Description:

1922 (Nov 2) Cloncurry-Charleville #66 cover to Miss E Dove, Auckland, New Zealand carried by Hudson Fysh and PJ McGinnes on the return trip of the inaugural QANTAS official airmail service with their red vignette 'For Aerial Transmission/First Trip Australia's/Second Aerial Mail' affixed alongside KGV 5d brown tied 'CLONCURRY/-5NOV22/QUEENSLAND' datestamp paying 2d domestic letter rate plus 3d airmail surcharge, good condition with a couple of trivial blemishes that do not detract, plus the enclosed letter from Hudson Fysh on 'Post Office Hotel, Cloncurry' stationery mounted on exhibit page, Cat $12,000. [Hudson Fysh married Elizabeth Eleanor ('Nell') Dove on 5 Dec 1923 in Sydney; although 140 covers were flown on the return leg and 106 on the outward leg, less than twenty covers in total are believed to have survived and only a few bear this first QANTAS vignette issued, of which less than ten are known either loose or on cover; the Eustis example flown on the outward leg and bearing the vignette sold for $12,815]