1117 War Savings: ca1945 6d Canberra War Memorial cnr Authority imprint pr. VF fresh MLH/MUH. A great rarity, this being only the second imprint we have seen. (P) $1500 $2500
1118War Savings: ca1945 6d Spitfire perf 14½ Authority imprint blk of 4. VF M.. (P) $200$400
AUSTRALIA - FIRST FLIGHT & AIRMAIL
11191911 First UK Aerial Post red-brown postcard (tones & reverse thin), to Sydney, underfranked at ½d (UK local rate) tied by special First Day cds code 3, dated "SP 9 1911", although untaxed. Very few recorded to Australia. (P) $150$300
1120 1911 First UK Aerial Post grey-black postcard (creases & tones) to Maitland NSW, underfranked at ½d (UK local rate) tied by special cds code 1 dated "SP 11 1911", & taxed 1d double deficiency. The third day of the event when the Farman-type piloted by C. Hubert crashed because of engine failure on take off. The plane was completely destroyed, & Hubert broke both legs. This is the earliest powered flight "crash" item to Australia (Nierinck 110911), only one other example to Australia recorded. (P) $1000 $1500
11211919 (12 Aug) final Minlaton-Adelaide flight card franked KGV 1½d brown tied by "Adelaide AU 12 19" arrival cds. Unsigned & unnumbered, with written message. VF. AAMC 22a. Unusually nice. (P) $600$900
1122 1927 (20 Dec) Calcutta-Darwin "Red Rose" flight cover (flts & no flap, by Bill Lancaster & Jessie Miller -the 1st woman to fly UK-Australia on this flight, franked India KGV 1d(2), tied by "Park Street Calcutta 20 DEC 27" cds, with special flight label, endorsed & signed by both pilots -also with Australia KGV 1d green tied by "Darwin 21 MR 28" arrival cds. An eventful flight that took over 4 months. Bert Hinkler, flying solo, left England over 2 months later & reached Australia over a month before them! Only 37 flown, but with an extract from the Indian Airmail Society from 1932 saying 34 of these lost in Australia? -so maybe only 3 survived. AAMC 111(var). Great rarity as only 3 recorded with the endorsements & signatures. (P) $1800 $2500
11231929 (May 8) "First England-Australia Airmail" typed endorsement, franked 4½d for 1½d Imperial surface rate, plus 3d Airmail surcharge to Iraq. Flown Imperial Airways flight IE7, departed Croydon 11th May, arriving Baghdad 15th (Basra 16th), then surface to Australia, Melbourne 7 June arrival b/s, where also are "BCM AIRFIELD" guarantee h/s (3 types). VF. Rare. (P) $200$400
11241929 (May 9) London-Melbourne commercial cover to Swiss Consulate Melbourne, endorsed alongside Airmail label "till Marseilles & again in Australia", for airmail to France & timed to arrive for Perth-Adelaide inaugural flight. A rare external participant in this important domestic airmail event. VF. (P) $180$300
11251931 England-Australia Imperial Airways 1st Experimental Flight intermediate to Calcutta (centre fold & sl stain), franked GB KGV 4d pr, tied by "London FS Air Mail 4 AP 31" cds, with air label & 3-line cachet, plus 2 Calcutta b/s. AAMC 187a. 401 flown. (P) $100$150
11261931 (7 May) Brisbane-Townsville intermediate registered Brisbane- Maryborough, franked Airmail 3d & Kingsford Smith 6d, tied by "Elizabeth St Melbourne 4 MY 31" cds, with reg label & Maryborough arrival b/s. AAMC 202a cat $175. $60$100
11271931 (7 May) Brisbane-Townsville intermediate registered Brisbane- Rockhampton, franked Kingsford Smith 3d & 6d, tied by "Elizabeth St Melbourne 4 MY 31" cds, with reg label & Rockhampton arrival b/s. AAMC 202a cat $175. $60$100
