1920 social cover to "Perth/Western Australia" with Iraq '.../IN BRITISH - OCCUPATION' Overprints ½a on 10pa & 1a on 20pa tied by two strikes of the undated triple-ring 'CIVIL POST/ AERIAL /IRAQ' cancellation in violet (Proud AM1; recorded 13.5.1919 to 25.1.1920 only), the reverse with 'BAGDAD H.O.(IRAQ)/2JAN20/...' cds (Proud D11), Melbourne Krag machine of 22JE/1920 and 'PERTH/28JE20/WESTN AUSTRALIA' arrival cds, minor imperfections, with the enclosed Indian PPC with message on both sides headed "Baghdad 24.1.20" which states "This is to give you one of the first letters by aerial mail to Australia...", AAMC 26, Cat $3250. A rare and important cover from the England-Australia Air Race. Illustrated in Volume One at pages 184-186. The AAMC states 93 covers were carried. Brian Peace has recorded only five surviving items, making this far more elusive than the Ross Smith covers ... and vastly more interesting. Absent from Tom Frommer's collection. Nelson Eustis's similar undated cover, without enclosure & flown only to India, sold in 2008 for $5240. George Matthews & Tom Kay were the first contestants to depart England on 21.10.1919, fully 23 days before the second team of Ross & Keith Smith on 12.11.1919. Their route was challenging and full of incidents, including them being imprisoned by Bolsheviks in Yugoslavia! They finally reached Baghdad 24.1.1920, where their Sopwith 'Wallaby' was overhauled. En route to Karachi, they twice incurred damage on landing. They suffered further damage in incidents at Delhi & Rangoon and ended their race by crashing into a banana plantation on Bali on 17.4.1920, almost four months after the Vickers 'Vimy' had arrived at Darwin to claim the £10,000 prize. They continued by ship, arriving at Sydney 11.6.1920, from where this cover was carried to Melbourne & probably onwards per the Trans-Australian Railway. (2 items) (Image1)

Estimate AU$4,000

1920 (Aug 10) apparently commercial cover from Melbourne to "Merinda/French Street/Hamilton Vic" with KGV 1½d brown cancelled on arrival with 'HAMILTON/ 2 / 11AU20/VIC' cds also tying 'Herald/[plane]/Air Mail' label (minor perf faults) affixed alongside, minor ink-smudging & small repaired tear at upper-centre well clear of the adhesives, AAMC 48, Cat $1800. The AAMC states that 700 items were carried but that "only about 50" have been recorded. The 'incident' was loss of daylight (!), causing an unscheduled overnight stop at Willaura, only 70km short of Hamilton. See Volume One at pages 5-8, illustrated at page 6. (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1921 (Nov 28) Hamilton Macrae Ltd cover with KGV ½d green block of 4 & Kangaroo 3d tied by Perth Krag machine cancel & cds, to Roebourne with a very fine strike of the 'skeleton' 'PERTH DERBY/4 DE 21/W A/ AERIAL MAIL' cds & 'ROEBOURNE/22DEC21/WESTN AUSTRALIA' arrival cds on the face, the address crossed-through for return to the sender, AAMC 56a, Cat $1100. A very attractive cover from Australia's first commercial airmail service. Ex Nelson Eustis: sold in 2008 for $1395. Illustrated in Volume One at page 9. Tom Frommer's similar cover sold in 2016 for $1705. This first service was experimental and was undertaken before proper landing facilities were provided at all intermediate points. Three planes were involved, leaving Perth 4.12.1921. Mail for Geraldton was delivered but, on the leg to Carnarvon, the first plane needed to make an unscheduled landing. The second craft flew low to investigate and crashed, killing the pilot & passenger. The leader, Norman Brearley, decided to suspend the contract & flew 6 bags of mail back to Perth. On 10.12.1921, they were put aboard SS 'Bambra' & taken by sea to the northern ports, arriving at Roebourne 16.12.1921. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

1921 (Dec 19) cover endorsed "Per Aerial Mail" to Perth with KGV 2d orange & Kangaroo 3d tied by 'BROOME/WESTN AUST' cds, minor blemishes & minor fault at upper-left AAMC 57b, Cat $1250. Illustrated in Volume One at page 44: #4 of the now 12 covers recorded by Brian Peace. Nelson Eustis' similar cover - to Melbourne - sold in 2008 for $1865. Norman Brearley & Charles Kingsford Smith carried the first south-bound airmail Broome-Perth. They left Broome at 2am with Brearley using a torch to read the instruments (!). Loss of engine oil caused an unscheduled landing at Cape Latouche where the plane became stuck in coastal mud & had to be dismantled. The mail was returned by horse to Broome where it was put aboard the 'Bambra' which then proceeded to rescue the aviators & their kit-plane. [The addressee was the prominent wood-carver Pansy Francis] (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,400

