Kopje Cover - 1897 A cover posted in Salisbury on 3rd April 1897 with two One Penny BSAC stamps and rare 'Kopje' cancels on the front and back. The envelope is slightly torn but still in good condition overall.	Mashonaland Card - 1899 Rhodesia's first postal service was established in 1888 by the British South Africa Company & initially consisted of a route from Bulawayo to Mafeking. A service in Mashonaland & Manicaland was established in 1890 & Rhodesia joined the South African postal union in 1892. This rare postcard was posted from Lomagundi to England via Salisbury & Cape Town in 1899.	Anglo-French Matabeleland Co This letter was posted in 1900 from Belingwe to the Bulawayo Board of Executors in an Anglo-French Matabeleland Company cover. This company bought 154,000 acres of a farm called Inyanga Block from the BSAC in 1895. In 1930 the farm was split into two sections & sold. 90,000 acres went to the London Rhodesia Company (Lonrho) & the rest to the Hanmer Brothers.	Prince Vincent & Co - 1900 A cover passed by the military censor & posted from Bulawayo in 1900 to the firm of Prince, Vintcent & Co in South Africa. This company was established in 1863 in Mossel bay by Joseph Vintcent and JS Prince, as importers and exporters of a variety of products including sugar, steel, timber, whisky & firearms. In 1887 they opened a branch in Oudtshoorn on the corner of Church and the then Queens Street. This specific expansion was due to a booming ostrich feather industry in the Klein Karoo.
Bank of Africa - 1901 The Bank of Africa was founded in the Cape Colony in 1879 to take over the South African operations of the Oriental Bank Corporation. It later established branches in Rhodesia & the first one opened in Bulawayo in 1895. In 1912 it was taken over by the National Bank of South Africa the forerunner of Barclays Bank which came into being in 1925. This cover was posted from Lourenço Marques in Mozambique to Salisbury Rhodesia in 1901.	Smart & Copley 1903 A cover posted by Smart & Copley Chemists in Southern Rhodesia to their pharmaceutical suppliers Sive Bros & Karnovsky Ltd in Johannesburg. Two British chemists, Harold Smart & William Copley opened their first shop in 1897 on the corner of 8th Ave & Fife St, Bulawayo. In 1899 they moved to larger premises in Main St. The following year they added a photographic dept which was believed to be the most advanced in Bulawayo at that time. In 1910, Smart left the partnership to establish Smart & Co.	Dr Fleming - 1907 A cover posted to Dr Fleming in 1907. In Oct 1894 Andrew Fleming was appointed as medical officer in charge of Salisbury Hospital. That same year he acted as principal medical officer to the forces of the BSAC. He later became Chief of Health & played a leading role in establishing a modern medical service in Rhodesia. He died in 1954 but Salisbury's main public hospital which was built in 1972 was named after him. It was later renamed Parirenyatwa after the country became Zimbabwe in 1980.	Selukwe - 1907 A Selukwe Mining Company Ltd cover posted in Bulawayo on 13 Sept 1907. Gold producing in Rhodesia began in the latter part of 1898, when the first returns were made by the Selukwe Gold Mining Ltd near the town of Selukwe which became the centre of a chrome & gold mining district. The name of the town derives from a nearby bare oval granite kopje, in the same shape as the pig pens that the BaVenda people used to build. The Venda word for “pig pen” is chirugwe, varied by the Matabele to Selukwe.
Umtali to ORC - 1909 A registered cover posted from Southern Rhodesia on the 4th of June 1909 to the Bank of Africa in the ORC (Orange River Colony). The ORC was created after Britain first occupied (1900) & then annexed (1902) the independent Orange Free State in the 2nd Boer War. This colony ceased to exist in 1910, when it was absorbed into the Union of South Africa as a province called the Orange Free State. The Bank of Africa was established in 1879 & bought the South African business of India's Oriental Bank.	Lennon Ltd Cover - 1910 A Lennon Ltd company cover posted from Salisbury to Victoria in 1910. In 1850 an Irishman, Barry Lennon, emigrated to South Africa & started a successful chemist & druggist store in Port Elizabeth, later opening branches across South Africa. In 1894 he expanded his stores into Rhodesia & by 1930 his company had become the largest pharmaceutical business in the southern hemisphere.	Livingstone to Irene - 1917 This cover was posted on 13th March 1917 from Livingstone in Northern Rhodesia to Irene in South Africa. Livingstone was the capital of Northern Rhodesia from 1907 to 1935 & became the country’s first municipality in 1927. The town was named after Dr. David Livingstone, the first European to see, name & publicise the Victoria Falls. The Scottish explorer's journey & first sight of the Falls in 1855 opened up Central Africa to other missionaries, hunters, & traders.	Queen's Hotel - 1920 A Queen's Hotel cover posted from N. Rhodesia in Sept 1920 to the USA. This hotel in Kimberley South Africa was built in 1881 & was first owned by James & Catherine Jardine, who later sold it to Henry Orkin. James & Catherine had come to Africa from Scotland & moved to Kimberley during the 1860s diamond rush. Catherine was known as “Mother” to most of her patrons, being the “Mother of the Diggers.” Famous guests included: Cecil John Rhodes, Sir Charles Warren, Sir Alfred Milner & Emily Hobhouse.
