PACIFIC ISLANDS DISASTER MAIL PACIFIC ISLANDS DISASTER MAIL
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2253
Symbol: C/D
NEW ZEALAND: 1970 (June) local cover with the stamp washed-off & minor water-damage, boxed 'RECEIVED IN/DAMAGED CONDITION/AT AUCKLAND' handstamp in pale green, with the roneo'd incident advice dated 3.6.1970 "...stolen while in transit from Hamilton to Auckland and subsequently located in the Manukau Harbour..." & actually signed by the Chief Postmaster "GC Holloway" (?). The only items from this incident recorded by Brian Peace.
Inadvertently omitted from the New Zealand section.
(2 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2254
Symbol: C
FIJI: 1943 (Feb 9) American V-Mail (= airgraph) & mailing envelope processed at V-Mail Station Suva FPO 130, addressed to "Navy 223 Dept 8" which was on Tulagi in the Solomons, by air to New Caledonia, then to FPO 145 on Guadalcanal, & by local boat to Tulagi. Now late-February, the sailor had been deployed to New Hebrides where 'DIRECTORY SERVICE GIVEN AT/NAB NAVY 140' cachet applied. The sailor was by then, apparently unknown to the Records Branch, back in the States. It was forwarded to Pearl Harbor where marked 'No Record -ERO/Navy 128 S-7' & dater 'JUL 12 1943' both in red. Finally sent to "FAW 14/co FPO/SF CAL" (= Fleet Air Wing 14) at Alameda CA, where a fire at the post office caused minor damage & 'Damaged By FIRE AT/FAW 14/22844' cachet on both sides & dater '25FEB1944' on the reverse. Finally, the V-Mail was delivered, more than one year after leaving Suva. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2255
Symbol: C
GILBERT & ELLICE ISLANDS: 1944 (July) Hawaii-Ellice Islands-New Hebrides per US Navy flying boat operated by PanAm that struck another US vessel while taking off from Funafuti Lagoon, crashing & killing 22 of the 27 occupants, cover from Fort Sam Houston at San Antonio TX to "Public Works Navy 134" based at Brisbane (Qld), minor water-damage & the stamp washed-off. See Volume Four at pages 110-112, illustrated at page 110. Brian Peace has recorded only three other items from this crash. Following Pearl Harbor on 7.12.1941, trans-Pacific airmail services were maintained by the American Forces. Such services were unscheduled so it is usually very difficult to assign any cover to a particular flight. (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 300.00
Sold...AU$ 300.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 300
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2256
Symbol: C
GILBERT & ELLICE ISLANDS: 1944 (July) Hawaii-Ellice Islands-New Hebrides per US Navy flying boat operated by PanAm that struck another US vessel while taking off from Funafuti Lagoon, crashing & killing 22 of the 27 occupants, cover from Guernewood Park CA to "Sea Plane Base/Navy One Three One" based at Noumea (New Calaedonia), water-damage & the stamp washed-off. See Volume Four at pages 110-112, illustrated at page 111. Brian Peace has recorded only three other items from this crash. (Image1)
Estimate AU$400
Opening AU$ 300.00
Sold...AU$ 300.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 300
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2257
Symbol: C/D
GILBERT & ELLICE ISLANDS: 1944 (July) Hawaii-Ellice Islands-New Hebrides per US Navy flying boat operated by PanAm that struck another US vessel while taking off from Funafuti Lagoon, crashing & killing 22 of the 27 occupants, cover to Sydney, Australia with 'TUCSON/JUL13/ 1944/ARIZ' machine, the stamps washed-off & the writing barely legible still in fine condition, plus the roneo'd incident advice slip from Brisbane GPO dated 18.8.1944. Unlisted in the AAMC. See Volume Four at pages 110-112, where both items illustrated. Brian Peace has recorded only three other items from this crash.
