Box with a batch of family covers by air to GB with some unusual frankings including setenant issues, defective food parcel labels at 3/7d & 5/10d rates, some very fine 1950s unaddressed FDCs, etc. (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

Crash mail comprising 1937 'Cygnus' GB-Australia x3 with different 'DAMAGED BY SEA WATER' cachets; EAMS 'Calpurnia' GB-Australia x7 including an extraordinary 'pair' to the same address joined with repair tape & 'FOUND OPEN/...' label & resealed with pieces of the rarely-seen 'CONTENTS FOUND LOOSE/...' label of Brisbane GPO, one to Perth with roneo'd explanatory label on reverse, one with Sydney explanatory letter, and two onwards to New Zealand; 'Centurion' Australia-GB; WWII KNILM  landplane from Hungary with erroneous 'RECOVERED FROM/LOST FLYING BOAT' h/s; and 1954 'Belfast' landplane Australia-GB x2 with Singapore crash h/s; a few with the original enclosures, characteristic damage from water &/or fire. Full of character. Ex Daphne ('Dee') Pullan.  The image is above Lot 632. (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

1925 (Oct 29) to NSW endorsed "Per Aerial Mail" with early QANTAS 'BY AIR MAIL' black/green label (issued March 1923) affixed on face and KGV 1½d green & Kangaroos 6d blue (Third Wmk Die IIB; Cat $325 on cover) tied by 'BLACKALL/QUEENSLAND' cds, a couple of very minor blemishes. The rate was 1½d letter up to 1oz plus double the 3d per ½oz airmail fee; carried by QANTAS to Charleville and onwards by rail to Sydney.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$300

1927 (July 2) to Queensland with Angel vignette affixed on face tied by boxed 'FORWARDED/BY AERIAL MAIL' h/s in blue with Melbourne 'SHIP MAIL ROOM' cds and Canberra 1½d marginal strip of 3 tied by machine cancel, plus a further boxed 'FORWARDED/BY AERIAL MAIL' h/s in violet with 'CHARLEVILLE/-6JL27' cds, Normanton '8JL27' arrival b/s, some minor blemishes. The rate was 1½d letter rate plus 3d per ½oz airmail fee; carried by Australian Aerial Services to Cootamundra, by rail to Charleville, and by QANTAS to Normanton (on the second flight of their extended Camooweal service).

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1929 (May 23) Frank C Mueller, Solicitor, Echuca envelope to Bendigo (Vic) endorsed "By Aerial Mail" with Angel vignette affixed on face and largely very fine strike of the boxed 'FORWARDED/BY AERIAL MAIL' h/s with 'ECHUCA' cds alongside, two further strikes tying KGV 1½d red & 3d Airmail (3 days after issue), very fine. Carried by Australian Aerial Services Hay (NSW) to Melbourne route via Deniliquin & Echuca (service conmenced July 1925; discontinued June 1930) then presumably by rail to Bendigo.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

1930-36 Commemoratives frankings including KSmith 3d pair registered to Dutch Indies; Macarthur 3d + KGV 4d registered to GB, 9d + Large Kookaburra 6d pair on inaugural airmail service to Germany, and 9d pair + Vic Centenary 3d & Hermes 1/6d double-rate registered to GB; ANZAC 1/- + 2d x4 & KGV 1d to Germany, and 1/- + 2d & KGV 4d to GB; Jubilee 2/- registered to Johore, and 2/- & 3d + ANZAC 2d to Germany; SA Centenary 1/- & 3d pair to GB; plus others with letter-rate values, condition variable but most are fine to very fine. (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1930s-1960s mostly commercial airmail covers to overseas with strength in the pre-1950 period including with many scarce frankings, uprated Postal Stationery, WWII high rates & POW mail including to a POW Camp in America, a few very scarce postcard rates, postmark & censorship interest, better destinations include Hong Kong, Greece, India, Canada, Ireland, Israel, China, Malaya, Singapore, Forces Abroad & in Palestine, Belgium, New Guinea, etc, and a couple of BCOF usages, condition variable but most are fine to very fine. Priced to sell at $9550. (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1931 (May 15) Ryall Ltd printed Air Mail cover to GB endorsed "By Australian-England Experimental/Air-Mail" with very scarce franking of Kangaroos Small Multiple Wmk 2/- x2 & 5/- grey & yellow (Cat $1200 with other stamps on cover) plus Kingsford Smith 3d tied by Sydney cds, three vertical folds well clear of the stamps. The Second Experimental Through Service departed Darwin 19.5.1931. The rate was 1/11d for half an ounce. However, this cover indicates that for each subsequent half-ounce the rate was 1/10d x4 = 88d + 23d = 111d = 9/3d.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

