AUSTRALIAN DISASTER MAIL continued...
Air Mail Incidents continued...
| LotNo. |
Symbol |
Lot Description |
Estimate in AU$'s |
| 2098 |
 |
 1934 (Nov 7) cover from Perth with KGV 5d tied by Victoria Centenary slogan, to Wyndham (WA), repaired opening tears on the flap &
light vertical fold, AAMC 459, unpriced. Involved in two crashes on the same day (!). The plane leaving Halls Creek crashed almost immediately after take-off, causing major structural damage. A replacement plane arrived the same day to continue the
service but crashed on approach at Ord River. This is the only recorded cover.
See Volume Two at pages 61-64 where Brian Peace noted the existence of one cover but stated neither he nor Tom Frommer had ever seen it. Surprisingly, it is Ex TE Field (Harmer's of London, 1948) and was actually illustrated in the auction catalogue.
Infamously, the collection was sold intact to Sydney dealer Ken Baker, acting for West Australian grazier Jack Kilfoyle and the Field auction was cancelled. Kilfoyle must have disposed of the cover because it was not in the 1961 Harmer's catalogue
for his collection. (Image1)
(Image2)
|
Estimate AU$750
SOLD for AU$575.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2099 |
|
 1934 (Dec 19) Netherlands-Batavia Christmas Flight per 'Uiver' which encountered heavy weather over Iraq and crashed near Rutbah
Wells killing all on board, to Victoria with Netherlands 10c 12½c & 30c Air tied 'OLDENZAAL/18.XII.18/1934' cds and large 'stork' cachet in rosine, fire-damage at the top, 'MELBOURNE/ 6 /5JA35/VIC' arrival backstamp & very fine 'RECEIVED IN A
DAMAGED/CONDITION AT GPO' cachet (believed to be the only recorded example from this incident), opened-out for display. Unlisted in the AAMC. Ex Henri Nierinck. See Volume Two at pages 302-306: illustrated at page 303. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$300
SOLD for AU$360.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2100 |
|
 1934 MacRobertson Air Race England-Australia-England per the winners CWA Scott & T Campbell-Black with Great Britain KGV ½d green
only and 'GROSVENOR HOUSE - Arrived Melbourne/...' cachet in violet on the reverse, Victoria Centenary 2d, Airmail 3d pair & 6d brown added for the return flight tied by 'REGISTERED/ 1 24OC34 1 /MELBOURNE' cds, blue & black/white R label, signed on
the back "Tom Campbell Black" & "CWA Scott", AAMC 433 (100 carried), Cat $1250. Despite a comprehensive victory, they experienced ongoing engine problems over the Timor Sea & again in Queensland. See Volume Two at pages 280-282. [The plane was named
to promote Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, London] (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$350
SOLD for AU$320.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2101 |
|
 1935 (Jan) England-Australia Eastern Air Transport delivery flight, on arrival Victoria Centenary 2d (damaged) tied by Sydney
slogan cancel, signed by the pilot "DCollins" & his passenger from Rome "DS Wylie" AAMC 483 (6 carried), Cat $475. Ex Tom Frommer. Illustrated in Volume Two at page 308, where Brian Peace notes an 11-day delay in India caused by mechanical
breakdown. (Image1)
(Image2)
|
Estimate AU$250
SOLD for AU$210.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2102 |
|
 1935 (Jan) Cavendish Hotel Eastbourne cover England-Australia per 'Sylvanus' which was delayed in Crete for engine troubles;
'Arethusa' which had similar problems in India; and 'Athena' which had communication problems & landed on a beach 100km east of Darwin, where it became stuck in mud & was unable to take-off after being refuelled, Great Britain KGV 1½d brown x4 & 9d
green tied 'EASTBOURNE/2 JAN/1935/SUSSEX' machine cancels, 'MELBOURNE/ 7 / 20JA35/VIC' arrival backstamp. Unlisted in the AAMC. See Volume Two at pages 309-317 where illustrated at page 314. Because the mails were undamaged, no examples from these
flights had been identified until the Rod Perry sale in 2013, where seven covers from various points were offered. Two others have since emerged.
(Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$250
SOLD for AU$250.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2103 |
|
 1935 (Jan 23) social cover from 'SKIPTON/YORKS' to Melbourne's Hotel Windsor from Karachi per 'Athena' which was delayed at Batavia
to repair a fractured exhaust pipe, Great Britain KGV 6d violet & 9d green tied by 'SKIPTON/23 JA/35/YORKS' cds, 'MELBOURNE/ 7 / 9FE35/VIC' arrival backstamp, 'HOTEL WINDSOR' & 'ADDRESS NOT KNOWN' handstamps, hotel's re-addressing label but with the
address crossed-through & 'RETURNED TO/CITY SECTION FROM' handstamp added, five other Melbourne cds the latest of 26AP35 then apparently delivered.
(Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$150
SOLD for AU$115.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2104 |
/D |
 1935 (May) Australia-New Zealand Silver Jubilee Air Mail unstamped OHMS cover with fancy 'SUPT MAILS/ADELAIDE/28AUG1935/No...'
datestamp with PMG's Department letter advising there would be no compensation for covers jettisoned over the Tasman Sea; and 1937 letter signed by crewmember "John SW Stannage" stating "... had I known there was another mailbag, I would have dumped
that too". See Volume Two at pages 319-333, the cover illustrated at page 328. The flight was compromised by engine troubles that resulted in the need to jettison all freight & the mails, although a small quantity was overlooked.
(3 items) (Image1)
(Image2)
(Image3)
|
Estimate AU$250
SOLD for AU$575.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2105 |
|
 1935 (Sep 6) commercial cover to Hobart with KGV 2d & 3d Airmail tied by 'DARWIN NT/ 4SE35/AUSTRALIA' cds, the reverse with
Melbourne transit of 12SE35 & Hobart arrival of 13SE35, AAMC 525, undercatalogued at $500. Superior to Rod Perry's similar cover that sold in 2013 for $1048. Fewer than 10 covers recorded. See Volume Two at pages 86-89.
En route from Tennant Creek for Alice Springs, engine failure resulted in the plane crash-landing, ironically near Aileron (= the trailing part of an aircraft wing). While waiting to be rescued, the pilot & passengers cooked & ate their companion, a
crocodile destined for the Melbourne Zoo (!). The mail was taken by car to Alice Springs from where it was flown by a relief aircraft. [See also the next lot] (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$750
SOLD for AU$575.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2106 |
|
 1935 (Sep 6) OHMS cover to Adelaide with 3d Kookaburra & 2d ANZAC tied by 'DARWIN NT/ 4SE35/AUSTRALIA' cds and signed by the pilot
"MV Mather" in red ink, Adelaide arrival backstamp of 10SE35, AAMC 525, undercatalogued at $500. En route from Tennant Creek for Alice Springs, engine failure resulted in the plane crash-landing, ironically near Aileron (= the trailing part of an
aircraft wing). While waiting to be rescued, the pilot & passengers cooked & ate their companion, a crocodile destined for the Melbourne Zoo (!). The mail was taken by car to Alice Springs from where it was flown by a relief aircraft. See Volume Two
at pages 86-89, illustrated at page 88. Fewer than 10 covers recorded. [See also the previous lot] (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$1,000
SOLD for AU$750.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2107 |
|
 1935 (Sep 30) social cover to a resident of "Ranga/Flinders Island" (a locality between Whitemark & Lady Barron) with Melbourne
machine cancel, the stamps washed-off & replaced (the 2d apparently from another article) & minor staining, the reverse endorsed "Recovered from wrecked/airliner Loina's mail/DT Bowra [?] PM" with 'WHITEMARK/4OC35/TAS' cds alongside, AAMC 535,
undercatalogued at $400. See Volume Two at pages 90-99, illustrated at page 97.
