1920 ROSS SMITH VIGNETTE, FIRST ENGLAND - AUSTRALIA FLIGHT: Wonderful flown envelope addressed in the hand of Pilot Keith Smith to himself "Lieut Keith M Smith, Stephen Terrace, Gilberton, South Australia". Franked with a VF defect-free Ross Smith vignette tied by excellent clean strike of the black oval FIRST AERIAL MAIL / RECEIVED / 26 FEB 1920 / GREAT BRITAIN TO AUSTRALIA postmark with additional strike alongside. PILOT SIGNED "Keith Smith" at lower left together with a superb strike in blue of cachet PER / VICKERS "VIMY" AEROPLANE / TO AUSTRALIA. / VIC in violet. Fewer than half of the 364 carried covers bear the Vickers cachet; only 23 covers were signed by Smith; few survive; a rarity. Superb, fresh, an exhibition showpiece for connoisseur. See additional image below.