Johnson & Fletcher - 1926 A cover in excellent condition posted from Bulawayo to NY using a J&F envelope. Harold Fletcher & George Johnson opened a consulting & general engineering business in Southern Rhodesia in 1897. In the 1930s & 40s the firm expanded into the supply of lumber, electrical & building materials. It also established branches in Bulawayo, Salisbury and Beira. Johnson & Fletcher finally closed its doors in 2010.	Taylor & Nisbet - 1930 This cover in very good condition was posted by Taylor & Nisbet merchants from Southern Rhodesia to the US in 1930 using their official company envelope. The cover includes 'Postage Due' & 'Support Rhodesian Industries' cachets. Fred Taylor came to Rhodesia in 1901 to work for the Meikles Group in Umtali. In 1923 he formed a business partnership with James Nisbet & they opened a trading store. Taylor later bought a beautiful farm which he bequeathed to Rhodesia & it became Vumba National Park.	1931 FFC - Experimental This cover marks a special Christmas mail flight on Imperial Airways from London to Cape Town via Southern Rhodesia in December 1931. The plane 'City of Basra' landed in Salisbury on 19th December 1931. Letters posted between Salisbury & Cape Town had a violet or black cachet 'Experimental Flight' applied. This cover is in good condition with some minor foxing.	FFC - Nth Rhodesia to RSA This unique cover was posted in December 1931 from Broken Hill in Northern Rhodesia to South Africa. It joined the special Christmas Imperial Airways mail flight en-route from London to Cape Town. This cover is especially unique due to the use of an Aero Philatelic Club Calcutta envelope. This club was founded by the pioneering Indian aerospace engineer, Stephen Smith in Calcutta during the 1920s. Smith is recognised as the father of Aerophilately in India.
FFC - 1932 On the 20th Jan 1932 an Imperial Airways Handley Page named 'Helena', departed London on the airline’s new intercontinental mail service to South Africa. The flights would leave at 12:30 p.m. on a Wednesday & arrive in Cape Town 10 days later. The route was London, Cairo, Khartoum, Juba, Nairobi, Mbeya, Salisbury, Johannesburg and Cape Town. The initial flights carried mail only, but a passenger service was soon added. The cover shown here is in good condition & was posted from Salisbury.	Gatooma Mail A Gatooma Mail company cover posted from Gatooma to Johannesburg in 1932. The Gatooma Mail newspaper was established by Joe Burke in 1912 & was published weekly. He later bought the town's Royalty Theatre in 1925. Joe passed away in 1958 but his son David continued to run the theatre until 1969 when it was sadly closed. The name "Gatooma" was derived from the local Sindebele phrase "Kaduma" meaning "does not make a noise". The town was founded in 1906 & renamed Kadoma in 1982.	Double Crash Cover - 1932 A 1932 Cape Town South Africa to Croydon England Imperial Airways double crash cover posted in Salisbury Southern Rhodesia on 28 Jan 1932. The 'City of Basra' aircraft crashed on take-off in Salisbury owing to the sodden nature of the aerodrome. The relief plane ‘City of Delhi’ ran into a violent storm & force landed in a swamp near Broken Hill in northern Rhodesia. The mail eventually arrived at Croydon 9 days late on the 16th February & then its final Bristol destination the following day.	Salisbury - London 1932 A cover from 1932 commemorating the first official flight by the Imperial Airways mail service from Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia to London. This cover is in good condition for its age with a small tear in top right-hand corner.
First Official Mail - 1932 Another cover celebrating the first official air mail flight on Imperial Airways from Cape Town to London on 28th Jan 1932 & was posted from Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia. It has some minor stains but still in good condition with beautiful stamps. This custom envelope was produced for the South African Travel Bureau.	FFC Bulawayo - 1932 An FFC posted from Bulawayo to Montreal in Canada on 28th Jan 1932 & arriving on 24th Feb 1932. Harris Bros & Co was established in Bulawayo in 1920. Their most famous products was the Red Seal brand first used in 1925. In 1956 Harris Bros was purchased by the Rhodesian Milling & Manufacturing Co Ltd. But the Red Seal brand was taken over by the Harris Maize Milling & Produce founded the same year by three sons of C Harris, the founder of Harris Bros & Co. Red Seal is now owned by National Foods	Salisbury to Blantyre 1934 Early First airmail cover from Salisbury Southern Rhodesia To Blantyre Nyasaland . Beautiful stamp and cancels. Postmarked on March 9th 1934.	Franconia Cruise - 1934 A rare cover posted on 27th April 1934 using a Franconia World Cruise cover & sent from Cape Town to the US, with an uncanceled Southern Rhodesia stamp. The RMS Franconia was a ship operated by the Cunard Line from 1922-1956. In Jan 1934 it set off from New York on a 139 day world cruise & stopped at 33 ports along the way including Cape Town from 23-28 April. During WWII the ship was used by the British delegation at the famous Jan 1945 Yalta conference involving Churchill, Roosevelt & Stalin.
FFC - Salisbury to Beira A cover in very good condition & dated 30 July 1937 celebrating the first airmail delivery service operated by Rhodesia & Nyasaland Airways (RANA) from Salisbury to London via Beira in Portuguese Mozambique.	Zomba To Salisbury - 1934 Another cover from 1934 but this time commemorating the first airmail flight from Zomba in Nyasaland (now Malawi) to Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia. Girls High School was founded in 1898 and the first public girls school in Salisbury. This cover is in very good condition.	Jessie Garage - 1934 This is a 1934 cover in good condition & was posted by Jessie garage in Bulawayo to the US. During the 1920s, the improvement & expansion of the road network in Southern Rhodesia saw the number of cars in the country jump from around 40 in 1912 to over 13,000 by the end of 1929.	Meikles Hotel cover A Meikles Hotel envelope posted from Southern Rhodesia in 1936. Thomas Meikle was founder & owner of this famous hotel as well as chairman of the Thomas Meikle Trust & Investment Company. He died on the 8th of February 1939 & control of the trust was thus passed to his widow, Winifred. She became chairman, & their four daughters & husbands became board members.
