Lot 5524

Description

Aviation Postcards, a postcard carried by Mr.H.Salmet on the Daily Mail Plane in 1912, posted from Truro, England, Jun 13, 1912 to Calcutta, India, fixed with 2 x ´d KGV stamps, cover portrays M. H. Salmet; another 9th June 1911 postcard sent by Henry Billiany from Lyon, France to Calcutta, India fixed with a 10c orange red stamp of France, cover portrays Jane Herveu seated in the Bleriot monoplane; together with other covers all to Calcutta India (3), all from Henri Billiany from Lyon with various dates April-September 1911 one featuring The Aviation Camp of Oudjua with the monoplane. Generally fine. (5)

Lot includes 8 photocopy pages, another of the above illustrated postcards and newspaper clippings. This pioneer aviator M. Henri Salmet had a Daily Mail sponsored aeroplane tour. He visited many places including Folkestone on August 13, 1913, and on August 28th he had a mishap at Scarborough racecourse. He was flying low, heading for some bushes, intending to veer upwards at the last minute. Then suddenly he realised two women were standing in front of the bushes, even though no spectators were allowed in the flight area. He swerved to the side, and hit the bushes, both he and his passenger were fine, but the plane needed major repairs. This plane was a 80 h.p. Bleriot monoplane.