Lot No. 982
| Auction No. | 36 |
| Category |
Airmails - Australia Airmails |
| Est. | $4500 |
| Status | SOLD $5750 |
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 tying vignette with an additional strike of this cachet top right. Originating in Iraq, it is addressed to "Miss Rita Fauckner, 293 Hay St, Perth, West 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.100. This env is also signed on the reverse by Jim Bennett & endorsed by him "Darwin 12.12.19". Incls the original correspondence dated "10/1/19 Bagdad" reading "Just a note which will be taken by the Handley Page machine which arrived here yesterday from England en-route to "Aussie"." Signed off "Alfy". Incls notes speculating about the time difference between the letter being written and the flight timetable plus details of the author & that the "Jim" referred to was the nickname for Rita. Condition rated as "A5" by Frommer. AAMC 27, Cat. from $5250
Image represents an extract of the lot.