11281931 (7 May) Brisbane-Townsville intermediate registered Brisbane- Mackay, franked Kingsford Smith 3d & 6d, tied by "Elizabeth St Melbourne 4 MY 31" cds, with reg label & Mackay arrival b/s. AAMC 202a cat $175. $60$100
11291931 (7 May) Brisbane-Townsville intermediate registered Brisbane- Bowen, franked Kingsford Smith 3d & 6d, tied by "Elizabeth St Melbourne 4 MY 31" cds, with reg label & Bowen arrival b/s. AAMC 202a cat $175. $60$100
11301933-38 inwards airmail covers from Poland by Imperial Airways (details lightly pencilled on reverse), confirmed by transit or Australia b/s. Earliest (25 Nov 1933) carried on IE245 with boxed h/s "Karachi Cancelled 8 Dec 33" across Airmail label to terminate air carriage, interrupted/delayed IE446 (multiple delays culminating in engine problems at Akyab), IE498 (undercarriage damaged at Basra & Rangoon), delays due to engine or other mechanical problems IE638 (Allahabad) & SE36 (Batavia), weather, etc. Generally F-VF, some attractive & scarcer frankings present. Excellent group. (27). $350$500
11311934 (July) Australia-Papua-New Guinea FFC with Australia-Papua franked KGV 4d olive pr, then 2 printed covers Sydney-Port Moresby & return or Cairns-Lae-Melbourne (this signed by Ulm), plus Lae-Melbourne & Port Moresby-Sydney & finally a 1938 Melbourne-Sydney-Port Moresby-Rabaul & apparently returned by surface with "Rabaul 9 JE 38" cds - after return flight had left. Fair to mostly VF. AAMC 390, 392-5 & 808/9 cat $230. (6). $120$180
11321934 Australia-England registered intermediate franked KGV 1d green, Macarthur 9d & Victoria Cent 1/-, tied by "GPO Melbourne 7 DE 34" cds. To Egypt with b/s of Cairo & Port Said, plus Melbourne Telegraph Office return cds. AAMC 470n. Scarce. (P) $80$120
11331934 Australia-England registered intermediate franked Victoria Cent 3d & 1/-, tied by "Market Street Melbourne 7 DE 34" cds. To Dutch East Indies & endorsed "Unknown return to sender" & with b/s of Darwin & Pakanbaroe, & Melbourne return cds. AAMC 740d. Scarce (P) $80$120
11341934 Australia-England registered intermediate franked Macarthur 2d (flt) Victoria Cent 3d & Hermes 1/6, tied by "GPO Melbourne 8 DE 34" cds. To Iraq, with bilingual "Retour a l'Envoyer" h/s, with b/s of Calcutta & Baghdad, Melbourne DLO return cds. AAMC 470. Rare. (P) $100$150
11351934 (Dec 8) England-Australia first regular service, largely commercial range of frankings, highest an "AP/Cº" perfined 18/9d, three scarce 6d postcard rate, 2/6 Seahorses solo (4), etc. Odd fault, generally fine. Cat $75 each. This was an eventful flight, “Aurora” damaged its undercarriage at Calcutta, & “Diana” damaged its tailskid at Camooweal. An interesting subject for an exhibit. AAMC cat $2325+. (31). $275$500
11361934-36 Inward airmail covers (4) on Imperial Airways incident flights. Scarcer frankings/rates inc solo 9d for Karachi, & internal airmail services (2), 2/6 Seahorse, & 6d airmail postcard rate, carried on flights IE285, 286, 417 & 467, the 1st experiencing engine trouble with “Athena” at Delhi & Prachaur (Thailand), 2nd engine troubles at Rutbah & Alor Star, others delayed due to adverse weather or waterlogged airfield. Then 1935 (Jan 3) airmail from Cleckheaton GB to Melbourne with typed "Via Imperial Airways" -carried on the eventful IE303 which in turn experienced [1] “Sylvanus” forced landing 8 Jan at Mirabella (Italy) with engine trouble, [2] “Arethusa” delayed 12 Jan with engine