FFC Umtali - Beira 1935 A 1935 cover commemorating the first air mail services between Beira & Umtali as well as Umtali & Salisbury. This rare cover also has a printing error displaying 'Umtal' instead of 'Umtali'. It has some minor stains & a small tear at the top of the envelope but is otherwise in good condition.	Blantyre Publishing Co A 1935 cover in good condition posted from Salisbury Rhodesia to Nyasaland. The Blantyre Printing & Publishing Co was established in 1895 by R S Hynde, a Scottish teacher. The company shared printing with the Blantyre Mission Press. The company closed in 1907 but was resurrected after independence in 1964 to become a sophisticated printing & publishing company with subsidiaries such as Times Bookshop Ltd & Blantyre Periodicals Ltd. The business is now known as Blantyre Printing & Packaging Co.	Broken Hill - 1935 A registered letter posted in 1935 from Broken Hill in N. Rhodesia to England. The town of Broken Hill was once the largest mining centre in the country. On 17th June 1921 an ancient hominid's skull was discovered in a lead & zinc mine there. This discovery established Broken Hill as an important centre for the study of early humankind & this famous well-preserved 300,000 year-old skull still resides in the Museum of Natural History in London.	Coronation FDC - 1937 A Southern Rhodesian FDC marking the coronation of King George VI. This cover is post marked 12th May 1937 and was sent to Mercedes Texas USA. It is in very good condition.
Kimptons - 1937 A 1937 cover posted from Bulawayo to the USA. Kimptons was a well-known car dealer located on Main Street in Bulawayo. During the 1920’s they were agents for Willy’s Overland motor cars and later in the 1930s, Studebaker and Austin. In 1950 the business became Gull & Kimpton (Pvt) Ltd.	Empire Mail FFC - 1937 This cover is in very good condition & was posted from Liverpool in Britain to Broken Hill in Northern Rhodesia in June 1937. The Empire Air Mail Scheme provided regular connections between the countries of the British Empire at the very low postal rate of 1½d per half oz. In Southern Rhodesia, the rate was 2d per half oz. As this was an all-up service, an air mail label was not needed.	'Speedbird' Logo - 1937 An Empire mail cover in very good condition posted from Newport England to Salisbury Rhodesia on 25 June 1937 & has the famous 'Speedbird' logo (along with a route map). This stylised emblem of a bird in flight was designed in 1932 by Theyre Lee-Elliott as the corporate logo for Imperial Airways. It became a design classic & was used by the airline & its successors British Overseas Airways Corporation & British Airways for 52 years. The term 'Speedbird' remains the call sign for British Airways.	Broken Hill Cover - 1937 This small slightly stained cover was posted from Broken Hill in Northern Rhodesia via Lusaka to the Midland Gun Company in Birmingham England. The firm was founded in 1888 and were also known as the "Demon Gun Works" which was to become their trademark before Parker Hale purchased the company in 1952. Birmingham was once the centre of the world's gun-manufacturing industry, specialising in the production of military firearms and sporting guns.
Livingstone - 1937 A beautiful cover mailed from Livingstone in Northern Rhodesia & postmarked 12th May 1937 the day of the coronation of George VI and his wife, Elizabeth, as King & Queen of the UK, the Dominions, the British Commonwealth & as Emperor & Empress of India. Great stamps.	Nyasaland FDC - 1937 A first day cover from Nyasaland commemorating the coronation of George VI and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth and as Emperor and Empress of India on the 12th of May 1937.	The Grand Hotel - 1937 A Grand Hotel cover in fair condition & posted from Bulawayo to Germany in 1937. The Grand Hotel was built in 1899 & was located on Main Street in Bulawayo. The hotel had a main dining room & two function rooms: the large MacMurray Hall & the Connaught Room. It also had three bars: The Corner Bar, the Steering Wheel & the Sable Arms. The famous author Agatha Christie is reported to have stayed here in March 1922. The hotel was sold in 1970 & redeveloped into the Bulawayo Centre.	Northern Rhodesia - 1937 Another FDC from 1937 commemorating the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. This letter was posted from Broken Hill in Northern Rhodesia to the Westminster Stamp Company in London.
