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Alan Cobham. 1926 (Aug 19) Menu for a dinner held by the Australian Aero Club for Alan Cobham and Sgt. A.H Ward, apparently Cobham's personal menu signed on the reverse by Cobham, Ward, and 21 others including the pioneer aviators E.A Mustard, E. Jones, R.W Williams, T.W White and F.W Follett. Also six business cards apparently given to Cobham or Ward after the flight (one from T.W White), and a card wishing the pair good luck on their return flight. Cobham arrived in Darwin on August 5th after a 36 day flight from London, Ward having joined him as mechanic at Basra after his original mechanic, A.B Elliott, was shot dead. They flew from Darwin on Sept 4th, arriving back in London on October 1st. A unique signed menu. Photo on Page 48. £300-400
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1929-40 Covers including 1929 first G.B acceptance for Perth to Adelaide air mail, 1931 experimental flights (3), 1934 England to Australia route first flight covers comprising London, Tete, Cape Town or Broken Hill to Australia, Ireland to Papua or Brisbane to Cape Town, etc. Also a 1939 cover from Papua to G.B. (20). £130-160
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1933 "Astraea" Survey Flight for a proposed Imperial Airways route to Australia, cover inscribed "England to Australia, Imperial Airways Astraea, Darwin - Brisbane - Sydney - Melbourne", posted upon arrival at Melbourne (June 30) franked 2d, signed by two of the crew, C.F Giffiths and John Williams. The plane flew from Croydon to Darwin in 21 days, a small number of covers then carried to Sydney or Melbourne. E310a, from $600. Photo on Page 48. £120-150
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1933 "Astraea" Survey Flight, cover inscribed on reverse "Carried on Imperial Airways Ltd Survey Plane "Astraea" to Sydney by courtesy Major H.G Brackley", signed on the front by the pilot H.G Brackley, also handstamped red boxed "AIR SERVICE / NOT AVAILABLE", posted upon arrival at Sydney (June 29) franked 5d. Scarce. E310a, from $600. Photo on Page 48. £120-150
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1934 (Dec 8) First Regular UK - Australia flight, printed flight envelope to E.V Dolby in Brisbane with 3d + 1/- tied by the special small 23mm "CROYDON AERODROME / CROYDON SY" c.d.s struck from a handstamp made of silver with an ivory handle, signed by Capt. L.A Walters, Commander of "Hengist" from London to Karachi, with an enclosed letter from E.V Dolby at the Air Mail Section, T.M.O London, to Capt. Walters, confirming just twelve covers received this c.d.s and were flown from London in a special silk bag (all other mails joining the flight at Paris). Also a photograph of the handstamp (which was flown in the silk bag to Australia, but later returned and is in the Post Office archives) and a similar flight envelope with the normal 26mm Croydon Aerodrome c.d.s also signed by Capt. Walters. (2 + letter). Photo on Page 48. £300-350
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1934 (Dec 8) First Regular UK - Australia flight, similar printed envelope to E.V Dolby with 3d + 1/- tied by the special 23mm "CROYDON AERODROME / CROYDON SY" c.d.s, signed by all five pilots who flew mail over the route from Croydon, in "Hengist", "Scipio", "Horsa", "Athena" and "Diana". Also a flown postcard with the usual 26mm Croydon Aerodrome c.d.s. Just twelve covers received this special datestamp, this cover almost certainly unique with all five pilots signatures, light creasing, otherwise fine. Photo on Page 48. £300-350
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Orkney Islands. 1934 (Dec 6) Printed "Orkney - Inverness Air Mail" envelope posted at Kirkwall franked 5d + 10d, flown by Highland Airways, then carried on the first flight to Australia, redirected back to Scotland and carried on the third return flight franked 1/6. An unusual cover, sent to Sydney and back in 33 days, with an explanatory note from the sender and a news cutting. £80-100
