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Air Mail Labels. 1927 Booklet containing three panes of the first official Post Office issue Air Mail labels, the panes of 25 labels all imperforate horizontally between rows 3/4 and 5/6, other panes removed, the booklet cover with printed "A.M.-1 / AIR MAIL LABELS / MGIPAh. - 283 - 11-5-27", with manuscript "3" and "imperf between three". A scarce variety and part booklet. £150-200
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1928 (Mar. 20/July 5) Covers to England flown from Basra to Cairo and Marseille to London, the first carried on the first flight of this route (60 flown), both bearing a vertical pair of the first official Air Mail label in blue both with the variety imperforate between, very unusual. (2). £150-180
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USA. 1929 (Jan. 14) New Orleans to Houston first flight franked 9c, also bearing 8½d in uncancelled British stamps; and 1930 (Feb. 15) St. Louis International Aircraft Show flown cover franked 9c, both covers addressed to India, flown from London. Very unusual. (2). £150-200
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China. 1929 (Apr.) Green sheet printed in Rangoon depicting the Chinese aviator Wenlin Tschen and his aeroplane "Amoy", wording in English and Chinese, reverse with printed "London to Nanking by Air, Aeroplane "Amoy" X-CRIA, Chinese Aviator Wenlin Tschen", signed by Stephen Smith, a large tear repaired by tape, very scarce. In 1929 the Chinese Navy purchased four Avro Avian IV biplanes and decided to fly one from England to China. The plane was flown by Chen Wenlin and Christian Johannsen who left London on March 2nd but had to return after engine trouble over the Channel. They again left after repairs on March 13th arriving at Amoy on May 12th and continuing to Nanking ten days later, the greatest long distance flight in Chinese history. This sheet was apparently flown from Rangoon to Nanking, certified by Stephen Smith. £300-350
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1929 (Apr. 7) Imperial Airways Karachi to London first flight, covers flown to Basrah, Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, Alexandria, Gaza or London (2, one addressed to USA), all fine. (8). £200-240
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1929 (Apr.) Imperial Airways Karachi to London first flight, piece bearing proof impressions of the cachets used on mail at Gwador, Lingeh, Jask, Bouchir, Basra, Baghdad and Rutbah, all in violet, very unusual. £80-100
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1929 Covers franked KGV 1a cancelled at Dum Dum, carried on the June 14th Alcock & Brown commemorative flight by J.B. Scholte, or the June 25th Dum Dum to Naihati and return flight by Joan Page, both signed by the pilots (the Joan Page cover signed in ink on reverse), also an unused Scholte flight cover. Two uncommon pilot signed covers. (3). £150-180
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1929 (Nov. 5) Karachi to London first all air service, registered 1a stationery cards with a picture applied to the reverse depicting the committee of the Aero Philatelic club of India with greetings on the occasion of the first flight with air mail stamps, all franked KGV 1½a + Air 8a, flown to Salonica, Naples or Lucerne with arrival datestamps, fine and scarce. The first flight from India after the issue of Air stamps on November 4th. (3). £300-350
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1929 (Dec. 20) 2a Air stamp First Day Cover bearing a block of four, twice signed in the margin by the stamp designer G. Grant, all cancelled at Park Street, Calcutta, first day cachet alongside, a little staining to the stamps, nevertheless a scarce F.D.C. Photo on Page 116. £200-250
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1929 (Dec. 30) Karachi to Delhi by Indian State Air Service, first flight covers flown from Karachi to Hyderabad, Jodhpur or Delhi, Hyderabad to Delhi or Jodhpur to Delhi, and return flight covers from Delhi to Jodhpur or Karachi, or Hyderabad to Karachi. (8). £200-250
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1930 (Feb. 3) Karachi to Teheran first flight, registered cover franked Air 8a, carried by Imperial Airways to Bushire and then transferred to internal Persian air service, fine and very scarce. Photo on Page 116. £120-150
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1930 (Mar. 17) First Air Mail acceptance from Gwadur, cover to England (with enclosed letter) franked Air 2a + 6a each tied by "GWADUR" c.d.s, reverse with Baghdad c.d.s and a G.B ½d cancelled upon arrival (Mar. 27), fine and very scarce. Photo on Page 116. £200-250
