AIR MAIL STAMPS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 52, 29 August 1925, Page 16

AIR MAIL STAMPS

HIGH PRICES PAID FOE SPECI-

MENS.

Kescued from an abandoned, sinking aeroplane in mid-ocean, the stamped envelopes of certain sea-stained letters are now fetching prices of from £40 to £60 apiece, while a few early American, airmail stamps, in which an error was made in the printing of. a contre line, are now worth as much as, £160 apiece. Such facts emphasise the new romance of collecting stamps, post-marks, and cachets of the air-mail services, writes Harry Harper in the "Daily Chronicle." This hobby of acquiring air-mail stamps and covers is increasing now at a phenomenal rate, and already there ara thousands of enthusiastic collectors.

Prices, ranging high for rare pieces, are likely to go higher still. Coveted greatly, and constantly sought after, are letters carried during the first airship and aeroplane flights across the Atlantic. Tho £40-£6O figure mentioned above for covers retrieved from the 'plane in mid-ocean is for letters in that bag which was carried by Harry Hawker when, in May, 1919, he had to alight in the Atlantic 'while attempting the flight from St. John's, Newfoiindland, to Ireland. In the big twin-engined aeroplane which waa actually tho first to make a direct, non-stop Atlantic flight, piloted by Sir John Alcock, a bag containing about 31b of njails was carried. Such-covers, a feature of any collection, are chafing hands now at about £35 apiece. Letters which were carried by our British airship R34, on her flight to America and back, are priced at £38. One of those queer tilings collectors love occurred in connection with the attempts to fly the Atlantic which were made by the Martinsyde 'plane from Newfoundland. Among the letters carried by this machine were just a few overprinted in manuscript with the word "Aerial Atlantic Mail—J.A.K." The initials were those of, the Postmaster-General of Newfoundland, who personally did this over-printing. Such covers are now extraordinarily rare, and as much as £100 can bo obtained for them.

Already, in tho collectors' market, early British air-mail stamps are attaining considerable intrinsic value. Piecea of great rarity are the cards and letters which, in August, 1910, Mr. Claude Grahame-White carried in his Farman biplane in a very gusty wind for a distance of about seven miles. This flight, made during the Blackpool 'aviation meeting, was one of the first actual mail-carrying- experiments, and the covers thus air borne are changing hands at as much as £10 apiece. When, in 1912, Mr. Grahame-White undertook a "Wake Up, England!" seaplane tour of the south coast, he carried by air a number of cards which bore either a photograph of himself or .a picture of his aircraft. These cards, now in great demand, axe fetching as much as £12. In 1923 we had the novelty of a mo-tor-glider mail. Mr. J. H, Jones, the well-known pilot of • speedplanes, carrying through the .air. .from. J^ympo a bag of letters which wks dropped' near the post ofljco at Hastingleigh, whei-e they were picked up and posted. Some of these covers, signed by the pilot,, are priced already at £4.