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Isle of Wight. 1934 (Dec 7) Printed agreement for the Imperial Airways England - Australia air service addressed to Christchurch, New Zealand, and a printed first flight envelope to New South Wales, both flown by the Island Air Express from Ryde to Portsmouth with a blue or black air stamp applied, posted at Portsmouth franked 1/3 and carried on the first flight to Sydney, the cover unclaimed and returned to England. Very scarce. (2). £160-200
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1934 First Regular UK - Australia Flight, covers (16) and ephemera including a P.O Notice announcing the service folded up and flown to Sydney, printed flight envelope to Brisbane bearing 2/6 Seahorse, covers from London to Papua or Wellington, cover from Berlin to Sydney, printed flight envelope to Solomon Islands with Dun Laoghaire Paquebot datestamps, and printed flight envelopes posted en route from Brussels to Melbourne and posted back to Brussels franked 1/6, Baghdad to Brisbane, Delhi to Brisbane, Akyab to Darwin, Bangkok to Brisbane or Rambang to Camooweal. Also ephemera including five page document giving details of all possible flight covers and how they may be ordered, P.O Notice on the new service, letter and account concerning covers sent by A. Phillips, news cuttings, a large photo of the ceremony at Croydon prior to the departure of "Hengist", and a second flight cover to Melbourne signed by G.U Allen. (16+). £300-350
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1934 Covers from Africa all carried on the first UK - Australia service, comprising printed first flight covers from Algeria to Brisbane, Elizabethville to Brisbane, Zanzibar to Rambang, Maseru to Adelaide with signatures of three pilots (slightly reduced at top but very scarce), Cape Town to Brisbane signed by Capt. Sheppard, and a plain cover with flight cachet from Khartoum to Camooweal. Also cover carried on the first return flight from Australia to Entebbe, Broken Hill or Cape Town (2, one signed by Capt. Elliot-Wilson). (10). £180-200
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1934 First Australia - UK regular flight, covers (30) from Papua to Switzerland via London, Rambang to Athens (2), from Australia to Batavia, Singapore, Bahrain (2), Baghdad, Gaza, Cairo, Alexandria, Athens, Milan (2) or London (6), or flown within Australia (10, various legs). Also 1934 Air Mail schedule, news cuttings, etc. (30+). £250-300
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1934 (Dec 6) Printed first flight cover from Brisbane to L.A Wyndham in Cape Town franked 2/9, carried on the first flight to Cairo and then sent via the East Africa route to Cape Town, signed by all seven pilots en route, with a covering letter from Imperial Airways. An exceptional signed cover. Photo on Page 48. £180-220
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1934 Australia - UK first flight, scarce small size printed flight covers from Sydney to London, Tallinn, Cairo, Blantyre, Windhoek, Johannesburg or Cape Town (with 2d postage due), or from Brisbane to London, all fine. (8). £150-180
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1935-38 Covers including covers carried on first passenger flight on the Australia route (5, also a press photo of first passengers embarking at Croydon for Australia), 1936 first bi-weekly London to Australia flight, 1935 New Zealand covers with first Australia service to Singapore, Kingsford-Smith Silver Jubilee Trans-Tasman flight (3), 1938 first "all-up" 1½d rate from London to New Zealand, also a programme for the Inauguration of the Empire Air Mail Scheme to Australia and New Zealand. (23). £100-120
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New Zealand. 1934 Covers from New Zealand, flown on the first Australia - UK service, comprising covers to Alor Star, Cairo, Nicosia, Athens, Cape Town or London, most with air stamps, the Cyprus destination very scarce with as few as two covers believed flown. Also 1934 "Faith in Australia" flight cover to India. (7). £150-180
| CRASH MAIL
(Also See Lot 1508) | |
