Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 19015 - The Philatelic Collectors' Series Sale
Lot: 2160

(x) South Africa
1932 (13 Nov.) Victor Smith Cape Town-London Flight
1932 (13 Nov.) picture postcard of George and written there on 7 November by Charlie Griffiths (manager of the Standard Bank in George) saying "Per Victor Smith in his Gypsy Moth", bearing U.K. 1½d. cancelled by Kensington machine datestamp (15.12) and signed at a later date "VC Smith" at top and accompanied by two contemporary newspaper cuttings from Walvis Bay and Duala commenting on the flight and two 1991 letters from Victor Smith the Neville Polakow with comments about the flight and how this card was placed in a pocket of his Sidcot suit which he says accounts for why it was handled separately from those in the envelope handed to him by Griffiths. The first recorded instance of mail from this flight which first came to light in 1992. Photo

Note: The 19 year old South African pilot set out from Cape Town on an attempt on the Northbound record set by Capt. Barnard and the Duchess of Bedford. After initial good progress he was force-landed owing to a fuel line leak near Dori whilst on the sector to Gao in the Sahara. After five days in the bush Smith was found by Taureg camel drivers who aided him in obtaining petrol to resume his flight. Due to this delay his record attempt was unsuccessful, competing the flight in eleven days

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Estimate
£600 to £800