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• Auction House:
  Leonard Joel
• Sale Name:
  Collectables Auction
• Sale Date:
  05 Feb 2015 ~ 12noon
• Lot #:
  81
• Lot Description:
  A 1919 London To Adelaide Race Flag Autographed By The Smith Brothers
  white flag with printed illustration of the Vickers Vimy bi-plane and lettering 'London to Adelaide 1920', with fringe to three sides signed in ink by Ross Smith, Keith Smith, Walter Shiers and James Bennett, framed; a postcard showing a photograph of the flag being displayed at the 1938 Airmail Exhibition at Christchurch, New Zealand; and a letter dated 3rd September, 1938 from an unknown hand to a Mr McNabb thanking him for his 'kind offer to loan flag' for  the New Zealand Airmail Exhibition, 7 November, 1938, 3pp.
• Provenance:
  John Martin & Co. Department Store, Adelaide, gifted to: Boy Scouts Association benefit auction, 30 March, 1920; Purchased by Mrs Harry Bickford, Mt. Lofty, S.A.; Mr McNabb; Ex lot 256, Collectibes auction, Charles Leski Auction, Melbourne, 18 February 2001; Private Collection, Melbourne;
• Notes:
  Captain Ross and his crew of three completed the first ever flight from England to Australia on 10 December, 1919. Their Vickers Vimy bi-plane touched down in Darwin having completed their amazing 18,000km journey in just under 1 month. For their efforts the four received a prize of £10,000 and Ross and his brother Keih awarded knighthoods. Three of the crew were originally from Adeliaide so when they returned to their home city in March, 1920 for a host of receptions and public events they received a rapturous welcome from their adoring public.In acknowledgement of the aviators' achievements local department store John Martin & Co. commissioned a silk flag decorated with an illustration of the crew's bi-plane. The flag was signed by the four and then acquired by the Boy Scout Association. It was offered for auction and purchased for a reported £838 by Mrs Priscill Bickford, a well-known Adelaide benefactor.
• Estimate:
  A$1,000 - 2,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Memorabilia

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.