Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

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The James P. Myerson Collection of Pioneer Flight Mail 1910-1916 continued...

1916 Pioneer Flights, Balance of the Myerson Collection (AAMC 91-AAMC 97)

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

959

1916, Columbus, New Mexico, Mexican or "Punitive" Expedition into Mexico (AAMC 92). 2c entire flown from U.S. troops in pursuit of Pancho Villa and addressed to Fort Myer Va., cancelled by "Columbus N. Mex. Apr. 19 4PM 1916" duplex datestamp (where it entered the U.S. mail), sender's directive "Soldier's Mail" at top and "Censored by Br. Bull, 1st Lt. 5th Cavy", with original enclosure mostly complaining about dusty conditions -- it is datelined "In the Dust-Dirt, New Mexico"

A RARE COVER FLOWN BY ARMY PILOTS DURING THE UNITED STATES 1916 EXPEDITION INTO MEXICO IN PURSUIT OF PANCHO VILLA. A WONDERFUL ARTIFACT OF THE EARLY YEARS OF MILITARY AVIATION.

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.

Curtiss JN-3 biplanes were used for reconnaissance purposes and to carry mail to and from the expedition. The dusty conditions resulted in excess mechanical failure and the loss of six planes. By April 20 flights were terminated when the two remaining planes flew to Albuquerque for repairs. Examples of mail actually carried on these flights are extremely rare and, of course, quite historic. (Image)

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$ 3,000.00

SOLD for $3,250.00
Will close during Public Auction

960

1916, July 3-4, Boise, Idaho Fair Grounds Exhibition Flight, Route 670,001 (AAMC 93). 2c entire cancelled by "Aeroplane Station, Fair Grounds 670001, Boise Idaho, July 3, 1916" duplex datestamp to Togus Maine, light vertical file fold at center, minor soiling, Very Fine and very rare, in conjunction with Independence Day celebrations, demonstration flights were planned for the Boise fairgrounds from July 1 through July 4, and Patterson Aviators provided two pilots to do the exhibition flying -- Al Boshek and Obert E. Williams; official authorization to fly mail was received from Washington D.C., and the route was assigned number 670,001, the first in Idaho; the first two days were too wet, so no flights were attempted; on July 3 Boshek took off and crashed after attaining a height of about 75 feet, the plane was badly damaged but he was unhurt, and most of the mail was salvaged and forwarded by surface transport; he mail collected for the July 4 flight could not be flown, because Boshek’s plane could not be repaired in time; only three pieces with the Aeroplane Station” flight datestamp are recorded -- all three are in this sale (two dated July 3, one July 4), this is one of two flown on July 3 (Image)

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$ 1,700.00

SOLD for $1,600.00
Will close during Public Auction

961

1916, July 3-4, Boise, Idaho Fair Grounds Exhibition Flight, Route 670,001 (AAMC 93). Official fair postcard with 1c tied by purple "Aeroplane Station, Fair Grounds 670001, Boise Idaho, July 3, 1916" duplex datestamp, second strike inverted at left, and locally addressed, some slight edgewear and minor soiling, Very Fine and very rare, in conjunction with Independence Day celebrations, demonstration flights were planned for the Boise fairgrounds from July 1 through July 4, and Patterson Aviators provided two pilots to do the exhibition flying -- Al Boshek and Obert E. Williams; official authorization to fly mail was received from Washington D.C., and the route was assigned number 670,001, the first in Idaho; the first two days were too wet, so no flights were attempted; on July 3 Boshek took off and crashed after attaining a height of about 75 feet, the plane was badly damaged but he was unhurt, and most of the mail was salvaged and forwarded by surface transport; he mail collected for the July 4 flight could not be flown, because Boshek’s plane could not be repaired in time; only three pieces with the Aeroplane Station” flight datestamp are recorded -- all three are in this sale (two dated July 3, one July 4), this is one of two flown on July 3, illustrated in AAMC 7th Edition on p. 334 (Image)

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$ 1,700.00

SOLD for $2,000.00
Will close during Public Auction

962

1916, July 3-4, Boise, Idaho Fair Grounds Exhibition Flight, Route 670,001 (AAMC 93). Official fair postcard showing post office in Boise, with 1c tied by purple "Aeroplane Station, Fair Grounds 670001, Boise Idaho, July 4, 1916" duplex datestamp to Pulaski Iowa, souvenir contents, Very Fine and very rare, in conjunction with Independence Day celebrations, demonstration flights were planned for the Boise fairgrounds from July 1 through July 4, and Patterson Aviators provided two pilots to do the exhibition flying -- Al Boshek and Obert E. Williams; official authorization to fly mail was received from Washington D.C., and the route was assigned number 670,001, the first in Idaho; the first two days were too wet, so no flights were attempted; on July 3 Boshek took off and crashed after attaining a height of about 75 feet, the plane was badly damaged but he was unhurt, and most of the mail was salvaged and forwarded by surface transport; he mail collected for the July 4 flight could not be flown, because Boshek’s plane could not be repaired in time; only three pieces with the Aeroplane Station” flight datestamp are recorded -- all three are in this sale (two dated July 3, one July 4), this is the only piece of mail postmarked on the 4th, ex Reinhard and Dr. Scott (Image)

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$ 1,700.00

SOLD for $2,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

963

1916, July 18, Smithville-Kansas City, Missouri, Experimental Aeroplane Flight, Route 645,001 (AAMC 94). 2c stamp tied by "Smithville Mo. 1916 Jul. 18 11AM" duplex datestamp on Smithville Horse Show and Fair Association illustrated cover with purple typed address to Mrs. Russell B. North, the wife of the pilot who flew and crashed, in Linden Mich., sender's directive "Via Aero" at bottom left, "Smithville, Missouri July 18, 1916 11 A.M. Via Aeroplane to North Kansas City" printed cachet, cover with tears at top, stamp with few creases

VERY FINE. THIS IS THE ONLY REPORTED EXAMPLE OF MAIL FROM THIS EXPERIMENTAL FLIGHT FROM SMITHVILLE TO NORTH KANSAS CITY. A BEAUTIFUL EARLY PIONEER AIRMAIL COVER.

