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Bahrain. 1940 (Nov 1) Air Mail Clipper rate cover to San Francisco, franked KGVI 3a6p, 8a and 2r, triangular Hong Kong censor, backstamped with Victoria Hong Kong c.d.s (Nov 15) and violet boxed "PASSED BY CENSOR / BAHRAIN". A scarce commercial cover, endorsed "via Transpacific Clipper". Photo on Page 18. £200-250
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Kuwait. 1933 (July 11) Calcutta to England route extension, printed D.P Kapur first flight cover flown from Calcutta to Kuwait franked 9p + Air 3a, backstamped by "KUWAIT" c.d.s (July 25), endorsed "unknown" and returned to the sender in Calcutta. Minor staining but very rare, very few first flight covers sent to Kuwait. Photo on Page 18. £250-300
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Kuwait - Zeppelin Mail. 1933 (Sep 27) Registered cover from Kuwait to Buenos Ayres endorsed "By airmail to London, Graf Zeppelin via Friedrichshafen" franked ½a + air 3a + air 4a (S.G. 33, £225), a G.B 1/- cancelled in transit in London (Oct 5), carried on the Graf Zeppelin South America - Chicago flight with triangular cachet on the front, reverse with the hexagonal Zeppelin cachet and a Buenos Ayres arrival c.d.s (Oct 19). Fine and very scarce. Photo on Page 20. £800-1,000
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Kuwait. 1935 (Oct 3) Official stampless envelope for forwarding air mail, headed "Administration des Postes et des Telegraphes de L'Iraq, Depeche - avion", used to forward air mail covers weighting 33g to London, with boxed "KUWAIT" handstamp, reverse sealed with "IRAQ / POSTS / AND / TELEGRAPHS" paper seals tied by Kuwait datestamps, horizontal and vertical folds and small piece torn from front upper right corner but very unusual and scarce. Also a 1936 (Apr 3) cover from Brussels to Kuwait via Imperial Airways franked 3f85, backstamped at Basra and Kuwait (Apr 8). (2). Photo on Page 20. £180-220
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Kuwait. 1933 (Oct 1) Karachi to Rangoon route extension, first return flight cover from Rangoon to Kuwait franked KGV 1a + 2a6p + Air 2a + 4a, backstamped with the violet Rangoon flight cachet and "KUWAIT" c.d.s (Oct 5), with cachet of Imperial Airways Victoria London Airway Terminus. Very scarce. Photo on Page 20. £180-200
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Sharjah. 1932 (Oct 4) Karachi to Sharjah first flight, cover carried over the new route between Basra and Karachi, no backstamp, very scarce with very few first flight covers sent to Sharjah. Photo on Page 20. £150-180
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Sharjah/Dubai. 1933 (July 11) England-India route extended from Karachi to Calcutta, first return flight cover from Calcutta to Sharjah with KGV ½a + 6a tied by the boxed First Air Mail cancels, a "DUBAI / PERSIAN GULF" c.d.s (July 25) on the front, backstamped at Bahrain (July 13). Very rare, only three covers believed to have been flown to Sharjah. Photo on Page 20. £300-400
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Sharjah. 1933 (Oct 1) England-India route extended from Calcutta to Rangoon, first return flight cover from Rangoon to Sharjah with KGV 1a3p pair + Air 6a tied by the special Rangoon First Air Mail cancel in violet, backstamped at Bahrain (Oct 3). Very rare, very few covers flown to Sharjah. Photo on Page 20. £250-300
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(Also See Lots 275, 283, 309, 349) | |
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, KEVII 1a postcard to the School of Musketry at Pachmarhi, cancelled by the special pictorial Aerial Post handstamp in magenta, datestamps of Allahabad and Pachmarhi alongside. Exceptionally fine and unusual on a postal stationery postcard. Photo on Page 20. £300-350
