16-18 July 1914 (AAMC.3) Melbourne - Sydney special postcard carried by Maurice Guillaux on Australia's first Official airmail flight; with 1d Engrave tied by the oval AERIAL MAIL cachet in violet; SYDNEY arrival cds and POWLETT RIVER cds at final destination. Exceptionally fine condition. Cat.$750. (Image)

Estimate AU$400-500
Min. Bid. AU$360

1917 THE BASIL WATSON FLIGHTS: Official Souvenir Programme titled "Exhibition of Aviation by Basil Watson - Australia's Brilliant Aviator." 12 pages plus covers, the 'aerial mail' cards carried on the February 1917 flights (Eustis 10 - 14) are advertised on page 9 ("All cards carried will bear the Australian Aerial Mail post mark and the aviator's signature..."; with several advertisements (Shell benzine, Hutton's Hams & Bacon, The Mutual Leather Coat, Underwood typewriters, etc. and with details of Watson's life and aviation career. Lightly affixed to the front cover is a small card with handwritten message "A momento of our dear Basil, from Mr & Mrs Smith." The only example of this rare programme known to us.Born in Bendigo, and the only son of Mr and Mrs James I. Watson, Basil died when his aeroplane crashed in Port Phillip Bay on 28 March 1917, just a month after the series of exhibition flights. He was buried at Boroondara General Cemetery, Kew, two days later.  (Image)

Estimate AU$300-500
Min. Bid. AU$260

A CORRESPONDENCE WITH KEITH SMITH: 1917 - 1926,
A group of letters and postcards, six items in all, all addressed and written by Keith Smith to his friend, B.R. Stevenson (who he addresses as "Steve"), an employee of Elder, Smith & Co., Adelaide:
- 1/11/1917 a postcard from Leeds, "....start flying from tomorrow if it's a decent day..." signed K.M.S.,
- 25/2/1918 a postcard from Norwich, "...Have come down to get a machine to fly back to Cramlington, a nice 250 mile jaunt if the weather is anything like decent...." signed K.M.S.
[Cramlington Airfield was built in 1915 in response to German airship attacks on Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.]
- 20/4/1918 a postcard from Ryde, Isle of Wight, "...See in today's paper that Neville Swift has gone West, jolly rotten luck...." signed K.M.S. R.A.F.
[Major Neville Cropley Swift of Adelaide died of wounds in France 28th March 1918. He was 22 years old.]
- 22/12/1924 an envelope addressed to Stevenson, containing a Christmas and New Year Greeting, dated "Sydney 1924" and signed Keith Smith.
- 7/8/1926 a typed letter contained in an envelope from Sydney, "...Cobham is due here today week and I do not want to miss seeing him land and take part in his welcome. He has done damn well and his flight should do a lot to buck up the interest in flying all over Australia..." signed Keith.
- 26/12/1926 a typed letter contained in an envelope from Sydney, "...I leave here in about 3 weeks for Melbourne where I hope to spend a few days prior to coming over to Adelaide to join the boat...." signed Keith Smith.Sir Keith Macpherson Smith, KBE (1890 – 1955) along with his brother, Sir Ross Macpherson Smith, Sergeant James Mallett (Jim) Bennett and Sergeant Walter (Wally) Shiers, became the first people to fly from England to Australia in 1919.  (Image)

Estimate AU$500-750
Min. Bid. AU$400

Nov.1919 - Feb.1920 (AAMC.27a) Syria - Australia intermediate flown cover bearing the Ross Smith vignette, attractively tied by one of 2 strikes of the oval "FIRST AERIAL MAIL" handstamp. With faint 3-line cachet in violet and endorsed "Per first aerial flight to Australia by favour of Capt. Ross Smith."Addressed to Mrs. R. Power, this is cover #257 from the Frommer listing. The insignia printed on the reverse of this cover is that of the 19th Lancers, also known as "19th King George's Own Lancers". The regiment served in Egypt, Palestine and Syria 1918-21. They occupied Damascus on 21 October 1918 and it became a popular leave destination. It is assumed that this cover was handed to the crew of the Vimy by a member of the 19th Lancers during the stop of the aircraft in Damascus on 19/20th November 1919.