(2 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$400
Opening AU$ 300.00
Sold...AU$ 300.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 300
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2258
Symbol: C
NETHERLANDS NEW GUINEA: 1952 (Mar) cover from the Netherlands per KLM Constellation 'Venlo' which was on fire when it made a non-fatal emergency landing at Bangkok, to "Hollandia/Niu Guinea" with Dutch 30c tied by 'sGRAVENHAGE OOST/20.III/1952' cds, attractive fire-damage & barely secured with a piece of stamp selvedge at right, the reverse with 'HOLLANDIA/26.5.52/+++' arrival & 'HOLLANDIA/29.5.52/BASIS' (= ordinary) cds and endorsed "Ex phtfl/bangkok" in red. Ex Henri Nierinck. See Volume Five at pages 55-70, illustrated at page 62. Brian Peace's census lists 22 covers, including five to Dutch New Guinea/West Irian. (Image1)
Estimate AU$400
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2259
Symbol: C/D
NETHERLANDS NEW GUINEA: 1952 (Mar) cover from the Netherlands per KLM Constellation 'Venlo' which was on fire when it made a non-fatal emergency landing at Bangkok, to "Sorong/Nieuw Guinea" amended to "Kaimana" with remnants of Dutch 10c strip of 3 tied by Amsterdam cds of '20.III/1952', with the Sydney GPO incident advice letter of 8.5.1952 & the DLO 'RE-ENCLOSED LETTER' envelope. See Volume Five at pages 55-70, illustrated at pages 63-64. Brian Peace's census lists 22 covers, including five to Dutch New Guinea/West Irian.
(3 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2260
Symbol: CO
NEW CALEDONIA: 1931 (Nov 21) New Caledonia-Queensland per Victor Roffey in 'The Golden Eagle', the departure of which was delayed for three months because of mechanical issues & poor weather, large cover with New Caledonia stamps tied by Noumea cds & multiple strikes of small 'PAR AVION' handstamp, poor Brisbane & Sydney backstamps, faults, AAMC 223, Cat $1000. See Volume Two at pages 169-173, illustrated at page 171. (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2261
Symbol: C
NEW GUINEA: 1936 (Mar 6) Wewak-Salamaua per Pacific Aerial Transport which crashed at Kaup, only 65km from Wewak, where pilot Ray Parer eventually fashioned repairs & arrived at Salamaua 11.3.1936 (backstamp), AAMC P96, Cat $500.
The printed catalogue incorrectly states that this is AAMC P94. (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 230.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2262
Symbol: C
NEW GUINEA: 1936 (Mar 6) Wewak-Salamaua per Pacific Aerial Transport which crashed at Kaup, only 65km from Wewak, where pilot Ray Parer eventually fashioned repairs & arrived at Salamaua 11.3.1936 (backstamp), cover to NSW with Undated Airs 2½d tied by superb 'WEWAK/NEW GUINEA' cds in violet, very fine 'MURRURUNDI/28MR36/NSW' arrival backstamp, AAMC P94, Cat $500. Ex Alan Jennings: sold at our auction of 17.5.2003 for $543 (Sale 103 Lot 1564). (Image1)
Estimate AU$300
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2263
Symbol: C/D
NEW GUINEA: 1936 (Sep) England-Australia per Imperial to Karachi where mails transferred to 'Athena' which burst into flames just before takeoff, with no loss of life, cover from Great Britain with KGV 1/- brown & 3d purple tied by Wolverhampton cds, to "FH Everall/Wau/New Guinea", major fire-damage, plus the printed incident advice slip from the Sydney GPO with '29th August' corrected with dater '29SEP1936' in red, AAMC P105a, unpriced. Ex Ray Kelly and Alan Grey. See Volume Three at pages 155-182, illustrated at page 179. The only recorded item to New Guinea or Papua from this major crash. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 150.00
Sold...AU$ 150.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 150
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2264
Symbol: CL/D
NEW GUINEA: 1937 stampless registered OHMS cover intended for the Volcano Emergency Flight, endorsed "Franked/J Burke" & "Rabaul/1193a" for registration, with "per 1st Air Mail/Kokopo-Sydney/..." scored-through, large-part 'KOKOPO/4JU37/NEW GUINEA' cds, the reverse with partial cds of Sydney & Adelaide and 'PARKSIDE/21JE37/SA' arrival cds, plus the enclosed note also signed "Jim Burke" stating the plane was not accepting registered mail. It was therefore sent per Burns Philp steamer 'Montoro'. Rabaul was located in the caldera of twin volcanoes that both erupted in June 1937, devastating the town & kllling 507 people.
