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Sale 27: The Autumn Sale

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British Commonwealth - Hong Kong: Airmail Covers

Lots 653-662 Lot 663

Lot 653    

Hong Kong, 1925 Hong Kong by Sea to San Francisco. Then air to Chicago, cover bearing combination of Hong Kong KGV 10c, cancelled "Hong Kong 25 Mar 25", and US 2c Harding imperforate pair (Scott 611) plus 6c biplane pair (Scott C1), cancelled "U.S. Transpacific Sea Post S.F. No. 18 East Mar 28 1925" (MPS type E-2: #18: 1924-25), this duplex also tying Hong Kong stamp. Manuscript "Via airmail from San Francisco to Chicago" and with purple "Over - Night Air Mail Service" also hand-stamped on US stamps and again below. On back: "San Francisco Calif Apr 21", and private "Apr 24 Rec'd". Crewe records a Hong Kong 36c rate by sea to US, then onward transmission by air, effective 1927. This combination usage predates that recorded rate by two years, Very Fine, no other example has been seen.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

Realized: $1,100

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Lot 654    

Hong Kong, 1933-38 Hong Kong Airmail Covers. 5 covers; from G.B., U.S. & Indo-China, also to US and Germany, 1) cover (minor opening damage at top and back flap), with GB KGV 1/-, 6d pair, and 1 ½ d stamps, cancelled "Templecombe - S.O. 23 Ja 33", with "Saigon Central Cochinchine 3 -2 33" transit cds, and "Hong Kong 11 Fe 33" (Webb type M) arrival cds. An early and seldom seen commercial usage by Air Orient to Saigon, and then by ship to Hong Kong, this service having begun in Aug 1932. 2) Cover bearing IndoChine airmail adhesives, cancelled "Hanoi R.R. Tonkin 9 - 7 38", with a second strike on the back: 12-7 38, and 13 July cachet commemorating the first of four Air France trial flights to Hong Kong. Pair of Hong Kong KGVI 2c on back cancelled 14 JY 38. 3) From US bearing 5c Teddy Roosevelt stamps (14), cancelled "San Francisco Calif. Dec 31" duplex, with inverted "1937" between, and "Clipper Ship Air Mail" cachet. 4) Envelope franked $2.40, cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 11 De 37", double the $1.20 airmail rate to Europe. An internal Lufthansa letter, although pre-WWII Hong Kong airmail service was not provided by that company. Carried by Imperial Airways on its last service via Penang. 5) Envelope with KGV $3 green and black, $1 purple and blue, and 20c violet and green stamps, cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 4 Ja 37". This $4.20 per half ounce rate for sea mail (20c) from Hong Kong to Manila, then Pan American Airways "China Clipper" service to San Francisco was in effect only Mar 1936 to Apr 1937. About a dozen examples of this $4.20 rate for combination sea / air transpacific routing seen.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $250

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Lot 655    

Hong Kong, 1936 Hong Kong Airmail to U.S. Two covers at $4.20 per half ounce for sea mail (20c) from Hong Kong to Manila, then Pan American Airways "China Clipper" service to San Francisco. Although PAA transpacific service to Manila began in Nov 1935 (FAM 14), Hong Kong PO did not officially announce service and provide a rate structure until 2 Mar 1936. This rate and combination sea / air routing was effectively eliminated when PAA extended air service to Hong Kong in Apr 1937. Both covers bear 1934 type "By Air Mail / Par Avion" etiquette. 1) Commercial airmail envelope with KGV $2 carmine and black pair and 20c violet and green cancelled "Hong Kong Air Mail 20 Oc 36", to Chicago. 2) Envelope with KGV $3 green and black with upper left corner sheet selvage, $1 purple and blue with sheet number "2" selvage at top, and 20c violet and green, cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 9 De 36" to Oberlin, O., Very Fine, about a dozen examples of this $4.20 rate for combination sea / air transpacific routing seen.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $525

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Lot 656    

Hong Kong, 1936-71 Airmail & First Flight Covers. An interesting lot of 50 covers with various frankings & usages, most all are flight covers, noted are nine covers carried on the 1936 Hong Kong-Penang-London flight, also one cover carried on 1939 FAM #18 with combination franking of United States, France & Hong Kong, Very Fine, an interesting lot worth inspection (no photo).
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $550

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Lot 657    

Hong Kong, 1937 Hong Kong to San Francisco "FAM-14" First Flight Covers. 6 covers; including first around-the-world flight 1) Large envelope bearing US 20c and 50c cancelled "New York GPO Apr 19 1937", with "San Francisco Calif. Apr 21 1937", and "Victoria Hong Kong 28 Ap 37" cds on back, carried by Pan American Airways on first transpacific flight to Hong Kong (FAM 14). Malaya stamps cancelled "Penang 6 My 1937", carried to Holland by KLM, with bridged "Luchthaven Amsterdam Schiphol 10 V 1937" back-stamp. Netherlands stamps cancelled "Amsterdam Central Station 15 5 1937". Brazilian stamps cancelled "Correio Aereo D. Federal 20v. 37" for return to New York. First around-the-world flight. 2) Large fancy cover, with colored route map, from "San Francisco Calif. Apr 21 1937", and on back: "Victoria Hong Kong 28 Ap 37" arrival cds. 3) As last routing, normal FFC. 4) Cover with $2.80 Hong Kong franking cancelled "Hong-Kong Air Mail 29 Ap 37", with "San Francisco Cal May 4 1937" arrival cds on back. 5) Legal size envelope with correct $1.80 Hong Kong franking, cancelled "Hong-Kong Air Mail 29 Ap 37", with "Honolulu Hawaii May 2 1937" arrival cds on back. 6) As last, normal size airmail cover. All with appropriate cachets, Very Fine overall.
Estimate    $200 - 250.

