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1929 (Feb 5) Baron von Koenig round the world flight, cover flown on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg with two KGV ½a stamps cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta (Jan 15) and a yellow flight vignette signed by von Koenig, with "CALCUTTA - RANGOON" cachet and green boxed "DELAYED BY UNFAVOURABLE / WEATHER. LEFT / 5th FEBRUARY", posted back by registered mail from Rangoon with three 3a stamps tied by Minto Mansions c.d.s (Feb 18), reverse signed by Stephen Smith. 57 Postcards and this one cover flown to Rangoon, a unique item. Photo on Inside Back Cover. £500-600
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1929 (Feb) Baron von Koenig round the world flight, printed card flown from Calcutta to Bangkok, a KGV ½a cancelled at Park Street (Jan 15), both sides with the boxed "Delayed" cachet and "SIAM / 14/2/1929 / BANGKOK", a flight vignette on the picture side, signed by Stephen Smith. Fine and scarce, 27 cards flown. Photo on Page 168. £250-300
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1929 (May 22) Bengal Air Transport Co. Ltd, Calcutta to Siliguri first flight, cover to Darjeeling with KGV 1a cancelled upon arrival. Just 14 flown covers cancelled upon arrival at Darjeeling. £100-120
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1929 (May 22) Bengal Air Transport Co. Ltd, Darjeeling to Calcutta first flight, stampless cover with a 2a due mark, despatch and arrival datestamps and airline cachet, signed by Stephen Smith. Very scarce, just seven covers carried. Photo on Page 168. £400-500
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1929 (Nov 4) Air stamps First Day Cover, registered cover to Canada with the set of five cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, carried on the first Karachi to London air service, signed by Stephen Smith, fine and scarce. Photo on Page 168. £400-500
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1929 (Nov 4/Dec 20) Air stamps, First Day Covers of the six stamps, each value in a block of four on a separate cover all with First Day cachets, three covers with illustrations of aeroplanes applied, the November 4th covers all with two or more differing air mail labels, these five covers registered to London carried on the first Karachi to London air service. All the blocks marginal, all signed at least once in the margin or on the stamps by G. Grant, the stamp designer (four additionally signed on the reverse), the November 4th covers also signed by the Indian Postmaster General, Frank de Marte, and by Stephen Smith. An exceptional set of First Day Covers. (6). Photo on Page 170. £3,000-4,000
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1929 (Nov 6) Registered cover from the Greek Consulate General in Calcutta to London bearing the Air stamp set of five, carried on the first Karachi to London air service. £100-150
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1929 (Dec 30) and 1930 (Feb 21) Covers flown by Indian State Air Service, on the first flights from Jodhpur to Karachi (c.30 flown) or from Delhi to Hyderabad, both franked 1a + Air 2a, the Air stamps both marginal with the signature of the designer, G. Grant, in the margin. Unusual. (2). £150-180
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1929 (Dec 30) Jodhpur to London first flight, cover franked 1a (3) + Air 6a, with boxed "AIR MAIL / KARACHI - DELHI / FIRST FLIGHT" cachet applied in error. Brown states "one example known of the outward flight cachet Karachi-Delhi used in error on the return flight at Jodhpur". Very unusual, possibly unique. £120-150
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1930 (Mar 10) London to New York flight by Mr van Lear Black in the "Maryland Free State", cover flown from Calcutta to Alameda in California, a 1a stamp cancelled in Calcutta and U.S 2c cancelled at Alameda (May 12), violet flight cachets, signed by the pilot J.B Scholte. Fine and scarce, 26 covers flown. Photo on Page 168. £400-500
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1930 (Sep 2) Jacobabad to Reti emergency flight, cover with KGV 1a tied by "EXPERIMENTAL P.O / K59" c.d.s at Jacobabad, flown to Reti with arrival c.d.s (Sep 4), redirected and flown back to Jacobabad with arrival backstamp (Sep 5), signed by the pilot Ft/Lt Walter Akerman. A scarce pilot signed cover flown in both directions, this signed cover specifically mentioned by Brown. Photo on Page 170. £200-250
