Description
South Africa 1925 'Air' set of 4 to 9d, right marginal blocks of 4, each showing value numeral, SG26/9.
Fine and fresh mint blocks with large part original gum, (6d and 9d blocks each with two unmounted). One 1d with minor gum thins and one 3d with gum disturbance, which do not detract as such a fine and most attractive set.
A very scarce set in this matching positional form.
The Union of South Africa airmail stamps depict de Havilland DH.9 biplane, a British single-engined biplane bomber developed and deployed during the First World War.
South Africa was slow to introduce an air mail service to speed up the delivery of local mail. Eventually, in 1925, the Civil Air Board in South Africa decided to institute a three monthly Experimental Air Service between Cape Town and Durban, to establish whether such a service could be provided economically and reliably.
This set of four Air Mail stamps were specially printed specifically for the Experimental Air Service that was inaugurated on 2 March 1925. The 9d was the highest denomination in the set. These stamps were only valid for the carriage of mail on the foregoing service.
The use of the 1925 Airmail stamps was discontinued at the end of June 1925 but remained for sale in Pretoria until 31 October. After that all residues of stamps, as well as the printing plates were destroyed.
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