Estimate AU$6,000-8,000
Min. Bid. AU$

THE "HERALD AND WEEKLY TIMES" EXPERIMENTAL FLIGHT FROM MELBOURNE TO GIPPSLAND: 30 July 1920 (AAMC.47) Melbourne - Traralgon flown cover with "By HERALD AERIAL DELIVERY" vignette attractively tied to rear. The Armstrong Whitworth belonging to Aviation Ltd., was piloted by Captain E.W. Leggatt. Cat.$2000.Captured by the Germans on 9 August 1916, Leggatt was one of ten men who made a successful escape through an underground tunnel at Holzminden Prisoner of War Camp, in Germany, on 23 July 1918. (Image)

Estimate AU$1,500-2,000
Min. Bid. AU$

17 April 1922 (AAMC.64 & 64a) Geelong - Melbourne, Herald & Weekly Times flown cover with "Herald / Air Mail" vignette in deep blue tied by GEELONG machine cancel which also ties a 2d KGV. Addressed to Mornington, with MORNINGTON arrival cds on the reverse, and displayed on an exhibit page with an unused "Herald" vignette. (2 items). Provenance: Captain J.H. Love Collection. (Image)

Estimate AU$1,200-1,500
Min. Bid. AU$

30 June 1926 England - Australia - England (AAMC.96) cover signed by pilot "Alan J Cobham" and endorsed by him "Carried on board the DH50 Seaplane/on its outward journey to Australia & back/July August Sept 1926" with Great Britain KGV 1½d tied SYDNEY '16AU26' datestamp on arrival, fine condition, Cat. $5000. Cobham arrived in Sydney via Darwin on 15 August; on the return trip he left Melbourne on 29 August and arrived London on 1 October. Fewer than five covers were flown on the entire round trip, the return leg being the first airmail carried from Australia to England.Provenance: Tom Frommer  (Image)

Estimate AU$3,000-4,000
Min. Bid. AU$

Oct.1927 - Mar.1928 (AAMC.112) Darwin - Charleville registered cover, flown by Captain W.A. Lancaster & Mrs Keith Miller on the final leg of their flight from England in their Avro Avian 111. The cover is signed at left by Lancaster and was then forwarded by regular mail to the addressee in Melbourne, arriving 4 days later. Rare. Cat.$1000+.Mrs Miller was the first woman to travel by air from England to Australia. (Image)

Estimate AU$600-800
Min. Bid. AU$500

May - June 1929 series of flown covers, all self-addressed to J.C. Westhoven, Deputy Director, Posts & Telegraphs, Melbourne and utilizing the services of A.A.S. and the newly established QANTAS routes. Despatches from Narrandera, Broken Hill, Toowoomba, Longreach, Roma, Tambo, Winton, Blackall, Camooweal & Mt. Isa. All correctly franked at 4½d. (10). Westhoven had been responsible for the introduction of a new mail delivery protocol: His letter informing postal officials read as follows "On 1st February, 1928, a new system of address under which a Postal District Number placed after the name of the suburb, will indicate the proper office of delivery. Thus, N. 1. will indicate the area served from the North Melbourne Post Office, S. 2. the area served from St. Kilda. If the correct Post District Number is placed upon a letter, it can easily and accurately be sorted for the proper office." (Image)