(2 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$200
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2265
Symbol: CL
NEW GUINEA: 1940 (Mar 15) Carpenter & Co weekly service Salamaua-Rabaul per 'Carinthia' which ran out of fuel short of Kavieng & made a sea landing, without fatalities, later sinking, Central Meteorological Bureau OHMS cover to "Meteorological Observer/Dept of Agriculture/ Rabaul" with Australia 5d Ram tied by Melbourne slogan, 'RABAUL/16MR40/NEW GUINEA' arrival backstamp, two vertical folds clear of the stamp, AAMC 895, Cat $650. See Volume Four at pages 95-98, illustrated at page 97. Only four covers recorded. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 750.00
Sold...AU$ 750.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 750
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2266
Symbol: C
NEW GUINEA: 1945 (Nov 15) Jacquinot Bay-Rabaul per RAAF 'Dakota' that crashed into an unnamed mountain, killing all 28 occupants, cover from NSW to a soldier in New Guinea with 4d Koala tied by Newcastle machine, badly damaged, large-part 'AUST FPO/26FE46/180' then in use at Rabaul, roneo'd 'DELAYED CORRESPONDENCE/Recovered from/crashed aircraft' label on the face, returned to the sender's address. Unlisted in the AAMC. Sold at a Sydney auction in 2006 for $4425. See Volume Four at pages 125-7, illustrated at page 126. The only recorded cover from this incident. 'Delayed' is an understatement: the cover is backstamped more than three months after the crash. (Image1)
Estimate AU$1,000
Opening AU$ 300.00
Sold...AU$ 360.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 360
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2267
Symbol: C
NEW HEBRIDES: 1943 (Dec 21) trans-Pacific per United States Forces, cover to APO 923 then at Brisbane (Qld) with 6c Transport tied by New York slogan, minor fire-damage at the edges, superb straight-line 'SALVAGED From PLANE CRASH' cachet in purple. See Volume Four at pages 104-5, where illustrated. Brian Peace has been unable to determine the details of the crash but he identifies two 'contenders', a plane shot-up by the Japanese between Guadalcanal & Esperitu Santo on 10.1.1944 & a plane that crash-landed at Espiritu Santo on 12.1.1944. Only three covers recorded. (Image1)
Estimate AU$400
Opening AU$ 300.00
Sold...AU$ 300.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 300
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2268
Symbol: C
NEW HEBRIDES: 1943 (Dec 27) trans-Pacific per United States Forces, cover to APO 923 then at Brisbane (Qld) with 6c Transport tied by New York slogan, minor fire-damage at the base, superb straight-line 'SALVAGED From PLANE CRASH' cachet in purple. Society of Philatelic Americans Certificate (1976). See Volume Four at pages 104-5, where illustrated. Brian Peace has been unable to determine the details of the crash but he identifies two 'contenders', a plane shot-up by the Japanese between Guadalcanal & Esperitu Santo on 10.1.1944 & a plane that crash-landed at Espiritu Santo on 12.1.1944. Only three covers recorded. (Image1)
Estimate AU$400
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2269
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1935 (July-Sep) Daru-Port Moresby per RAAF flying boat which struck a coral reef on arrival at Daru & was then found to have a defective engine which took five weeks to replace, cover to Darwin with 3d Air, 'DARU/1SE35/PAPUA' cds & Moresby arrival backstamp of '5SP35', signed by the pilot"AE Hempel".