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1930 (Oct 29-30) Round the World solo flight by Mildred Bruce, covers franked 1a all flown from Karachi to Jodhpur, Allahabad, Calcutta, Rangoon or Akyab, all posted upon arrival, the cover to Akyab cancelled at East Rangoon, all signed by Bruce. A fine and scarce group, only five covers flown on the Karachi to Akyab leg and small numbers on the other legs. (5). Photo on Page 170. £800-1,000
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1930 (Oct 30) Karachi to Singapore R.A.F Demonstration Flight, cover flown from Karachi to Bangkok with KGV 1a cancelled at Karachi (Oct 28) and Siam 2s + 3s cancelled at Bangkok (Nov 7), despatch and arrival backstamps with red boxed cachet "Phya Thai Palace / MAIL SERVICE / Recd at 16.30 / Date: NOV 8 1930". Fine and rare, just ten covers flown, four of which received the Phya Thai Palace cachet. Photo on Page 170. £1,000-1,200
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1930 (Nov 1) Karachi to Singapore R.A.F flight, cover flown on the Delhi to Allahabad leg with a flight cachet on both sides and cachet of the 1st Gordon Highlanders, signed by Ft/Lt D.F. Anderson, posted upon arrival franked ½a pair. A few minor tone spots, otherwise fine, 32 covers flown. £120-140
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1930 (Nov 18) Singapore to Karachi, return R.A.F flight, cover flown on the Calcutta to Allahabad leg with flight cachet and oval "LETTER 'D' COY. / 1st BN. THE CHESHIRE REGT", reverse with a KGV 1a cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, and an Allahabad arrival c.d.s. Fine, 36 covers flown. Photo on Page 170. £150-180
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1930 (Dec 1) Delhi to Jodhpur R.A.F flight, cover franked KGV ½a pair, both sides with violet oval "'B' COMPANY / 1st BN. THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS", Jodhpur arrival c.d.s. Fine and rare, just eight covers flown. Photo on Page 170. £280-320
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1930 (Nov 24) Paris to Saigon flight by Mlle Maryse Hiltz, cover carried on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg with flight cachet, two KGV 1a stamps cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, or Rangoon (Nov 26). Very fine, 39 covers flown. Photo on Page 170. £150-180
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1930 (Dec 6) Karachi to Victoria Point R.A.F flight, cover with KGV 1a cancelled at Karachi, endorsed "By Courtesy of O.C No 36 Sqdn R.A.F from Karachi to Victoria Point", backstamped at Drigh Road, Karachi and Victoria Point (Dec 16), signed by Sqdn. Cdr A.W Mylne and J. Boult Russell. Also a small photo of the 11 R.A.F flight crew with a model of their plane. A fine and rare cover, just ten covers flown. Photo on Page 172. £500-600
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1930 (Dec 21) Calcutta to Cape Town solo flight attempt by Abul Murad (the flight crashing at Shaibah, Iraq), cover flown from Dum Dum to Karachi with the flight cachet on both sides, a Christmas charity label tied by "DUM DUM - KARACHI / PILOT ABUL M. MURAD", posted upon arrival with a KGV 1a on the reverse, signed by Murad and Stephen Smith. Fine and scarce, 16 covers flown. Photo on Page 172. £250-300
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1931 (Feb 8) Saigon to Marseille first return flight by Air Orient, Aero Philatelic Club of Calcutta printed flight cover flown from Akyab to Calcutta franked ½a, with circular violet first flight cachet, a little toned, otherwise fine and scarce. This leg not recorded by Smith or Brown, very little mail carried. Photo on Page 172. £200-250
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1931 (Mar 26) Hollywood to Singapore flight by the American aviators Ross Hadley and John Pratt, cover flown on the Karachi to Calcutta leg with flight cachet on both sides, posted upon arrival franked 1a, signed by both pilots and Stephen Smith. A few small tone marks, otherwise fine, 18 covers flown. Photo on Page 172. £160-180
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1931 (Aug 10) London to Shanghai flight by Mr and Mrs C.H Day, cover carried on the Calcutta to Akyab leg with photographic flight vignette depicting Mrs Day tied by the flight cachet, a further cachet on reverse, KGV ½a cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, and a 1a cancelled at Akyab. Fine and scarce, 28 covers flown. Photo on Page 172. £400-500
