World Aerophilately

**The Vora Collection of India Airmail Postal History**
LotNo.	Symbol	CatNo.	Lot Description
1			India, 1911 (Feb. 18), World's First Official Airmail Flight Cover, Allahabad. A lovely 1a ke8 with a perfectly coordinated magenta "First Air Post/U.P. Exhibition Allahabad" pictorial cancel; black "Allahabad/18 FE./11" origin and "Wellesley Street/20 FE. 11/Calcutta" receiver on reverse; heavy horizontal fold through address, but still a Fine to Very Fine popular and scarce cover, a chance to own a true first. Muller 1 (5,000 points). AAMC 1. Estimate $300 - 400 A number of exhibition mail-carrying flights were arranged in connection with the United Provinces Industrial and Agricultural Exhibition at Allahabad through the cooperation of the Postmaster General. Mail was carried from the fairgrounds to Naini Junction, about five miles distant, by French aviator M. Pequet. Approximately 6500 letters and cards were carried in all. (Image)	Suggested Bid $300-400 SOLD for $300.00 Will close during Public Auction
2			India, 1920 (Jan. 24), Second-Day Flight Cover, Bombay to Karachi. With postage paid by 8a and ½a King George V definitives, tied by central strike of "Bombay/[Airplane]/24 JAN 20/Air Post" c.d.s. with "Air Post" noted in manuscript at upper left; backstamped matching Karachi 25 JAN 20 receiver; service on this route was inaugurated on Jan. 23; central file fold of no consequence; four hinge remnants along top of reverse, otherwise Very Fine. Muller 3 var (2,500 points). Estimate $300 - 400. (Image)	Suggested Bid $300-400 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
3			India, 1920 (Feb. 11), Experimental Service Flight Cover, Bombay to Karachi. Sent Registered (10a6p postage) with stamps of the multi-color franking tied by three nice strikes of commemorative "Bombay/7 Feb 20/Air Post" c.d.s.'s; front bears Bombay G.P.O. Registry label, while back has crystal-clear "Karachi/12 Feb. 20/Air Post" matching receiver, Very Fine, a very pretty cover. AAMC 3a. Estimate $200 - 300. (Image)	Suggested Bid $200-300 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
4			India, 1920 (Feb. 15), Early Experimental Service Cover, Karachi to Bombay. Bearing King George V definitives (a pair and a single 1½a, plus a single 4a), all tied by two clear "Karachi/[Airplane]/15 FEB. 20/Air Post" c.d.s.'s with manuscript Aerial Post instructions above; backstamped matching Bombay next-day receiver; the first Karachi-Bombay return flight took place Jan. 24, Very Fine, A.A.M.C. notes that many of these dispatches are scarce. AAMC 3a. Estimate $250 - 350. (Image)	Suggested Bid $250-350 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
5			India, 1920 (Feb. 23), Experimental Service Cover, Bombay to Karachi. Bearing 10a6p in total postage; stamps cancelled/tied by three strikes of double-ringed "Bombay/[Airplane]/23 FEB. 20/Air Post" cancels; front also shows manuscript "Via Bombay-Karachi Air Post/Registered" instructions and Karachi commercial cancel; reverse bears matching Karachi next-day receiver, Bombay G.P.O. Registration label (sealing tip of backflap) and small "G.H.B." straightline handstamp at lower right; envelope roughly opened at left (away from stamps and markings) resulting in the loss of some paper, otherwise Very Fine. Muller 3 (2,500 points). AAMC 3a. Estimate $300 - 400 This special airmail service between Bombay and Karachi was established to expedite mail arriving from or leaving for England. The inaugural flight took place January 23, 1920, with 14 trips made in all through mid-March. According to the A.A.M.C., about 3730 pieces of mail were flown, with many dispatch dates scarce. (Image)	Suggested Bid $300-400 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