According to the AAMC, the Smithville Horse Show and Fair Association contracted with pilot Al Boshek and authorization for an official route was obtained from the Post Office Department. At the last moment Russell Brooks North was substituted as pilot. North crashed on takeoff, severely damaging the plane. Mail was brought to the Smithville post office and sent by surface transport. This is the only piece of mail recorded from this attempted flight.

Ex Judge O'Sullivan and Dr. Scott. Illustrated in AAMC 7th Edition on page 334 (Image)

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$ 6,000.00

SOLD for $7,500.00
Will close during Public Auction

964

1916, October 5, West Branch Mich. Driving Park Aviation Meet, Route 637,005 (AAMC 95a). 1c Imperforate pair used with 20c Parcel Post (Q8), tied by large purple "West Branch, Mich. Aerial P.O., Oct. 5, 9161" circular datestamps with yeardate inverted to Detroit Mich, Very Fine and attractive, aviator Al Boshek flew mail from the fairgrounds to a point near the post office where it was dropped to waiting postal officials, apparently the inverted yeardate was caught early as very few pieces show this variety -- the 20c Parcel Post stamp was issued in January 1913 while postal officials were trying to rally support for a congressional appropriation for experimental airmail service, which finally came a few years later (Image)

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$ 750.00

SOLD for $425.00
Will close during Public Auction

965

1916, October 14, Ithaca N.Y. Experimental Aeroplane Mail Flight, Route 607,005 (AAMC 96). "Ithaca, N.Y. Oct. 16 5-PM 1916" machine cancel on locally addressed part-printed postcard from the Cornell Cosmopolitan Club, blue boxed "U.S. Aero Mail Service By Thomas Aeroplane Oct. 13, Ithaca N.Y." datestamp, slight edgewear at top right

VERY FINE. OF THE APPROXIMATELY 1,000 PIECES OF MAIL FLOWN, PERHAPS TEN ARE RECORDED.

Aviator Frank Burnside was scheduled to fly the mail on October 13, the last day of the fair. The mail was delayed due to poor weather and rescheduled for the following day. The pilot and a Post Office Department mail carrier took off on the 14th, aiming for Cornell University's Percy Field. The mail bag was dropped from 2,000 feet and ended up in the nearby woods; it was found two days later and deposited into the general mail stream on the 16th (Image)

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$ 3,000.00

SOLD for $1,600.00
Will close during Public Auction

966

1916, November 2-3, Chicago-New York, "New York Times" Aerial Post, Route 635,006 (AAMC 97). Green cover with printed return address from Binghamton N.Y., with 2c Pan-American (295) and 10c Franklin stamps tied by "Chicago Ill. Nov. 2, 1916" duplex datestamp to Boston, purple registry handstamp and no. 25790, neat "Between Sunrise and Sunset, Forwarded from Chicago to New York by New York Times Aeroplane" handstamp at left, typed "Via Experimental Mail-Carrying Aeroplane Service", New York backstamp (Nov. 3, 10:00 a.m.), Boston receiving backstamp (Nov. 3, 7:00 p.m.), 10c stamp oxidized, still Very Fine, The New York Times sponsored a special flight between Chicago and New York, authorized by the Post Office Department, that was supposed to take place on one day; an oil leak led to an unscheduled stop in Erie Pa., so the pilot, Victor Carlstrom, decided he would not reach New York before dark; he stopped for the night in Hammondsport and started the next day at 6:35 a.m., landing at Governors Island at 8:56 a.m. -- this was the last flight of the pioneer era -- ex Reinhard (Image)

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$ 600.00

SOLD for $475.00
Will close during Public Auction

967

1916, November 2-3, Chicago-New York, "New York Times" Aerial Post, Route 635,006 (AAMC 97). 1c Postal Card prepared especially for the flight with faint outline of Curtiss Model R plane and cachet, used with 10c Franklin, tied by "Chicago Ill. Nov. 2 6AM 1916" duplex datestamps, addressed to Adolph Ochs at The New York Times sponsored a special flight between Chicago and New York, authorized by the Post Office Department, that was supposed to take place on one day; an oil leak led to an unscheduled stop in Erie Pa., so the pilot, Victor Carlstrom, decided he would not reach New York before dark; he stopped for the night in Hammondsport and started the next day at 6:35 a.m., landing at Governors Island at 8:56 a.m. -- this was the last flight of the pioneer era (Image)

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$ 750.00

SOLD for $700.00
Will close during Public Auction

968

Balance of the James P. Myerson Collection of Pioneer Flights. 32 covers or cards from a nice range of flights, including AAMC Nos. 3a (3, different days), 3b, 3c, 3d, 5 with perfin stamp, 7, 9a, 11a, 15b (2), 25, 32, 33b (2), 45, 56 (2), 56a, 61b (2), 69, 83, 88a, 89, 89a, 89b, 89c, 89d, 91 (2), also 13 additional items which are mostly aviation-related postcards a few of which are unused and a few of which are related to flights but not flown, few small faults, overall a Very Fine and impressive group, AAMC value for listed items in excess of $5,000.00

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E. $ 1,500-2,000

SOLD for $2,000.00
Will close during Public Auction