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1931 (Aug 10) London to Shanghai flight by Mr and Mrs C.H Day, cover carried on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg with photographic flight vignette depicting Mrs Day tied by the flight cachet, a further cachet on reverse, KGV ½a cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta and a 1a cancelled at Rangoon. Fine and scarce, 14 covers flown. Photo on Page 172. £500-600
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1932 (Jan 13) Calcutta to Mount Everest flight by the American aviators Halliburton and Stephens, cover bearing the yellow labels "MOUNT EVEREST TRIP" and "This cover was transported by / "THE FLYING CARPET" NR 822N / From Dum Dum to Bagdogra, over Nepal ......", flight cachets on both sides, a KGV ½a cancelled at Part Street, Calcutta, signed by Richard Halliburton and Stephen Smith. Also a photo of the plane flying over the Taj Mahal with explanation by Smith on reverse. A fine cover, 50 flown. (2). Photo on Page 172. £250-300
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1932 (Mar 23) London to Hong Kong flight by Mr Smith Reynolds, cover carried on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg with flight vignette and cachet on the front, posted upon arrival, the reverse with five KGV 3p stamps cancelled at Rangoon (Mar 24), signed by Smith Reynolds and Stephen Smith. Also an unused example of the flight vignette, and a proof strike of the flight cachet on piece. A little cover toning but otherwise fine and rare, just eight covers flown. Photo on Page 172. £500-600
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1932 (Feb-Nov) Bertram Atlantic Expedition, Cologne to Sydney flight led by Capt. Hans Bertram in his Junkers seaplane "Atlantis", large unaddressed "Deutsch-Amerikanische Petroleum, Berlin" envelope with "BERTRAM ATLANTIS / EXPEDITION" cachet, bearing stamps and cancels of all the countries visited en route, comprising Germany (Berlin), Switzerland (Lugano), Italy (Venice), Greece (Athens), Syria (Alexandrette), Iraq (Baghdad), Persia (Bushire), India (Bombay), Ceylon (Colombo), Siam (Bangkok), Straits Settlements (Singapore), Netherlands Indies (Batavia) and Australia (Wyndham and Sydney). The expedition left Darwin on May 19th but were blown off course and came down near Wyndham; they were not found until July 4th. Fine and scarce, 40 covers flown from Germany to Australia, this cover possibly unique with all 14 stamps. Photo on Inside Back Cover. £800-1,000
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1932 (Apr 2) Tata Sons Ltd Bombay to Colombo Survey Flight by Nevill Vintcent, cover franked KGV 3p + 1a cancelled at Mount Road, Madras, inscribed "Preliminary Investigation Flight over new mail route, Bombay-Madras-Colombo" and signed by Vintcent, flown on the Madras to Simla leg. Very rare, just four covers flown. Photo on Page 174. £300-400
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1932 (Apr 21) Peshawar to Quetta Viceroy's Flight, inscribed cover with 3p block of six cancelled at Mall Road, two cachets of the "1st Bn The Gordon Highlanders", Quetta backstamp. Very scarce, eight covers flown. Photo on Page 174. £300-350
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1932 (Apr 22) Kohat to Quetta Viceroy's Flight, cover franked KGV 3p + 1a, inscribed "Kohat-Quetta" and signed by the Viceroy Lord Willingdon, Quetta arrival backstamp. Fine and rare, 22 covers flown but only three signed by the Viceroy. Photo on Page 174. £300-350
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1932 (Oct 4) Imperial Airways first flight from India to London by the new route via Bahrain and Sharjah, illustrated envelopes flown from Karachi to Bahrain, Cairo or Athens, all with arrival backstamps, all very fine, scarce envelopes. (3). Photo on Page 174. £350-400
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1932 (Oct 5) Calcutta to Saigon first flight by Air Orient, cover franked KGV 1½a block of four + 2a6p, flown from Rangoon to Saigon with arrival backstamp. Fine and scarce, 91 covers carried in total, most from Calcutta with very few covers from Rangoon. £100-120
