Lot 1585 India APR.8.1933 First Mount Everest Survey Flight Covers, with a small 1a3p stationery cover and a larger cover franked with a 1a and a 3p definitives, both addressed to Calcutta. Both have the special Union Jack flag label prepared for the occasion and the large fancy cachets in purple (large cover has a second strike on back). Both covers have been damaged by humidity, mostly affecting the addressee ink on the small cover and the label on the large cover (partially coming off) and there is overall staining, still scarce, with only 87 covers flown. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $200, sold for C$900.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Auction #32
January 30-February 1, 2020
Lot 1572, India 1931 Calcutta to Port Darwin Australia Flight Cover, sold for C$1,462
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.
Lot 1874, British Commonwealth lot of retired dealer material, sold for C$1,872
Lot 1874 British Commonwealth Valuable Lot of Retired Dealer Material, with several hundreds of mint and used singles and sets, some in priced 102 cards, some unpriced, some in stock sheets, and we note a good variety of material here, from the classics to about the 1960s, with many items cataloguing in the $20 to $100s or more range. Countries noted include New Zealand, Ceylon, Fiji, India and States, British Antarctic Territory, Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands, and more. Also included is a good selection of early GB, with six Penny Blacks, lots of Penny Reds, many QV issues with plate interest, over 100 Seahorses (to the 10sh), high denomination stamps, etc. We have not checked the dealer’s identifications or prices, but do note that the quality is overall nice, with faults on some of the earliest stamps. See our many scans for a sample, better yet inspect in person to better appreciate the high value and variety involved in this lot. Estimate $1,000, sold for C$1,600.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
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 1956, Great Britain group of stockpages and album pages with mint & used Victoria and Kings, sold for C$1,579
Lot 1956 Great Britain Group of 39 Stock Pages and 33 Album Pages of Mint and Used Victoria and Kings Stamps, and a few stock cards with interest for shades, cancels and plates. Scan a shows a group with cancel interest with many foreign offices cancels such as C30 (Valparaiso), B01 (Alexandria, Egypt), C51 (St Thomas, Virgin Is.), A25 (Malta), A26 (Gibraltar). More interesting cancels scattered throughout. Large format stamps to the 10sh., Victoria Scott #109, a nice selection of Seahorses, some early mint postage dues confirm the interest of this lot. See scans for a sampling of this lot. Fine to very fine. Estimate $800, sold for C$1,350.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.