AUSTRALIAN DISASTER MAIL continued...
Air Mail Incidents continued...
| LotNo. |
Symbol |
Lot Description |
Estimate in AU$'s |
| 2078 |
 |
 1931 (July) Australia-Japan per 'Madame Elijah' usage of KGV Oval 2d Envelope to Canada uprated with KGV 1d green & 3d Airmail tied
by 'THURSDAY ISLAND/ 2 /7JL31/QUEENSLAND', the reverse with Manila slogan of JUL24/1931, Japanese-language arrival & large cachet '...NO ("72") OF ONLY 145 CARRIED FROM AUSTRALIA...' signed by the pilot "Francis C Chichester", AAMC 210, Cat $525. See
Volume Two at pages 156-162 & illustrated at page 160. The flight was delayed in Manila for 19 days to effect repairs. Taking off from Katsuura Bay in Japan, the plane clipped a telegraph wire & crashed. Chichester was critically injured, but
recovered. His plane was a write-off. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$250
SOLD for AU$260.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2079 |
|
 1931 (Sep 24) Australia-England-Australia per 'Southern Cross Minor' to Vacuum Oil Co (now Mobil) in London with Kingsford Smith 3d
tied by superb 'WYNDHAM/WESTN AUSTRALIA' cds, Great Britain KGV ½d green & 1d red tied by London machine of OCT7/1931, signed "C Kingsford Smith", American-pattern 'VACUUM OIL CO/DEC/14/1931/AM/WESTMINSTER' private backstamp in violet, AAMC 215,
unpriced. See Volume Two at pages 164-9, illustrated on page 167. This was the only cover carried all the way from Australia. Ex John Crowe.
Some 70 miles after leaving Aleppo (Syria), 'Smithy' became unwell, a leak in the exhaust piece having caused carbon monoxide poisoning. He was eventually forced to land on Turkish territory, where he was arrested & interrogated. The same illness
caused him to lose four days in Athens. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$2,000
SOLD for AU$3,200.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2080 |
|
 1932 (Jan 28) cover from Southern Rhodesia with 'FIRST OFFICIAL AIR MAIL' cachet, various monochrome tourism labels on both sides.
'City of Basra' was damaged during takeoff from Salisbury; mails were transferred to 'City of Delhi' which landed in a swamp the same day. Unlisted in the AAMC. The only recorded cover to Australia. Illustrated in Volume Two at page 184. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$150
SOLD for AU$140.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2081 |
|
 1932 (Feb-May) Germany-Australia per Hans Bertram and Adolph Klausmann with lengthy endorsement at upper-left, on arrival Airmail
6d overprinted 'OS' affixed but not cancelled, central vertical fold consistent with having been carried in a shirt pocket, AAMC 232, Cat $1750.
Approaching Western Australia, the aviators lost their bearings & landed in a remote part of the Kimberley Coast where local aborigines found & rescued them six weeks later. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$500
SOLD for AU$380.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2082 |
|
 1932 (Apr 5) Australia-New Caledonia per French aviators Charles de Verneilh, Emile Munch and Max Deve with KSmith 6d tied by poor
Brisbane cds of 30MR32, the reverse with very fine strike, 'NOUMEA/6-4/32/...' arrival & unframed 'NON RECLAME' (= unclaimed), the face with boxed 'PARTI SANS/RISSER d'ADDRESSE' (= left without a forwarding address) & boxed 'RETOUR/A L'ENVOYEUR' (=
return to sender), 'NOUMEA/27/AVRIL/32/...' backstamp, signed "Verneilh" & another unidentified, minor blemishes, AAMC 254 (8 carried), Cat $1500.
The plane crash-landed at Noumea. See Volume Two at pages 190-8, illustrated at page 194. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$600
SOLD for AU$800.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2083 |
/ |
 1932 (Apr 5) Australia-New Caledonia per French aviators Charles de Verneilh, Emile Munch and Max Deve with 3d Airmail & 3d Bridge
but uncancelled, signed "Verneilh", AAMC 254 (8 carried), Cat $1500. Returned in long cover (vertical fold) of 23-4/32 with covering letter "... I fear it is of no value as it is not postmarked ... I however obtained Mr de Verneilh's autograph".
The plane crash-landed at Noumea. See Volume Two at pages 190-8, illustrated at pages 195-6.
(3 items) (Image1)
(Image2)
(Image3)
|
Estimate AU$600
SOLD for AU$460.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2084 |
|
 1932 (July) cover to London carried privately by the pilot James Weir from Darwin with his signature at lower-left, the flight
interrupted by monsoons in Malaya & damage caused in a poor landing at Karachi where the flight was abandoned due to Weir falling ill, AAMC 265 (two carried), Cat $1500. Illustrated in Volume Two at page 209, where two other covers are recorded.