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Canada. 1921 (Nov 26) Cover from St. John's to Halifax bearing the 35c Air Mail overprint (S.G. 148, £100) intended to be sent on the first flight but actually sent by rail after the flight was abandoned when the plane had to make a forced landing shortly after take off, small faults. Also a 1929 (Jan 25) cover from Fort Simpson, N.W.T, to Fort McMurray handstamped "VIA AIR MAIL", March 9th backstamp, the delay believed to be caused by an air crash. (2). £100-120
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Chile/G.B. 1930 (June 5) Cover from Antofagasta to G.B, water damaged with the stamps washed off and other Chile stamps reapplied, handstamped triangular "I.S" and boxed "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER I.S." in the London Inland Section. From the June 13th Santiago to Buenos Ayres flight which crashed in the Andes in a snow storm, the mails not recovered for several months. Nierinck only records one other cover from this crash to G.B, with a manuscript endorsement. N.300612f. £100-120
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India -"City of Washington". 1930 (Oct 18) Cover from Calcutta to England franked 1½a + 4a + 1r, inscribed on the front by the recipient "arrived by the plane that crashed Neuchatel 5 killed", endorsed "India - London" with a blue Air Mail label on the reverse. The Imperial Airways Paris to London flight crashed in thick fog near Neuchatel on October 30th, killing three people and injuring two others; the recovered mail was forwarded without any cachet applied. Minor edge creasing, otherwise fine and scarce, with a postcard of the aeroplane. N.301030. Photo on Page 48. £150-180
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South Africa. 1931 (Nov 12) Registered cover from Port Elizabeth to New York franked 3d + 4d + Air 4d, badly burnt, from the Nov 13th Port Elizabeth to Cape Town flight which crashed at St. Lowrys Pass during a storm. The pilot and two passengers were killed and part of the mails were recovered in a badly burnt condition. N.311113. £100-120
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Uruguay/Chile. 1932 (Feb 25) Covers from Montevideo or Santiago to London with the stamps washed off, the Santiago cover with other Chile stamps reapplied, the Uruguay cover with a 12c meter mark, both from the Chile to Paris flight which was struck by lightning and crashed into the sea off Setiba, Brazil. Backstamped at Paris, handstamped "Accident d'Avion / Correspondence recueillies en mer / NE PAS TAXER" or bearing the explanatory label "Lettre accidentee en service par- / venue nouillee a Paris Gare du Nord", the Uruguay cover with a London arrival c.d.s (Mar 11). N.320227a/b. (2). £100-120
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1936-38 Imperial Airways crash covers, comprising 1936 "Scipio" crash covers from Ceylon (2) or Australia to G.B with differing "Damaged By Sea Water" cachets; 1937 covers from India to Belgium or Palestine to England recovered from the "Cygnus" crash, the first with one stamp washed off, French explanatory cachet on the front and a manuscript explanation on reverse, the Palestine cover with boxed "DAMAGED BY / SEA WATER/ IN AIRPLANE / ACCIDENT"; and 1938 cover from G.B to New Zealand with violet "RECEIVED IN DAMAGED CONDITION / EX FLYING BOAT CALPURNIA". (6). £180-220
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Argentina/G.B. 1937 (Oct 22) Covers from Buenos Ayres to London, recovered from the Air France Dakar to France flight which disappeared off Cape Blank on October 27th; fishermen found a mailbag on November 2nd and another bag was washed ashore on the 24th. Both handstamped "Courrier sinistre / reconstitue par les soins du / Bureau de Casablanca", further handstamped in London with boxed "DAMAGED BY SEA / WATER" or violet "DAMAGED BY / WATER". One with senders name cut from upper left corner, the other registered cover fine. N.371027e/f. (2). £120-140