6			India, 1925 (May 13), De Pinedo First Flight Cover, Calcutta to Melbourne. cover bisected as always; franked by two 1a King George V definitives (uncancelled), addressed to Sydney, with light red straightline "Calcutta to Melbourne by Seaplane, 13/5/25" and darker red two-line "Italian Consul General's (Melbourne) letter of 12-11-25./No. 750/11." handstamps on front; pictorial "Italian World Air Flight" cachet on reverse, along with H.D. Thithwaite signature and S.H.S. initials, envelope slit top and bottom for display, Very Fine, only 93 carried. Muller 15 (6,000 points). Estimate $500 - 750 The story goes that the pilot, De Pinedo, cut off the left side of every cover flown due to a dispute with the flight promoters. (Image)	Suggested Bid $500-750 SOLD for $500.00 Will close during Public Auction
7			India, 1925 (June 12), First Flight Return Cover, Hindubagh to Quetta. Clean envelope bearing 1a King George V definitive, neatly tied by Hindubagh 12 JUN 25 bridge-type c.d.s., backstamped by matching Quetta same-day receiver; back also bears S.H. Smith signature and a pencil notation "22 lbs of mail"; vertical file fold well away from stamps and markings, otherwise Very Fine, extremely scarce; owner notes Robson Lowe Encyclopedia lists 12 pieces carried (Muller gives this figure for outbound Quetta-to-Hindubagh flight, but omits figures for this return flight). Muller 16a (7,500 points). Estimate $500 - 750. (Image)	Suggested Bid $500-750 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
8			India, 1926 (Jan. 2), RAF First Flight Cover, Calcutta to Risalpur. A spotless cover addressed to Patna and bearing photographic etiquette of plane over elephant tied by 1a definitive and 2 JAN. 26 double-ring bridge c.d.s. (town indistinct); bilingual "Hawasae/By Air" handstamp at lower left; Patna same-day receiver/delivery on reverse; top and sides open for display, which reveals a telling handwritten notation on the inside of the envelope: "Steinmetz Auc/1929 Lot 476/$8"—even as the Great Depression took hold, Very Fine+, a previous owner noted in pencil "69 letters", but Muller cites 51 pieces were flown. Muller 18a (3,500 points). Estimate $750 - 1,000. (Image)	Suggested Bid $750-1,000 SOLD for $450.00 Will close during Public Auction
9			India, 1926 (Apr. 4), Cover from Aborted Botved Flight, Calcutta to Tokyo. Franked by uncancelled 1a and 2a King George V definitives over "Avail Air Mails/and/Save Time" etiquette, the latter placed over a printed four-line red corner card and tied by two-line violet "By Danish Fokker Aeroplanes 1926./Calcutta to Tokio." handstamp; two violet Royal Danish Consulate in Calcutta handstamps, one with manuscript "Calcutta to Tokio 3/4/26/S.H.S." note in red; finally black straightline "Received ." handstamp with manuscript "back, 23rd May 26" date; reverse with small adhesions from note about flight (included), still Very Fine, Field #14b, very scarce: one of only 31 covers flown. Muller 21 (4,000 points). Estimate $600 - 800 An adventurous cover, to say the least. Danish pilots Herschend and Botved left Calcutta on April 3, 1926, with 31 letters that the Danish Consul had turned over to them. Herschend's plane was damaged in a forced landing later that day at Kambet, outside of Rangoon, and was abandoned. Botved continued alone to Rangoon and then onto China where, at Ninghai, the plane fell into the hands of Chinese bandits. The bandits burned the plane and robbed Botved of his valuables—but left him the mail, which he handed over to British authorities for return to Calcutta. There, the Danish Consul endorsed their delivery by a second consular handstamp at bottom right and the straightline dater. (Image)	Suggested Bid $600-800 SOLD for $1,500.00 Will close during Public Auction
