February flights from Delhi to Peshawar, Kohat, Ambala, Risalpur or Lahore all with the Royal Air Force Display despatch and arrival datestamps. A good group, the 17th February flight unlisted by Brown, who only records flights to or from Delhi. (6). Photo on Page 172. £250-300
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1927 (July 15) Calcutta to Shillong flight by Ft. Lt. W.H Vetch, cover with violet flight cachet, a KGV 1a cancelled at Cherrapunji (July 17), arrival backstamps. 90 Covers flown, of which 35 were inadvertently posted at Cherrapunji. £120-150
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1927-28 England to Australia flights, covers carried on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg of the Red Rose flight by Mrs Miller and Capt. W. Lancaster, or the "Empire Cruise" R.A.F Survey Flight led by Gp. Capt. H.W Cave-Brown-Cave, both with similar flight vignettes, 1a in stamps cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, arrival backstamps of Rangoon or Botataung. 52 Covers flown on the Red Rose flight and 88 covers on the Empire Cruise Seaplane flight. AAMC E1136, 1156, $800. (2) £180-220
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1927-34 Covers comprising 1927 (July 1) Ft. Lt. Vetch demonstration flight over Calcutta; 1929 (June 14) Dum Dum Airport 10th Anniversary of Alcock & Brown flight, June 25th Joan Page flight from Dum Dum to Naihati (also unused envelope); 1932 Viceroys Cup flight signed by R.N Chawla and S.G Goenka; 1933 (Mar 20) Dacca to Dum Dum experimental flight, Sept 6th Edmonstone Island to Dum Dum flight with a cargo of fish; 1934 Robertson Air Race London to Australia covers flown by Roscoe & Pangborne (2), all fine. (9). £200-240
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1927-39 Covers and cards (also five later covers) mostly from India to G.B or Europe, nearly all commercial covers carried by Imperial Airways, including 1929 (Oct 23) Bombay to London cover with "BY / AIR" cachet franked 8a but handstamped violet boxed "INSUFFICIENTLY PAID FOR / INDIA - LONDON AIR SERVICE" and "TRANSMITTED BY AIR MAIL / MARSEILLES - LONDON", other circular "BY / AIR" cachets (13), 1932 cover from Jodhpur to Calcutta franked 3a3p for air mail to Delhi but endorsed "Despatched by rail route to avoid detention", covers to Europe flown as far as Athens or Naples, 1935 bag labels for Air Mail to London with Delhi Civil Aerodrome c.d.s or boxed "KARACHI AIR MAIL", etc. Also six different 1937-38 white papers on the Empire Air Mail Scheme. A useful lot, many rates and destinations, all written up on pages. (59). £350-450
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1927-33 Imperial Airways first flight covers from India including 1927 Basra-Cairo (also underpaid second flight cover), 1929 Karachi-London (5, also second and third flights, and G.B to India first flight), 1931 first service to East Africa via Cairo (2), 1933 Rangoon to Calcutta, Cawnpore or London, Jodhpur to Singapore. (16). £200-240
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1928 "Germania" flight from Cologne to Calcutta by the German aviators Otto Koennecke and Johannes Hermann, cover carried on the final leg from Etawah (where the plane had made a forced landing in the jungle, being delayed for three months) to Calcutta, bearing the flight vignette and a KGV 1a cancelled at Calcutta, signed by both pilots. Minor staining and small edge tear but scarce, 24 covers flown. Photo on Page 172. £120-150
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1928 Amsterdam to Batavia experimental flights by KLM, covers (3) and a card flown on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg, the covers franked 1a flown on the first flight (2, 111 flown) or 4th flight (96 flown), the card franked ½a intended to be carried on the third flight but transferred to the fourth flight at Cawnpore after the plane crashed upon landing (56 cards flown), all with flight cachets. (4). £180-220
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1928 Baron von Huenfeld and Capt. Lindener Berlin to Tokyo flight in the "Europa", postcard franked 1½a flown from Calcutta (Sep 30) to Tokyo, with cachets "EUROPA / SS", "BARON HUENEFELD" and "TOKIO 18 OCT", fine and scarce, 47 cards flown. Photo on Page 176. £150-180
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1928-33 Covers (3) and a card, comprising 1928 (May 16) Paris to Hanoi flight by Pelletier, D'oisy and Carol, card carried on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg which crashed at Akyab, franked ½a with flight cachets (121 carried); 1931 (Apr 13) Bombay to Nova Goa first flight by Major Craveiro Lopes, cover with flight cachet franked 1a; 1932 (Oct 4) Air Orient first flight cover from Calcutta to Saigon franked 8½a (91 flown); and 1933 (Mar 7) KLM first flight cover from Karachi to Jask franked 5½a, with arrival c.d.s. (4). £170-200
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1929 (Nov 4-11) Covers all bearing 1929 Air stamps, from Calcutta or Karachi, flown to Baghdad, Gaza, Athens, Rome, Paris or London (6, one to Germany), two covers bearing the set of five cancelled on November 4th, the First Day of Issue, both signed on reverse by the stamp designer G. Grant. Also December 20th cover posted in Calcutta with 2a block of four, the First Day of Issue of this value, the block twice signed in the margins by the designer G. Grant (some staining). A scarce group. (12). Photo on Page 176. £3,000-3,500