Holyman Airways' scheduled service Melbourne-Flinders Island-Launceston crashed on approach to Flinders Island with the pilots & passengers all killed. From recovered debris, it is believed the crash was caused by a dropped cigarette causing carpet
to catch fire, at which point someone ran to extinguish it, upsetting the weight distribution on the low speed approach. Only ten covers were addressed to the island: all were recovered but this is the only example recorded. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$750
SOLD for AU$575.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2108 |
/D |
 1935 (Sep 30) commercial cover per Holman Airlines 'Loina' to a firm in Launceston with stamps tied by 'AIR MAIL/3 30SE35 3/SYDNEY
NSW' cds, repaired central tear & minor water-staining, the reverse with superb double-oval 'DISTRICT POSTAL INSPECTOR/OCT 6 1935/ LAUNCESTON' datestamp in blue, AAMC 535, undercatalogued at $400, with the accompanying typed Post Office advice with
another lighter strike of the datestamp. See Volume Two at pages 90-99. The 93 letters for Launceston were all delivered but many of them were badly damaged due to immersion.
(2 items) (Image1)
(Image2)
(Image3)
|
Estimate AU$500
SOLD for AU$380.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2109 |
PSE |
 1935 (Oct 1) social usage of 2d Letter Card endorsed "Air Mail only" & uprated with uncancelled 3d, Melbourne Krag machine cancel,
water-staining mainly within, typed "Recovered from Air-Liner/Loina in a saturated/ condition" and large-part 'SUPERINTENDENT OF MAILS/ 6OCT1935/GENERAL POST OFFICE, HOBART' triple-oval datestamp in violet, Hobart cds backstamp, remarkably fine with
only minor immersion faults, AAMC 535, undercatalogued at $400. Both pilots and the three passengers on board were killed. The Hobart mailbag contained 145 items, all bar a handful of which were able to be delivered. A marvellous Postal Stationery
usage. See Volume Two at pages 90-99. (Image1) (Image2)
(Image3)
|
Estimate AU$400
SOLD for AU$420.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2110 |
|
 1935 (Oct-Dec) Darwin-England-Darwin per Charles Kingsford Smith & Tommy Pethybridge in 'Lady Southern Cross' with KGV 2d tied by
'DARWIN NT/3OC35/AUSTRALIA' cds & London arrival machine of '18OCT/1935', Great Britain KGV 1½d brown with 'VO/CoL' perfin of Vacuum Oil for the return flight tied by London cds of '18OC/35', 'VACUUM OIL CO LTD/OCT/21/WESTMINSTER' cds (no year) in
violet, flight departed 23.10.1935 but aborted at Brindisi because of damage caused by a hail storm. The plane returned to England where a second 1½d perfin was added & tied by London cds of '5NO/35', 'HYTHE/9-AM/6NO/35/KENT' backstamp three hours
after Kingsford Smith had departed from there, huge explanatory cachet in red on the reverse numbered '28' of 49 & signed by Smithy's personal assistant "B Sheil", stained largely below the cachet, AAMC 545, Cat $650. See Volume Two at pages 343-345,
where it is illustrated. (Image1)
(Image2)
|
Estimate AU$300
SOLD for AU$380.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2111 |
|
 1935 (Oct) Australia-England-Australia per Puss Moth 'Dabs III' which crashed in Iraq because of a blocked fuel-line, Great Britain
KGV 1d red tied by London machine of 21OCT/1935, signed "Harry J Broadbent", returned to Australia by surface mail with the airmail indicia obliterated, AAMC 538 (18 carried), Cat $550. Broadbent completed his journey per Imperial flying boat.
Illustrated in Volume Two at page 336. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$300
SOLD for AU$360.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2112 |
|
 1935 (Nov 8) England-Australia per Kingsford Smith and Pethybridge in 'Lady Southern Cross' which disappeared off the coast of
Burma, cover from England to "Sir Charles Kingsford Smith/co EA Crome/.../NSW" with British 1½d brown tied by Bristol machine, a few stains mostly on the reverse. See Volume Two at pages 348-351, illustrated at page 350, along with the enclosed
letter (no longer present) that proves 'Smithy' was carrying a small mail.