Estimate AU$250-300
Min. Bid. AU$200

EYRE PENINSULA AIRWAYS INAUGURAL FLIGHTS: 19 August 1929 (AAMC.143a) Wallaroo - Cowell flown cover, carried on the Junkers F13 VH-UKW and signed by the pilot, James Mollison. One of only two covers carried on this leg, both signed by the pilot. Cat.$600.In 1928–29, Morrison was working as an instructor with the South Australian Aero Club in Adelaide, leaving that position to become a pilot with Eyre Peninsula Airways and Australian National Airways. Whilst gaining a reputation as a playboy, Mollison was a skilled pilot who, like many others, took to record breaking as a means of "making his name." In July–August 1931, Mollison set a record time of 8 days, 19 hours for a flight from Australia to England, and in March 1932, a record for flying from England to Cape Town, in 4 days, 17 hours. Mollison had flown commercially for Charles Kingsford Smith's ill-fated Australian National Airways. During one of his commercial flights, he met the equally famous aviator Amy Johnson, whom he proposed to only eight hours after meeting her, and while still in the air. Johnson accepted; they married in July 1932, and she went off to break her husband's England to South Africa record. They were dubbed The Flying Sweethearts by the press and public. (Image)

Estimate AU$400-500
Min. Bid. AU$360

1-2 May 1931 (AAMC.198 & 198a) Melbourne - Hobart registered cover flown on the first southbound service by A.N.A. Ltd; together with a Launceston - Melbourne registered flown cover carried on the first northbound service; both with arrival backstamps, commemorative cachets in violet and appropriate registration labels. (2). (Image)

Estimate AU$120-150
Min. Bid. AU$100

1 May 1931 (AAMC.198a) Launceston - Hobart and Launceston - Melbourne flown covers, carried on the inaugural A.N.A. Ltd. services, (2). (Image)

Estimate AU$80-100
Min. Bid. AU$70

Nov.1931 (AAMC.219) Darwin - Camooweal, flown cover, signed by the pilot, C.A. Butler and bearing the MT.LAWLEY arrival cds of the ultimate addressee. Butler had also carried a very small mail aboard his Comper Swift G-ABRE, at the time, the smallest plane to successfully fly from England to Australia. [Only 14 flown this leg]. Cat.$750. (Image)

Estimate AU$500-750
Min. Bid. AU$400

19 Nov.1931 (AAMC.222)  Australia-England ANA first All-Australian flight (2), one Hobart registered with REGISTERED HOBART '19NO31' datestamps cancelling Kingford Smith set plus 6d Airmail, re-registered in London for return flight with HOBART '23JA32' arrival backstamp; the second cover festooned with KGV ½d green (6) & 1½d browns (10) shades, plus ½d orange and 6d Kingsford Smith Airmail pair, noting varieties "Barb on fraction bar at right" [4R40] on a ½d green and "Bullet hole in king's head"on a 1½d brown; the latter cover a tad roughly opened at left. (2) (Image)

Estimate AU$120-160
Min. Bid. AU$100

3-4 Dec.1931 (AAMC.228) Birdum - Daly Waters cover, addressed to Melbourne, with fine 'BIRDUM/3DE/31 datestamp tying stamp, flown by Qantas on the return leg of their temporary wet season contract service, signed by the pilot, Joseph N. Wilson. [Only 20 flown; very few signed]. cat.$850+. (Image)

Estimate AU$300-400
Min. Bid. AU$240

13 Jan. 1934 (AAMC.350) Australia - New Zealand cover, flown aboard the third Trans-Tasman flight in the "Southern Cross" with Kingsford Smith, Taylor, Pethybridge and Stannage making up the crew. Postmarked on departure and arrival. (Image)

Estimate AU$350-400
Min. Bid. AU$300

KINGSFORD SMITH & THE SOUTHERN CROSS FLY TO NEW ZEALAND: January 1934 (AAMC.350): A Kingsford Smith Air Service Ltd envelope carried on the third trans-Tasman flight in the "Southern Cross", cancelled before departure at MASCOT on January 12th, and cancelled on arrival at NEW PLYMOUTH on January 15th. The envelope, part of a very small mail carried on the flight is signed by Kingsford Smith. Other crew members were P.G. Taylor, T. Pethybridge and John Stannage. (Image)