trouble, & [3] “Athena” blown off course from Koepang (DEI), landing on a beach 60 miles east of Darwin. "Athena" refuelled by a Qantas DH61, which itself was damaged on take-off -confirmed by Melbourne arrival 20 Jan. Very few covers from this multi-interrupted flight recorded., plus 1935-36 (3) London to Sydney & Melbourne involved in Imperial Airways incidents in Dutch East Indies. [1] 1935 carried on IE309 “Athena” force-landed 4 Feb at Surabaya due to broken exhaust pipe, Sydney b/s of 9 Feb confirms. [2] 1936 (Apr 17) IE437 “Canberra” burst tyre on landing at Surabaya, sm cnr flt, 2 May Melbourne b/s confirmation. [3] 1936 (May 27) IE449 “Brisbane” forced landing at Waingapoe 9 Jun, reverse damage has removed b/s, 8pm London duplex confirms too late for IE448. (total 8). $180$300
11371935 "Loina" crash cover -very battered & pieces missing, franked KGV 4d olive pr, tied by "Air Mail Sydney 30 SE 35" cds. To Tasmania, with Hobart arrival b/s. Crashed off Flinders Is. AAMC 535 cat $400+ & under-catalogued (P) $150$300
11381936 "Scipio" crash cover from NZ -stamp floated away, with part Palmerston North? cds, to England. Typical sl wrecked condition, with "Damaged By Sea Water" 2-line cachet on reverse. Crashed near Crete en route to London. AAMC 623 cat from $175. (P) $120$200
11391937 Adelaide-Darwin & return collection of intermediate covers with Adelaide to Farina, Oodnadatta, Alice Sprints & Tennant Creek. Then Alice Springs to Tennant Creek, Daly Waters & Darwin. Finally a comp return flight set inc every possible leg inc allintermediates (missing only Darwin to Farina), thus 5 from Darwin, 5 from Daly Waters, 4 from Tennant Creek, 3 from Alice Springs, 2 from Oodnadatta, & the last Farina to Adelaide. Most franked KGV 2d red & Airmail 3d green (6 with Cable 3d instead of 3d Air), all with appropriate cds & arrival b/s. Mostly F-VF, all signed by pilot. AAMC 707, 708, 708a cat $2675++, plus premium for all signed. Ex TE Field Collection & still on his pages & never before offered at auction. (27). (P) $1500$2500
11401937 Australia-India by Mrs Bonney, franked Queensland 1d & KGV 1d green, tied by "Brisbane 8 APR 1937" pmk, with flight cachet front & back, India KGV ½a & 2a tied by "New Delhi 12 MAY 37" pmk, with "Coronation Day" red cachet & signed by pilot. AAMC 714k. Very rare. (P) $350$500
11411937-40 Inward airmail covers from Thailand by Imperial Airways (5) inc 1 to NZ, various rates 45s, 60s (reg at Yala), 2B55s, 30s, 55s & 90s, last two from Bhuket. Most F-VF. (6). $180$350
11421937-38 Inward airmail covers from Lithuania from Henry B Smith correspondence, Kaunas to Melbourne, flown Imperial Airways IE572 (registered), 654 (delayed at Athens due to head winds), 668 & SE37, various frankings, inc high denomination 5L, two types of Par avion label, another curiously with Par avion h/s scored-over although correctly paid for airmail, b/s inc Berlin-Zentralflughafen, Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne -reg has "Telegraph Office GPO Melb". Extremely rare group. Pre-war Lithuanian airmail to Australia was virtually unknown prior to release in the 1990s of a small number in the Smith correspondence. (4). $275$500
11431938 (26 May) Airmail cover (sm opening tears) Perth to Port Moresby per inaugural airmail to Papua, h/s "TAX" & m/s "10d", & franked Undated Bird 3d, Air 5d & 2d tied by "Rabaul 23 JE 38" to pay for return to Perth. (P) $200$400
