CHARLES LESKI AUCTIONS PTY. LTD.
13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123, Victoria, Australia
Telephone: 61-3-9864-9999
Facsimile:
61-3-9822-2788
Email: contact@leski.com.au
A.B.N.13 081 928 921
Media Release
October
22nd, 2009
RARE SIR ROSS SMITH ENVELOPE COMMEMORATES 90th ANNIVERSARY
Sir Ross Smith opened Australia to the world with his historic flight from London in 1919 and proved that a
country virtually unknown to the outside world had the capacity to ‘punch above its weight’.
The flight earned him and his crew £10,000 from the Australian Government, but his legacy has been worth
far more to the country. It demonstrated that air travel to the furthest reaches of the world was possible,
and it began the first steps in removing the stain of isolation from Australia.
It was not uncommon for flights like these to carry philatelic items. Over time, many of these have been
retained in private hands or lost, with fewer items coming up for public auction as the years progress. It is
especially significant therefore that an auction of a rare envelope is being offered by Leski Auctions to
coincide with the 90th anniversary of the flight.
The envelope was sent from Singapore and is addressed to the manager of the South British Insurance
Company in Sydney. It is dated December 6th, 1919 and is an excellent example of the Ross Smith vignette.
It is signed by the engineer, Wally Shiers, making it one of six envelopes known to exist with his signature.
“This is an exceptional item of historic and cultural value,” says Charles Leski.
Lot 273 will be offered for sale by Leski Auctions in Melbourne on Wednesday, October 28th at 5.00pm. It
has
a pre-sale estimate of $4,000
-
$5,000. (NB: Image available
at
xt=jpg&width=550&height=550
About Leski Auctions
Leski Auctions was established in 1973 and is one of Australia’s leading auctioneers of Sporting Memorabilia,
Australiana, Collectibles and World Philately.
Leski Auctions is a recognised leader in the area of early photography, art, wine, cameras, books, autographs,
entertainment memorabilia, medals, coins, stamps, aerophilately, cigarette and trade cards, maps, railway
memorabilia, advertising artwork and posters, and the Olympics, football and cricket..
It was the first auction house in Australia to introduce an on-line, real-time bidding system ‘Live Bid Online’™,
which allows participation from anywhere in the world. It currently runs 22 auctions per year.
Leski Auctions has previously sold many significant collections, including those of Shirley Strickland, Ron Clarke,
Sir Reginald Ansett and former RSL President, Bruce Ruxton. It has sold more ‘baggy green’ caps than any other
auction house in the world, and is one of the largest auctioneers of cricket memorabilia by value and volume.
Leski Auctions recently sold the newly-discovered Phar Lap horse tonic recipe book. It recently achieved a world
record price for a Bradman bat.
Managing Director Charles Leski is a registered valuer for the Cultural Gifts Program through the Department of
Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. He is also the valuer of the displayed items at the National Sports
Museum at the MCG, Melbourne.
The company is located at 13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123 Australia. Telephone +61-3-864 9999 and
Issued by:
Charles Leski, Leski Auctions
Michael Krape, Michael Krape Consulting
CHARLES LESKI AUCTIONS PTY. LTD.
13 Cato Street, Hawthorn East 3123, Victoria, Australia
Telephone: 61-3-9864-9999
Facsimile:
61-3-9822-2788
Email: contact@leski.com.au
A.B.N.13 081 928 921
Tel: 61-3-9864 9999
Tel: 0403 135 880
charles@leski.com.au
michaelkrape@krape.com.au
NEWS 