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1930 (Aug.) Jacobabad to Reti emergency R.A.F flights due to flooding, covers franked KGV 1a flown from Jacobabad to Reti (Aug. 23) or Reti to Jacobabad (Aug. 19), and a 1a envelope flown from Jacobabad to Reti (Aug. 28) redirected back to Jacobabad and carried on the return flight, the first two with "EMERGENCY AIR MAIL" cachets. (3). £200-250
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1930 (Aug. 30) Reti to Jacobabad emergency R.A.F flight, cover franked KGV 1a cancelled at Reti, arrival backstamp, unusually signed by the pilot Ft. Lt. Wallis F. Akerman. £100-120
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1930 (Dec. 21) A.B Murad Karachi to Cape Town solo flight attempt, cover flown from Dum Dum to Delhi with KGV 1a cancelled upon arrival, two flight cachets, one tying a 1930 Christmas charity label, signed by the pilot. Fine, 32 covers flown. £120-150
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1931 (Jan. 10) Karachi to Abadan first flight, Aero Philatelic Club of Calcutta cover franked 3p block of four + Air 4a, Basrah and Abadan backstamps with violet "A.P.O.C - ABADAN / MAIL / 20 JAN 1931" cachet, fine and scarce. £100-120
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1931 (Feb. 25) Imperial Airways first despatch to East Africa sent entirely by air, Aero Philatelic Club of Calcutta covers from Jodhpur to Assiout, Luxor, Assouan, Kareima, Khartoum, Kampala, Kosti, Juba, Kisumu, Mwanza, Nairobi, Moshi or Dodoma, all flown by Trans-Indian Air Service from Delhi to Karachi and Imperial Airways from Karachi to Cairo connecting with the London to East Africa service. Scarce, very small postings to most destinations, all bearing 1929 Air stamps, minor staining. (13). £500-600
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1931 (Apr.) Imperial Airways London to Australia first experimental flight, covers flown on the outward flight from Karachi to Calcutta, Darwin or Brisbane, Delhi to Rangoon, Calcutta to Victoria Point or Christchurch, Akyab to Calcutta, Victoria Point to Calcutta, or on the return flight from Calcutta to Jodhpur or London, Allahabad to London. Also second return experimental flight cover from Allahabad to Delhi. (12). £250-300
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1931 (Apr. 12) London to Australia first experimental flight, 1a envelope franked Air 2a + 6a to New Zealand, flown from Calcutta to Darwin, signed by the pilot Charles Kingsford Smith, horizontal fold, otherwise fine and scarce. Photo on Page 116. £150-180
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1931 (Apr. 12/30) Imperial Airways first experimental England to Australia and return flights, covers carried on the outward flight from Allahabad to Calcutta or Rangoon, or on the return flight from Rangoon to Akyab, Calcutta, Allahabad or Delhi, Akyab to Allahabad, Calcutta or Delhi, or Allahabad to Delhi, all fine. (10). £200-250
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1931 (Apr. 13) Cover from Bombay to Goa franked 1a, red "FIRST AIR MAIL / FROM BOMBAY TO / PORTUGUESE INDIA" cachet, backstamped at Nova Goa and Siolim. Minor creasing and a little shortened at left but very scarce, just 15 covers flown. Photo on Page 118. £150-200
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1931 (May 5) Imperial Airways second experimental England to Australia flight, covers flown from Jodhpur to Allahabad, Delhi to Allahabad or Calcutta, Allahabad to Calcutta or Calcutta to Akyab, all fine, just six covers flown on the Jodhpur to Allahabad leg. (5). £150-200
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1931 (July 1) Delhi to Karachi emergency flight by Delhi Flying Club due to the temporary suspension of the Indian State Air Service, covers from Calcutta flown from Delhi to Jodhpur or Karachi (addressed to England), fine and scarce. (2). £150-180
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1932 (Jan. 2/5) Delhi Flying Club service between Delhi and Karachi, first flight cover from Jodhpur to Delhi, and cover to London carried on the first return flight from Delhi to Karachi, signed by the pilot P.D Sharma, also 1931 (Dec. 28) cover carried on the last Imperial Airways flight from Delhi to Karachi. All fine, just 17 covers carried on the Jan. 5th flight from Delhi. (3). £200-240
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1932 (Jan. 5) Delhi to Jodhpur first flight by the Delhi Flying Club, cover with flight cachet franked 3a3p, fine and scarce, just 16 covers flown. £100-120
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1932 (Feb. 26) Cover from Bombay to Goa franked 1a + 3p, endorsed "By Major Craveiro Lopes plane, second flight Bombay / Goa" with arrival backstamp, fine and very scarce. £120-150