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Bahrain. 1932 (Oct 17/18) Tata Sons Ltd, Madras to Karachi route first flight covers all addressed to Bahrain, from Madras (2, one a printed Tata flight cover with Union Jack removed, the other with Madras-Karachi Airmail c.d.s), Bombay or Ahmedabad, flown by Imperial Airways from Karachi, all with Bahrain arrival backstamp (Oct 24). A scarce destination. (4). Photo on Page 174. £500-600
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1932 (Nov 5) Australia to South Africa flight by Capt. J.B Dickson in "Spirit of Fun", cover flown on the Calcutta to Bombay leg with flight vignette and cachet, KGV 3p block of four cancelled in Calcutta and 3p + 1a cancelled in Bombay (Nov 6), reverse with a further flight cachet and signatures of James B. Dickson and Stephen Smith. Fine and scarce, 15 covers flown. Photo on Page 174. £250-300
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1932 (Nov 15) G.B to Australia flight by Jacques R. Hebert, picture postcard of Tunis flown from Tunis to Calcutta and posted upon arrival franked KGV 9p, violet aeroplane cachet and "TUNIS / CALCUTTA", signed by Hebert and inscribed by him "Carried by DH Moth CF-ADC from Tunis to Calcutta". Fine and rare, just eight cards flown from Tunis. Photo on Page 174. £1,000-1,200
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1933 (Jan 16) Dum Dum to Santa Cruz flight by Prince Ali Khan (son of the Aga Khan), cover with the large flight vignette tied by red flight cachet, KGV 3p + 1a cancelled upon arrival at Santa Cruz (Jan 17), signed by the pilot. 91 Covers flown but only this one cover pilot signed, unique. Photo on Page 174. £300-350
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1933 (Mar 9) Zurich to Sydney flight by the Swiss aviator Carl Nauer, cover with "Grande Albergo Internazionale, Brindisi" printed on the flap, to Stephen Smith in Calcutta, flown from Brindisi to Calcutta and posted upon arrival (Mar 23) franked 1a3p, endorsed and signed "Carried from Brindisi to Calcutta. Plane C.H 326 23/3/33, Carl Nauer", reverse signed by Stephen Smith. Fine and very rare, possibly unique. Photo on Page 176. £1,400-1,600
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1933 (Mar 9) Zurich to Sydney flight by the Swiss aviator Carl Nauer, cover with "Hotel De La Grande-Bretagne, Athens" printed on the front, to Stephen Smith in Calcutta, flown from Athens to Calcutta and posted upon arrival (Mar 23) franked 1a3p, endorsed and signed "Carried from Athens to Calcutta. Plane C.H 326 23/3/33, Carl Nauer", reverse signed by Stephen Smith. Fine and rare, four covers flown. Photo on Page 176. £1,300-1,500
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1933 (Apr 3) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, first survey flight over Everest, cover to Charles H. Hawes in Karachi franked 4a, carried on the April 3rd flight over Everest and cancelled by the circular "HOUSTON MOUNT EVEREST FLIGHT / PURNEA" handstamp in violet, dated "5 APR. 33". A recent survey recorded 48 covers with this cancel, twenty dated on 5 April. A fine cover from this historic flight, the cancel only used on mail from expedition members. Photo on Page 176. £1,200-1,500
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1933 (Apr 7) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, cover flown on the first survey flight with flight vignette and cachet, posted from Purnea franked KGV 9p and ½a, reverse with a further flight cachet and Calcutta arrival c.d.s, signed by Stephen Smith. 87 Covers flown on behalf of the Aero Club of India, sold at one guinea each in aid of R.A.F charities. Photo on Page 176. £200-250
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1933 (Apr 19) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, second survey flight over Everest, cover to "The Hon. Secy., The I.A.M.S, 25 Elliott Rd, Calcutta", carried on the second flight over Everest on April 19th, with 3p + 1a cancelled by the circular "HOUSTON MOUNT EVEREST FLIGHT / PURNEA" handstamp in violet, dated "20 APR. 33". Backstamped at Purnea (Apr 21) and Calcutta and bearing the circular cachet "MOUNT EVEREST EXPEDTN / 1933 / PAR AVION - BY AIR - CORREO AEREO", signed by Stephen Smith, this cachet produced by Smith (Secretary of the Indian Air Mail Society) for use on the 87 flight covers produced for sale in aid of R.A.F charities, applied by him after receiving this cover on April 23rd. A recent survey recorded just eleven covers carried on this second flight, seven with the cancel dated 20 April; this cover is unique with the I.A.M.S cachet added to the reverse. Photo on Page 176. £2,000-2,500
