Burlington, Vermont First Flight U.S. Commemorative Cover
Object numberMO 1949.129.2.10
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 1939 U.S. air mail first flight from Burlington, Vermont. At the top center of the white envelope is a stamped green ink cachet consisting of an illustration of airplane flying over water bordered by trees and mountains. Text above and below the illustration reads: BURLINGTON / first flight / FAM1 / VERMONT / UNITED STATES AIR MAIL.
The envelope is addressed to (typed): Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt, / President of the United States, / Washington, D. C. On the left side of the envelope is the printed return address: Canadian Colonial Airways, Inc. / 630 FIFTH AVENUE / NEW YORK, N. Y. Below the return address are the original ink signatures of the President, Pilot, and First Officer of Canadian Colonial Airways. Adhered in the upper right corner of the envelope is a U.S. 1938 blue and red 6¢ Air Mail postage stamp (Scott C23). The envelope is postmarked Burlington, Vermont, April 1, 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 (typed): Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt, / President of the United States, / Washington, D. C. On the left side of the envelope is the printed return address: Canadian Colonial Airways, Inc. / 630 FIFTH AVENUE / NEW YORK, N. Y. Below the return address are the original ink signatures of the President, Pilot, and First Officer of Canadian Colonial Airways. Adhered in the upper right corner of the envelope is a U.S. 1938 blue and red 6¢ Air Mail postage stamp (Scott C23). The envelope is postmarked Burlington, Vermont, April 1, 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