1931 (June 5) long cover to New Zealand endorsed "via Air Mail Melbourne to Sydney" with KingsfordSmith 6d violet pair (Cat $150 for solo; unpriced for multiple usage) tied by 'MALVERN/VIC' cds, light vertical fold clear of adhesives & a couple of minor blemishes. The item paid double the 1½d per 1oz Empire surface letter rate plus triple 3d per ½oz airmail surcharge for acceleration to meet the Trans-Tasman steamer at Sydney.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

1931 registered airmail cover Adelaide-Townsville with Airmail 6d OS' Overprnt plus KGV 5d brown.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

1933 (March 23) to Brisbane with QANTAS 'NORTH QUEENSLAND/By Air Mail/Australia's/Winter Playground' blue/white label affixed on face and KGV 1d green x3 & 2d red tied by boxed 'FORWARDED/BY AERIAL MAIL' h/s in black and 'NORMANTON/QUEENSLAND' cds x 4 (one just tying the label), Brisbane '26 MAR' arrival b/s, a couple of very minor blemishes. The rate was 1½d letter rate plus 3d per ½oz airmail fee; carried by Qantas via Cloncurry to Brisbane. Nice commercial usage of a label seen almost exclusively on philatelic covers.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

1934 (July 18) registered airmail cover to Monaco with Victoria Centenary 2d 3d pair & 1/- tied by 'RAINBOW/VIC' cds black & blue/white R label with Rat's Tail, two Italian TPO transits & 'MONTE-CARLO' arrival b/s. The rate was 5d air within Australia + Karachi-Brindisi airmail supplement 6d per ½oz x2 + 3d registration = 1/8d.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1934 (Dec 7) real photo PPC ("The Welcome at Parliament House, Canberra, to the Duke of Gloucester") to London "per Australia-Singapor-England Air Mail" with rare solo franking of Macarthur 9d violet tied by fine 'CANBERRA/FCT' cds, a couple of very minor bends. Ex Kevin Nelson: sold at our auction of 27.11.2010 for $510. [The regular Australia-UK airmail service commenced 8.12.1934. The postcard rate was 9d, half the letter rate of 1/6d. This item was posted in time for the inaugural flight. NB: early Canberra PPCs are rare, this being one of very few we have seen with a Royal Visit subject]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1935 (April 15) Registration Envelope KGV 5d brown airmail to Germany uprated with Kangaroos CofA Wmk 9d & 2/- plus ANZAC 2d red & 1/- black (ACSC $450 on cover) tied by Elizabeth St Melbourne cds with blue & black R label alongside, via Greece with Athens '27.IV.35' transit & 'LEIPZIG/29.4.35' arrival b/s, a couple of tiny blemishes. The rate for 'all-the-way' airmail via Athens was 2/1d for the first ½oz and 2/- per additional ½oz, plus 3d registration fee.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$200

1935 (Dec 10) flimsy airmail envelope to Germany endorsed "AUSTRALIA-/GREECE-/GERMANY" with KGV 1d green marginal with part-imprint and 1/4d blue irregular 'block' of 3 tied by Sydney 'AIR MAIL' cds, German currency censor labels affixed on revsers tied by 'PLAUEN/26.12.35' cds and very fine 'Bei Devisennachschau-/stelle gepruft' [censored by currency inspection station] h/s in violet on face, light folds & minor edge faults from bulky contents. The rate for 'all-the-way' airmail via Athens was 2/1d for the first ½oz and 2/- per additional ½oz.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

1936 (Feb 4) cover to Chicago, Illinois endorsed per "SS Monterey" & "By Air Mail in USA" with KGV 2d red pair & Kookaburra 6d Typographed tied by Sydney machine cancel, The rate was 3d foreign letter plus 7d surcharge for carriage by domestic US airmail from the ship's West Coast arrival port to the Mid-West.

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

1936 triple-rate to Austria via Greece (b/s) with KGV 5d, 1/6d Hermes & 2/- Roo tied by Sydney cds, Vienna arrival and two different 'TELEGRAPHENAMT...' cds, mss endorsement re opening for inspection & resealed with three red/white imperf labels tied by two very fine strikes of 'TELEGR AMT 73 WIEN IX 2/DIENSTSTELLE DES P-A 71' h/s, minor wrinkling. [The rate was 2/- for the first ½oz + 11d x2 for each additional ½oz + 1d late fee = 3/11d. The Telegraph labels & postmarks, plus the red "73" on the face all indicate the letter was handled within Vienna's Pneumatic Post system]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1937 (March 2) Royal Melbourne Golf Club envelope airmail to passenger aboard the RMS 'Strathaird' at Ceylon with KGV 2d red & 1/- South Australia Centenary tied by Melbourne 'SHIP MAIL ROOM' cds, 'CALCUTTA GPO/8 MAR 31/DBN' arrival b/s, small closed edge tears at top not affecting stamps. The 1/2d per ½oz rate paid the airmail rate via Singapore to India and onwards by train.