The new engine was found to be defective, delaying the next leg by three weeks, finally with Moresby cds of '26SP35' on the face & large-part 'DARWIN NT/27NO35/AUSTRALIA' arrival backstamp, AAMC P90a, Cat $600. (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 115.00
Sold...AU$ 115.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 115
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2270
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1935 (Nov 4) Port Moresby-Oroville Police Camp per Short 'Scion' floatplane that was forced to land at Kerema & ran aground at Kikori, finally reaching Oroville via Daru on 9.11.1935, cover with 3d Air & ½d Motuan Girl tied by Moresby cds, typed endorsements signed by the pilot "S Campbell" & the Assistant Resident Magistrate Upper Fly River "Cecil F Cowley", central horizontal fold & minor spotting, AAMC P93, Cat $300. (Image1)
Estimate AU$150
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2271
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1935 (Nov 27) Port Moresby-Oroville Police Camp-Daru per Short 'Scion' floatplane that made a heavy landing at Madiri, causing some damage that took three days to repair, reaching Daru on 30.11.1935 with cds of the next day, cover with 3d Air & 2d Declaration tied by Moresby cds, typed endorsement at the top, minor blemishes, AAMC P94, Cat $700. (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 230.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 230
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2272
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1937 (Oct) Port Moresby-Kikori-Lake Kutubu Police Camp per Junkers seaplane which suffered engine trouble & a leaking float at Kikori, cover with Coronation 1d pair tied by Moresby cds of 11OC37, typed endorsements on the face signed by the pilot "AA Koch" & on the reverse signed "Ivan Champion", AAMC P121, Cat $600. (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 150.00
Sold...AU$ 150.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 150
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2273
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1937 (Oct) Lake Kutubu Police Camp-Kikori-Port Moresby per Junkers seaplane which was delayed at Kikori by a problem with the tailplane, cover with Coronation 2d tied by Moresby arrival cds of '31OC37', typed endorsements on the face signed by "Ivan Champion", a little aged, AAMC P121, Cat $600.
The printed catalogue incorrectly states that this is AAMC P122, Cat $250. It is P121, Cat $600. (Image1)
Estimate AU$200
Opening AU$ 75.00
Sold...AU$ 75.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 75
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2274
Symbol: C/D
PAPUA: 1942 (June 18) loss of mail between Port Moresby & Queensland, typed advice of the incident and the loss of a parcel "as a result of enemy action" dated 29.7.1942 & signed by the Henley Beach (SA) postmaster, plus the stampless PMG's Department cover with superb 'HENLEY BEACH/29JY42/SA' cds, roughly opened at the back & amateurishly repaired. Brian Peace has been unable to identify the incident.
(2 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$100
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2275
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1944 (Mar 12) USAF 'Liberator' crashed on approach to Ward's Strip at Port Moresby, killing all occupants, charred cover from San Diego CA to a signaller at APO 929 then based at Port Moresby, pencilled crash advice on the reverse may be non-contemporary. See Volume Four at pages 106-8, where illustrated. At the time of publication (2022), Brian Peace had not been able to identify the relevant incident & stated his concern that the cover was contrived. Susbsequently, he discovered details of the crash and included the cover in his most recent exhibit. It is the only recorded example. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2276
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1944 (Sep 7) presumably per RAAF aircraft that crashed between Port Moresby & Queensland or which jettisoned at least some of its mail, stained cover with the stamp washed-off & large-part 'ARM[Y PO]/7SE44/0132' cds in use at Milne Bay, straight-line 'RECOVERED FROM THE SEA' & "signature)/OC, APO Townsville' cachets both in purple. See Volume Four at pages 46-7, where illustrated. Only this & the next lot recorded from this incident. The officer's cachet, in particular, leaves little doubt that the cover is genuine. However, Brian Peace has been unable to identify the details of a crash, which causes us to be confident that the mail was jettisoned. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 300.00