11441938 (Oct 1) Inward registered airmail use of cotton sample bag for Tea, via Imperial flight SE26 Batavia to Melbourne, franked 30c (4), 1G & 20c. On reverse reg label & "THEE" (tea) label strip of 3 tied by Batavia pmk. Boxed "By air to Australia & onward air transmission" h/s (two strikes), Sydney arrival. Rare & exquisite survivor. $120$200
11451938 (Dec) Inward airmail covers (250x130mm) "Japan Menthol Manufacturing Co" Osaka to Sydney endorsed "Via Singapore" for Imperial Airways service, one also with "VIA SINGAPORE" h/s applied at Osaka, 1Y32s & 1Y94s rates. Sm blemishes, pre-war airmail from Japan very scarce. (2). $130$200
11461939 "Centurion" crash cover -stamps floated away & rather battered, with 2-line Salvaged Mail Ex Centurion magenta cachet twice. Flying boat crashed in river at Calcutta en route to England. AAMC 868. (P) $100$150
11471939 (8 June) "Centurion crash -stamps floated away & rather "wrecked", illustrated Olympic Tyres cover, with 2-line "Salvaged Mail Ex Centurion" cachet in purple. Flying boat crashed in river at Calcutta en route to London. AAMC 868. (P) $100$150
11481940 (25 Jul) airmail cover to Argentina at 6/8d rate, making use of a printed AIF FDC envelope, endorsed “Air mail Sydney - Buenos”, arrival b/s (15 Aug) & circled “26/32” on reverse. By TEAL to NZ, then Panam, 2nd flight left Auckland 3rd August, arriving San Francisco 8th August. Pre-1946 airmails to South America are rare. Kevin Nelson's 1941 example on this route (realised $1200+ in 2010) appears to have been overpaid at 7/- + 1d unnecessarily added for late fee (6pm datestamps). (P) $100$150
11491940 (22 Jan) Neth Indies - Australia KNILM Bali crash large cover (265x175mm, centre fold etc), endorsed "By Qantas", franked 1G & 60c -others floated away. Good strike of "Recovered From Lost Flying Boat" cachet. AAMC 888 (P) $130$200
11501940 (22 Jan) Bali crash cover franked Ned Indie 25c, tied by Batavia cds. To Sydney, with 2-line "Recovered From Lost Flying Boat" cachet (was actually not a Flying Boat). VF. AAMC 888 cat from $350 & undercatalogued. (P) $300$450
11511940 (Aug-Dec) Inward airmail from Thailand, same correspondence, from "Huey Mood", carried Imperial Airways via "Horseshoe" route, one registered with "Huey Moot" m/s reg details beneath square "R" h/s, pmks inc "Southern Express", "Maadyai", "Tungsong", "Huey Mood" (in black & in violet) etc. F-VF. (5). $220$350
11521941 Surcharge 5½d solo franking on 1942 (12 Feb) airmail envelope to NZ, the only international airmail service operating from Australia at the time. Very scarce on cover. $80$150
11531941 (21 Jan) Timor-Australia franked Airs 1a, 20apr & 50a, plus 10a/20a/60pa Charity, tied by "Dili 21 1 41" pmks. To Adelaide. VF. AAMC 913 cat $500. Rarity as only 21 flown. (P) $375$500
11541941 (Apr 2) Airmail cover Sydney to USA franked Robes 10/- thick paper, 4d Koala & 1/6 Hermes, "California Clipper" h/s, Sydney censor tape & h/s. Central crease clear of stamps, attractive & scarce franking. (11/10 is 4/- 1st oz + 3/11 ea additional ½oz x2) $120$200
11551941 (Oct 31) Inward registered airmail cover from Yala Thailand, per Imperial Airways "horseshoe" route flight NE134, addressed "23rd Independent Brigade Group Ordnance Workshops Larrakeyah Barracks Darwin". Bangkok & Darwin transits, "Base PO 7MD 01712 NO 41" arrival (Larrakeyah). $120$200