FFC Gwelo to JNB - 1938 A cover from 1st Feb 1938 celebrating the First Inter-Town Air Service between Gwelo & Johannesburg. Gwelo (now Gweru) was originally a Matabele settlement named iKwelo (“The Steep Place”), after the nearby river’s high banks. In 1894 troops led by Dr Jameson established a military outpost at the site at the end of the 1st Matabele War. Gwelo developed quickly as an agricultural centre & officially became a municipality in 1914.	FFC Umtali - Beira 1938 This 1938 cover is in good condition & commemorates the first time a Rhodesia & Nyasaland Airways (RANA) DH89 'Rapide' aircraft carried mail under the 'Empire Mail' scheme from Umtali to Beira in Mozambique, where the mail was then loaded onto an Imperial Airways Flying Boat and flown on to the UK. This specific letter was posted on the 3rd of Feb 1938 & arrived at its destination in Gloucester England on the 10th of Feb 1938.	WWII Censored Cover A 1940 cover addressed to Germany, opened and cleared by the official censor in Southern Rhodesia. During World War II, civil censorship was introduced in Sth Rhodesia on August 16th 1939 requiring that “all mail matter addressed to or emanating from countries not included within the British Empire must be forwarded to the nearest Censor Officer.” The country's censorship offices were based in Salisbury, Bulawayo & Umtali. This cover is in good condition with one minor tear.	Tin Can Mail - Very Rare A 'Tin Can Mail' cover posted to Northern Rhodesia in 1940. The story of tin can mail began in 1882 on Niuafo’ou, an island in the kingdom of Tonga in the south Pacific. Postal services to/from the island was very limited until a plantation manager suggested that passing ships could deliver mail by placing letters into tin cans & drop them into the ocean. Swimmers would then make the one-mile journey to retrieve the tin. Swimmers would also take outgoing mail in the tin to the ships.
Rhodes cover - 1940 A used cover in very good condition and posted on the 6th of Nov 1940 from Gwelo in Southern Rhodesia to Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. The stamps affixed commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the British South Africa Company by Cecil John Rhodes.	Vacuum Oil Company 1940 A Vacuum Oil Company cover in good condition posted from Bulawayo to Beira on the 13th of Nov 1940. In 1881 a German immigrant Johann Gottlieb Schade introduced US based Vacuum Oil products to South Africa. In 1897 Vacuum Oil, backed by the Standard Oil Company, opened a branch in Cape Town to service Southern Africa. It later opened offices in Bulawayo & Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia. In 1931 Standard & Vacuum merged to become Socony Oil Co, before being renamed the Mobil Oil Corp in 1966.	RATG - Gwelo 1941 The Rhodesia Air Training Group (RATG) was a scheme setup during the 1939-1945 war, where allied air personnel, (mainly British), were sent to be trained in S. Rhodesia. The first school opened in Salisbury in May 1940, more units were later opened near Salisbury, but also in Bulawayo & Gwelo (where this particular RATG cover was posted from in 1941)	Nervous Disorders - 1941 A cover posted on 2nd July 1941 from the Nervous Disorders Hospital (see violet cachet) in Southern Rhodesia to Scotland which was the rerouted to an RAF base in Wales. The hospital was opened in Bulawayo in 1939 to teat patients with "non-certifiable mental & nervous complaints." Its first medical director was Dr Kenneth Mann Rodger an 'alienist' (psychiatrist) who had moved to the country from England in 1933.
Mount Selinda - 1941 This cover was posted by Arthur Orner to the US in 1941. Orner was an US missionary who joined the Mount Selinda mission school in S. Rhodesia in 1909 where he provided children & adults with vocational training. Mount Selinda opened in 1893 & was the first American mission in the country. Orner later served as mission secretary and finally as superintendent of both Selinda & Chikore mission schools. He married Dorthy Edna in 1912 & lived in Rhodesia for the rest of his life. He died in 1954.	Rhodesian Tea - 1941 A Southern Rhodesian cover from 1941 posted to A. Oppenheimer & Co London. It has a 'Drink Rhodesian Tea' cachet. In good condition. The first tea bushes planted in Rhodesia originated from a box of seeds smuggled out of India in 1924 by Mrs Florence Phillips, a tea-planter’s wife from Assam, and were planted near Chipinga in the Eastern Highlands which has the perfect soil and climate for the production of tea.	Rare cover - 1941 A cover in good condition posted from Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia to Beira in Mozambique on 12th March 1941 and opened by the censor. On the back is a cachet which reads: 'Cook - Wagons-Lit'. This was an international travel company formed after the merger of Thomas Cook & Son with Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits et des Grandes Express Européens, (operator of the Orient Express), in 1928. The company's HQ was in Paris & had branches all over the world including Salisbury & Bulawayo.	Allen Wack & Shepherd - 41 Allen Wack & Shepherd began as a warehousing company in Rhodesia in the 1890’s. By the 1950’s they provided services as a travel bureau, forwarding agent, shipping agent, customs clearing agent, insurance & warehousing. They still exist today as a global freight company. This cover is from 1941 & was posted to the company's branch in Mozambique. It has a 'Drink Rhodesian Tea' cachet on the front & 'Beira Corridor' on the back of the envelope.
OHMS cover - 1941 An interesting official government cover in very good condition & posted in Bulawayo in August 1941. It has 'Drink Rhodesian Tea' cachets & a 'war economy' message suggesting the envelope is reused.	1943 - WWII Cover This cover is dated July 1943 & posted to England. It has a unique sticker attached recognizing the important contribution the armed forces of the colonies (including Rhodesia) & South Africa were making in support of Britain in the fight against the axis powers.	1943 - RATG Kumalo This cover was posted in 1943 to a Lance Corporal at the Kumalo airbase in Bulawayo Rhodesia. This was where the 'Rhodesian Air Training Group' trained pilots, navigators, bomb aimers and gunners for the RAF from early 1940 until April 1945. Over 7,600 pilots and 2,300 navigators were trained by the RATG during WWII. This was probably Southern Rhodesia's single most important contribution to Britain in its fight against the Axis powers.	Nyasaland Cover - 1944 A cover posted from Limbe in Nyasaland addressed to a Captain in the Free French Forces in London. Then redirected to a military hospital in Camberley. The Free French Forces were based on the Old Dean Camp in Camberley from autumn 1940 to spring 1944, and their short history with Surrey Heath is one of survival, bravery and training; all of which cumulated in the major role they played during D-Day, June 1944 and liberating their own country.
