U.S. and Worldwide Stamps & Postal History
November 18-19, 2014
| Images | Description | Current Bid |
 | Lot #627 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH CANADA Air Post Semi-Postals 1927 London, Canada to London, England, 25 cents green and yellow, l.h., minor gum disturbances at bottom, well centered and fresh, v.f., signed Kessler, Diena and others. In 1927, Carling Breweries offered a $25,000 prize to the first Canadian or British pilot to fly from London, Ontario to London, England. A Stinson SM-1 was christened "Sir John Carling" and attempted the flight starting August 29, 1927, flown by pilot Terrance Tully and navigator James Medcalf. The Canadian Postal authorities approved the printing of a special label to be applied to the envelopes which were to be carried on the flight. Only 100 labels were printed and approximately 87 were affixed to envelopes. The flight had difficulties with fog and returned. It restarted on September 1 and made a landing in Maine, then later in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland. On September 7 the flight set off across the Atlantic, never to be seen again. No covers on that flight survived. The special label which was officially approved features portraits * Catalog #CLP6 Catalog Value $50,000 | Price Realized $26,000.00 |
 | Lot #628 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH CANADA Air Post Semi-Postals 1927 25 cents green and yellow, used with 3c Confederation (defective) on O.H.M.S. Official Business Only cover from London, Canada to the Controller of the London Postal Service in London England, tied by boxed "Air Mail - London, Canada to London, England 1927" three line handstamp, with corresponding London Aug. 29 1927 cds alongside (both repeated on back), also faint oval datestamp at left, some toning around the address portion, roughly opened, otherwise fine. Only 100 stamps were printed and approximately 87 were affixed to envelopes. One cover (which was prepared and properly postmarked was not included in the mail bag loaded on the flight). After the scheduled stop at Harbour Grace, on the long stretch to England, the aircraft plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, killing the crew of two. The airplane was never recovered. According to the accompanying 2003 AIEP certificate from Sergio Sismondo "this is, therefore the only surviving cover from the tragic pioneer flight, and is the only used example of  Catalog #CLP6 Catalog Value $100,000 | Unsold |