Weir continued to England by ship, arriving early-August where the cover was mailed with Great Britain KGV 1½d brown tied by London machine of 'AUG3/1932'. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$750
SOLD for AU$2,500.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2085 |
|
 1932 (Aug) England-Australia per Richard Allen who fell ill with dysentery at Baghdad, delaying him for 10 days, Harbour Bridge 2d
& 3d affixed & cancelled on arrival at 'WYNDHAM' (WA) & flown on to Adelaide & Melbourne, superb 'NEWTOWN/NSW' arrival backstamp, signed by the pilot at lower-left, AAMC 272, Cat $375. Illustrated in Volume Two at page 210. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$200
SOLD for AU$260.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2086 |
|
 1932 (Sep 18) Inaugural Sydney-Brisbane Sunday Service usage of KGV 2d Envelope with 3d Airmail tied by Sydney cds of 17SE32,
toning especially on the reverse, AAMC 282, Cat $600. Carried per DH80 Puss Moth that crashed north of Lismore (NSW) after one of the wings fell off, killing all on board. Only about 12 covers are recorded.
Wing failure plagued the early Puss Moth models, leading to a number of fatal crashes including that of Bert Hinkler in 1933 over the Italian Alps on a flight from England to Australia. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$400
SOLD for AU$300.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2087 |
|
 1932 (Oct-Dec) England-Australia per the French-Canadian Jacques Hebert who had a largely trouble-free flight until landing at
Cloncurry (Qld) where he took evasive action to avoid a flock of goats, flipped and destroyed his plane, Harbour Bridge 3d only affixed & cancelled on arrival at 'BRISBANE/12DE32/...', signed by the pilot at lower-left. Unlisted in the AAMC. See
Volume Two at pages 216-219, where Brian Peace states that only 12 covers were flown to Brisbane. Hebert sold the wreck of his plane in situ to the locally-based Qantas. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$500
SOLD for AU$380.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2088 |
|
 1932 (Dec 12) Australia-England per 'Atlantis' with 3d Air tied by 'DARWIN NT/AUSTRALIA' cds and Netherlands Indies 10c Air tied by
'SOERABAJA/13.12.32' cds, AAMC 241 (5 carried), Cat $1200.
While taking off from Soerabaja, the pilot, Hans Bertram, managed to slide the plane off the runway into a ditch. See Volume Two at pages 203-7.
(Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$400
SOLD for AU$300.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2089 |
/D |
 1932 (Dec 12) Australia-England-Australia boomerang cover with 'BERTRAM ATLANTIS/ [propellor]/EXPEDITION' cachet, 2d Kingsford
Smith & 6d Air overprinted 'OS' tied by 'DARWIN NT/AUSTRALIA' cds, signed "Hans Bertram" across the cachet, light soiling, AAMC 242, Cat $1750.
Following repairs to his plane, Bertram flew to Berlin, arriving 17.4.1933. The 20 or so covers were discovered at the Berlin GPO in -.12.1937 & forwarded to London (superb backstamp of 8DE/37), flown to Australia per Imperial Airways flying boat ex
Southampton 9.12.1937 with 'MELBOURNE/ 17 /23DE37/VIC' arrival backstamp. Plus the explanatory letter from the Superintendent of Mails at Melbourne. See Volume Two at pages 203-7.
(2 items) (Image1)
(Image2)
(Image3)
|
Estimate AU$750
SOLD for AU$725.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2090 |
/L |
 1932 (Dec 12) cover endorsed "Per Bertram-Allan/Junkers Atlantis/..." to Calcutta with KGV 2d & 3d Air tied by 'DARWIN
NT/AUSTRALIA' cds, signed "Hans Bertram", light staining & small fault at upper-left, AAMC 241a ("1 known"), Cat $1750. Plus the enclosed letter from the Darwin Postmaster "HG Bald", reminding the addressee that a promised money order for £8 (a
significant sum at the time) had not arrived and "Excuse haste but plane is getting away at daylight". Ex Max Kronstein, with 1964 letter from English airmail dealer CK Beecham stating the cover is "unique". See Volume Two pages 203-7, illustrated
at page 205: "The only recorded cover from Darwin to Calcutta".
