Lot# 9057

posted on 7 January 1954 by the China National Import & Export Corporation, Tientsin Branch, and addressed to London, this cover was routed via Canton (11 Jan) and Hong Kong, before being carried on the Philippine Air Lines DC-6 aircraft (registration PI-C-294, Flight PR294, route Manila - Rome - London). On 14 January 1954, the aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing at Ciampino Airport, Rome, after both right engines caught fire. Most of the mail was destroyed, and only a small portion was recovered, among them just seven covers from China, including this example. The cover is franked with three stamps totaling 11,200 yuan, representing the correct 10g airmail rate to Western Europe via Hong Kong during the 7th Postal Tariff Period (1 May 1953 - 31 December 1954), comprising 2,200 yuan for the first 20g international surface letter plus 9,000 yuan for the airmail surcharge per 10g. After recovery, the Rome Post Office applied a black two-line Italian cachet reading “Corrispondenza recuperata in seguito/incidente aereo del 14 GEN 1954” (“Mail recovered following the air accident of 14 January 1954”), and upon arrival in the United Kingdom, the London Post Office added a black two-line cachet reading “DAMAGED IN / P.A.L. AIRCRAFT CRASH” to indicate its damaged condition. The cover exhibits clear evidence of water and smoke damage, consistent with crash recovery. This is an outstanding representative example of mail salvaged from the Philippine Airlines Flight PR294 crash at Rome in 1954, fully illustrating the complex multinational postal coordination involved in handling early PRC international mail. A highly important postal history item, of exceptional research and exhibition value within the early period of the People’s Republic of China’s airmail development. Note: Philippine Air Lines Flight PR294 (aircraft reg. PI-C-294) is also recorded as PR501 in European postal documents; both designations refer to the same DC-6 aircraft involved in the Rome crash of 14 January 1954.