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Chile/Argentina. 1938 (June 18) Cover from Buenos Ayres to Lima, from the Santiago to Antofagasta flight which crashed in the Andes, the plane and mail not found until February 1941, some 32 months later, with violet explanatory cachet applied at Santiago, Lima backstamp (12 Apr. 1941), very scarce. N.380619. Photo on Page 52. £150-180
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Australia. 1939 Cover from Ditchling, Sussex, to Western Australia, the stamp washed off, reverse with a Perth Post Office label explaining that it was salvaged from the mail plane crash at Katherine River on January 18th. N.390118b. £100-120
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India. 1939 (Feb 16) Registered cover franked 7½d from Ipswich to India, fire damaged and piece torn from right edge, the reverse endorsed "Rescued from air crash on 23/2/39 between Karachi & Lahore". Very scarce, this cover illustrated by Nierinck. N.390223a, Photo on Page 52. £200-250
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Germany/G.B. 1939 (Aug 29/30) Covers (5) and a postcard addressed within Germany, or from Germany to Holland or G.B (4), all recovered from the Lufthansa Berlin to London flight which crashed near Hannover, one to Straelen with manuscript endorsement and Straelen Post Office cachets (not recorded by Nierinck), three enclosed within transparent ambulance envelopes with differing explanatory slips enclosed, one with a Berlin Officially Sealed label and a relevant news cutting applied to reverse. A scarce group from one of the last mail flights from Germany to G.B prior to the war. N.390831a/c. (6). £500-600
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Sweden/G.B. 1943 (Feb.) Covers from Brazil (2) or USA (2) to Sweden, or USA to G.B (2), all recovered from Pan Am "Yankee Clipper" which crashed and sank when landing on the Tagus River in Lisbon, all water damaged, the four covers to Sweden bearing Swedish explanatory labels (2 types), the covers to G.B with violet "DAMAGED BY / SEA WATER", one with U.S.A.P.O backstamp. N.430222b/c/d. (6). £140-160
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Sweden/Switzerland/G.B. 1944 (Sep 10th) Covers from Switzerland to England (2, one registered) with stamps washed off (one with another stamp reapplied) both handstamped violet boxed "Damaged through an air- / plane accident in course / of conveyance", one with arrival datestamp (Dec 29); and a severely water damaged letter missing its envelope, returned to the writer in Stockholm enclosed within a transparent ambulance envelope, bearing a Swedish explanatory label. All from the November 29th Lufthansa Berlin to Stockholm flight which crashed at Maklappen in Sweden after an attack by Luftwaffe aircraft, which mistook it for an enemy plane. N.441129a/b. (3). £160-200
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France & Colonies/G.B. 1946 (Aug 24/28) Registered covers from Douala, Cameroons (2, one a very large cover franked 261f) or Pointe Noire, Middle Congo, all to London, all fire damaged, recovered from the Air France Le Bourget to London flight which crashed into a building and caught fire shortly after take off. The large cover handstamped "SERVICE POSTAL FRANCAIS / Correspondance retardee / par accident d'Avion" with "et deterioree" added in manuscript; the other two covers endorsed "Avion Accidente" in Paris and handstamped violet "DAMAGED BY / WATER" in London, altered in manuscript to read "Damaged By Fire". Also a fire damaged cover from the Peace Conference in Paris ("CONFERENCE DE PAIX" c.d.s) to G.B, enclosed within an ambulance envelope bearing four line French cachet. A scarce group, little mail recovered, the British cachet not recorded by Nierinck. N.460904. (4). Photo on Page 52. £250-300
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Gambia / Jamaica. 1946 (Sep 4) Cover from London to Jamaica franked 3d, another stamp washed off, from the B.S.A.A "Star Leader" London to South America flight that crashed in Gambia, shortly after taking off from Bathurst, only a very small part of the mail being recovered. Also a 1947 note (illustrated in Nierinck) from the London Postal Region stating the mails for Jamaica and Balboa were recovered in full, with part of the mails for Cuba, Argentina and Trinidad. Very scarce. N.460907. £120-150