1921 (Dec 19) cover endorsed "Per Aerial Mail" to Carnarvon with KGV 5d tied by 'GERALDTON/ 3DE21/WESTN AUST' cds and 'BROOME/19DE21/WESTN AUST' cds, minor blemishes & light central fold, AAMC 57b(var), Cat $1250+. Illustrated in Volume One at page 26 where stated to be the only cover flown on both the inaugural north-bound flight, suspended because of the fatal crash, and the first south-bound flight, which became bogged at Cape Latouche. This came about because when the 'Bambra' carried the mail that had been returned to Perth, this cover was mis-sorted to the more northerly port of Broome. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,750

1924 (June 2) cover endorsed "Per 1st Aerial Mail/Adelaide to Sydney/2.6.24" with very late Commonwealth/State combination franking of KGV 1d violet & 1½d red + NSW QV 2d tied by Adelaide Krag machine cancel with very fine impressions of the two 'BRITISH EMPIRE EXHIBITION/...' slogan dies, Sydney machine arrival backstamp of 4JE 1924, signed "Frank C Roberts/Pilot Sopwith Wallaby Adelaide-Hay Section", "FS Briggs Pilot Hay-Sydney Section" and their mechanic "CA Butler", minor blemishes & light ironed-out vertical crease at left, AAMC 71, Cat $550 plus a premium for the autographs. Illustrated in Volume One at page 57. Forced landings were made on the first & second legs of the flight. (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1924 (June 7) cover endorsed "Per first aerial mail/Sydney to Adelaide" with KGV 1d violet 1½d red & 2d brown tied by 'DELIVERY ROOM/7JE24/GPO SYDNEY' cds, minor blemishes, AAMC 72, Cat $550. Illustrated in Volume One at page 61. Delayed by engine trouble. (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1924 (June 7) cover endorsed "By First Aerial Mail" with KGV 1d violet block of 6 (3x2) tied by 'SYDNEY/6JE24/ 22 ' cds, AAMC 72, Cat $550. Illustrated in Volume One at page 61. Delayed by engine trouble. (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1925 (Jan 26) charred remains of a cover endorsed "Per Aerial Mail" with KGV 1d green x3 & 1½d red tied by light 'ONSLOW/WESTERN AUSTRALIA' cds, with the PMG's Department (Perth) roneo'd letter about the incident, AAMC 74, unpriced. Ex Carl Hardman-Smith. Both illustrated in Volume One at pages 66-67. Only one intact cover and one other part-cover are recorded. The aircraft was preparing for take-off at Onslow when the engine backfired, igniting petrol fumes, the fire destroying the aircraft. (2 items) (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1926 cover endorsed "From London 24 June 1926/By aeroplane to/Australia/Carried by" and signed "AJCobham", addressed to Perth GPO with KGV 1½d red added & tied by 'SYDNEY/ 16AU26/ 22 ' cds, carried either by sea or rail including Trans-Australian Railway from Adelaide, on arrival boxed 'CALLED/25AU26/LCR' & 'UNCLAIMED POSTE RESTANTE/3SEP26/WESTN AUSTRALIA' cds added, DLO cds of the same date & on the reverse DLO 'Returned to Sender' label partly covering the sender's address in England so it had to be re-written on the label!, also with superb John Bull printing kit 'LEFT FOR/ENGLAND' handstamp in violet, very minor blemishes, AAMC 96, Cat $5000. A rare cover, from one of the great flights of the Pioneer Period. BPA Certificate (1956). Alan Cobham & his engineer Arthur Elliott departed Rochester, England on 30.6.1926, experiencing numerous mechanical & logistical delays, in addition to Cobham suffering from exhaustion. Over Iraq, he had to fly below a heavy dust-storm, where Elliott was mortally injured when the fuel pipe burst. After landing, it was discovered that the cause of the incident was a bullet fired from the ground! Elliott died that night & Cobham considered abandoning the flight. However, a new engineer, RAF Sgt Alan Ward, was engaged & they flew on, enduring several further misadventures through India. Only the few covers carried all the way from England were on board when Elliott was shot. At least two of these were carried by Cobham on his return flight, this being the only one returned to England by ship. (Image1)

Estimate AU$5,000

1926 (July 9) handwritten telegram 'MESSAGE FORM' 1) to "AOC/Baghdad" from "Cobham" advising response from de Havilland in England re Elliott's death including "... no necessity abandon flight" and re his replacement "can you arrange local airforce select suitable man ministry will authorise ..."; 2) of same date to Cobham "... very anxious no raf mech ... unless he is fully qualified ... also whether he is willing to volunteer ..."; and 3) of same date from Cobham "... name of mechanic suggested sgt ward ... has been instructor on jaguar ... ward is very keen to volunteer at same rate pay as elliott ..."; minor peripheral damage & reinforced with archival tape along central folds. Fascinating & important documents that highlight the speed of telegraphic communication 100 years ago. Remarkable survivors. (9 pages) (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1926 (July 23) printed cover with 'CALCUTTA TO RANGOON' in Red & stamp-size photographic '.../MR ELLIOTT.../...WAS SHOT.../...' label on the reverse and signed "LJ Singh/Dy PM Cal", India 1a brown tied by Calcutta cds & partial Rangoon arrival backstamp of 26JUL26, AAMC 99b (45 prepared), Cat $650. For details of Elliott's death, see the previous two lots. (Image1)