11561941 Inward censored airmail covers from Thailand, via Imperial Airways "horseshoe" route (ex flights NE63-138), 3 registered, another h/s on reverse for Krasom Tin Dredging Ltd, Takuatoong, Pangnga. Some opening flts consistent with censored mail, generally good. Outstanding lot for specialist. (9). (P) $800$1500
11571945 (26 Nov) Qantas Airmail test letter to London franked KGVI 2½d, 3½d (flt) & 1/-, tied by "GPO Sydney 26 NO 45" cds, enclosed note, & b/s "British Airways Post Section Received NOV 30 1945" cachet. $50$100
11581946 (6 Dec) Qantas Airmail test letter to London, franked KGVI 3½d (2, flts) & Lyrebird 1/-, tied by "Sydney 6 DEC 1945" machine pmk, with enclosed note, & b/s "British Airways Post Section Received DEC 13 1945" cachet. $50$100
11591954 "Belfast" crash cover -typical edge soot/staining, franked Royal Visit 2/3 tied by "Melbourne 11 MCH 1954" machine pmk. To England, with boxed red "Salvaged Mail Aircraft Crash Singapore 13 3 1954". AAMC 1337. (P) $60$100
1160Airmail label booklets: 1948 ANA "AirMail Stickers" cover with 6 panes of 2 labels, 1950 TAA with 3 panes of 4 & wax interleaves, & 1958 Qantas red & gold cover with 6 panes of 2 & wax interleaves. VF superb fresh MUH. Frommer 80c, 87c & 102c cat $210. Rare (3) $40$80
1161Inward Airmail: India or Burma. 1935-36 Bangalore or Bombay (2) to Melbourne, involved in Imperial Airways incidents in Sourabaya (Dutch East Indies). 1935 (Jan 25 or 26) carried on IE309 the “Athena” leg which force-landed 4 Feb due to broken exhaust, confirmed by Melbourne b/s 9 Feb. 1936 (Apr 22) “Canberra” burst tyre on landing 27 Apr, Melbourne 2 May arrival confirms. VF. (3). 1935 from Burma, Rangoon (2) or Taunggyi (2) to Melbourne or Sydney, carried on Imperial interrupted or delayed flights IE307, 385, 391 or 393, the last due to waterlogged airfield at Hua Hin (Thailand), necessitating transfer of mails by rail to Bangkok, others due to engine trouble or adverse weather. F-VF. (4). 1936-41 Burma to Australia by Imperial Airways (6) or New Zealand (2). Three by "horseshoe route", one taxed. Generally good to fine. Scarce origin/destinations. (15). $250$350
1162Inward Airmail from GB inc 1929-34 intended for airmail within Australia only, mostly franked at 4½d rate (1½d + 3d airmail fee), one very scarce 8d double rate, 2 to NZ, one endorsed "1st Day 4½d inclusive rate". Nice range of mixed frankings. Fair-VF, 6 fronts only. Rather scarce. (20). Also 1931 (Apr 25) England-Australia 2nd experimental service, apparently commercial covers with various frankings for 1/4 rate, odd blemish. One flts, others V-VF. (3). 1938 (Jan 7) from Bradford to Melbourne, carried on dual incident Imperial IE617 where Qantas “Coolangatta” force-landed at Corfu 10 Jan, & then ”Aurora” was unable to land at Delhi (15 Jan) due to fog, force-landed 30 miles NE, resulting in sl damage, necessitating transfer of passengers & mails to car for journey back to Delhi, & the mail load to “Arethusa”. VF. Attractive & rare interrupted mail item. (24). $150$250
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1163Inward airmail from Germany 1935-40 Franking machine meter cancels at 75pf, 125pf & 290pf rates, inc a doubleton 40+35pf, all by Imperial Airways, ten of which experienced transit delays, inc engine trouble at Rangoon (IE391), Akyab (IE423), & Jodhpur (IE425), some attractive pictorial advertising meters.1 a front only. (21). From Sweden 1934-42 (6) same correspondent to Melbourne with "Carl Persson & Soner" Ystad, meter frankings rated 5o & 100o (both taxed), 85o with h/s "By air over the Atlantic & from New York" scored-over & London oval "O.A.T." in pink applied (also taxed), 110o & 115o, the last via Iraq with Baghdad 13 NOV 37 b/s, 3 with oval "Berlin-Sassnitz (Hafen)" railway TPO b/s. Inc item flown on IE648, the “Clio” leg of which developed mechanical problems on 28 Apr, causing transfer of mail to “Calpurnia” same day, & IE300 which was delayed owing to burst tyre on landing at Baghdad, "Berlin Sassnitz Bahnpost Zug 18 - 21.12.34" oval TPO & "Melbourne JAN 5 1935" b/s. F-VF. (27). $200$300