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, registered cover to Indore franked by KEVII 15r tied by the special pictorial Aerial Post cancel in magenta with a further strike alongside, reverse with registration label bearing boxed "R / ALLAHABAD" and datestamps of Allahabad and Indore. A remarkable high franking, almost certainly unique. Photo on Page 20. £6,000-7,000
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, KEVII ¼a postcard to Harry Clarke at the Aero Club in London cancelled by the special pictorial Aerial Post handstamp in black with an Allahabad c.d.s on the front, written and signed by the Aerial Post organiser Capt. Walter Windham, handwritten message "With the founders compliments, W. Windham, the only ones done in black". The Aerial Post cancel is extremely scarce in black, only having been applied in this colour to a very small number of privileged mail items including twenty ¼a postcards produced by Windham for presenting to officials. Pinhole at upper centre and very light corner crease, otherwise fine and rare. Photo on Page 22. £1,500-2,000
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1911 (Feb 18) Allahabad First Aerial Post, third type postcard, 152x114mm, depicting Pequet in his biplane with the printed heading "FIRST "AERIAL POST," ALLAHABAD, FEBRUARY 18, 1911.", signed on the picture side by Pequet. Addressed to England with KEVII 1a tied by the special pictorial Aerial Post cancel in black, a second strike below in the usual magenta colour and an Allahabad c.d.s. An exceptional use of this rare card, very few examples of the cancel recorded in black and just one other example of this postcard with cancels in both colours recorded by us. A little creasing at lower right corner, otherwise unusually fine, both cancels superb. With B.P.A Certificate (2010). Photo on Page 22. £10,000-12,000
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1911 (Sep 16) First UK Aerial Post, green postcard flown from Windsor to London, a KEVII ½d tied by the Windsor Aerial Post c.d.s code "2", addressed to India and therefore underpaid with hexagonal "T/10" applied in London, boxed "FOREIGN POSTAGE DUE / 1 ANNAS - PIES" and octagonal "CALCUTTA G.P.O / 8 OCT 1911 / UNPAID", arrival c.d.s of Fort William. A scarce Windsor card to India, underpaid and charged upon delivery, a little very light corner toning, otherwise fine. Photo on Page 22. £500-600
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1920 (Jan 23) Karachi to Bombay experimental air service, cover to England carried on the first flight with 1½a + 8a each tied by the Karachi Air Post c.d.s, signed by the two pilots F.O R. Ivelaw-Chapman and F.O Ballard. Pilot signed covers from this service are extremely scarce. Photo on Page 22. £400-500
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1920 (Jan 24) Sheet of paper bearing KGV 3p - 1r stamps (12 values) all in pairs, each tied by the Bombay Air Post datestamps, as used on mail carried on the first Bombay to Karachi flight. Very unusual. £250-300
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1920 (Feb 14) Karachi to Bombay experimental air service, registered cover franked on the reverse by KGV 3p block of four and ½a - 1r (11 values) all in pairs, each with the Karachi Air Post c.d.s, carried on the fourth flight. Small tape stain at left and a couple of very minor edge tears, otherwise fine, an unusual franking. Photo on Page 22. £200-240
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1920 (Mar 5) Karachi to Bombay experimental air service, cover to London bearing KGV 1a, 2a6p, 8a and 1r with the Karachi Air Post c.d.s, carried on the seventh and final flight, superb quality and an unusual franking. Photo on Page 22. £150-180
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1920 (Mar 5) Karachi to Bombay experimental air service, a G.B 1890 Penny Post Jubilee 1d envelope and insert card both flown on the seventh and final flight with the Karachi Air Post cancels and similar Bombay arrival c.d.s (Mar 6), both registered, the envelope uprated by KGV 3p (2), 1a block of four and 6a, the card bearing 1a pair + 6a + 2a6p. The envelope a little soiled and opening tear at upper edge, the insert card very fine, an unusual pair. (2). £200-250