This was Charles Kingsford Smith's last flight. He & Pethybridge are believed to have crashed into or near an uncharted island off the Burmese coast. Their remains have never been recovered. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$150
SOLD for AU$115.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2113 |
D |
 1935 piece of stiff woven fabric (125x80mm approximately) endorsed in pen "Piece of fabric/from/Percival Gull Monoplane/VH-UVH/CJ
Melrose/Crashed Penrose/3.12.35 (nr Bundanoon)' & signed "Ernest A Crome" (his rarely seen formal signature). See AAMC 564, Cat $800 (12 covers carried). An unusual artefact. Penrose is in the NSW Southern Highlands. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$250
SOLD for AU$190.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2114 |
/D |
 1935 (Dec) England-Australia per Imperial Airways flying boat 'City of Khartoum' ex Brindisi, which crash-landed on approach to
Alexandria, to Brisbane with the stamps washed-off & minor damage only, 6-line 'Damaged by water when Mail/Plane City of Khartoum/crashed near Alexandria/ 31.12.35/GPO Brisbane/ 16.1.36' cachet in violet, also the roneo'd incident advice from
Brisbane of the same date, AAMC 535, Cat $325. Remarkably fine for this mail, much of which was waterlogged. See Volume Two at pages 352-372, where it is stated that about 400 items were delivered to Brisbane. Illustrated at page 360, and the slip at
page 359.
(2 items) (Image1)
(Image2)
(Image3)
|
Estimate AU$250
SOLD for AU$190.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2115 |
|
 1935 (Dec) England-Australia per Imperial Airways flying boat 'City of Khartoum' ex Brindisi, which crash-landed on approach to
Alexandria, to "Caboolture/NC Line" with the stamps washed-off but leaving the 'LON[DON]/SW TEMPY OFF[ICE]' cds obvious, 6-line 'Damaged by water when Mail/Plane City of Khartoum/crashed near Alexandria/31.12.35/GPO Brisbane/ 16.1.36' cachet in
violet with a second strike across '.../FOUND OPEN/...' label tied by 'DEAD LETTER OFFICE/ 17JA36/BRISBANE' & 'CABOOLTURE/...' cds of the same date, attractively water-stained on the face, AAMC 535, Cat $325. See Volume Two at pages 352-372:
illustrated at page 359. (Image1)
(Image2)
|
Estimate AU$300
SOLD for AU$260.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2116 |
|
 1935 (Dec) cover from Italy per Imperial Airways flying boat 'City of Khartoum' ex Brindisi, which crash-landed on approach to
Alexandria, to Sydney with the stamps lost & attractively stained from immersion in water, missent to Victoria where 'FOUND OPEN/...' label affixed with 'MELBOURNE/ 19 /19JA36/VIC' cds & tied by Sydney arrival cds of '20JA36', AAMC 535, Cat $325. See
Volume Two at pages 352-372: illustrated at pages 365-6. (Image1) (Image2)
|
Estimate AU$250
SOLD for AU$190.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
| 2117 |
/D |
 1935 (Dec) cover from Austria per Imperial Airways flying boat 'City of Khartoum' ex Brindisi, which crash-landed on approach to
Alexandria, to Sydney with one stamp & the R label remaining, the reverse with 'TELEGRAPHENAMT WIEN' cds indicating carried in the city's Pneumatic Post system, 'DARWIN NT/14JA36/AUSTRALIA' cds where the '.../FOUND OPEN/...' label was affixed &
endorsed "Recd in Wet Bag", the label being tied by 'TPO 2 SOUTH/UP16JA36/ 2 /NSW' cds, Lakemba arrival cds of the next day, previously unrecorded 'Damaged in accident/To Mail Plane' cachet in violet on the face is likely also to have been applied at
Darwin, characteristic water-staining, AAMC 535, Cat $325+. With the accompanying printed advice from the Sydney GPO. Ex Tom Frommer (private transaction). (2 items) (Image1) (Image2)
(Image3)
(Image4)
|
Estimate AU$500
SOLD for AU$380.00
Closing..Jun-24, 07:30 PM |
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