Lot No. 369
| Auction No. | 33 |
| Category |
Airmails - Australia Airmails |
| Est. | $4500 |
| Status | SOLD $4500 |
1919 (12th Nov) England to Australia flight cover flown by Ross & Keith Smith, Jim Bennett & Wally Shiers on their winning flight complete with the vignette tied by the "FIRST AERIAL MAIL GREAT BRITAIN TO AUSTRALIA" oval cachet bottom left with an additional strike of this cachet top right. Addressed to "Mrs EG Waterhouse, Beltana, Far North Sth Australia". Originally a special commemorative stamp was requested for the covers carried on the flight but the Australian Post Office decided to apply the vignette instead, larger than an ordinary stamp & with no face value. Listed in "The Ross Smith Stamp & It's Postal History Reference Guide" by Tom Frommer as No.352. Incls A. Roig Soler (Barcelona) Cert. (1956) & later BPA Cert. (2002). Condition rated as "A3" by Frommer. Mounted in a wooden frame under glass, the lower half of frame being an invitation card from "The President and Member of the 3rd Light Horse Regimental Social Club Request the Honour of your Presence at the Welcome Home to Capt. Ross Smith DFC, M.C. AT THE ADELAIDE TOWN HALL ON THE EVENING OF HIS ARRIVAL (to be advertised)" with subtext reading "H.H. Hannan, President Geo. Lomax, Hon. Sec". Some spotting on the card but a rare piece in combination with the cover. AAMC 27, Cat. from $5250. Accompanying correspondence shows the vendor paid $5280 in 2006.
Image represents the entire lot.