1940 (July 30) Hotel Moresby airmail cover endorsed "Aust-NZ-USA" to the Hartford Golf Club in Connecticut with scarce franking of 2/- Delta Art x2 tied by Port Moresby cds, unusually with a complete red/white 'OPENED BY CENSOR' label at left. Superb! [The Empire Route was severed after Italy entered WWII on 10.6.1940 & replaced by the very slow 'Horseshoe Route' air to Durban then sea to England. However, in April 1940, TEAL commenced a service between Auckland & Sydney to connect with PanAm's clipper service to the USA. The postage was 4/- per ½oz to America. This is by far the finest of the few Clipper covers we have seen from Papua]

Grade A+ (Image1)

Estimate AU$500

1941 (Mar 29) commercial cover to Archbishop Jarrett in England endorsed "3/11 + 3d/Registered/AUS-NZ-USA" underpaid with scarce franking of 1/- Ceremonial Structure & Airs 1/6d olive pair only tied by Port Moresby cds, the superscription crossed-through & with a largely very fine b/s of the scarce rubber 'POST OFFICE/PORT MORESBY, PAPUA' cds, 'TOWNSVILLE/31MAR41/REGISTERED' transit b/s & a largely very fine strike of the scarce ' 1/2 /NOT/ OPENED BY/CENSOR/ 1 ' h/s in violet of Townsville (Little #H1/2-3; this example illustrated by him at page 21), endorsed on the face "Recd 16 5 41" proving almost 12 weeks carriage caused by diversion to the 'Horseshoe Route', minor blemishes. A terrific cover that highlights the pitfalls of shortpaying postage in wartime. [3/11d was the Clipper rate for the second & each successive ½oz but only to the USA. The Clipper rate through to GB was 5/10d, so the cover was underpaid 1/10d + 3d for registration = 2/1d. The Horseshoe rate was only 1/6d per ½oz]

Grade A- (Image1)

Estimate AU$750