Sold...AU$ 300.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 300
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2277
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1944 (Sep 7) presumably per RAAF aircraft that crashed between Port Moresby & Queensland or which jettisoned at least some of its mail, water-damaged cover to Tatts in Hobart with KGVI 3d tied by '[ARMY PO]/7SE44/0132' cds in use at Milne Bay, straight-line 'RECOVERED FROM THE SEA' & '("signature")/OC, APO Townsville' cachets both in purple, Tatts arrival cachet of 11SEP19[44]' in red, roughly opened at the top. See Volume Four at pages 46-7, where illustrated. Only this & the previous lot recorded from this incident. The officer's cachet, in particular, leaves little doubt that the cover is genuine. However, Brian Peace has been unable to identify the details of a crash, which causes us to be confident that the mail was jettisoned. (Image1)
Estimate AU$400
Opening AU$ 150.00
Sold...AU$ 150.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 150
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2278
Symbol: C
PAPUA: 1944 (Nov 28) per RAAF flying boat Port Moresby-Townsville that collided with a bollard in Townsville Harbour, causing major damge to the plane, which sank, large-part back-panel only with large-part 'AIR FORCE PO No 71/29NO44/QLD-AUST' cds in use at Townsville and '.../OFFICIALLY SEALED' label tied by straight-line 'DAMAGED BY WATER - AIRCRAFT ACCID[ENT]' cachet in violet. See Volume Four at pages 115-120, illustrated at page 119. Only seven items recorded. (Image1)
Estimate AU$200
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2279
Symbol: C
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 1948 (May 11) registered cover to NSW State Lotteries with 5½d Emu tied by 'BUKA PASSAGE/PAPUA NEW GUINEA' cds, damage at upper-right to the Emu & another stamp lost and endorsed at lower-left "Damage by Rats/while awaiting transit/Reg Clerk (signature)" in rosine, red & black/white 'SOHANA' R label (error for 'SOHANO') the reverse with 'RELIEF No 5/15MY41/PAPUA NG' probably used at Port Moresby & Sydney arrival cds of '23MY48'. Oozing verminous character.
Buka Passage Post Office, on Sohano Island, reopened 27.8.1946; R labels wrongly inscribed 'SOHANA' issued -.10.1946; PO renamed Sohano 28.3.1949; corrected 'SOHANO' R labels issued -.5.1949. Philatelic covers with the Buka Passage/Sohana or Sohano/Sohana combinations are common but commercial items are very scarce, and this is a cracker. (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 575.00
Sold...AU$ 575.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 575
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2280
Symbol: C/D
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 1968 (Jan) Nigeria-Kenya-Lebanon per Ethiopian Airlines which made an awkward landing at Beirut causing the plane to catch fire, destroying most of the mail, but there were no fatalities, charred fragment of a cover from Kenya to "Department of Public Health/Madang,New Guinea" [sic], missent to New Zealand & forwarded to PNG in 'NEW ZEALAND POST OFFICE' ambulance cover, with typed PNG Post Office incident advice letter mentioning it had been received from New Zealand. Very strange. See Volume Five at pages 158-160, where all three items are illustrated. Unlisted by Henri Nierinck and apparently the only item recorded from this incident.
(3 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$750
Opening AU$ 190.00
Sold...AU$ 190.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 190
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2281
Symbol: CL
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 1990 (Nov 9) commercial cover from Sydney to "Arawa, Nth Solomons Province" with superb strikes of the boxed 'DUE TO POLITICAL/UNREST NO SERVICE/TO THIS DESTINATION' cachet in magenta (not previously seen by us) applied at Sydney & boxed 'RTS/POSTAL SERVICES TO BOUGAINVILLE ISLANDS/SUSPENDED DUE TO CIVIL UNREST' in purple applied at Boroko, surprisingly with 'MAIL EXCHANGE/BOROKO/21NO90/...' backstamp; and 1991 (May 10) New Zealand cover to "Panguna/Bougainville" with a poor strike of the RTS cachet (a fine strike on the reverse). Virtually all covers with the RTS cachet are philatelically contrived; commercial items are very scarce.