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1920 (Mar 11) Bombay to Karachi experimental air service, cover carried on the seventh and final flight, bearing KEVII 3p and ½a blocks of four, KGV 3p vertical pair, ½a and 1a blocks of four each with the Bombay Air Post cancel, similar Karachi Air Post (Mar 12) backstamp, very fine, an unusual and attractive franking. £150-180
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1924 (Nov 14) Amsterdam to Batavia flight by the Dutch aviators Van der Hoop and Poelman, cover flown on the Calcutta to Akyab leg and posted upon arrival franked KGV 1a, typed inscription "By Aeroplane from Calcutta by kind consent of the Consul General of the Netherlands 13th Nov. 1924", numbered "12" and signed by J. Fernandro, President of the Calcutta Philatelic Club. Fine and scarce, 25 covers flown. Photo on Page 24. £500-600
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1924 (Nov.) Amsterdam to Batavia flight, H.F Bennett cover flown on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg bearing triangular vignette "CARRIED FROM CALCUTTA / "URGENT" BY AEROPLANE" with manuscript "FIRST DUTCH OFFICIAL AIRMAIL TO D.E.I" tied by a bird cachet, and an uncancelled KGV 1a, presumably hand delivered at Rangoon, numbered "15". A rare cover, Calcutta to Rangoon mail not recorded by Brown or in the Indian Air Mail Society catalogue. Photo on Page 24. £500-600
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1925 (Jan 23) Calcutta to Risalpur R.A.F Demonstration Flight, photographic picture postcard taken by Stephen Smith of R.A.F planes at Ellenborough, addressed to Nowshera with KGV 1a tied by Risalpur c.d.s (Feb 2), signed by the pilot Ft/Lt Gordon with large violet cachet "CALCUTTA - RISALPUR DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT / CALCUTTA / 1925". Very fine and scarce, 25 of these cards flown. Photo on Page 24. £250-300
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1925 (Feb 8) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, 1a postal stationery envelope flown from Rangoon to Akyab and onto Calcutta, cancelled at Rangoon with an Akyab c.d.s on the front, backstamped at Calcutta, initialled "AJC". Fine and scarce, 32 covers flown. Photo on Page 24. £240-280
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1925 (Feb 16) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, picture postcard showing a photo of Cobham's aircraft taken by Stephen Smith, flown from Calcutta to Karachi bearing KGV 3p pair and a red flight vignette both tied by Drigh Road c.d.s (Feb 18) with a Karachi arrival c.d.s, signed by the Flight Engineer Arthur B. Elliott, the triangular flight cachet on the picture side. 32 cards flown. Photo on Page 24. £200-240
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1925 (Feb 16) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, cover addressed to Paris, flown from Calcutta to London with triangular flight cachet, bearing the green flight vignette and uncancelled 1a and 2a stamps, reverse signed by Flight Engineer A.B Elliott and initialled by Stephen Smith, with a "WADDON AERODROME / CROYDON" c.d.s. An hexagonal "T" handstamp applied in London with 50c inter-panneau postage due strip of three applied and cancelled in Paris. Fine and very rare, 121 covers flown to London of which just three were addressed to Paris. Photo on Page 24. £1,800-2,000