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Sweden/G.B. 1948 (July 3) Cover from Stockholm to England, fire damaged, with London R.L.S slip "The enclosed packet has been recovered from a mail which had been damaged by fire". The Swedish Airline A.B.A Copenhagen to London flight crashed into a British military plane in fog whilst waiting to land at Northolt. All 40 occupants were killed, a small part of the mail recovered in a fire damaged state. N.480704a. £100-120
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Belgium/Netherlands/G.B. 1948 (Mar 2) Cover from Brussels to London, burnt at left edge, endorsed "Damaged by Fire", from the Sabena flight to London which crashed in fog when landing at Heathrow killing 19 occupants; and 1950 (Feb 1) cover from Amsterdam to London handstamped violet boxed "DAMAGED BY SEA / WATER", recovered from the KLM flight to London which caught fire and crashed into the sea. N.480302b, 500203a. (2). £150-180
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India/France. 1950 Cover from India to London franked 6a block of four, torn at left, handstamped violet "GENDARMERIE NATIONALE / BRIGADE DE CHAMONIX (Hte Savoie)" and "18 AVRIL 1951", the reverse bearing the explanatory label "Salvaged April 1951, from the / Air Liner "Malabar-Princess", which / crashed in the Alps, November 1950" and a London F.S arrival datestamp (30 Apr. 1951). The Air India "Malabar Princess" was flying from Bombay to London when it crashed on Mont Blanc on 3rd November 1950. Mailbags were recovered on six occasions between 1950 and 1978, this cover from the second bag found in April 1951, the French Police cachet not recorded by Nierinck. N.501103b. £150-180
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South Africa. 1951 (Oct 8) Cover franked 2d, posted within Cape Town then redirected to Durban, a little soiled, handstamped violet "SALVAGED CRASHED PLANE 15/10/51". The South African Airways Cape Town to Durban flight crashed near Kokstad killing all 13 crew and passengers. Very scarce. N.511015a. Photo on Page 52. £200-240
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USA/Italy/Germany. 1951-54 Covers flown between Europe and the USA, comprising 1951 (Dec 19) 10c air letter from Philadelphia to Italy backstamped violet "Contiene corrispondeza danneggiata / ricuperata nell' incidente / all'aereo New York - Milano / del 23 dicembre 1951", from the L.A.I flight from New York via Shannon which crashed upon landing at Milan (N.511223b); 1954 (July 31) cover from Germany to New Orleans backstamped violet "Delay caused by / Air Mail Interruption / Near Norwich Conn. / Date AUG 3 1954", from the Air France Paris to New York flight which made a crash landing after running out of fuel (N.540803b); and three 1954 (Dec. 15) covers from Italy to USA handstamped "DAMAGE DUE TO AIRMAIL INTERRUPTION / NEAR N.Y INT'L AIRPORT DEC 15, 1954", from the L.A.I Rome to New York flight which crashed into Jamaica Bay killing all 34 on board (N.541218a/aa/h). A good group, all with some water or fire damage. (5). £200-250
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Cayman Islands/Jamaica. 1953 (Apr 5) Cover from New York to Grand Cayman, via Kingston, Jamaica, water staining and the stamp washed off, the reverse bearing a label "Found Open (or damaged) and officially repaired at General Post Office, Kingston, Jamaica" tied by a Kingston c.d.s (Apr 12). Recovered from the Caribbean International Airways flight from Kingston to Montego Bay and the Cayman Island which crashed into the sea shortly after take off killing 13 passengers and crew. Recovered mail was dried at Kingston then forwarded without any cachet being applied. Very scarce, not recorded by Nierinck. Photo on Page 58. £200-250
