1919 Ross Smith First Aerial Post Vignette On Cover

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1919 Ross Smith First Aerial Post Vignette On Cover

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The very first Aerial Mail from Europe to Australia.

And this is one of the handful of covers surviving from that epic journey 86 years ago. With three strikes of the highly sought after oval cachet, two strikes being clear of the adhesive and both fine and clear (three strikes is exceedingly unusual). Has the scarce three-line handstamp between the strikes, in light violet (does not photocopy or scan too at all well due to light violet colour!) reading, per line: "Per/Vickers 'Vimy' Aeroplane/to Australia."

A very comprehensive recent survey of the existing covers by Nelson Eustis showed that less than HALF had this official cachet applied. Cover is addressed to North Adelaide, (recipient's name partly exised) and South Australian destinations were obviously far fewer than to Victoria or N.S.W. in the survey, as S.A. a far smaller state in population terms.

Those existing to South Australia with the three-line cachet are very few. Annotated "Per air post per favour of Mr. Keith Smith" indicating a close friend was the recipient. (I have with the kind assistance of the late Mr. Nelson Eustis been able to confirm the address originally on this cover was Mrs. J. K. Samuel, 214 Ward Street, North Adelaide.)

Very attractive multi-colour cover. Indigo adhesive, violet cachet, black handstamps, blue/black address, with receipt notation at lower left in a very bold carmine red. (Not that you'd know this from the dreadful scan!) The adhesive itself is fine and well centred, and in unusually nice condition for these.

Many - in fact nearly ALL existing adhesives are dog eared, creased, toned, and/or with margin tears, or indeed pieces missing, due to age, and the peculiar practice of the lone duty P.O. clerk at the time placing them all extremely close, (indeed often slightly overlapping) the top right hand edge of cover in all the examples I have sighted in photographs in sale catalogues. Even adhesives soaked OFF covers can sell for Ł1,500+ in the UK if in decent condition.

Fascinating notation on reverse, in the same bold carmine red hand, regarding the journey of the cover, the flight, and consequent delays. Sender has obviously written this upon receipt in Adelaide, March 1920. There can not be too many vintage airmail covers of this distance involved, (10,000 or so miles) from anywhere in the world where the sender in London was in fact the recipient in Adelaide.

The sender as you can see gave the envelope personally to (Sir) Keith Smith when in London on November 3, and then left herself by sea for Australia. The flight departed November 12th. The writer arrived by BOAT into Sydney on December 24th, yet the 'flight' to Australia did not arrive into Darwin, Northern Australia, until December 10th, (about a month in transit) and then took a considerable time after that to reach Sydney - on February 14th, 1920! And Adelaide in March. So much for the speed of the Air. So the sender took the long sea journey to Australia, and yet the "air mail" letter arrived in her letter box 9 weeks after she did by sea!

With a clear 1993 Holcombe Switzerland photo certificate of authenticity, and signed to left of adhesive by Holcombe. A legendary world aero-philatelic rarity, of the first order, fully expertised. An flown cover from this historic journey is something all collectors dream of, but one with this unique history documented on the reverse is an exhibition or aero collector MUST. Auction prices for this item in the UK are often DOUBLE this amount! At the present pathetic exchange rate this is only a tad over $US2,500 and Ł1,800. Totally unique and spectacular exhibition or investment item.

I apologise for the ATROCIOUS quality scans here. Done by a colleague and emailed to my webmaster. I will update it when my new scanner is all installed.

Lot Number R 1

Price $A5,000

Certificate of Authenticity

Click HERE for a 3x enlargment (see the detail)

On reverse (below), in the same bold carmine red hand, notes regarding the journey on the cover,

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