Lot 24
1920 (Feb. 15th) first commercial airmail envelope ‡

The Moody Tidwell Collection of South Africa, with Important Pioneer Airmails | S26032
Auction: 17 December 2026, 10:00 GMT
Description
1920 (Feb. 15th) Cape Town to Johannesburg envelope (8 x 5") carried on the ‘Pioneer’, franked at 2s2d (2s special airmail charge, 2d for surface handling although only 1d was necessary). Cape Town datestamps of 14 Feb. Endorsed ‘Per Aerial Mail’ and with red CARRIED BY/ AEROPLANE cachet, with a very good strike of the circular violet HANDLEY PAGE SOUTH AFRICAN TRANSPORT LTD/ AERIAL POST. Some creasing. The Pioneer crashed after takeoff at Beaufort West on the 19th February

