Lot 153 Great Britain 1927 and 1928 Round The World Flight Covers, with GB stamps cancelled NOV.28.1927, India cancelled DEC.15.1927 and USA stamps (front and back) cancelled FEB.10.1928. Both covers addressed to Stephen Smith in Calcutta on front, and Roessler on the back. Very fine. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $100, sold for C$1,300.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
India
Lot 1548, India 1911 stationery postcard from first official Airmail Flight Allahbad to Naini Junction, sold for C$1,404
Lot 1548 India FEB.11.1911 World’s First official Air Mail Flight, Allahbad to Naini Junction. A small size stationery post card with large magenta First Aerial Post cachet canceling stamp, reverse blank except for Henri Pequet pilot signature (only 40 recorded). Small hinge remnants on back and stain at right, still an important air mail item. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $100, sold for C$1,200.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1594, balance of India Rocket Mail collection, sold for C$3,744
Lot 1594 India Rocket Mail Balance of the Rocket Mail Collection, includes a total of 48 covers, with some duplication of up to 8, includes the SEP.30.1934 rocket (with 5x green labels and 6x blue labels), OCT.4.1934 rocket (with 4x red labels), DEC.16.1934 night firing (x4) and so on. Also includes an original 1934 publication signed by Stephen Smith titled “First Indian Rocket Despatches 1934” with three pages of historical facts on these fascinating trials. Also a group of 1935 Jubilee unused labels, with the first (x7) and two each of the four overprinted Sikkim labels. Last but not least is an original black and white photograph of Stephen Smith holding one of his rockets, signed by him. A great lot for dealers, resellers or rocket mail enthusiasts. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $2,000, sold for C$3,200.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1565, India 1929 First Day of Issue Airmail stamps on registered FFCs, four covers, sold for C$7,254
Lot 1565 India NOV.4.1929 First Day of Issue of Air Mail Stamps First Flight Registered Covers, with four covers, each franked with a sheet margin block of four of the 3a, 6a, 8a and 12a first Air Mail stamps, with signature of their designer G. Grant (and date) on the selvedges. These covers were mailed registered to Leon Pont in London, England, “By Imperial Airways / India – Great Britain”, with Stephen H. Smith signature on backs, alongside NOV.20 oval registration receivers. Rare and very fine, all scanned online. From the The Leon Victor Pont Collection of Early India, New Zealand and Worldwide Pioneer Flight Covers. Estimate $2,000, sold for C$6,200.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1861, British Commonwealth Old Time Mint and Used Collection in a 1912 Standard Postage Stamp Album, sold for C$2,808
Lot 1861 British Commonwealth Old Time Mint and Used Collection in a 1912 Standard Postage Stamp Album, featuring mostly all mint stamps. Includes very extensive Great Britain, Gibraltar, Hong Kong (Noted some British Offices in China cancels), India, Malta, St Helena and Seychelles; other countries sparsely populated and mainly used, no Canada. Added pages cover early Ireland, China (includes Scott #158, CV$450, upside down in album) and Japan. Many scans online. Estimate $800, sold for C$2,400.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.