Lot 1572 India APR.3.1931 Calcutta to Port Darwin Australia Flight Cover, franked with a pair of ½a and a single 1a KGV pictorial definitives, plus an Australian 2d stamp tied by Darwin c.d.s. dated APR.24. The cover has a purple cachet depicting a lion and “BRITISH FLIGHT / ENGLAND – AUSTRALIA” plus the pilot names. Also a violet “DETAINED TILL 5th APRIL / ENGINE OVERHAULED” handstamp on front. Back shows two Park Street Calcutta c.d.s. dated APR.3 and MAY.25 alongside Stephen Smith signature. Very fine, with only 43 items flown. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $300, sold for C$1,250.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Calcutta
Lot 1515, Germany group of 26 First Flight or Air Mail covers, sold for C$1,287
Lot 1515 Germany Group of 26 First Flight or Air Mail Covers, with a variety of better items dated between 1912 and 1934, includes many franked with airmail issues #C1/C31, also a few CL1, CL2, etc. Note a Graf Zeppelin flown picture postcard from Luxembourg to Calcutta India (Stephen Smith), a 1914 special card Dresden to Leipzig, and more interesting material. Overall fine, a few have soiling, scans only show a small portion. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $300, sold for C$1,100.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1541, Group of 70 Air Mail covers Great Britain to India, sold for C$936
Lot 1541 Group of 70 Air Mail Covers Great Britain to India, 1927-1946, includes 34 flight covers 1927-1934 and 36 commercial covers up to 1946. Many of these are mailed to Stephen H. Smith in Calcutta, and 9 of the flight covers are signed by him on the back. Note airmails via Souda Bay, Crete, 1927 flight GB to India covers. Also 1929 covers air to Paris, rail to Athens and then flown to India, as well as 13 July 1st Imperial Airways flown covers including one from Ireland. Many have small faults and includes some oversize covers still overall fine or better and online scans only show a portion. A very interesting lot. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $500, sold for C$800.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1624, Thailand 1919-30 group of 27 First Flight & Airmail covers and cards, sold for C$3,978
Lot 1624 Thailand Group of 27 First Flight or Airmail Covers and Cards, 1919 to 1930, with two items from the 1919 flight Bangkok to Chandabury; a 1927 first flight Bangkok to Batavia; Eight first flight cards from 1923-25; A DEC 22 1929 first flight “Goodwill” by Siamese Plane Bangkok to Calcutta India (Stephen Smith) where the plane crashed in forest shortly after takeoff and pilot got killed. The mail was rescued and forwarded to Calcutta by the Royal Siamese Air Force. Also a variety of other interesting material, some addressed to Hanoi, Bangkok or Calcutta, with a variety of flights, frankings, cachets, etc. Overall fine or better, two are damaged by water. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $200, sold for C$3,400.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1471, India 1929 Airmail first day of issue registered cover, Calcutta to London, sold for C$3,159
Lot 1471 India NOV.4.1929 First Day of Issue of Air Mail Stamps Flown Registered Cover, mailed from Park Street Calcutta to London England, “by Imperial Airways / India – Great Britain”. The cover is franked with all 5 stamps issued on that day (the 2a was issued later), and has three different air mail labels plus a boxed “FIRST DAY / OF ISSUE OF / AIR MAIL STAMPS”, with Park Street registration label on back, plus an oval registration GB receiver dated NOV.20. The cover is signed on back by G. Grant (the designer of the stamps) and Stephen H. Smith. Fresh, very fine and rare. Estimate $2,000, sold for C$2,700.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.