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.
Calcutta
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.
Lot 1633, United States 1927 Bremen Catapult flight cover Newark, New Jersey to India, sold for C$3,042
Lot 1633 United States August 1927 Bremen Catapult Flight Cover to India, franked with 20c in postage, mailed at Newark, New Jersey on JUL.26.1929 and sent to Europe via the Bremen Catapult Mail Service. Has the usual Bremen “KATAPULTFLUG” cachet for this flight. Addressed to Stephen Smith, the dean of Indian Air mail, and good friend of Mr. Pont, in Calcutta, India, and signed by him on back (in 1929). Few small faults, still a rare catapult flight destination, with both sides scanned online. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $100, for C$2,600.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1471, India 1929 Air Mail Stamps first day of issue flown 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 C$2,000, sold for $2,700 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