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1925 (Feb 16) Anglo-Indian Survey Flight by Alan Cobham, cover addressed to R.E.R Dalwick in Dorking, flown from Calcutta to London bearing an uncancelled 1a pair and the green flight vignette with triangular flight cachet and 3d charge mark of London E.C, a 3d postage due stamp applied at Dorking. Also a covering note from the London Postal Section (EC) Controller to the Dorking Postmaster asking him to deliver the cover as soon as possible upon payment of 3d surcharge, the Indian stamps not to be obliterated; a letter from H. Bose in Calcutta to Dorking concerning air mails; and Alan Turton May 1925 Air Post Bulletin with details of these covers. R.E.R Dalwick was a noted philatelist, writing books on Togo and Newfoundland Air Mails. A fine cover, signed on the reverse by Flight Engineer A.B Elliott, 121 items flown. Photo on Page 24. £120-150
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1925 (June 12) Quetta to Hindubagh flood relief emergency R.A.F flight, 1a stationery envelope cancelled at Quetta and backstamped at Hindubagh on the same day. Vertical fold and small fault at upper left corner, otherwise fine and very rare, signed on the reverse by Stephen Smith, just 12 covers flown. Photo on Page 24. £700-800
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1925 (June 12) Hindubagh to Quetta flood relief emergency R.A.F flight, 1a stationery envelope cancelled at Hindubagh and backstamped at Quetta on the same day, twice signed on the reverse by Stephen Smith. Vertical fold and a little light staining but very rare, just 12 covers flown. Photo on Page 26. £600-700
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1926 (Jan 2) Calcutta to Patna R.A.F flight, H.F Bennett cover bearing a photographic BY AIR vignette depicting an elephant and aeroplane and franked KGV 1a cancelled at Patna, violet "HAWASAE / BY AIR" cachet, fine. 69 Covers flown. Photo on Page 26. £140-160
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1926 (Jan 2) Calcutta to Risalpur R.A.F flight, cover to Rawalpindi franked KGV 1a and bearing a photographic BY AIR vignette depicting an elephant and aeroplane both tied by Risalpur c.d.s, violet "HAWASAE / BY AIR" and oval "27 SQUADRON / ROYAL AIR FORCE", initialled by E.H Spence. 56 Covers flown to Risalpur of which just five were forwarded to Rawalpindi, fine and scarce. Photo on Page 26. £200-240
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1926 (Jan 22) Karachi to Risalpur first flight by F/Lt E.H Spence of the R.A.F, cover bearing two KGV ½a stamps pen cancelled and tied by oval cachets of "27 SQUADRON / ROYAL AIR FORCE" or "AIRCRAFT DEPOT R.A.F", endorsed "Karachi-Risalpur By Air, 22.1.26, EHS". Carried on the longest non-stop flight (720 miles) to have taken place in India up to this date. Scarce, 40 covers flown. Photo on Page 26. £200-250
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1926 (Apr 4) Copenhagen to Tokyo flight by the Danish aviators Lts. Botved and Herschend, cover flown from Calcutta to Tokyo bearing flight vignette tied by the cachet "BY DANISH FOKKER AEROPLANES 1926. / CALCUTTA TO TOKIO" with uncancelled KGV 1a + 2a and two "KGL. DANSK KONSULAT / CALCUTTA" cachets, details of the flight pasted to the reverse. Fine and scarce, 31 covers flown. Photo on Page 26. £350-400
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1926 (Apr 17) Madrid to Manila flight by Spanish aviators Lts Loriga and Gonsalez, cover endorsed "Spanish Air Flight, Karachi - Rawalpindi via Agra" and numbered "2", a KGV 1a cancelled in transit at Agra, signed by Lt. Loriga, backstamped at Rawalpindi (Apr 19). Fine and scarce, very few covers carried on this leg of the flight. Photo on Page 26. £400-500
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1926 (Apr 19) Spanish Madrid to Manila flight, cover bearing the flight vignette "BY SPANISH BREGUET BIPLANE - 1926 / FIRST TRIP / CALCUTTA - MANILA 18th APRIL 1926" tied by the cachet "CORREO AEREO" and three KGV 1a stamps cancelled by an aeroplane cachet with "MANILA - P.I", the reverse with the large aeroplane cachet "MAY 13 1926 / RAID MADRID - MANILA", signed by Lt Loriga. Fine and scarce, 43 covers flown to Manila, of which only a few were pilot signed. Photo on Page 26. £500-600