Estimate AU$400

1926 (Sep 4) return flight Darwin-England to "His Royal Highness/Prince of Wales/..." with Great Britain KGV ½d green & 1d red (faded) cancelled on arrival by 'THE HYDE SO NW9/2OC/26' cds, signed "Alan J Cobham" on the reverse, light central fold & light soiling, AAMC 101 (18 carried), Cat $2750. Illustrated in Volume One at page 196. Four days into the trip, a tropical rainstorm required a forced landing where a hole was discovered in one of the floats. In the following week, four more days were lost to torrential rains. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,000

1926 (Sep 4) return flight Darwin-England endorsed "per favor of Captain Cobham/..." with Great Britain KGV 1½d brown cancelled on arrival by 'THE HYDE SO NW9/2OC/26' cds, minor blemishes on the face & light toning on the reverse, AAMC 101 (18 carried), Cat $2750. Illustrated in Volume One at page 197. Four days into the trip, a tropical rainstorm required a forced landing where a hole was discovered in one of the floats. In the following week, four more days were lost to torrential rains. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

1926 (Sep 4) return flight Darwin-England unusually with combination franking of KGV 1d green, 1½d red & 2d brown tied by 'ROCHESTER/VIC' cds and Great Britain KGV 1½d brown cancelled on arrival by 'THE HYDE SO NW9/2OC/26' cds, signed "Alan J Cobham" on the face, light central fold & light soiling, AAMC 100, Cat $3500. With a very fine real photo PPC of Cobham and the accompanying 1954 letter signed "Alan J Cobham" in which he attests to the cover being genuine, having been "thrust into my hands by an Indian student in Australia before my departure ... I think Sergeant Ward ... got the cover stamped in Australia". Both items illustrated in Volume One at page 198. Four days into the trip, a tropical rainstorm required a forced landing where a hole was discovered in one of the floats. In the following week, four more days were lost to torrential rains. (3 items) (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1926 (Sep 27) return flight Darwin-England apparently social intermediate cover from Iraq with ½a Mosque x2 & 8a Camel & Flag tied by two examples of typewritten 'BY AIR/Iraq to Great Britain/with Alan Cobham' handstamp & two strikes of 'BAGHDAD HO (IRAQ)/27SEP26/...' cds, 'LONDON/2OC/26/FS 56' arrival backstamp, minor opening defects, AAMC 101c, Cat $750. (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1927 social cover endorsed "By Air Per Capt Lancaster/& Mrs Miller" to Calcutta with the enclosed note headed "216(B) Squadron/Heliopolis/30.10.27" introducing Lancaster and requesting that the addressee "show him the ropes", however, Lancaster forgot to deliver the cover, arriving Darwin 19.3.1928, five months after departing England. Carried on the return flight with KGV 1½d tied by 'CANBERRA/4AP28/FCT' cds and 'CALCUTTA GPO/DELY/30APR28' arrival backstamp, signed at upper-left "WA Lancaster" & "JM Miller". Unlisted in the AAMC. Only two covers were carried from England, & they were probably destroyed. This is therefore the only surviving cover, enhanced by its epic trip Egypt-Calcutta-Australia-Calcutta. The flyers experienced numerous mechanical delays, plus monsoonal rains & illness. They had to return to Calcutta where Lancaster had left all their money, but it had vanished. On leaving Rangoon, a poisonous snake was found on board, which Mrs Miller beat to death with a stick. Leaving Muntok for Batavia, Lancaster forgot to switch on the fuel-pump, causing the engine to die & the plane to crash, with almost fatal consequences. The plane had to be re-built, delaying them for a further four months! (2 items) (Image1)