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1933 (Apr 20) Houston Mount Everest Expedition, KGV 3p - 12a definitives (14 values, with 2a purple and 2a vermilion) all tied to separate pieces by the circular "HOUSTON MOUNT EVEREST FLIGHT / PURNEA" handstamp in violet dated "20 APR 1933, the 2a vermilion a previously used stamp removed from another cover, small fault to 8a, otherwise fine, a unique group. (15). Photo on Page 142. £1,000-1,200
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Sharjah/Dubai. 1933 (July 10) Indian Trans-Continental Airways Calcutta to Karachi route first flight, printed flight cover franked 9p + 3a, flown from Asansol to Sharjah, carried by Imperial Airways from Karachi with "DUBAI / PERSIAN GULF" arrival c.d.s (July 25) on the front, unclaimed and returned to Howrah, backstamps include "BAHRAIN" (July 13) and "DUBAI / PERSIAN GULF" (Aug 8). A little stained but very rare, very few first flight covers sent to Sharjah. Photo on Page 176. £500-600
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Bahrain. 1933 (July 11) Indian Trans-Continental Airways Calcutta to Karachi route, first flight covers posted from Allahabad, Jodhpur, Asansol or Cawnpore all to Bahrain, flown by Imperial Airways from Karachi, the first two printed first flight covers, three with boxed "CALCUTTA-KARACHI / FIRST / AIRMAIL" cancels, all with Bahrain backstamps (July 13). Very scarce, 46 covers flown from India to Bahrain of which 16 were from Calcutta. (4). £500-600
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1933 (July 21) Australia to England flight by James Wood in "The Spirit of Western Australia", cover carried on the Calcutta to Lucknow leg with "DUM DUM AIR PORT" label tied by the violet flight cachet (a further strike on reverse), posted upon arrival franked KGV 1a3p, signed by Stephen Smith. A few very minor tone spots, otherwise fine and scarce, 16 covers flown. Photo on Page 176. £200-250
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1934 (Jan - Apr) Indian Air Pageants, official 28 page programme for "The First Indian Air Pageant", the front endorsed "Carried by Air with Capt. Barnard's Air Circus and flown at the Lahore, Delhi and Rawalpindi Pageants, L.J Roderick, co-driver L.S Coach, April '34". A unique item. £250-300
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1934 (Jan.) Patna to Darbhangah emergency earthquake flight, stampless cover to "The C.M.O Raj Hospital, Darbhangah" endorsed "Received by Aeroplane, R.B Gupta, M.O Earthquake Hos., Darbhangah", a further pencil inscription "Special Earthquake Air Mail, Patna - Dharangah 1934", signed by Stephen Smith. Fine and rare, just six official covers flown. Photo on Page 176. £280-320
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Iraq. 1934 (July 28) R.N Chawla India to England solo flight, printed cover "In Commemoration of the World Flight of the Famous Indian Airman Mr R.N Chawla" with a picture of the aviator, inscribed "Cover flown from India to Baghdad" and signed by the pilot, posted upon arrival at Baghdad with Iraq 5f + 10f, New Delhi arrival backstamp. Fine and scarce. Photo on Page 184. £400-500
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1934 (Oct 24) England to Australia MacRobertson Air Race, cover flown on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg by the New Zealand entrant "Miles Hawk" piloted by M. McGregor and H.C Walker, a green flight vignette tied by the five line flight cachet (a further strike on reverse), posted upon arrival at Mingaladon Cantonment franked KGV 9p, signed by Stephen Smith. 60 Covers flown. Also the 1934 booklet "England-Australia Race Covers" by A. Goodfellow. £120-140
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1934 (Oct 26) MacRobertson Air Race, cover flown on the Calcutta to Rangoon leg by the Australian entrant "My Hildergarde" piloted by C.J Melrose, a flight vignette tied by the five line flight cachet, posted upon arrival at Mingaladon Cantonment, signed by Stephen Smith. 32 Covers flown. Photo on Page 184. £180-200
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Quetta Earthquake / Ireland. 1934 (June 4) Stampless cover to Bray, Co. Wicklow, endorsed "By Air Mail, Quetta Earthquake" with Karachi Air backstamp, a postage due endorsement obliterated and triangular framed "I.S" applied in the London Inland Section, unusual to Southern Ireland. £120-150
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