Sale 1090 — United States, Possessions and Confederate States Stamps and Postal History
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 17-19 December, 2014
Category — Flight and Air Post Covers
1911, Oct. 4-8, St. Louis Mo. Aviation Meet (AAMC 5, 5a, 5b, 5c). Five post cards and two entires carried during this meet, one from Oct. 4, two from Oct. 5, three from Oct. 6 and one from Oct. 7 (very few known), three with 2c stamps, one with 1c pair and one with single 1c, four addressed outside of St. Louis, mixed condition, overall appear Fine, a nice group of these covers
1911, Oct. 4-8, St. Louis Mo. Aviation Meet, Hydroplane (AAMC 5d). Bold cancel on locally addressed 1c Red Postal Card, contents reads "I expect this card to take a spin on the water. The card is one of the first of a new issue", card with some creases and soiling, otherwise Fine, scarce, AAMC states less than fifteen known, accompanied by unused card with same cancel (waterstain)
1916, Columbus, New Mexico, Mexican or "Punitive" Expedition into Mexico (AAMC 92). Flown Velvet Ice Cream Company of El Paso advertising cover to Fort Riley Kan., with manuscript endorsement "Soldier's Mail, contains no military information, C. Lininger, 1 Lt. 13 Cav", "Columbus, N. Mex. Apr 5, 4 PM, 1916" duplex datestamp, "Postage Due 2 Cents" purple straightline struck on arrival, includes original letter enclosure with fascinating historical content and a first hand account of the expedition and attack on Columbus by Pancho Villa, cover with faults of little importance, including most of backflap removedA RARE AND PREVIOUSLY UNRECORDED COVER WITH ORIGINAL HISTORICAL LETTER DESCRIBING THE EXPEDITION INTO MEXICO AGAINST PANCHO VILLA.
On March 9, 1916, Pancho Villa and his troops attacked Columbus, New Mexico. By the end, 18 civilians and soldiers from the 13th Cavalry detachment were killed with another 8 wounded. Columbus was left in a blaze, horses and mules stolen, and military arms were taken back to Mexico. On March 15 President Woodrow Wilson ordered Major General John J. Pershing to lead an expedition into Mexico to capture Pancho Villa.
The letter offered here was written on March 21 while Lininger's unit was camped along the Casas Grande River (in Chihuahua). He mentions the likes of Pershing, seeing 400 of Carranza's men, and that Villa is four to six days ahead and they are following his trail by "dead horses, discarded articles, camp fires, etc." His report of the Columbus attack is that Villa had 500 men and 300 returned, 100 died, and he believes the rest deserted, saying "the more I hear about the fight the greater becomes my respect for the American Soldier." Lininger reports that the previous day he saw five airplanes fly and land, with one wrecked and the pilot injured upon landing. These flights were used for reconnaissance purposes and to carry mail to and from the expedition. We have ascertained with reasonable certainty that this letter was flown from the field to Columbus where it was postmarked. Shortly after, on April 12, at the Battle of Parral, Lininger valiantly rescued a fellow solider, under sustained fire, who was dismounted and in danger of being captured. He was ultimately awarded the Distinguished Service Medal despite many believing he should have been awarded the Medal of Honor. He ultimately retired in 1949 with the rank of Brigadier General.
Mexican or "Punitive" Expedition into Mexico, 1st. Lt. C. Lininger Correspondence, April 1916 to May 1917. 150+ covers written by First Lieutenant of the 13 Cavalry C. Lininger to his wife stationed in Fort Riley Kan. dated from April 16, 1916 to May 9, 1917, spanning the entire period of the Mexican Expedition, most are 2c U.S. Postal Stationery entires postmarked in Columbus, N. Mex. (latter part of covers from El Paso Tex.) with "Soldier's Mail" endorsement, each cover is accompanied by original content, many of the covers with edgewear of little significance, also incl. a series of five small cards (possibly due to lack of paper?) making up a letter with each receiving "Postage Due 1 Cents" and a single 1c Postage Due stampFINE-VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE FIRST-HAND CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE MEXICAN OR "PUNITIVE" EXPEDITION AGAINST PANCHO VILLA. A GROUP WORTHY OF FURTHER STUDY OF THIS WELL-KNOWN MILITARY OPERATION.