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1926 (July 23) Alan Cobham England to Australia flight, cover with a black border and printed explanation that the flight engineer Arthur B. Elliot was killed by a bullet between Baghdad and Basra, "CARRIED FROM CALCUTTA TO MELBOURNE" printed in red, a KGV 2a cancelled at Calcutta, backstamped at Sydney (Aug 16), numbered "1". Small edge tear at left, otherwise fine and very scarce. 38 Covers were flown but 35 of these were reportedly lost. Also an unused example of this printed flight envelope. (2). Photo on Page 26. £500-600
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1926 (July 23) England to Australia flight by Alan Cobham, cover with a printed black border and explanation that Arthur Elliot, the flight engineer, had been killed by a bullet fired from the ground between Baghdad and Basra, flown from Calcutta to Rangoon with a KGV 1a cancelled at Calcutta, reverse with a photographic vignette and Rangoon c.d.s (July 26). Also an unused flight vignette signed and dated on the reverse by Stephen Smith, two photos of the funeral of Arthur Elliot, and the booklet "World Flier's Danger Zone" by Stephen Smith, published in Calcutta, with all proceeds from sales going to the mother of Arthur Elliot. A fine cover, 45 flown. (5). Photo on Page 28. £200-250
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1926 Australia to England flight by Alan Cobham, cover to Bulloch Brothers & Co in London with typed inscription "By kind favour of Major Alan Cobham" franked by KGV 1a pair, the reverse sealed with a large label of Bulloch Bros & Co Ltd Akyab, posted by Cobham upon arrival in London franked ½d + 1d, the G.B and India stamps all cancelled by datestamps of "THE HYDE S.O. N.W" (Oct 2). A fine and very rare cover from Burma; only a tiny number of covers from Burma and India unofficially carried by Cobham for friends, including one cover from Calcutta to King George V. Photo on Inside Back Cover. £1,200-1,500
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1927 (Jan 14) London to Delhi Air Ministers flight, cover with an embossed crown on the flap, addressed to London, a KGV 1a pair cancelled by red boxed "LONDON TO DELHI / FIRST THROUGH FLIGHT IMPERIAL AIRWAYS / CAIRO-KARACHI COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE / JANUARY 1927", posted upon arrival at Delhi with "VICEROYS CAMP P.O" c.d.s on reverse, possibly carried on the return flight to London. This cachet was only used on mail posted by V.I.Ps on the flight; we have recorded just two other covers with this cachet, which is not recorded by Brown or the Indian Air Mail Catalogue. Also a Press Photo of the Air Minister Sir Samuel Hoare in India with Sir Victor Warrender, Earl Winterton and Gp. Capt. Mills. (2). Photo on Page 28. £700-1,000
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1927 (Feb 16) Stack and Leete London to Delhi flight, real photo picture postcard showing the two aviators receiving a cup from the Mayor of Karachi, flown from Karachi to Lahore with 3p pair tied by violet boxed "AIR MAILS INDIA / By Light Aeroplane / KARACHI G.P.O / WITH MESSRS STACK & LEETE", further strikes on both sides of the card, with datestamps of Karachi, Royal Air Force Display 1927 Lahore and Rawalpindi. Only 60 items flown from Karachi to Lahore, just two of these picture postcards reportedly flown, the card signed on the picture side by Neville Stack. Photo on Page 28. £300-400
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1927 (Feb 17/18) First Indian Air Pageant at Delhi, covers to H.A. Sams, Deputy Director-General of Posts & Telegraphs in Delhi, all with a KGV 1a tied by the Royal Air Force Display 1927 datestamps of Kohat, Ambala or Lahore, all with similar Delhi Dely backstamps. (3). £250-300
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1927 (Feb 18) First Indian Air Pageant, cover flown to Delhi, the KGV 1a not cancelled at the office of posting, therefore cancelled upon arrival with the Royal Air Force Display 1927 "Dely" c.d.s of Delhi, a further strike on reverse. A rare, possibly unique, use of this Delivery c.d.s as a cancel. Photo on Page 28. £120-150