10			India, 1926 (Apr. 4), First Flight Cover, Calcutta to Rangoon. With two ½a definitives flanking a tri-color "Avail Air Mails/and/Save Time" etiquette, all tied by two strikes of "Mill Road/4 APR 26/Rangoon" double-ringed bridge c.d.s.'s; front further bears two-line black "By Danish Fokker Aeroplanes 1926./Calcutta to Rangoon." handstamp and faint violet Danish Consular Seal; two sets of staple holes in address do not detract, still Very Fine, rare; one of only 78 pieces flown by Botved. Muller 22 (2,500 points). Estimate $400 - 600. (Image)	Suggested Bid $400-600 SOLD for $325.00 Will close during Public Auction
11			India, 1926 (July 23), Arthur Elliott Mourning Cover, Cobham First Flight, England to Australia. 1a King George V cancelled Calcutta G.P.O./23 JLY.26 on black-bordered envelope recounting Cobham and Elliott's flight from the River Medway through their departure for Bandar Abbas and Basra, "as Mr. Elliot was shot on the way from Bagdad [sic]"; addressed to Steinmitz in Rangoon, with "Calcutta to Rangoon" printed in red at top and bottom of envelope face; reverse with Rangoon 26 JUL 26 Delivery stamp and pictorial photographically-reproduced label (with SHS initials below) reading, "Mr Elliott engineer of the D.H.60, was shot on July 5th near Basra. He died on July the 6th."; envelope slit left and right for display; bottom edge starting to weaken, still Very Fine, very scarce; perhaps 45 covers carried on this flight. Muller 27 (4,000 points). Estimate $350 - 500. (Image) (Image2)	Suggested Bid $350-500 SOLD for $700.00 Will close during Public Auction
12			India, 1927 (Jan. 10), Imperial Airways' "Hercules" First Flight, Karachi to Delhi. Solid strike of "Viceroy's Camp/10 JAN 27" barred-bridge c.d.s. ties 1a King George V definitive to cover with black boxed flight cachet, violet "By the D.H. 'City of Delhi'" straightline and "17" in cogged-circle handstamps; reverse with next-day receiver and signature of U.M. [A.M.?] Quettawalla, Very Fine, one of 27 covers flown, this being #17. Muller 30 (3,500 points). Estimate $300 - 400 The "Hercules" aircraft had flown England to India 1926-27, transporting Air Minister Sir Samuel Hoare and his party to inaugurate the London-Karachi Air Service. (Image)	Suggested Bid $300-400 SOLD for $225.00 Will close during Public Auction
13			India, 1927 (Feb. 14), First Flight Cover, Karachi to Delhi. From the final leg of Stack and Leete's inaugural London—Karachi—Delhi flight; franked by 1a King George V definitive tied by violet flight cachet with Karachi/G/13 FEB. 27 origin c.d.s. at left; reverse bearing "Royal Air Force Display 1927" pictorial cancel and Delhi 19 FEB 27 receiver, Very Fine, "scarce per R. Lowe" penciled on reverse; Muller cites 900 items carried. Muller 32 (1,250 points). Estimate $250 - 350. (Image)	Suggested Bid $250-350 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
14			India, 1927 (Feb. 15), First Flight Cover, Official Dispatch by Light Airplane, Karachi—Delhi—Calcutta. Bearing a 1a King George V definitive tied by violet boxed commemorative cancel, with manuscript "By 'Moth' Aeroplane" notation upper left and Karachi 15 FEB 27 origin lower left; backstamped special "Royal Air Force Display 1927" with airplane fancy cancel dated Delhi/Dely. 18.2.27 with additional Park Street Calcutta 20 FEB 27 receiver; addressed to Stephen Smith in Calcutta; pilots Stack & Leete, Very Fine. Muller 33 (1,000 points). AAMC 5. Estimate $200 - 300. (Image)	Suggested Bid $200-300 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
15			India, 1927 (Apr. 7), Printed Matter Cover, Bombay to Leicester. Sent via Karachi on the Basra-to-Cairo flight; franked with three ½a King George V definitives (pair and single) plus a 2a definitive, with bold manuscript "By Basra-Cairo Airmail Service/Urgent. Printed Matter" notation at top center, and boxes "Air Mail Service/Basra-Cairo/(Karachi G.P.O.)" handstamp at lower left; postage tied by two strikes of "Elphinstone Circle/Bombay" 7 APR 27 c.d.s.; backstamped across unsealed flap by Basrah sorting office 15 APR 27 dater; small strip under "Cairo" missing—of no consequence, Very Fine, an interesting cover. Estimate $300 - 400. (Image)	Suggested Bid $300-400 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