SRAS Cover - 1946 The Southern Rhodesian Air Services company introduced a 'new' Air Mail Service between Bulawayo & Fort Victoria in 1946. This souvenir cover was flown on the first Bulawayo- Fort Victoria service on 5th March 1946 & the pilot of the aircraft was J. Finnis. In July 1946 the airline was liquidated & its assets used to help form Central African Airways which was also financed by the governments of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia & Nyasaland.	1947 - FDC Filabusi A Southern Rhodesia Stamps KGVI 1947 WW2 Victory FDC with a registered cachet. Filabusi is the district capital of the Insiza District and service centre for the surrounding mining and farming areas. It was once a major producer of gold, with mines such as Fred and Royal Family, nickel at Epoch and asbestos at Pangani and Croft, but all these are now closed. The Filabusi Post Office first opened its doors on the 15th July 1894.	Northern Rhodesian Cover A cover from 1947 which was posted from Kitwe in Northern Rhodesia to Aden (now Yemen) in the Middle East. The Port of Aden is an ancient seaport which Marco Polo and Ibn Battutu visited during the 11th & 12th Centuries. In 1839, the British East India Company occupied and began administering the territory to stop attacks by pirates who were assailing British ships going to India. In 1937 the settlement was separated from India, becoming the British Crown Colony of Aden until 1963.	Royal Visit - 1947 First Day Cover. In 1947 the Royal Family (King George VI, his wife Queen Elizabeth and his two daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret) undertook a leisurely three month journey (February to April) through their Southern African dominions (South Africa itself, Southern Rhodesia, Swaziland, Basutoland and the Bechuanaland Protectorate). The trip involved 10 000 miles of travel including 4920 miles by rail (though the family flew to Rhodesia).
Princess Elizabeth Birthday This cover celebrating Princess Elizabeth's 21st birthday was posted from Southern Rhodesia to Johannesburg on the same day 21st April 1947. She celebrated her birthday while on tour with her parents and younger sister in South Africa. In a speech broadcast on the radio from Cape Town, the Princess dedicated her life to the service of the Commonwealth.	Royal Visit - 1947 Another First Day Cover of the Royal Visit to Rhodesia in 1947. 'Hayete' was the Royal Salute the Matebele warriors would sound as a mark of respect. This cover as with all of the others shown on the site is in good condition.	Universal Postal Union A Southern Rhodesian FDC from 1949 commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Postal Union. This agency which was stablished in 1874 following adoption of the Universal Postal Convention, is one of the oldest existing international governmental organisations. It is responsible for regulating international mail services and has its headquarters in Bern, Switzerland.	CAA FFC - 1950 On 1st April 1950 Central African Airways inaugurated non-stop Viking airliner flights between Salisbury & Johannesburg. They also inaugurated the first direct air route between Johannesburg & Dar-es-Salaam via Salisbury. This new service was called the Coastal Viking & provided for the first time a fast same-day air link between the Rhodesias, Nyasaland, Tangankyika & South Africa. This cover is in very good condition & contains the original notice letter inside.
CAA Cover - 1951 The Central African Airways Corp was formed on 1st June 1946. It provided a comprehensive passenger service within Central Africa, up north to Dar-es-Salaam & Nairobi, south to Johannesburg, east to Beira & Lourenco Marques, and west to Elizabethville. It also provided a twice-weekly coach service to London known as the Zambezi Service. This August 1951 cover which still contains its original insert, celebrates the start of the company's Airways Letter Service.	Northern Rhodesia - 1951 A Northern Rhodesian police cover posted in May 1951 from the Ridgeway suburb of Lusaka in Northern Rhodesia to the Island Hotel in Isipingo Beach South Africa. This hotel originally started life as a tea room in 1905 & was situated on a small island in the lagoon.	Shell Rhodesia - 1951 A Shell cover posted from Rhodesia to Nyasaland in June 1951. The Shell Company of Rhodesia Ltd was a marketing member of the Royal Dutch Shell Group, originally obtaining its supplies from Iran and shipping from Abadan. Fuel oil was sourced from the Dutch East Indies. The company also imported bitumen from Egypt, lubricating oils, greases & illuminating paraffin. Shell's main African head office was based in Cape Town. The Rhodesian entity later became Shell Rhodesia Pvt Ltd in 1964.	First Jetliner FFC - 1952 This cover was posted from Lebanon to Northern Rhodesia & celebrated the world's first ever commercial jet airliner (a De Havilland Comet) making its maiden flight from London to Johannesburg on 2nd May 1952. The flight took 18 hours overall & had five stops on route: Rome, Beirut, Khartoum, Entebbe & Livingstone. Sadly this same aircraft G-ALYP crashed into the Mediterranean off the Italian island of Elba on 10th Jan1954, killing all on board.
