Lot 1410 1927.JUN.27 First Demonstration Flight by the “Moth”, mailed Calcutta on JUN.27 to Stephen Smith in Calcutta, this ½a stationery postcard shows a purple moth cachet plus a purple “Carried By / D.H. Moth, G.E.B.M.O. / Aeroplane” cachet. The back has a note reading “Certified that this has been flown over Calcutta by D.H. Moth G.E.BMO (….)”, signed by E.L. Widdicombe and initialed “W.H.V. (Flight Lieutenant W.H. Vetch). This is a rare item, numbered “2” at bottom left corner out of a total of 11 items flown (10 cards and one cover). From the Pont Collection. Very fine. Estimate $350, sold for C$1,200.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
stephen smith
Lot 1435, 1929 First Experimental Flight Bengal Air Transport Co., Darjeeling to Calcutta, sold for C$2,340
Lot 1435 1929.MAY.22 First Experimental Flight by the Bengal Air Transport Co. Darjeeling to Calcutta, with single-line cachet in purple (front and back), mailed without postage with Darjeeling 2a postage due handstamp on front. Darjeeling MAY.22 despatch and Calcutta MAY.23 receiver, both on back alongside Stephen Smith signature. Very fine and described by Mr. Pont as “A very scarce item, with about 6 items flown.” Estimate $300, sold for C$2,000.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1437, 1929 Baron von Koenig Calcutta to Singapore, Osaka and Tokyo flight cover, sold for C$1,755
Lot 1437 1929.JUN.10 Baron von Keonig Calcutta to Singapore then Osaka to Tokyo Flight Cover, mailed unfranked and assessed 2a postage due in Calcutta (handstamp on front), with yellow flight label and “KAMERAD” purple flight cachet, addressed to Stephen Smith in Calcutta with a JUN.10 receiver on back alongside Smith signature and JUN.10 date. This is one of the few rare items missing in Mr. Pont’s personal collection, and we could not find any evidence of number of items flown. Couple of small faults still very fine appearance. Estimate $300, sold for C$1,500.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1426, 1928 Calcutta to Rangoon flight covers, sold for C$702
Lot 1426 1928.SEP.20 to OCT.11 Calcutta to Rangoon Flight Covers, starting with SEP.20 flight (cover and card, latter is signed Stephen Smith, both with same cachet), OCT.4 flight (cover and card, both signed Stephen Smith, both with same cachets, one reading “Sea Plane Crashed at Cawnpore Carried by 4th Official Mail Plane H – N.A.C.F.“) and OCT.11 flight (cover signed by Stephen Smith). All five items are addressed to Mr. Leon V. Pont in Rangoon, Burma and are very fine. From the Leon Victor Pont Collection of early India First Flight postal history. Estimate $200, sold for C$600.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.
Lot 1511, 1932 Madras to Karachi and back, first flight set from Croydon England, sold for C$1228
Lot 1511 1932.OCT.15-18 Madras to Karachi and Back, from Croydon, England First Flight Set, includes all four legs of the Karachi to Madras (15 OCT) and all four legs of the Madras to Karachi (18 OCT), to and from Ahmedabad, Bombay, Bellary and Madras, to and from Croydon England. These all with Union Jack design. Three more covers are included without Union Jack flag, all from Croydon, England to Bellary, Madras and Ahmedabad. These colourful covers were designed by Stephen Smith “by Sanction of Messrs. Tata Sons Ltd” with inscription on back reading “A Souvenir of a Great Indian Enterprise” and signed by Stephen Smith. The cover design was originally submitted with a Union Jack, which proved to be less than popular, so most of the stock was destroyed. Those that remained were meant for foreign collectors, and those without the flag for Indian collectors. All of these are addressed to Mr. Pont, in Bengal, India, and rrom the Leon Victor Pont Collection of early India First Flight postal history. Some have staining or small faults (mostly on back), still overall fine and a rare offering. Estimate $300, sold for C$1,050.00 plus 17% buyer’s premium.