The so-called Bougainville Conflict (it was a civil war in all but name) failed to achieve independence for Bougainville, and resulted in the loss of thousands of lives, making it the bloodiest conflict in Oceania since WWII.
(2) (Image1)
Estimate AU$250
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2282
Symbol: C
SAMOA: 1934 (May) cover to Victoria with Huts 1d solo tied by slightly indistinct 'APIA/28MY34' cds, very fine strike of large 'DELAYED MISSED CONNECTION/PAGO PAGO' cachet in violet alongside, light toning at left. Mail from Apia missed the sailing from Pago Pago of the regular American Matson Line sailing, being forwarded by the next ship, arriving Sydney 16.7.1934. Brian Peace records only two items from this incident, both to Victoria. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2283
Symbol: C
SAMOA: 1934 (May) cover to Victoria with Huts 1d solo tied by slightly indistinct 'APIA/22MY34' cds, very fine strike of large 'DELAYED MISSED CONNECTION/PAGO PAGO' cachet in violet alongside, re-directed on arrival with 'BENDIGO/19JL34/VIC' cds and 'Try ... Shepparton" endorsement all on the front, minor wrinkling & the flap removed. Mail from Apia missed the sailing from Pago Pago of the regular American Matson Line sailing, being forwarded by the next ship, arriving Sydney 16.7.1934. Brian Peace records only two items from this incident, both to Victoria. (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 575.00
Sold...AU$ 575.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 575
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2284
Symbol: CL
SAMOA: 1954 (Sep) Netherlands-Ireland-United States per KLM Super Constellation 'Triton' that crashed into the Shannon River estuary mudflats soon after take-off from Dublin's Shannon Airport, killing 25 of the 56 occupants, large-part cover from the Netherlands to "Bank of New Zealand/Apia/Western Samoa" with the stamps washed-off, secured with a piece of plain brown tape & straight-line 'SALVAGED FROM KLM CRASH AT SHANNON' cachet in violet, light but obvious 'PORT-AU-PRINCE/HAITI - H ' backstamp where superb 'TROUVE EN/CET ETAT' cachet (= found in this state) applied in green, opened-out & truncated for display.
The routing is a mystery. It may have been missorted to Haiti (presumably at New York), or it may have been deliberately sent to Haiti-Panama-Samoa by ship. An enigma. (Image1)
Estimate AU$750
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2285
Symbol: CO/D
SAMOA: 1974 (Jan) New Zealand-American Samoa-Hawaii-Los Angeles per PanAm Boeing 707 that crashed on the final approach at Pago Pago, killing 103 of the 107 occupants, large Philips Printed Matter envelope (with the contents) from the Netherlands to "Apia/Western Samoa", fire-damage, forwarded from Honolulu in 'US POSTAL SERVICE' ambulance envelope (spotty) with the roneo'd incident advice slip. Only one other item recorded, but not sighted by Brian Peace in the past 50 years.
(3 items) (Image1)
Estimate AU$500
Opening AU$ 380.00
Sold...AU$ 380.00
Closed..Jun-24-2025, 19:30:00 EST
Sold For 380
Sale No: 260
Lot No: 2286
Symbol: C/CL
SOLOMON ISLANDS: 1949 (Nov-Dec) New York-Mexico City per American Airlines DC6 that crashed at Dallas following a botched flight manouevre, killing 28 of the 46 occupants, fire-damaged cover from New Norfolk, Virginia to "Dr Pollock/Senior Medical Officer/Honiara Guadalcanal/..." with the stamps washed-off, largely very fine 'DAMAGE DUE TO AIR MAIL/ INTERRUPTION NEAR/DALLAS TEX/NOV 29 1949' cachet in purple, plus the Post Office Department ambulance envelope with another largely very fine strike of the cachet. Almost certainly the only recorded item to the South Pacific.
(2 items) (Image1)