Royal Tour FDC - 1953 This Royal Tour was specifically scheduled to open the Rhodes Centenary Exhibition in Bulawayo. The trip had originally been planned for Princess Elizabeth, but due to the sudden death of King George VI, the Queen Mother & Princess Margaret attended instead. On 30th June, 1953 the Royal Party flew on a BOAC Comet to Salisbury in Southern Rhodesia. They then travelled across the country by train. This FDC to commemorate the tour was posted from the Royal train itself.	Rhodes Centenary - 1953 This Nyasaland cover was produced to celebrate, the Central African Rhodes Centenary Exhibition which was held at Bulawayo Park in Southern Rhodesia & was opened during the 1953 Royal Tour by the Queen Mother. The exhibition was held to celebrate the birth Cecil Rhodes.The exhibition was a vast panorama of the peoples & culture of the African continent. There were a number of national pavilions of the countries with interests in Africa & of the British, French, Belgian & Portuguese territories.	Barclays Rhodesia cover A cover in good condition posted in June 1953 from Barclays Bank in Southern Rhodesia to its agent office in New York. Barclays originated from the Bank of Africa (founded 1879), which had established branches as early as 1895 in Rhodesia and was acquired by the National Bank of South Africa in 1912. In 1925, the National Bank of South Africa was acquired by Barclays Bank (Dominion, Colonial and Overseas).	N. Rhodesia to Nigeria 1954 A cover posted on 12th April 1954 from Monze in N. Rhodesia to Kano in Nigeria, before being rerouted to Zaria. In Sept 1898 a Cpt Drury came up from Bulawayo with 13 troopers & built a police fort at Monze. On 5th Oct 1950 at around 4.20 am a meteorite struck the earth close to Monze. Officials found out about the meteorite when Chief Monze took 3 pieces to the local DC, saying "Please send these to King George, & tell him what has happened in my country for I know that he will be interested".
FFC - 1954 CAA This unopened cover in good condition, marks the first direct flight by Central African Airways between Salisbury Rhodesia and the city of Durban in South Africa on the 3rd of April 1954.	Federation FDC - 1955 A first-day cover commemorating the creation of the Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland in 1955. This cover is in excellent condition.	HM Barbour - 1956 A cover posted in 1956 from Rhodesia to WM Barbour (a relation of HM Barbour) in Lisburne Ireland. The Irishman H.M Barbour founded a department store with his name in 1917. It was the first such store in Salisbury and eventually Barbour's (as it was affectionally called) became one of country's most famous. Sadly it went into liquidation in 2018. This cover is also unique as it was redirected from airmail to surface mail due to insufficient postage.	Imperial airways FDC 1962 First day cover, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the first flight from Salisbury to London on Imperial Airways
Salisbury to LDN 1962 First day cover 30th Anniversary of first London to Salisbury Airmail Service.	Airmail Anniversary - 1962 Another large cover celebrating the 30th anniversary of the first airmail flight from Rhodesia to the UK. This cover which was posted from Northern Rhodesia is in excellent condition. The recipient's name has been blurred for privacy reasons.	Rhodesia - Bahrain 1963 A very rare cover posted from Wankie in Southern Rhodesia to Bahrain in 1963. Then rerouted with surcharge to the UK. The envelope is damaged on the sides but addresses, cachets and stamps are all still clean and visible.	British United FFC - 1964 A cover celebrating the first flight by British United Airways between the UK & Southern Rhodesia. With the introduction into service of the Vickers VC10 on 1st Oct 1964, BUA became the first private UK carrier to begin sustained jet operations. BUA’s takeover of the South American services of BOAC to Argentina, Brazil, Chile & Uruguay on 5th Nov 1964 marked a major expansion of its long-haul scheduled network. The network was also expanded to Northern & Southern Rhodesia.
Tobacco Congress - 1963 A large cover celebrating the 70th anniversary of the first year of commercial tobacco production in the country in 1893. At its peak in 1965 Rhodesia produced 20% of world's tobacco which was primarily flue-cured that is known for its flavour. This cover is in very good condition, the recipient's name is blurred for privacy reasons.	Nth Rhodesia - Last day A large cover in good condition & dated 24th Oct 1964 commemorating the last day of Northern Rhodesia which was soon to become Zambia.	Zambia FDC - 1964 A large FDC in very good condition and commemorating Zambia's independence. After the dissolution of the Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland, Northern Rhodesia achieved independence on 24th October, 1964 as the Republic of Zambia.	UDI first day cover - 1965 First Day Cover. Rhodesia Unilateral Independence 11 November 1965 with Rhodesian Independence Stamp Used.
UDI cover - 1965 First day cover sent from Prime Minister Ian Smith's office to commemorate Rhodesia's Unilateral Independence Day on 11 November 1965.	1966 - Oil Embargo This cover from 1966 has a unique sticker attached reading 'Thank you South Africa'. This was in reference to South Africa's help in sidestepping an oil embargo that had been imposed on Rhodesia after UDI was declared.	FDC Rhopex - 1966 An FDC highlighting the RHOPEX conference in 1966, this envelope has suffered some water damage. The Royal Philatelic Society of Rhodesia applied for, and was granted the privilege of staging the 28th Congress of the Philatelic Federation of Southern Africa for 1966 in Bulawayo, and at the same time, of presenting the Annual Philatelic exhibition, which was called 'RHOPEX'	Lalapanzi - 1966 An official card from the Electricity Supply Commission in Gwelo to a farmer in Lalapanzi on the 18th of Jan 1966. The origin of the town's unique name came from the difficulties faced by transport riders in the early days of the country, in getting their oxen through a vlei in the area, as the animals sank to their bellies in the thick mud and it looked as if they were lying down – hence Lala – in the local vernacular means “to lie” and panzi means - “down”.