Estimate AU$2,000

1928 (Jan) cover endorsed at upper-left "Posted at Melbourne under cover to Deputy Director Posts & Telegraphs Sydney" with KGV 1½d red x3 & 'Angel' airmail label tied by 'SPECIAL/ 4JA28/=NSW=' cds, intended for carriage on the first attempt to fly across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, returned to the sender - because no official mail had been authorised - with superb 'MELBOURNE/ 20 /10JA28/VIC' arrival backstamp, minor blemishes. Described but not listed in the AAMC. Capt George Hood and Lt John Moncrieff left Richmond NSW on 10.1.1928, the day the cover was received back in Melbourne, but they never arrived & were lost without a trace. This cover is the only recorded article of mail related to the ill-fated flight. Illustrated in Volume One at page 219. (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1929 (Mar 30) Australia-England per 'Southern Cross' unstamped cover with embossed 'TOWN HALL SYDNEY' on the flap, to the Lord Mayor of London with very fine 'RICHMOND/ 30MR29/NSW' cds & signed "CTP Ulm" at upper-left, with the enclosed letter of greetings signed "JGarlick" Chief Commissioner of the Sydney City Council (the de facto Lord Mayor 1928-30), see AAMC 131 & 142, Cat $2750. Perhaps the most significant items from the so-called 'Coffee Royal Affair': see Volume One pages 77-93 & illustrated at pages 87 & 88. (2 items) The flight was delayed by bad weather in NSW. Intending a non-stop flight to Wyndham WA, & over-burdened with fuel, "non-essential items" such as tools & rations were left behind. Soon after takeoff they lost their radio aerial & could not receive messages. On arrival, visibility was so poor, they missed Wyndham, ran out of fuel, and ended-up landing on a remote beach, after 27 hours flying time. A full-scale search including Qantas planes and the RAAF took 12 days to locate them. Then they were accused of the incident being a publicity stunt (!). The flight to England was abandoned & they flew back to Sydney. On 25.6.1929, with the 'Coffee Royal' covers in hand, they left again for England, arriving 10.7.1929 after an uneventful flight. (Image1)

Estimate AU$1,500

1929 (July 13) local cover with Great Britain Postal Union Congress KGV 1½d brown with 'AAO/Co' commercial perfin tied by London machine cancel, to the Lord Mayor of London with enclosed letter regarding carriage of the letter from John Garlick - see previous lot - & signed "C Kingsford Smith" & "CTP Ulm", the cover with repaired opening tears across the flap, the letter is very fine. A very unusual item related to the famous 'Coffee Royal Affair'. See Volume One at pages 77-93. (2 items) (Image1)

Estimate AU$250

1929 (May 18) flight from England per James Moir and Harold Owen (both ex RAAF) in Vickers 'Vellore' which encountered numerous interruptions & ran out of fuel approaching the Northern Territory coast, crashlanding in a remote mangrove swamp near the Cape Don Lighthouse, a Jack Buscall (Darwin) real photo postcard of the plane at Cape Don, unused. Illustrated in Volume One at page 229. (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

1929 three covers to Victoria with 'ONSLOW' cds of 20OC1929 (ran out of fuel & made an emergency landing at Rawlinna on the Trans-Australian Railway), of 10NO1929 (broken oil pipe forced an emergency landing at Southern Cross) or 18FE1930 (delayed at Forrest for 4 days due to heavy rains), each with appropriate endorsement. Illustrated in Volume One at pages 100 103 & 108 and each stated to be the only recorded cover from these incidents. They are also the only recorded incidents on the trans-Australia service until the 'Viastra' crash in 1933: see Lot 2093. (3) (Image1)

Estimate AU$750

1930 (Jan 1) registered Sheard cover from the inaugural Brisbane-Sydney service per 'Southern Sky' which made a forced landing in northern NSW, ripping off the undercarriage, AAMC 148, Cat $250. The passengers & mail were driven to Casino to catch a train for Sydney. The plane was repaired at the crash site and flown out by Charles Kingsford Smith on 17.1.1930. (Image1)

Estimate AU$100

1930 (May 27) commercial airmail cover from NSW to Darwin with 3d Air only tied by 'COOGEE/NSW' cds, mss "T3(d)" in red & 'TAX 3D'-in-oval handstamp, apparently oil-stained with 'DAMAGED WHEN/LANDED/at Darwin' handstamp in violet on both sides, Postage Due 1d x3 tied to reverse by 'DARWIN NT/7JE30/ AUSTRALIA' cds. Ex Allan Walker (Bega): sold at our auction of 15.5.2004 for $582 (Sale 110 Lot 448). Illustrated in Volume One at page 113 but with no details of the incident. The only recorded cover from this incident. (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1930 (Aug 20) commercial surface-mail cover to California with KGV ½d orange x2 and 'TWO/PENCE' on 1½d red tied by 'BALRANALD/NSW' cds, carried by trans-Pacific ship to San Francisco (?) where missorted into the eastbound airmail stream for which, of course, no fee had been pre-paid, attractive fire-damage at the edges & the panels separated, superb strike of 'DAMAGED IN PLANE FIRE/AT WARREN OHIO 9.21.[30]' in violet. On the Chicago-New York sector, the pilot made a successful unscheduled night-landing but clipped a house, causing the plane to burst into flames. American covers from this incident are common but only three items from Australia, all to the same addressee, have been recorded. See Volume One at pages 251-2, where it is illustrated. (Image1)

Estimate AU$500