1911 (18 Feb) First Aerial Post U.P. Exhibition Allahabad to Bombay, cover franked with 1/2a and 2a KEVII, canceled by red "First Aerial Post, U.P. Exhibition Allahabad 1911", handstamps, with Registry label 503, departure and arrival pmks on back, also signed by Henri Paquet, v.f. (on Feb 18, 1911, French pilot Henri Paquet carried the first mail officially flown by airplane. Paquet carried about 6,000 letters and 40 cards on his Humber biplane, for a distance of five miles, from the Allahabad polo field, over the Yamuna River, to Niani. All mail received a special cancel depicting an airplane, mountains and "First Aerial Post, 1911, U. P. Exhibition Allahabad.") (Cat No. AAMC 1) (Image)

Est.US$300

1925 de Pinedo World Flight, Calcutta to Melbourne, franked with two examples of 1a George V definitives, with a red handstamp reading "Italian Consul General's (Melbourne) letter of 12-11-25. / No. 750/11. / Calcutta to Melbourne by Seaplane, 13/5/1925." Back shows a purple cachet with map "ITALIAN / WORLD AIR / FLIGHT" (also another strike partly visible on front), with green initials of Stephen Smith and the president of the Aero Philatelic Club of India H.A. Outhwaite (these, apparently to prevent duplication). This is the right half of the cover only, as the 93 existing covers had all been intentionally cut in half, as they had been signed by de Pinedo after a promised charity donation had failed (the half with his signature is missing). Accompanied by a copy of a fairly contemporary article written on these interesting covers. This one is numbered 42 (out of 93), v.f. (Image)

Est.US$1,500

1926 (2 Jan) Royal Air Force Demonstration Flight Stationery Post Card, Calcutta to Risalpur, with purple intaglio cachet "Hawasae / by Air", R.A.F. oval cachet and small photograph depicting an elephant and biplane. The oval cachet has the pilot's initials (Spruce). Signed by Stephen Smith on back, with light staining (mostly on back) still scarce with 51 postcards flown to Risalpur. (Image)

Est.US$250

1926 (2 Jan) Royal Air Force Demonstration Flight Cover, Calcutta to Patna, with purple intaglio cachet "Hawasae / by Air" and small photograph depicting an elephant and biplane. The oval cachet has the pilot's initials (Spruce). Signed by Stephen Smith on back, scarce with 69 covers flown to Patna (Image)

Est.US$350