CAA FDC - 1966 A large first-day cover celebrating the 20th anniversary of Central African Airways (CAA) The airline was formed in 1946 under the joint ownership of the Governments of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. CAA provided a comprehensive service within Central Africa, up north to Dar-es-Salaam and Nairobi, south to Johannesburg, east to Beira and Lourenco Marques, and west to Elizabethville. It also provided a twice-weekly coach service to London known as the "Zambezi' service.	CAA Anniversary - 1966 Another FDC in very good condition commemorating the 20th anniversary of Central African Airlines. CAA was formed on 1st June, 1946 under the joint ownership of the Governments of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia & Nyasaland. In 1967, Zambia Airways, Air Malawi and Air Rhodesia decided to become independent of each other, and CAA was disestablished.	Ploughing Contest - 1968 This FDC from 1968 celebrates the 15th World Ploughing Championships which was hosted in Rhodesia at the Kent estate near Norton that year. In 1951 the British Ploughing Association convened a meeting that was attended by other countries, at which it was agreed to form the World Ploughing Organisation, and to hold international ploughing competitions. The first annual contest was held in Ontario, Canada in 1953.	FDC Matabeleland This FDC from 1968 commemorates the 75th anniversary of the raising of the BSAC flag at Gu'Bulawayo in 1893.
Royal Rhodesian Air Force A cover in good condition with a Kariba postmark dated 7th July 1969 and a rare Royal Rhodesian Air Force cachet.	Wankie Game Reserve A 1969 cover with a 'Wankie' cachet. The Wankie Game Reserve was formally established in 1928. It is situated in the north-west of the country and at 14,650 sq km in size is its largest national park and the same size as Belgium. It is home to a wide array of animals including the 'Big Five' and was renamed Hawange National Park in the 1980s.	Postal Sanctions - 1966 The UK led a sanctions campaign against Rhodesia following UDI in 1965. One such sanction was to treat postage stamps issued by Rhodesia as ‘illegal’ (& therefore ‘invalid’) and then treating mail carrying these ‘invalid’ stamps as though they were posted without stamps. Several Commonwealth countries followed the British lead whilst other countries suspended postal services with Rhodesia altogether. This cover is in very good condition & celebrates the one year anniversary of UDI.	Jersey - Surcharge A cover posted from Rhodesia to the Channel Islands in 1970. It also carries a surcharge related to UK postal sanctions imposed on Rhodesian mail following UDI. This cover is in very good condition
Craven Week - 1970 A commemorative cover from July 1970. Craven Week is an annual rugby union tournament organised for schoolboys in the Republic of South Africa. The tournament began in July 1964, and is named after the legendary Springbok rugby union player and coach Dr Danie Craven. In 1970, Craven Week was held in Salisbury to mark the 75th anniversary of the Rhodesian Rugby Football Union. This event has only been held outside of South Africa twice. Once in Salisbury (1970) & once in Windhoek (1982).	Postal Sanctions - 1970 The UK led a sanctions campaign against Rhodesia following UDI in 1965. One such sanction was to treat postage stamps issued by Rhodesia as ‘illegal’ (& therefore ‘invalid’) and then treating mail carrying these ‘invalid’ stamps as though they were posted without stamps. Several Commonwealth countries followed the British lead whilst other countries suspended postal services with Rhodesia altogether. The name of the recipient of this air-letter shown has been blurred for privacy.	Fuel Rationing Ends - 1971 A cover in excellent condition, celebrating the end of fuel rationing in Rhodesia in 1971. Inside the envelope is a card describing the oil embargo imposed on Rhodesia by the United Nations Security Council in 1966. This UN vote authorised Britain to implement a naval blockade around the Portuguese Mozambique Port of Beira in order to prevent oil supplies getting to Rhodesia.	Air Rescue Service - 1971 This cover was posted from Bulawayo to Peterhead in Scotland in August 1971. The top left stamp shows an Alouette III helicopter operated by no 7 squadron of the Rhodesian Air Force which were used on anti-guerilla & rescue missions around the country. At the time the squadron had around 34 of these very versatile helicopters.
Pollution FDC - 1972 This Rhodesian FDC from 1972 was produced to raise awareness over the threat posed to the planet by global pollution.	FDC : IMO-WMO Centenary A Rhodesian FDC from 1973 commemorating the centenary of the World Meteorological Organization. The first official congress of the International Meteorological Organization took place in Vienna in 1873. It was later renamed to the WMO in 1951.	First Flight - Boeing 720 This FDC commemorates the inaugural flight by an Air Rhodesian Boeing 720 from Salisbury to Durban. Three Boeing 720 airliners joined Air Rhodesia's fleet in 1973 & were acquired via the airline's secret negotiations in several countries to buy passenger jets and side-step UN sanctions. The 3 aircraft had originally belonged to America's Eastern Airlines, who sold them to a West Germany's Calair. Air Rhodesia discreetly bought & collected the planes via Basle, Switzerland.	Salisbury to LM FFC A First Day Cover from 1973 to commemorate the first scheduled flight of an Air Rhodesia Boeing 720 from Salisbury to Lourenco Marques in Portuguese Mozambique.