Estimate AU$500-600
Min. Bid. AU$400

11 May 1934 (AAMC.379) Australia - New Zealand "Faith in Australia" Goodwill Flight cover, signed by the pilot, Charles Ulm, being $124 of 250 flown. Sydney departure and Wellington arrival postmarks. (Image)

Estimate AU$200-250
Min. Bid. AU$160

October 1934 (AAMC.433) England - Australia MacRobertson Air Race cover carried by the winning entry DH66 Comet 'Grosvenor House' in a total elapsed time of 71 hours and signed by both pilots "CWA Scott" and "Tom Campbell Black" on the back. Posted back to England with 6d Air, Victorian Centenary 2d and 3d pair tied by 'REGISTERED/24OC34/MELBOURNE' datestamp with black/blue registration label alongside, fine condition; 100 flown - Cat. $1,250. (Image)

Estimate AU$600-750
Min. Bid. AU$480

20 Oct. 1934  (AAMC.444) MacRobertson Air Race Holland-Australia official mail carried on KLM DC2 'Uiver', stamps tied by HAARLEM '17X/1934'; datestamps, flight time of 90 hours 13minutes confirmed by MELBOURNE '24OC34' arrival backstamp. Also a real-photo unused postcard showing a plaque dedicated by citizens of The Netherlands to inhabitants of Albury for allowing the Uiver to land in Albury during in the Race when in great danger.Also a 'UIVER' CRASH MAIL cover for a flight departing Amsterdam for Melbourne on 19th December 1934, crashing after departing Cairo for Gaza, redirecting to Rutbah Wells where it encountered a sandstorm crashing 10 miles south of the destination; a sizeable proportion of the mail (approx 31,000 articles) was recovered and loaded on board KLM Fokker 'Rijstvogel' for onward journey to Dutch East Indies, with the Australian portion of the mail being transferred to Imperial Airways service IE301 at Singapore on 30th Dec, arriving at Darwin on 31st Dec. Mail for southern states was transferred to a scheduled New England Airways flight, which is confirmed by the MELBOURNE '5JA35' arrival backstamp on this cover. [Ref. Brian Peace "Australasian Crash Mail 1931-35"] 

Estimate AU$250-350
Min. Bid. AU$180

Dec.1934 (AAMC.470c) Special cover prepared for the opening of the Australia - England service by QANTAS and IA, carried internally from NORMANTON (6/12) via LONGREACH (8/12) to DALY WATERS (12/12); with all appropriate cds's. A scarce despatch. (Image)

Estimate AU$50-75
Min. Bid. AU$40

"THE LAST FLIGHT OF THE 'SOUTHERN CROSS'":18 July 1935 (AAMC.514) Sydney - Richmond Aerodrome flown cover, signed by the pilot "C Kingsford Smith", Cat $650. (Image)

Estimate AU$300-400
Min. Bid. AU$260

11-19 July 1935 (AAMC.519) Sydney - Thursday Island cover, flown by Stuart Campbell in a Short Scion S16 Seaplane which was being delivered to the Oroville Dredging Co. in Papua [6 flown]. [NB: The AAMC entry appears to be incorrect. A total of 12 covers were carried; only half terminating at Thursday Island for return to the sender, Ernest Crome.]. Cat.$1000+ (Image)

Estimate AU$500-600
Min. Bid. AU$400

18 Apr.1938 (AAMC.804) Australia-England unofficial flight, flown by Harry Broadbent in the then record time of 5 days, 4 hours and 21 minutes. [40 flown], Cat. from $450.  (Image)

Estimate AU$220-260
Min. Bid. AU$180

QANTAS CHRISTMAS MAILS FROM SYDNEY TO MORNINGTON ISLAND: Dec.1942 (AAMC.950), Dec.1943 (AAMC.970) and Dec.1946 (AAMC.1089) special covers, each with special vignette; the first two signed by the pilots, the last signed by the Superintendent on the island. (3). Cat.$450. (Image)

Estimate AU$300-350
Min. Bid. AU$260