1164Inward airmail covers from Neth Indies 1940-41, most censored, via Imperial Airways or KNILM, some carried on former's "Horseshoe" route flights. Good variety of censor tapes & h/s, some dual censored. Inc Imperial SE218 delayed by Darwin cyclone, registered (6, one at Cheribon), higher frankings etc. Most F-VF. Nice lot. (40). $500$1000
AUSTRALIA - FIRST DAY COVERS
11651932 Lyrebird 1/- green tied to plain cover by "Lakemba 15 FE 32 NSW" cds. Rare! ACSC 145g cat $375. (P) $120$200
11661937 KGVI 3d Blue Die I tied to bicolour hand-drawn pen & ink FDC by crisp. "Kiama 2 AU 37 NSW" cds. Fresh, clean & most attractive. ACSC 190y cat $60+++ for plain cover. $80$150
11671941 Surcharge set 2½d, 3½d, 5½d, plus KGVI 1d brown, 1½d green, 2d purple tied by "GPO Sydney 10 DE 41 cds on single registered cover (GPO Sydney A label). ACSC cat $300 for opt set, plus $500 ea for the others = $1800. Very clean & fresh. Spectacular & very rare, possibly unique as such! (P) $500$800
11681942 QM 1½d Green (FDI 01.12.42), plus QM 1d (2) & KGVI 1½d (2) all tied to illustrated (censored) FDC by "GPO Sydney 1 DE 42" cds. To Canada with censor tape & cachet at left. Minor censor tape stain o/w fresh & clean. ACSC 226y cat $800. Rare. (P) $200$400
11691963-64 Navigator 4/- to £2 on 4 illustrated FDC with neat typed addresses. Outdated ACSC cat $210, retail now higher. (P) $120$150
AUSTRALIA - POSTAL STATIONERY
1170Aerogramme - Official: 1952 Stampless UN, with roneoed message inside for release of Coronation stamps, upper flap sealed then slit open, rare UN, unpriced by ACSC, also SPECIMEN h/s on reprint indigo/blue & 1959 Jet. ACSC AO1A, 1Bw, 3wa. (3). $80$120
1171Envelope: 1923 KGV Star 1½d green with postage. Superb fresh UN. ACSC EP27 cat $200. $60$90
1172Envelope-Official: 1919 use of Kangaroo 1d red OS dots in die type 1 (small OS). VFU, uprated KGV ½d perf OS with "Sutton Grange 21 JL 19" cds. ACSC EO1A cat $250. (P) $70$100
1173Envelope-Official: 1919 use of Kangaroo 1d red OS dots in die type 2. Superb U, uprated KGV ½d perf OS, with "Goornong 28 JL 19" cds. ACSC EO1B cat $250. (P) $70$100
1174Envelope-Official: 1919 use of KGV 1d red OS dots in die type 1, uprated KGV ½d green perf OS, with "Camperdown 21 AU 19" cds. Scarce so nice! ACSC EO4A cat $150. (P) $70$120
1175Lettercard: 1914-18 KGV 1d black perf 10, pink within, view "March through streets of Melbourne of AIF" in black-brown with stamp in black. Superb fresh UN. ACSC LC26(M6B). Unrecorded bicolour. (P) $700$1000
1178Lettercard: 1920-22 KGV 2d orange on white stock, perf 12½ with view Hawkesbury River. FU, separated & now stuck together. ACSC LC46(62) cat $200. (P) $80$120
1179Military Envelope: 1916 KGV 1d red (flaw over 'E' of Postage), Australian Imperial Force at base & 9mm text spacing (forme 2). VF fresh UN, a few tiny edge tones at UR, but probably the freshest we have every seen, with flap never struck. ACSC ME1 cat $300. (P) $200$300