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ENCHERES COTE D'OPALE - DEBACKER & RICHMOND
128
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FRANCE: PIONEERS OF AVIATION – EXTREMELY RARE DAMAGED AIRMAI…
See original version (French)
128
-
FRANCE: PIONEERS OF AVIATION – EXTREMELY RARE DAMAGED AIRMAI…
See original version (French)
Estimate €150
Voluntary lot
Description
FRANCE: PIONEERS OF AVIATION – EXTREMELY RARE DAMAGED AIRMAIL ENVELOPE from the LASSALE MISSION, the first rapid air link between France and Indochina.
Victor Lasalle, an officer in the 31st Aviation Regiment of Tours. He was killed whilst piloting his Farman Nieuport-Delage 641 aeroplane when it crashed into a dune in the Libyan desert, at Syrte in Tripolitania, on 15 December 1929, whilst attempting a rapid flight between Saigon and Paris. He set off from Le Bourget on 14 December via Istres, Algiers, Tunis and Benghazi…(and therefore did not reach Benghazi). The aeroplane and the bodies of the crew – Lassale, Faltot and Rébard – were found eight days later by Italian soldiers. VICTOR LASALLE is buried at La Salle Cemetery in Tours. Part of the 19 kilos of mail was recovered and returned to Marseille, where it arrived on 3 January 1930 – a ‘COURRIER ACCIDENTE’ stamp was affixed and the mail was forwarded by ship to SAIGON.
REGISTERED LETTER posted from Tours on 4 December 1929 for the Bien-Hao camp in Indochina. Postage: 11 F 50 (1F50 Pasteur + 10 F Merson). Registered post label + red ‘by air’ label.
On the front: ‘COURRIER ACCIDENTE’ stamp; on the reverse: five date stamps: re-routing via Marseille on 3 January 1930; arrival and transit in Indochina on 29 and 30 January 1930, Saigon Central / Cochinchina & Bien Hao (3), return date stamp 1 March 1930. – Pierre SAULGRAIN catalogue: rarity index three R RRR.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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