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Auction: 17044 - The Yen Boon Swee Large Gold Medal Collection of Malayan Airmails
Lot: 11

Malayan Airmails
Pioneer and Early Flights
1925 De Pinedo Italy - Singapore - Australia Flight
On 20 April Italian aviator Frencesco de Pinedo left Rome in a Savia-Marchetti S.16 seaplane Gennariello and arrived in Singapore from Penang on 24 May; continued the flight the next day arriving Broome on 31 May, thus becoming the third aircraft from Europe to Australia
1925 (13 May) Calcutta to Melbourne flight, the right hand portion of envelope numbered "8", addressed to Sydney, bearing uncancelled India 1a. (2), showing "Italian Consul General's (Melbourne) letter of 12-11-25/No. 750/11./Calcutta to Melbourne by Seaplane, 13/5/25." handstamp in red and, on reverse, Map of India cachet in violet, fine. Only 93 covers flown. A. Diena (1974) and Fiorenzo Longhi (1998) Certificates. Photo

Note: Due to Indian promoters refusal to pay a charity donation of 20r. demanded by him for each cover flown, de Pinedo cut off the left-hand half of each cover bearing his signature. The mail was delivered to the Italian Consul in Melbourne who returned it under cover to senders.

The de Pinedo flight to Australia was sponsored by the Asiatic Petroleum Co., (S.S.) Ltd in Singapore

Sold for
SG$800