Realized: $220

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Lot 658    

Hong Kong, 1937 Hong Kong to United States First Flight. Lot of 86 covers carried on the FAM Route 14 (Hong Kong to San Francisco, San Francisco to Hong Kong), included are 49 covers originating from Hong Kong carried on all legs of the flight, 3 covers originating from Shanghai with Chinese frankings carried to San Francisco, 18 United States covers carried on all legs of the flight, 8 cover originating from the Philippines to Hong Kong & 8 covers from Macao, all proper markings & cachets, Very Fine. AAMC No. F14.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $1,400

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Lot 659    

Hong Kong, 1937-39 Around the World Flights. 7 covers; multi-part fold-out envelopes with appropriate franking and cancellations of intermediate points, 1) From Paris 16 Oct 37, via Natal, 18 Oct, Brazil, 21 Oct, New York 25 Oct, Hong Kong, 9 Nov, and returned to Paris, 22 Nov. 2) Six 1939 covers with various start and end points, two eastward routings and four westward routings, each with accompanying description of routing, including one which started from London, 29 June, New York, July 11, and Hong Kong, 20 July, then back to Great Britain, 1 of only 20 covers recorded flown on this particular routing, also a front to Great Britain with 50c Hong Kong stamp, 3 July 1936, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Realized: $350

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Lot 660    

Hong Kong, 1937-39 Hong Kong to U.S. by Transpacific Airmail. 3 covers; with unusual rates and spectacular franking of singles, pairs, and blocks. 1) KGV 1c brown postal card with 1c, 8c, 20c (2), and $1 adhesives, making up seldom seen $1.50 transpacific airmail postcard rate to US, effective 1937-40. Stamps cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 15 Fe 38". Latest known use of KGV 1c postal card (Webb LRD: 26 March 1936), card folded and toned. 2) KGV 50c (12) and $1 (5), and 20c, making up $11.20 quadruple rate, and cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 20 Oc 37", with purple "Unclaimed at San Francisco, Calif. P.O" and on back: "San Francisco Special _ Oct 29 1937". 3) KGVI 30c, 50c, $1, $5, and $10, cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 17 Fe 39". This $16.80 franking, six times $2.80 per ½ ounce rate, is highest pre-WWII rate seen. $10 stamp on commercial cover very seldom seen (cover tears not affecting stamps), Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 250.

Realized: $850

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Lot 661    

Hong Kong, 1937-41 Hong Kong Airmail Covers. 4 covers; to Canada, Thailand, and Australia (2), 1937-41, including perfin. 1) cover (torn on back) to Canada with stamps on front totaling $1.05, cancelled "Kowloon 5 Pm 1 De 37", another 10c removed before cancellations applied, with penciled note "see back.", on back: $2 cancelled "Victoria 5 30 1 De 37", although the sender annotated the envelope "US air service to Buffalo then by regular mail," cover was hand-stamped "By Air To, San Francisco, Only" (Proud type AM6), 2) to Bangkok franked $6.25, cancelled 24 Jan 41, with "Via Rangoon" hand-stamp. This appears to be 4 x $1.50 per ½ ounce plus 25c registration, although this rate and route were not recorded by Crewe as effective until 15 Sep 41. Morenweiser Burma type 1B "Opened By Censor" label (Jan 40 - Feb 41, scarcity 8 of 10 points), tied by triangular "Passed Censor Rangoon 27" (Morenweiser type 1A2, but # 27 not recorded). 3) to Sydney, franked $1.50 for ½ ounce airmail rate plus 25c registration, cancelled 12 Sep 41, with red "C.N.A.C. Air Via Rangoon", confirming that this rate and route were in use before the recorded 15 Sep 41. 4) To Sydney, franked $1.15, the Empire 15c "all up" air mail rate plus $1 war surcharge, cancelled 18 MR 41, the 30c stamps (3) with HSBC perfins, red "Imperial Airways Service" handstamp. Australian "Opened By Censor" label (torn on opening), tied diamond "Passed By Censor 912", F.-V.F.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $500

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Lot 662    

Hong Kong, 1937-45 Hong Kong Transpacific Airmail Covers. 7 covers; to US (5), Canada and G.B., with spectacular 13-color franking of singles, pairs, strips, and blocks, front and back. 1) KGV $5, $1, and 10c, double the $2.80 per half ounce transpacific airmail rate, cancelled "Hong Kong 23 Jy 37". 2) KGV 10c (10), and KGVI 15c coronation issue (12), cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 16 Oc 37"; plus US "Advise correspondents or publishers of your correct address" marking. 3) KGV 20c violet and green (14) cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 30 No 37". 4) KGVI coronation 4c (3), 15c (3) and 25c, and definitive 2c, 4c, and 25c (2) blocks of 4, cancelled "Registered Gpo Hong Kong 5 Ap 38" to Canada, with "Toronto-Ont. Reg. Div. Terminal 'A' AP 23 38", and "Brantford, Ont. Ap 25 38" arrival cds. 5) KGVI $1 PAA clipper and junk (5) cancelled "Victoria Hong Kong 28 Au 41" ($3.50 per ½ ounce rate effective 1940, $2 in stamps necessary to make up $7 double rate cut out of back), with rectangular purple "Not Opened By Censor" mark (CCSG type 7c). 6) Legal size envelope with 18 KGV stamps (overpaid), cancelled HONG KONG AIR (R) MAIL 29 AP 37 PAA FFC to US. 7) KGVI strip of three 5c centenary issue, and on back: upper left corner 8c block of 12, cancelled 12 DE 45, to GB. Commercial mail sent in 1945 is seldom seen, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 250.

Realized: $475

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Lots 653-662 Lot 663

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