The few letters checked by us in this group contain information about political situation, battles fought, conditions endured by soldiers, soldier morale, troop movement and much more. They begin with his outbound train journey toward New Mexico and end with him in El Paso awaiting further instructions. Most letters range from a page to six pages, and those written in the field are datelined about a week prior to their postmark in Columbus. The lack of censorship of these letters makes for a true in-depth account of the incursion.
The American Air Mail Catalogue (AAMC 92) mentions "new planes arrived at a later date and made flights into the field but it is unclear when mail was flown after April 20." Therefore, it is our assumption that many of these letters were flown from the field to Columbus, N. Mex. on planes used for reconnaissance purposes and to carry mail to and from the expedition.
1918, May 23, Katherine Stinson, Chicago-New York N.Y. (AAMC 102). 3c Violet entire, "Chicago Ill. May 23 6 AM" duplex datestamp, to Harry A. Truby, red "Aeroplane Mail Service Chicago-New York Miss. Katherine Stinson." five-line typewritten cachet, black "Aerial Service" straightline handstamp and violet "Received without contents at Chicago P.O. M.D.T.I." two-line handstamp, New York May 31 receiving backstampVERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE EARLY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FLIGHT BY FAMED AVIATRIX KATHERINE STINSON, THE FIRST FEMALE UNITED STATES AIRMAIL PILOT.
Only 60 pieces of mail were carried on this historic flight by Katherine Stinson, America's "sweetheart of the skies". The attractive Stinson sisters and their brother were all pioneer aviators. According to the American Air Mail Catalogue, "this was a special flight by Katherine Stinson, the first woman sworn in as a U.S. air mail pilot. After a 600-mile flight in about 10 hours, Stinson landed at Binghamton N.Y., where her plane nosed over on several take-offs, and an eight-day wait ensued for several replacement propellers and dry ground from which Stinson could complete the flight. Finally, on May 31 Stinson flew from Binghamton to the Garden City N.Y. landing field."
24c Carmine Rose & Blue, 1918 Air Post (C3). Used with France 5c and 30c stamps which are tied by "Bordeaux Gare St. Jean May 20, 1926" circular datestamps on air post cover to San Francisco Cal., the 24c Air Post stamp cancelled on arrival and used to pay the airmail fee, Very Fine, rare use, the French stamps paid the fee for sending via surface mail to the United States
65c-$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C13-C15). Each on a flown cover or card, $1.30 plate number single, Fine-Very Fine
$1.30 Graf Zeppelin (C14). Tied by N.Y. Varick St. Sta. Apr. 24, 1930 machine cancel on flown picture postcard, red and violet cachets, Lakehurst arrival on May 31, Very Fine, Scott Retail as cover
$1.30 and $2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C14, C15). On separate flown covers, the covers have some minor edgewear, stamps are Very Fine
$1.30 and $2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C14, C15). On separate flown covers, $1.30 cover with a few toned spots that just affect a couple perf tips, Fine-Very Fine
$2.60 Graf Zeppelin (C15). Exceptionally well-centered single tied by "Washington D.C. Apr. 19 5-PM 1930" cancel on cacheted First Day cover to Greensboro N.C., red and violet cachets, Lakehurst receiving backstamp (May 31), fresh and Extremely Fine
Air Post First Day Cover Collection, 1923-71. Housed in a single large binder incl. Nos. C4, C6 (tape residue), two different illustrated C18 covers, other issues largely complete but without the 1930 Graf Zeppelins, later issues mostly in blocks of four on illustrated covers, some duplication to show different cities, also some Special Delivery, Very Fine, Scott Retail just through C18 more than $1,600.00