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Japan/Philippines/Hong Kong. 1954 (Jan) Covers from Japan (3), Hong Kong or Manila to England, Japan or Pakistan to Germany, all recovered from the Philippine Airlines flight to London which caught fire and crashed near Rome, most soiled or fire damaged, various cachets including red "DAMAGED IN AIRCRAFT / CRASH" (not recorded by Nierinck), two line Italian cachet (2 covers), "DAMAGED IN / P.A.L AIRCRAFT CRASH" (3 covers, one from Hong Kong with two versions of this cachet in both violet and black and the Italian cachet, forwarded in a London ambulance envelope), "AIRCRAFT CRASH / DAMAGED IN PAL" (2 covers, one also with the previous cachet), and a German explanatory label applied at Frankfurt. A good group, some scarce cachets and cachet combinations, three registered. N.540114a/dd/f/h/i. (7). £600-700
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Malaya/G.B. 1954 Registered cover from British forces at Taiping to England, from the second Comet crash near Elba on January 10th which killed all passengers and crew. The stamp washed off, handstamped violet "DAMAGED BY SEAWATER / * COMET MAIL *" (2 strikes, on both sides) and red "DAMAGED BY SEAWATER" (with an "M" below), enclosed within an O.H.M.S ambulance envelope with violet "LETTER BRANCH / D.P / DUTY / MOUNT PLEASANT" cachet and endorsed "Damaged by Sea Water (Comet mail)". An exceptional cover, both cachets unrecorded by Nierinck. N.540110. Photo on Page 52. £240-280
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Pakistan/Italy. 1954 Registered cover and part parcel wrapper both from Pakistan to London, both recovered from the Comet crash near Elba, the stamps washed off, both handstamped violet "Corrispondenze recuperata in sequito / incidente aereo del" with separate "10 GEN 1954", not recorded by Nierinck on mail from this crash. The cover is also backstamped with the violet "SALVAGED MAIL / COMET CRASH 10-1-54" and the parcel piece with the large violet "SALVAGED - MAIL; / COMET CRASH, 10/1/54", this piece also with a recipients cachet of 9 Sep. 1954 showing the parcel was not delivered until eight months after the crash. Three very scarce cachets. N540110c,g. (2). Photo on Page 52. £260-320
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Canada. 1954 (Apr.) Covers (5) and a postcard, posted within Canada (5) or from Salvador to Canada, recovered from the T.C.A Montreal to Vancouver flight which crashed at Moose Jaw after colliding with an air force plane, all with dated cachets of the District Post Office Inspector, Moose Jaw Sask. (Apr. 8-19), one with a Post Office explanatory letter, others handstamped "SALVAGED FROM / T.C.A WRECK" (2 versions) or "DELAYED. OR. DAMAGED / M. JAW, PLANE, WRECK" most with some fire damage, the Salvador cover very unusual. N.540408A, b/c/gg. (6). £180-200
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Colombia/Germany. 1954 (Aug 7) Cover from Germany to Colombia franked 1.40m, a little waterstained, handstamped violet "Demorada su entrega por fuer- / za major ocurrida en las Islas / Azores el 9 de agosto de 1954". The Avianca Paris to Bogota flight crashed in the Azores killing 30 passengers and crew. Scarce, little mail recovered. N.540809a. £120-140
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Ireland/Holland. 1954 (Sep 4) Cover and postcard from Holland to USA, some staining, handstamped "SALVAGED FROM K.L.M CRASH AT SHANNON" in black or violet. From the KLM Amsterdam to New York flight which crashed into the mud when taking off from Shannon killing 25 crew and passengers. N.540905a/b. (2). £160-200
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G.B/Bermuda/USA. 1954 (Dec 22/23) Covers from London franked 1/3 to Bermuda or USA, both recovered from the B.O.A.C Stratocruiser "Cathay" which crashed at Prestwick on Christmas day killing 23 people. The cover to Bermuda with violet loose type "SALVAGED MAIL / PRESTWICK - 25-12, 54", the larger cover to New York with larger violet "SALVAGED MAIL / PRESTWICK / 25/12/54", two scarce cachets, the Bermuda destination unusual. N.541225b, d. (2). £130-160
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Bahamas/G.B. 1954 O.H.M.S Post Office ambulance envelopes (3, all differing sizes) all with violet boxed "SALVAGED MAIL / AIRCRAFT CRASH / PRESTWICK 25-12-54", all unusually addressed to the Bahamas with Nassau arrival backstamps dated 8 Jan. 55 or 3 Feb. 55 (2), the largest cover with a few faults, otherwise fine, a scarce destination for covers from this crash. (3). £150-180
