Speed of the essence as Crawford lots emerge at Scottish sale

They are on offer at Perth auction house Lindsay Burns’ Antiques and Fine Art sale on September 19-20, consigned by grandchildren of the late Douglas Crawford.

Two of the lots relate to the first direct flight across the Atlantic by aeroplane in 1919.

In April 1913 The Daily Mail offered a prize of £10,000 for any aviator to cross the Atlantic non-stop in an aeroplane. The prize was suspended on the outbreak of war but reinstated after 1918. Four teams competed and during June 14-15, 1919, the British aviators Alcock and Brown succeeded.

Offered with an estimate of £2000-3000 is a group including a hand-illustrated flight diary including a timeline of the flight, a lunch menu card signed by both Alcock and Brown and a marconigram confirming they had landed in Clifden, County Galway, Ireland.

A typed letter signed in ink from Sir Malcolm Campbell to Crawford from March 1933 (the month after the 272mph land speed record was set at Daytona Beach) is offered alongside a photograph of Blue Bird and a ‘Western Union Collect Cablegrams’ card. The letter explains that prior to the attempt Crawford had given Campbell the Western Union card which stayed in Campbell’s pocket when he set the new record. It is estimated at £400-600.