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1927 (Apr 1) Rangoon to Penang Air Survey Co. flight by Nevill Vintcent, cover franked on reverse by KGV 1a pair tied by Rangoon c.d.s (Mar 30), a Penang c.d.s alongside (Apr 2), the front with violet boxed "RANGOON-PENANG / FIRST AIR MAIL / APRIL 1927". Fine and rare, Brown states five covers carried. Photo on Page 28. £700-800
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1927 (June 26) Amsterdam to Batavia KLM flight by G.J Geysendorffer and J.B Scholte, cover bearing the flight vignette "DUTCH FLIGHT, 1927, TO BATAVIA / CARRIED FROM CALCUTTA" with two KGV 1a stamps cancelled at Calcutta, a Netherlands Indies 15c postage due cancelled at Batavia (July 1). Scarce, 31 covers flown from Calcutta to Batavia. Photo on Page 28. £200-250
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1927 (June 27) De Havilland Moth flight over Calcutta, demonstration flight by W.H Vetch (in the aeroplane used by Neville Stack to win the King's Cup in 1926), ¼a postcard franked 3p cancelled in Calcutta, violet flight cachet, the message written by E.L Widdicombe who accompanied Vetch on the flight, initialled by Vetch and numbered "8". Fine and scarce, just eleven cards flown. Photo on Page 28. £300-350
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1927 (July 13) Batavia to Amsterdam return KLM flight by G.J Geysendorffer and J.B Scholte, 1a stationery envelope flown on the Calcutta to Karachi leg and posted upon arrival, bearing a flight vignette and violet "12 JULY 1927" cachet. Fine and scarce, just 15 covers flown. Photo on Page 28. £250-300
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1927 (July 14) Batavia to Amsterdam return KLM flight, cover posted at Karachi franked KGV ½a + 1½a, flown from Karachi to Baghdad with printed flight details, signed by G.J Geysendorffer, reverse with a Baghdad c.d.s (July 20) and bilingual boxed "PLEASE RETURN THIS COVER TO / THE POSTMASTER BAGHDAD FOR / AN OFFICIAL ENQUIRY", subsequently deleted in pencil. Fine and rare, just five covers carried on this leg of the flight. Photo on Page 30. £500-600
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1927 (July 17) Calcutta to Shillong flight by W.H Vetch, an H.F Bennett envelope with violet cachet "D.H. MOTH Aeroplane / G.E.B.M.O / AIR 15-7-27 MAIL / CALCUTTA SHILLONG", a KGV 1a cancelled at Cherra-Punji, backstamped at Shillong. A few tiny tone spots, otherwise fine, 35 covers flown to Cherra-Punji. Photo on Page 30. £280-320
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1927 (Sep.-Nov) Covers from Bombay to London flown by Imperial Airways from Basra to Cairo, all with differing Air Mail labels in blue or red with circular "BY / AIR" cachets, bearing overprinted stamps for Gwalior, Chamba State or Jhind State, the last cover a little stained, otherwise fine and unusual acceptances of State stamps. (3). £300-350
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1927 (Oct 19) Paris to Saigon flight by Capt. Leon Challe, 1a stationery envelope with typed inscription flown on the Allahabad to Calcutta leg and posted upon arrival, reverse with Calcutta arrival c.d.s and cachet of the French Consulate General in Calcutta. Fine and very rare, just four covers flown. Photo on Page 30. £400-500
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1927 (Nov.) Saigon to Paris return flight by Leon Challe, a page bearing the autographs of Leon Challe and Raymond Rapin dated Nov 2nd (whilst at Calcutta), two small photos of the aeroplane in flight and the vignettes used on covers flown from Calcutta to Karachi or Paris. Also an unused Calcutta to Paris flight envelope signed by Stephen Smith and inscribed "One hundred such covers were printed, of which number 93 were used"; and three flight vignettes. (5). £120-150
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