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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. £450-550
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1932 (Apr. 25) First flight from India to Cyprus, cover from Gwalior franked 10½a, backstamped at Cairo, fine and very scarce. £120-150
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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 118. £350-400
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1932 (Oct. 7) Aero Philatelic Club of Calcutta, cover from Calcutta to Bahrain franked 3p + ½a + Air 2a, carried on the first flight of the new Imperial Airways route via Bahrain, fine and scarce. £150-180
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1932 (Oct. 9) Cover from Rangoon to Kampala franked 9p + Air 4a, 6a, carried on the first return Netherlands Indies to Holland flight, from Rangoon to Cairo, backstamped at Cairo and Kampala. Fine and scarce, very few covers carried on this return flight. £100-120
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1932 (Oct. 16/17) Tata Sons Ltd, Karachi to Madras route, first outward flight covers flown from Bombay or Bellary to Madras, and return flight covers flown from Madras to Bombay or Cape Town via Karachi, all signed by the pilot N. Vintcent, very scarce. (4). Photo on Page 118. £300-350
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1932 (Oct. 15-17) Tata Sons Ltd Karachi to Madras and return first flights, official first type flight covers with a Union Jack on India (7) and second type flight covers with the Union Jack removed (4), flown from Karachi to Bellary or Madras, Ahmedabad to Madras, Bombay to Madras, or on the return flight from Madras to Bellary, Ahmedabad or Karachi, Bellary to Ahmedabad or Karachi, Bombay to Ahmedabad, all fine. Also a commercial window envelope from Poland to India (address missing) franked on the reverse with sixteen air stamps totalling 190gr, carried on the first flight from Karachi to Bombay with boxed First Airmail handstamp and Kalbadevi, Bombay arrival c.d.s (Oct. 15), probably unique from Poland. (12). £250-300
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1932 (Oct. 17/18) Tata Sons Ltd, Karachi to Madras route, small size Aero-Philatelic Club of Calcutta covers (41) and other covers (13) carried on the first return flight, from Madras (13), Bellary (12), Bombay (13) or Ahmedabad (16), all to differing destinations mainly in Africa or the Middle East. Destinations include Rutbah Wells, Basra, Baghdad, Tiberias, Haifa, Cairo, Khartoum, Kisumu, Kampala, Mwanza, Broken Hill, Limbe, Dar-es-Salaam, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Paris, London, Colombo, etc. Also a cover from London carried on the first outward flight from Karachi to Ahmedabad. A scarce group, very small mailings to many overseas destinations. (55). Photo on Page 118. £1,800-1,200
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Gwadur. 1932 (Oct. 17/18) Tata Sons Ltd, Karachi to Madras route, small Aero-Philatelic Club of Calcutta covers carried on the first return flight from Madras, Bellary, Bombay or Ahmedabad all addressed to Gwadur, with arrival datestamps; and covers posted at Gwadur carried on the Oct. 20th return flight by Imperial Airways and Tata, addressed to Ahmedabad, Bombay, Bellary or Madras. Fine and scarce, very few covers flown to or from Gwadur. (8). Photo on Page 118. £800-1,000
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Portuguese India/Tanganyika. 1932 (Sep./Oct.) Tata Sons Ltd Karachi to Madras route, registered Tanganyika 15c reply card (both halves, separated) and postcard posted from Dar-es-Salaam to Goa, the postcard carried on the first flight of the Tata service from Karachi to Bellary (then redirected to Goa), the reply card separated and the reply half franked Portuguese India 4t (3), posted back from Margao to Dar-es-Salaam and carried on the first return flight by Tata, the original Dar-es-Salaam Certificate of Posting applied to the reverse of this reply half. Probably unique, ex Pennycuick. (3). Photo on Page 118. £300-400
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1932 (Dec. 11) Imperial Airways special Christmas flight, covers flown from Karachi to Cairo or London, the cover to Cairo very scarce. (2). £100-120
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1933 (Mar. 7) First KLM flight via Persia, covers flown from Karachi to Jask or Bushire, with arrival datestamps, very scarce, few covers carried. (2). £150-180
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1933 (Apr 5) Paris to Hanoi flight by Maryse Hiltz, cover from Calcutta franked KGV 3p + 1a, bearing the Calcutta to Rangoon flight vignette depicting an elephant, tied by the cachet explaining it was actually flown to Hanoi as Hiltz did not land at Rangoon, and was returned to Calcutta by Air-Orient, the flight label unusually without the flight date altered. 90 Covers flown. £100-120
