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Auction: 22020 - The Robin Gwynn Collection of New Zealand
Lot: 259

(x) New Zealand
1920-21 Pioneer Airmails
Canterbury (N.Z.) Aviation Co. Ltd.
A group of 1920-21 Pioneer Airmails of mainly letters flown aboard the Walsh Bros. & Dexter Ltd. trial flight with a couple via the Canterbury (N.Z.) Aviation Co. Ltd. (9 in all) comprising 1920 (8 Mar.) envelope from Thames to Auckland, endorsed 'By Seaplane. 24/2/20' at upper left, bearing 1½d. Victory tied by 'thames' c.d.s., signed on the reverse by the recipient, 1920 (8 Mar.) envelope from Dargaville to Auckland endorsed with 'seaplane mail' handstamp in violet, bearing KGV 1½d. orange-brown, filing folds and part of back flap missing, 1920 (9 Apr.) envelope sent to Kaitaia via the special government subsidized Auckland-Awanui flight organised by Col. Allen Bell, with 'via sea plane' cachet in black and bearing 1½d. Victory tied by Auckland c.d.s., signed by Allen Bell and the Pilot George Bolt; accompanied by a contemporary photograph of Bell and Bolt, 1920 (23 Jul.) envelope complete with contents flown via charter flight from Rawene to Matamata by Bishop Cleary piloted by George Bolt, bearing KGV 1½d. orange-brown tied by 'Rawene' c.d.s., with very fine 'per first aerial service/ hokianga to auckland/ july 23, 1920' cachet at upper left, 1920 (23 Jul.) envelope from Auckland to Whangape to L. Williams, flown on charter flight organised by Bishop Cleary, piloted by George Bolt bearing ½d. and 1d. tied by 'rawene' c.d.s., 1920 (18 Oct.) Wanganui to Hastings flown by Capt. Russell, envelope redirected to Palmerston North, bearing 1d. pair tied by c.d.s. "per aeroplane" handstamp in red and arrival c.d.s.; fine and scarce with just twenty-two items carried on this flight, three of which are known to have survived. This was the only pioneer flight from Wanganui, 1921 (9 May) envelope sent to Brixton, London via the regular weekday service from Auckland to Whangarei, using a Supermarine Channel flying boat piloted by George Bolt on the first day of the service (36 items flown), bearing Victory 6d., typed endorsement 'Per Aerial Post.' and with 'per aerial post' cachet faintly struck in purple below, 1921 (22 Jul.) envelope sent via the regular weekday service from Auckland to Whangarei, bearing KGV ½d. green and 7½d. brown tied by 'whangarei' c.d.s., the cover from Whangarei to Auckland sent during the closing days of the service which ceased on the 30th July, signed by Pilot George Bolt and 1921 (6 Apr.) envelope from Timaru to Christchurch sent via the regular weekday Christchurch-Timaru via Ashburton service, bearing KGV 7½d. brown pair, tied by 'timaru' c.d.s., endorsed 'aerial post' by the sender and with purple 'aerial post' cachet alongside. mails after the first day (31st July) were poorly supported; this cover was sent on the service's penultimate day. A lovely group of fine and rare Airmail covers

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£3,000 to £4,000

Starting price
£2400