Sale 101: The Westpex Sale

Lot 275    

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919 (May 29) letter from Lt. Brown to family mentioning "Putting our machine together", one page letter with faulty "The Cochrane, St. John's Newfoundland" envelope bearing 3¢ red brown (117) tied by "St. Johns, Nfld. May 30, 1919" machine cancel to Brooklyn N.Y., letter reads "We are flying for a private concern - no government help at all, save in obtaining instruments for navigation. It won't be possible to come to New York before the flight…I'll write more as soon as we have finished putting our machine together - about another week now, with any luck, Love, Ted", Fine and interesting pre-flight letter from Lt. Brown.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

On May 11, a Handley Page plane was unloaded in Newfoundland from aboard the S.S. Digby that had sailed from Great Britain. A second plane, a Vickers-Vimy was unload from the S.S. Glendenon on May 24. Both planes had to be reassembled, the Hanley Page at Harbour Grace and the Vickers-Vimy at St. John's. "Ted" Brown, the navigator of the Vickers-Vimy, was writing to a friend in Brooklyn N.Y. On June 9, both planes had test flights.

Realized: $500

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Lot 276

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919 (Oct.) "First Flight Across the Atlantic" signed "A. Whitten Brown", illustrated program signed by Lt. Brown where he first told of his achievement October 1919 in Philadelphia (he had been educated as an engineer in Pittsburgh), Very Fine, ex-Matejka.
Scott Nos. C2 var.    Estimate $200 - 300.

Realized: $300

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Lot 277 /   

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919, $1 on 15¢ "Trans-Atlantic", exhibit group of 6 mint stamps comprising normal type I (C2, AM3), no comma variety - type II (C2a, AM3a); no period variety - type III (C2b, AM3b), small comma - type IV (C2 var., AM3c), E under A variety - type V (C2c, AM3d) and a sixth stamp with a slanted misplaced surcharge (C2 var., AM3e), o.g., Type I and IV never hinged, rest with h.r., F.-V.F. Scott Nos. C2, C2a, C2b, C2c. C2 var. $2,040+.
Newf. Spec. Nos. AM3, AM3a-e    $2,725.

Within each setting of 25, there are five different constant types. Only one block of 25 produced a misplaced slanted surcharge.

Realized: $675

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Lot 278 /   

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919, $1 on 15¢ "Trans-Atlantic", without comma after "Post" and period after "1919" varieties, o.g., top pair hinged, bottom never hinged, block of four with position one being the without comma after "Post" and position four without period after "1919", positions 8-9/13-14, rich color on bright paper, Very Fine and scarce varieties block.
Scott Nos. C2, C2a, C2b    $1,465.

Realized: $450

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Lot 279 /   

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919, $1 on 15¢ "Trans-Atlantic", o.g., 14 positions n.h. including pos. 22 (C2c), complete setting of 25, well centered, vibrant color on bright paper, positions 4, 8, 18, 19, 24 without comma after "Post" (C2a), position 14 without period after "1919" (C2b), position 22 with "A" of "Air" under "a" of "Trans." (C2c), some separation between positions 2-3, 7-8, Very Fine and rare.
Scott Nos. C2, C2a, C2b, C2c    $7,935+.

ONE OF ONLY 17 RECORDED COMPLETE SETTINGS OF THE $1 ALCOCK SURCHARGE.

The London Daily Mail offered £10,000 for the first flight across the Atlantic by a heavier-than-air machine. By 1919, conditions were rope for attempts from Newfoundland. In June, 10,000 of the 15¢ Cabot stamp were surcharged $1, in blocks of 25, for conveyance of mail on several planned flights.

Realized: $3,250

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Lot 280    

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919, $1 on 15¢ "Trans-Atlantic", well centered position 20 with small comma after POST, tied by partial "St. Johns, Nfld. Jun 10, 1919" machine cancel on "The Cochrane, St. John's Newfoundland" corner card cover to Manchester, England, original matching letterhead letter from Lt. Brown to his mother reading "St. Johns, June 10th, 1919, Dear Mother, Here is a new stamp for your collection - I hope to see you before you get this letter - as you will no doubt be at Brooklands for the arrival, and then I can tell you all about it. Love Ted"; cover tears, Fine and rare use.
Scott Nos. C2    $1,500+.

A UNIQUE FLIGHT COVER FROM LT. BROWN TO HIS MOTHER IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

This upbeat letter from Lt. Brown to his mother was sent only four days before the flight left Newfoundland. Brooklands was an airfield used by Vickers. Lt. Brown signed his letters "Ted" or "Teddy".

Realized: $800

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Lot 281    

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919, $1 on 15¢ "Trans-Atlantic", vibrant color, canceled by cork, partial "Harbour Grace, Nfld, Jun 14" cds on cover with bold "Atlantic Aerial Mail, Handley Page, Jul 7, 1919" oval, addressed to London, England and forwarded upon arrival to Paris, France, Parrsboro (7.7) transit backstamp; corner flaw and small tear at top, otherwise Very Fine; with 1987 E. Diena certificate and signed.
Scott Nos. C2    $1,500.

Realized: $700

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Lot 282    

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919, $1 on 15¢ "Trans-Atlantic", tied by "St. John's, Nfld. Jun 9, 1919" machine cancel on cover to London, England, partial "Harbour Grace, Nfld. Ju 14, 1919" transit cds; file creases and wear, Fine and scarce flight cover, Only 234 Franked C2 covers sent on the Handley-Page Flight; with 1982 E. Diena certificate and signed.
Scott Nos. C2    $1,500.

Alcock and Brown had won the prize, but the giant plane was finally ready to go on July 4th, and the crew decided to try for New York out of Harbour Grace. Unfortunately, an oil leak forced them down at Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. After extensive repairs they completed the flight but no mail was carried across the Atlantic on the Mauretania.

Realized: $475

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Lot 283    

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919, $1 on 15¢ "Trans-Atlantic", well centered with vibrant color, tied by cork cancel, matching partial "Habour Grace, Nfld, JU 14, 19" cds on cover with black "Atlantic Aerial Mail, Handley Page, Jun 14, 1919" oval backstamp, military address to soldier, 336 Siege Battery R.G.A., B.E.F., Germany, some edge wear, light fold at bottom, F.-V.F.
Scott Nos. C2    $1,500.

The special "Atlantic Aerial Mail, Handley Page" oval cachet backstamp was used only on mail dispatched from Harbour Grace. 115 covers were carried on the flight postmarked at St. John's and later a Harbour Grace. 119 covers were postmarked only at Harbour Grace.

Realized: $375

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Lot 284    

Newfoundland, Airmail, 1919, $1 on 15¢ "Trans-Atlantic", without comma after "Post", well centered with rich color, tied by partial "St. John's Nfld., Jun 11, 1919" machine cancel on blue cover to London, England, Jun. 17th arrival backstamp, Very Fine; with 1997 Greene Foundation certificate.
Scott Nos. C2a    $1,500.

On June 14, 1919, four days after Lt. Brown's letter to his mother, Captain Alcock and Brown took off from St. John's in the Vickers-Vimy. Sixteen hours later they arrived in Clifden, Ireland. They had completed the first non-stop Atlantic crossing by a "heavier-than-air machine", thus winning £10,000 Daily New prize. The $1 stamp franked 196 letters carried.

Realized: $1,150

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