New York to California Transcontinental Flight U.S. Commemorative Cover
Object numberMO 1949.129.2.30
Name
Cover, Commemorative
Maker
Unknown
Date1939
Mediumpaper, ink
Dimensionsoverall H 4 1/8 in x W 9 1/2 in (10.5 cm x 24.1 cm )
DescriptionA stamp cover commemorating the 1930 U.S. air mail first transcontinental flight between New York and California. At the center of the white air mail envelope is a stamped black ink cachet consisting of a circular illustration of an airplane flying over factories. Text within the cachet reads: FIRST FLIGHT NEW YORK-LOS ANGELES ROUTE / AIR MAIL • P.O.D. • C.A.M. 34 / PITTSBURGH PA. / OCT. 25 1930. On the left side of the envelope is an additional, very faint stamped ink cachet in the shape of a keystone with text that reads: United States / Air Mail / DUBOIS / Penna / EXPERIMENTAL PICK-UP ROUTE. There are several original ink signatures on the envelope including that of the Dubois postmaster: Jas. J. McNany, Postmaster.
The envelope is addressed to (handwritten in ink): Hon. Franklin Delano Roosevelt / White House, / Washington, D.C. The return address is typed in the upper left corner: Robert W. Coates, / Tri-State Aviation Corp., / 915 Empire Bldg., / Pittsburgh, Pa. Adhered in the upper right corner of the envelope is a U.S. 1926 olive brown 15¢ Air Mail postage stamp (Scott C8). The envelope is postmarked Dubois, Pennsylvania, May 14, 1939.
Label TextFranklin Roosevelt was an avid, lifelong stamp collector who gathered over 1.2 million stamps into his personal collection during the course of his life. He began collecting stamps at the age of eight at the suggestion of his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, who passed on her collection to him.The envelope is addressed to (handwritten in ink): Hon. Franklin Delano Roosevelt / White House, / Washington, D.C. The return address is typed in the upper left corner: Robert W. Coates, / Tri-State Aviation Corp., / 915 Empire Bldg., / Pittsburgh, Pa. Adhered in the upper right corner of the envelope is a U.S. 1926 olive brown 15¢ Air Mail postage stamp (Scott C8). The envelope is postmarked Dubois, Pennsylvania, May 14, 1939.
After FDR's death, his personal stamp collection, including this stamp cover, was sold at public auction in 1946 in accordance with his wishes.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteLent to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum by Charles M. Abbott in 1949. It was donated as a bequest of Abbott to the Library in 1952.
Credit LineGift of Charles M. Abbott
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesStamp Collecting Materials (National Archives Identifier 749938)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.Collections
Non exposé