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1929-34 Covers, first flights carried by Indian airlines comprising 1929 Bengal Transport Co Calcutta to Siliguri and Darjeeling (78 flown), India State Air Service Delhi to Croydon (also two unused envelopes) and various internal India stages (6); 1930 Karachi to Delhi with differing Aerodrome datestamps (2); 1933 India National Airways Dacca to Delhi or Calcutta, Chittagong to Calcutta; 1934 Calcutta to Madras by Madras Air Taxi Service, India National Airways Lahore-Karachi service, various legs (6), all fine. (22). £200-250
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1930 (Aug 30) Reti to Jacobabad emergency R.A.F air service due to flooding, cover from Calcutta franked 1a with flight vignette and cachet, arrival backstamp. £80-100
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1930 (Aug 27) Jacobabad to Reti emergency R.A.F air service, 1a envelope flown to Reti with arrival backstamp (Aug 30), redirected back to Jacobabad and flown on the return flight with August 31st arrival backstamp, a fine and scarce double flight cover. Photo on Page 176 £200-250
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1930 (Oct 27/31) Mrs Bruce Around the World flight, printed covers carried on various India legs of the flight comprising Karachi to Jodhpur, Allahabad, Calcutta or Akyab (posted at East Rangoon) or Allahabad to Delhi, all franked 1a, signed by Bruce. Also a 1931 (Nov 20) cover from G.B to Canada bearing a signed magazine photo of Bruce and her aeroplane "Bluebird". (6). £200-240
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1930 (Feb 3) Imperial Airways first flight from Karachi to Bushire and Teheran, cover franked 8a with arrival datestamps of Bouchir (Feb 5) and Teheran (Feb 7), boxed "NON RECLAME", returned in June. A scarce flight, carried by Imperial Airways to Bushire and then by Junkers, few flown. £80-100
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1930 (Nov.) India to Straits Settlements R.A.F demonstration flight, covers franked 1a, flown from Delhi to Calcutta (72 flown) or on the return flight from Allahabad to Delhi (73 flown) both with oval regimental cachets, the cover from Delhi also with four line flight cachet and signature of the pilot Ft. Lt. D.F Anderson, both very fine. (2). £140-160
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1931 Hollywood to Singapore flight by the American aviators Ross Hadley and John Pratt, cover flown on the Calcutta to Akyab leg with flight cachets, a photographic vignette depicting both aviators and 1a stamps cancelled at Calcutta (Mar 28) or Akyab (Apr 2), signed by both pilots. Fine and scarce, 35 covers flown. Photo on Page 176 £150-180
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1931 (Apr 3) England to Australia flight by G.P Fairbairn and K. Shenstone, cover flown from Calcutta to Darwin with "British flight" cachet and "DETAINED TILL 5th APRIL / ENGINE OVERHAULED", two KGV 1a stamps cancelled at Calcutta and an Australia 2d cancelled at Darwin (Apr 24), very fine, 43 covers flown. AAMC E177, $550. Photo on Page 176. £160-180
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1931 England to Australia Imperial Airways experimental flights comprising first flight from Delhi to Rangoon; first return flight from Rangoon to Calcutta, Calcutta to Allahabad, Jodhpur (44 flown) or London, or Allahabad to Delhi (faults); second flight from Delhi to Calcutta, Calcutta to Rangoon (2, 94 flown); second return flight from Calcutta to Delhi (37 flown) or Allahabad to Jodhpur. (11). £160-180
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1931 (July 18) Air Mail 4a postcard with printed pictorial greetings from the Aero-Philatelic Club of Calcutta and printed message "First Flight Souvenir Air Mail Post Card issued at Calcutta 15.7.31, posted on 18.7.31 to connect at Karachi with west bound Air Mail leaving on 23.7.31", posted from Calcutta to London with Croydon arrival c.d.s (July 29). Scarce, only 20 cards printed. £80-100
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1931 Croydon to Shanghai flight by the American aviators Charles and Gladys Day, cover flown from Calcutta to Akyab with a vignette of Mrs Day tied by the violet cachet "ACROSS THE BAY OF BENGAL / TO Akyab / By AMERICAN FLIERS", KGV ½a cancelled at Calcutta (Aug 10) and 1a cancelled Akyab (Sep 4), pilot signed. Fine and scarce, 28 covers flown. Photo on Page 176. £150-180
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1931-32 Covers flown by the Delhi Flying Club, comprising 1931 (June 29) cover from Calcutta to Jodhpur carried on the July 1st emergency flight from Delhi to Jodhpur; and 1932 carried on the 2nd January first flights from Jodhpur to Delhi (signed by the pilot P.D Sharma) or Karachi to Delhi, or on the 5th January return flight from Delhi to Karachi (only 17 covers flown), all fine. (4). £200-250
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1932 Imperial Airways England to India route via the Persian Gulf, first flight covers from London (Oct 1) to Bahrain franked 6d, or from Dubai to London on October 6th franked on the reverse by India 1a3p vertical strip of six tied by light "DUBAI / PERSIAN GULF" datestamps in blue dated 15 Nov. Just twelve covers were carried on this first flight; all had the stamps uncancelled due to an oversight so were returned to Dubai and cancelled on November 15th, over a month after the flight took place. (2). Photo on Page 176. £250-300
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