(3 items) (Image1)
(Image2)
(Image3)
(Image4)
|
Estimate AU$1,000
SOLD for AU$750.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2091 |
|
 1933 (July) England-Australia via America per 'Faith in Australia' with Great Britain KGV ½d green & 1d red tied by 'KNEBWORTH/
17JY/33/HERTS' cds, flown to Ireland 27.7.1933. Landing on Portmarnock Beach to refuel, the extra weight caused the plane to sink into the sand & the undercarriage to collapse, returned to England & flown from Feltham 12.10.1933, arriving Derby WA
20.10.1933 & setting a new England-Australia record, carried on to Sydney where KGV 2d red affixed tied by Sydney slogan cancel of 6NOV/1933, signed on the face by the pilot "CTP Ulm", redirected to Melbourne with boxed 'RECEIVED/NOV 9 1933/...'
cachet & signed by company director "RArmstrong" on the reverse, AAMC 337 (50 carried), Cat $950. Illustrated in Volume Two at page 255 & also at pages 261-2. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$600
SOLD for AU$525.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2092 |
|
 1933 Australia-England per James ("Jimmy") Woods with KGV 2d tied by 'PERTH/1JY33/...' cds and Great Britain KGV 1½d brown added on
arrival & cancelled with 'EARLS COURT/19AUG/1933' slogan, endorsed "Carried by me on my solo flight ..." and signed "J Woods", minor blemishes, AAMC 316 (6 carried), undercatalogued at $600. Delayed by three forced landings, damage to propellor,
waterlogged airfield, late arrival of Iranian visa & undercarriage collapsing when taking off from Bandar Abbas (Iran). Illustrated in Volume Two at page 259. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$600
SOLD for AU$800.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2093 |
|
 1933 (Sep 14) commercial cover from England with KGV 1/- for the accelerated service between London & Karachi & within Australia
tied by London cds, carried on West-East service per West Australian Airways 'Viastra' which experienced a bird-strike & made a forced landing in a vegetable patch at Redcliffe (Perth suburb), repaired opening tear at left, typed crash endorsement on
the reverse signed "Alec A Rosenblum"/President/Air Mail Society of Australia", reinforced central fold, AAMC 336, Cat $500. Probably because the mail wasn't damaged - and no cachet was applied - this is the only recorded cover. Illustrated in Volume
2 at page 37. (Image1)
(Image2)
(Image3)
|
Estimate AU$500
SOLD for AU$850.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2094 |
|
 1933-34 remarkable CC Wakefield & Co envelope carried on all three of Jean Batten's flights from England, the first ending with a
major crash at Karachi, the second with a crash at Rome, the third relatively uneventful - apart from being bombarded with embers from a volcanic eruption en route to Timor - and successful, signed by the pilot at lower-left, light (oil?) staining at
left, AAMC 301 (only three covers carried; unpriced), 375 (Cat $1000) and 376 (Cat $2500). This is the only cover that was carried on all three flights. With her third flight, Batten broke Amy Johnson's women's record by more than four days! Ex Tom
Frommer (private transaction). See Volume Two at pages 234 (where illustrated) to 244. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$2,500
SOLD for AU$3,800.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2095 |
|
 1933-34 CC Wakefield & Co envelope carried on the second & third of Jean Batten's flights from England, the first of them ending
with a crash at Rome, the other relatively uneventful - apart from being bombarded with embers from a volcanic eruption en route to Timor - and successful, Great Britain KGV 1½d brown with matching perfin 'WCo' tied by London machine cancel of
'17APR/1934', triple-oval 'DUTY OFFICER/21APR1934/LYMPNE AIR PORT' cachet (Lympne is pronounced "lim", rhyming with "sim"), signed by the pilot at right & with typed endorsement on the reverse, minor wrinkles, AAMC 375 (Cat $1000) and 376 (Cat
$2500). With her third flight, Batten broke Amy Johnson's women's solo record by more than four days! Ex Tom Frommer: sold at our auction of 11.9.2018 for $1645. Illustrated in Volume Two at pages 243 & 244. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$1,500
SOLD for AU$1,450.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2096 |
|
 1934 (Sep 9) Sydney-Perth-Sydney 'boomerang' cover per 'Lady Southern Cross' with 2d & 3d tied by 'MASCOT/7SE34/NSW' cds &
'TELEGRAPHS, PERTH/8SE34/W.A.' arrival cds (PMI records use on 24JL40 only) on the face and signed "C Kingsford Smith, AAMC 401, Cat $2250. Superb. This was one of several test flights by Kingsford Smith and Ulm in preparation for the MacRobertson
Air Race. Overladen with fuel for the return trip, the plane overran the runway & crashed into a ditch, a fact not mentioned in the AAMC. Illustrated in Volume Two at page 48. Fewer than ten covers carried. Tom Frommer's similar cover sold at our
auction of 11.9.2016 for $1460. [A month later, damage to the engine in Queensland caused withdrawal from the Air Race] (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$1,250
SOLD for AU$950.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2097 |
|
 1934 plain unstamped cover addressed to Qantas in Brisbane & endorsed on the reverse by Hudson Fysh "From crash ... /near Longreach
15.11.34/Capt Prendergast and crew all killed", a couple of hinge remnants otherwise superb. Unlisted in the AAMC. See Volume Two at pages 66-71: illustrated at pages 70-71 and stated to be the only recorded item from this fatal crash. This was the
delivery flight from England: the plane was carrying a spare engine, causing disruption to the its centre of gravity. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$1,000
SOLD for AU$750.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
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