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

1937 (Aug 17) large airmail cover (252x187mm) to GB with very scarce franking of CofA Wmk 5/- grey & yellow and 10/- grey & pink (rounded corner at L/R, Cat $1750 on cover with other stamps) + Queen Mother 1d green tied by 'AIRMAIL LATE FEE/ 1 /SYDNEY' cds, some wrinkles & soiling that don't affect the stamps. Ex 'Tillie Mitchell': sold at our auction of 29.8.2020 for $1015. [The rate was 1/6d per ½oz x10 + 1d late fee = 15/1d] 

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1938 (Jan 10) registered airmail to Indiana, USA with KGV 1/4d greenish blue & Small Kookaburra 6d tied by 'CAPTAIN'S FLAT/NSW' cds with blue R label alongside, Sydney & New York transits and 'GARY, IND/FEB/4/1938/REGISTERED' arrival b/s in violet, a couple of tiny marks hardly detract. 1/7d airmail letter rate for carriage to London and trans-Atlantic steamer to USA plus 3d registration fee. [Compare Lots 607255 & 607015]

Grade A (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

1938 (Apr 1; April Fools Day) cover to Switzerland airmail to Italy with CofA Wmk 5/- grey & yellow + Koala 4d tied by Sydney cds, blue/white R label, airmail label obliterated with jusqu'a bars of Brindisi, 'CORCELLES/ (NEUCHATEL)' arrival b/s, part of the reverse removed on opening. [The rate was 1/9d for the first ½oz + 1/8d for each successive ½oz x2 + 3d registration = 64d = 5/4d]

Grade B (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1938 (July 15) airmail to Michigan endorsed "Aust/England/USA" with KGVI 2d red, 6d Large Kookaburra & 1/6d Hermes tied by 'GREEMOUNT/QUEENSLAND' cds, a couple of very minor blemishes. The rate was 2/2d for carriage by QANTAS/BOAC to England, ship to New York and US domestic airmail to destination. This was a little-used service, as most mail to the US East Coast was addressed to New York or cities close by and required no further airmail, and that addressed to the West Coast could be sent by ship at 3d up to 1oz to arrive in about the same time.

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$150

1938-60 1/- Small Lyrebird frankings on commercial covers mostly by air with a good range of rates both solo - including a block of 4 to USA - & in combination with other values including Robes 5/- & Arms 10/- x2, a good range of destinations including Aden, Austria, Bahamas, Fiji, Germany American & Soviet Zones, India, Japan & Perak, generally fine to very fine. The intended basis for a stillborn exhibit. (Image1)

Estimate AU$600

1939-42 WWII airmails on the Empire & Horseshoe Routes display collection from outbreak of war & suspension of the subsidised Empire Air Mail Scheme (EAMS) to Italy entering the war & introduction of the Horseshoe Route (air to Durban from Cairo, then by sea to GB), to Japan's invasion of Malaya and the collapse of the Horseshoe Route. Included are many intermediates, notably to Thailand Iraq & Uganda plus feeder services to Hong Kong China Japan & Ceylon, and rare covers to Burma from the short-lived Emergency Routes in late-1941 (these with filing holes), plus Service Suspended covers to Singapore & Hong Kong, interest in the Australian censor labels & cachets. The east-bound route GB-Australia includes mail from Spain registered x2 (with rare frankings of both types of the 10pta Large Franco), Switzerland, Hungary, Turkey, Empire Air Training Scheme in Southern Rhodesia, KUT, Nigeria, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Ceylon, Burma, Thailand & Malaya including of 31.12.1941 via Singapore-Batavia Shuttle then to Darwin via Broome. There is also mail to & from Australian Forces Abroad. The condition is variable but many are fine to very fine. Ex Daphne ('Dee') Pullan. (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1940 (May 10) cover to a Canadian with a Germanic name, Opened by Censor label tied to both sides by very fine strikes of the rare boxed 'RETURN/TO/SENDER' h/s in violet (incorrectly stated by John Little to be a Post Office marking), Sydney DLO b/s of 23MY40 in red, roughly opened/repaired at back.

Grade (B) (Image1)

Estimate AU$100