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1933 (Apr. 5) First Official KLM flight to China via Saigon, covers from Calcutta (2), Akyab (2) or Rangoon (2), one cover from each origin to Hong Kong or Shanghai, all flown to Saigon, backstamped at Saigon and upon arrival, the Burma covers registered, very scarce. (6). £500-600
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1933 (Apr. 5) First Official KLM flight to Japan and the Philippines via Singapore, covers from Calcutta (2), Akyab (2) or Rangoon (2), one cover from each origin to Tokyo or Manila, all backstamped at Singapore and upon arrival, the Burma covers registered, very scarce. (6). Photo on Page 118. £600-700
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1933 (May/June) Air routes diverted from Bombay to Poona due to flooding at Juhu Aerodrome, May 30th first flight from Poona to Karachi, and June 5th first flight from Poona to Bahrain with arrival backstamp, both scarce. (2). £180-220
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Gwadur. 1933 (July 7) England to India air route extension to Calcutta, covers posted at Gwadur, carried on the first flight to Cawnpore, Calcutta or Bandeong via Calcutta, all with Air stamps tied by "GUADAR" c.d.s, the last with minor staining, very scarce from Gwadur. (3). £200-250
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1933 (July 7) Extension of the air route to Calcutta, first outward flight covers from Karachi to Jodhpur, Delhi, Cawnpore, Allahabad, Asansol, Calcutta (2, one pilot signed), Bangkok, Medan, Palembang or Bandoeng, cover from G.B with Holyhead Paquebot c.d.s flown to Calcutta, also an unused flight cover, invitation to the inauguration of the service at Drigh Road Aerodrome, and a C.O.P with Karachi c.d.s. (15). £300-350
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1933 (July 7/8) Extension of the air route to Calcutta, covers carried on intermediate legs of the first flight, from Jodhpur to Delhi, Cawnpore, Allahabad, Asansol, Calcutta, Alor Star or Batavia; Delhi to Cawnpore, Allahabad, Asansol, Calcutta or Singapore; Cawnpore to Allahabad, Asansol or Calcutta, Allahabad to Asansol or Calcutta, Asansol to Calcutta. Some legs very scarce, three covers to Calcutta also carried on the return flight to London. (18). £350-400
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1933 (July 11) Extension of the air route to Calcutta, covers carried on the first return flight from Calcutta, all to differing destinations within India (6), in the Gulf or Middle East (8), Africa (12) or Europe (5), Canada and British Guiana, destinations including Gwadur, Jask, Bushire, Bahrain, Kuwait, Basra, Baghdad, Rutbah Wells, Gaza, etc., also covers from Rangoon to Lucknow or England carried on the flight from Calcutta, very few covers flown to some destinations, some with minor staining. (35). Photo on Page 118. £800-1,000
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1933 (July 11) Extension of the air route to Calcutta, covers carried on the return flight, posted at intermediate stops, comprising covers from Asansol (28), Allahabad (20), Cawnpore (24), Delhi (9) and Jodhpur (5), all to differing destinations within India (15), to the Gulf or Middle East (22), Africa (32) or Europe (17) including Gwadur, Bahrain, Basrah, Baghdad, Jask, Bushire, Kuwait, Tiberias, Gaza, etc., also covers posted from Karachi to Athens or London. A few stains though most are fine, very few covers carried to some destinations, a rare group that would be very hard to replicate. (88). Photo on Page 122. £2,500-3,000
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Sharjah. 1933 (July 10) Asansol to Sharjah cover, carried on the first flight on the new air route between Karachi and Calcutta, with Bahrain and Dubai arrival c.d.s. Also 1933 (Oct. 2) cover from Akyab to Sharjah, carried on the first return flight on the route from Rangoon, with Bahrain arrival c.d.s. Minor staining, two very scarce covers to Sharjah. (2). £400-500
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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 122. £150-180
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1933 (Oct. 1) Extension of the air route from Calcutta to Rangoon, covers and cards to Akyab or Rangoon flown from Karachi, Jodhpur, Delhi, Cawnpore, Allahabad or Calcutta, the Calcutta to Rangoon card with cachet date error corrected in manuscript. Also a first flight cover from London to Rangoon signed by the pilot. (13). £250-300
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