16			India, 1927 (28 Apr.), Possibly Earliest Airmail Printed Matter Rate Cover, Bombay to London. With proper franking of 3½a Airmail and Printed Matter rates (2a6p and bottom margin vertical pair of ½a King George V definitives), cancelled with incomplete Bombay 28 APR 27 c.d.s.'s, with "Via Air Mail - Urgent/Basra - Cairo" in manuscript and handstamped "Printed Matter" and "Air Mail Service/Basra-Cairo/(Karachi G.P.O.)" indicators; backstamped across unsealed flap Basra 4 May 27; cover appears reduced at right but is fully intact, the ½a pair are just placed right at the edge, Very Fine, worthy of research. Estimate $250 - 350. (Image)	Suggested Bid $250-350 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
17			India, 1927 (June 25), KLM First Flight Cover, Calcutta to Batavia. Exceptionally clean cover bearing special three-line commemorative imprint at upper left, with 1a King George V definitive and tri-color "Avail Air Mails/and/Save Time" etiquette both tied by Calcutta G.P.O. bridge-type cancel dated 25 JUN 27; backstamped along flap by Rangoon B.P.O. and Churchill Road 27 JUN 27 deliveries; flight piloted by Geyssendorffer; Boesman #10a, Very Fine+, only 48 of these special envelopes were carried. Muller 39 (3,500 points). Estimate $400 - 600. (Image)	Suggested Bid $400-600 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
18			India, 1927 (Sept. 1), Printed Matter Cover, Bombay to London. Clean with "Via Air Mail Service/Karachi-Cairo" (with manuscript correction of "Basra" over "Karachi") corner card; "Urgent" and "Printed Matter" further printed or handstamped on front; postage (1a, 2a & ½a King George V definitives) and "Via Air Mail" etiquette tied by two strikes of "Bombay G.P.O./F" 1 SEP 27 c.d.s.; backstamped Basrah sorting office 9 SEP 27; from the "International Stamp & Commercial Agency" in Bombay; left half of backflap sealed down, otherwise Very Fine, nice usage. Estimate $250 - 350. (Image)	Suggested Bid $250-350 CLOSED Will close during Public Auction
19			India, 1928 (Feb. 3), First Flight Cover, RAF Calcutta—Akyab—Rangoon. Franked by 1a postage (pair of 3p and single ½a King George V definitives), tied by Park Street, Calcutta 3 FEB 28 c.d.s.'s; front with special flight label; reverse with Rangoon G.P.O. receiver and B.P.O. delivery, along with handstamped "Stephen H. Smith."; slight wrinkling of envelope from application of label, still Very Fine, scarce; manuscript notation on reverse notes "63 letters carried", but R. Lowe Encyclopedia and Muller report 244 carried, Cooper notes 92 items carried. Muller 55 (1,500 points). Estimate $300 - 400. (Image)	Suggested Bid $300-400 SOLD for $160.00 Will close during Public Auction
20			India, 1928 (May 16), Akyab (Burma) Crash Cover from D'Oisy & Carol's Flight, Calcutta to Rangoon. Carried on the Calcutta-to-Rangoon leg of the French aviators' Le Bourget-to-Tokyo flight; franked with 1a total postage (four 3p King George V definitives, each tied by a "Calcutta G.P.O./4 MAY 28" origin c.d.s.); front with salmon-colored label with printed red-and-green cachet of airplane, with "From Calcutta/By Air" inscription in black, plus two "DOISY AND CAROL" straightline handstamps (one with plane) in green; additional two-line cachet in red (further tying one of the stamps!) applied at right after the crash; reverse with large French Consulate Calcutta sigil handstamp and "S.H.S." signature, Very Fine, one of only 121 pieces flown. Nierinck 280516; SFr 420 ($440). Estimate $250 - 350 Following the forced landing and crash at Akyab's race course, mail from the flight was forwarded by the normal route. (Image)	Suggested Bid $250-350 SOLD for $160.00 Will close during Public Auction