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Canada/G.B. 1954 (Dec 22) Covers franked 1/3 (2) and a 6d air letter all from England to Canada, all recovered from the Prestwick crash, the 6d air letter with violet loose type "SALVAGED MAIL / PRESTWICK 25-12-54" (unrecorded by Nierinck, similar to his cachet type "b" but with smaller letter "S" and number "2", no hyphen before "25", hyphen between "12" and "54"), fire damaged so forwarded in an ambulance envelope bearing the violet boxed cachet. The other covers with larger violet "SALVAGED MAIL / PRESTWICK / 25/12/54" on reverse; or with the violet boxed cachet on the front, the reverse endorsed "Recu en damage 18/1/55" and handstamped "RECEIVED DAMAGED AT / Recu avarie a / MONTREAL". A scarce trio. N541225a, d. (3). £220-260
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Venezuela. 1954 (Dec 23) Cover from London to Cardon, Venezuela, from the Christmas day crash at Prestwick, some scorching and staining, the boxed "Salvaged Mail" cachet on the front, backstamped "INGRESO EN MAL ESTADO" with a Caracas c.d.s. Part flap missing and piece torn from upper right corner but a scarce destination and cachet, not recorded by Nierinck. N.541225. £80-100
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Italy/Belgium. 1955 (Feb 10) Cover from France to Brussels and redirected to Rome with violet "Corrispondenza recuperata in seguito / incidente aereo del 13 FEB 1955", and a cover from Belgium to Belgian Congo, water damaged and the stamp washed off, handstamped violet "POSTES ROME GARE AVION / Correspondence recouvree / dans le desastre du 13 FEB 1955", backstamped at Boende (Mar. 16). From the Sabena Brussels-Rome-Leopoldville flight which crashed in mountains 70km north of Rome killing all 29 on board, the plane being found eight days later. The Italian language cachet not recorded by Nierinck. N.550213. (2). £180-200
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Cyprus. 1958 (Mar 3) Cover from Famagusta to England, the stamp washed off, twice handstamped violet "DAMAGED BY IMMERSION / IN SEA WATER", enclosed letter with recipients cachet of March 21st. Probably from the March 7th MISR Athens to Cairo flight which crashed at Lake Manzala, a scarce origin and the cachet not recorded by Nierinck. N.580307. £150-180
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Cyprus. 1961 (Dec 20) Window envelope from Germany and 1967 (Oct. 9) cover from Italy, both to Cyprus, the first recovered from the B.E.A Comet London to Tel Aviv flight which crashed in a snowstorm at Ankara in December 21st 1961, with violet "SALVAGED MAIL / AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT"; the second recovered from the October 12th 1967 B.E.A Athens to Nicosia Comet flight which crashed into the sea near Castellorizo due to a bomb on board, with a violet three line Greek cachet (translating as "Salvaged Correspondence from the recent airliner disaster"). A scarce pair, the first with Nicosia and Limassol backstamps. N.611221b, 671012. (2). £160-200
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G.B/New Zealand. 1968 (Apr 6/7) 9d Air letter and covers (2) from G.B to New Zealand, both covers with their stamps washed off, all with a little fire damage, recovered from April 8th B.O.A.C London-Zurich-Australia flight which attempted a forced landing at Heathrow when an engine became detached after take off, and crashed killing five people. One cover to Auckland handstamped green "SALVAGED FROM AIRCRAFT / ACCIDENT LONDON 8-4-68", a cover to Wanganui enclosed within a transparent ambulance envelope with printed heading "NEW ZEALAND POST OFFICE / THE ENCLOSED ARTICLE WAS DAMAGED IN THE POST", the air letter to Lower Hutt with an explanatory letter from the Wellington Post Office (not recorded by Nierinck but similar to the illustrated Christchurch Post Office letter). N.680408,b,x. (3). £380-420
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