Occupational Safety An FDC from 1975, the envelope is slightly damaged. The Rhodesia Occupational Council was formed in 1968 for the purpose of investigating, deciding on and recommending action. to be taken to encourage the creation of safe working conditions.	Cover with PM cachet - 76 An official cover sent from the Prime Minister's office in 1976 to a Rhodesian Senator.	Rhodesian Airforce - 1976 A cover in good condition with a Chiredzi postmark from 1976. It has a Rhodesian Air Force cachet.	"Bomber Harris" - 1976 A commemorative signed cover from 1976, marking the final flight of the RAF's last Lancaster aircraft. This cover also celebrates Sir Arthur Harris who moved to Rhodesia in 1910 & served in the 1st Rhodesia Regiment during WWI before joining Britain's Royal Flying Corps. He was Commander-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command during the allied strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany in WWII. In 1946 he became Marshal of the Royal Air Force & passed away in 1984.
Selous Scouts envelope An official Rhodesian government envelope with a Selous Scouts Regiment cachet from 1978. I have blurred the recipient's name on this cover for privacy reasons.	Rhodesia Trade Fair - 1978 The country's first Trade Fair was opened in May 1960, by HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in Bulawayo, when it was known as the Central African Trade Fair. (Although regular agricultural shows had been held on the same site since 1899). From 1969 it was renamed Trade Fair Rhodesia. This cover is in v good condition.	Cover with RLI Cachet A rare letter bearing the official stamp of the 1st Battalion RLI from 1978 and in good condition. The receiver's name has been blurred for privacy reasons.	Rhodesian Army Cover An official cover with red Rhodesian Army cachet posted from Salisbury airport to the KGVI barracks in 1979. The barracks were named in honour of King George VI who became Colonel in chief of the Royal Rhodesia Regiment in 1947. In 2017 the Zimbabwean President renamed the barracks after a ZANLA guerrilla leader Josiah Magama Tongogara, who died in a vehicle accident in 1979.
Rhodesian Army Cover An official cover with green Rhodesian Army cachet posted from Kariba to the KGVI barracks in Salisbury in 1979.The barracks were named in honour of King George VI who became Colonel in chief of the Royal Rhodesia Regiment in 1947. In 2017 the Zimbabwean President renamed the barracks after a ZANLA guerrilla leader Josiah Magama Tongogara, who died in a vehicle accident in 1979.	Last Day Cover - 1979 A last day cover issued in May 1979 signifying the end of Rhodesia. In perfect condition.	Last Day Rhodesia 1979 This cover also commemorates the last day of Rhodesia on 31st May 1979. It is no 1383 of a limited edition of just 1500 covers published by the African Fine Art & Book Company in Salisbury. It is in fine condition.	Zimbabwe-Rhodesia FDC 1979 FDC commemorating the appointment of Bishop Abel Muzorewa as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
Zimbabwe Rhodesia FDC This FDC commemorated the birth of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia on 1st June 1979. This specific envelope is no 1383 of a limited edition of just 1500 covers. It was published by the African Fine Art & Book Company & the artist was Ned Etheridge. It is in fine condition.	Parliament - 1979 First day cover commemorating the opening of parliament for the new state of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.	Direct British rule - 1979 First day cover representing the end of Rhodesia's unilateral UDI as well as the state of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia as Britain regained control ahead of fresh general elections.	Last Day - Zimbabwe-Rhodesia - 1980 Last day cover representing the end of the very short lived state of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia to Zimbabwe - 1980 First day cover in April 1980 commemorating the the beginning of the new state of Zimbabwe under Prime Minister Robert Mugabe.	POSB Zimbabwe - 1980 A large FDC from October 1980 commemorating 75 years of the Post Office Savings Bank in the country. The POSB was established in Southern Rhodesia on the 1st January, 1905.	Air Zimbabwe - First Flight This cover was issued in April 1980 to commemorate the carrier's name change from Air Rhodesia to Air Zimbabwe and its first flight to Gatwick airport in the UK. In June 2018, it was claimed that Air Zimbabwe had accumulated debts of over US$300 million and thus could no longer fly to most destinations due to threats by debtors to impound its aircraft. With mounting debt and only three of its aircraft operational, the airline was reportedly put into administration on the 6th of October 2018.	1980 Olympics - FDC A clean FDC commemorating Zimbabwe's participation in the 1980 `Moscow Olympics. Rhodesian athletes participated in the 1928, 1960 & 1964 Olympics, but the 1964 games were their last after sanctions prevented them from participating again until independence in 1980 when Zimbabwe won its first medal, a gold in women's hockey. Kirsty Coventry was Zimbabwe's most successful olympian, winning 7 medals (2 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze) between 2000-2016 in swimming (backstroke & individual medley).
44 Rhodesia Sqd - 1982 Cover to commemorate No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF which was formed in 1941 in honour of that colony's contribution to Britain's war effort, and to recognise that up to 25% of the ground and air crew were from Southern Rhodesia. In 1960 it received its first Vulcan Bomber the type it operated until the squadron's disbandment in 1982. The squadrons motto was Fulmina regis iusta, "The King's thunderbolts are righteous".	Zimbabwe 10th anniversary This first day cover from 1990 marks Zimbabwe's 10 year anniversary of Independence	Royal Visit - 1991 In 1991Queen Elizabeth II made a Royal Visit to Zimbabwe when the country hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. This signed cover to commemorate the visit was produced by The Royal Airforces Association on behalf of the Eagle Lodge Appeal and is in very good condition.