Auction #96 Worldwide Air Post Stamps and Postal History, Philatelic Rarities of the World

1912 (February 22), First Flight postcard (Verbena Flowers) from Aeroplane Station at Oakland CA, franked by Franklin 1c green with perforation 12, mostly VF, Est. $200-$250

1914 (August 31), Berger Aviation Co. black-and-white PPC (Wright Model B in flight), sent from Wilmington, NC to Danville, VA, franked by Washington 1c green with perforation 12, pinholes at corners, otherwise F/VF, probably operated by pilot Oscar A. Brindley

1918 (July 15), two First Flight covers Washington, DC - Philadelphia and New York - Washington, DC, the last one is reduced at left, each one franked by 16c green (new air mail rate started exactly on July 15), both mounted on page with detailed explanation, F/VF, Est. $600-$800

1918 (September 5-7), First Experimental Flight NYC - Chicago by Army pilots M. Miller and E. Gardner, cover franked by 16c green, tied by oval violet ''N.Y. - Chic. Aero Mail 9.5.1918. First Trip'' marking, Blue Wings'' Aero Mail'', Chicago arrival ds on reverse, minor conveyance flaws, still F/VF, Est. $300-$400

1927 (April 30), The Hubert Wilkins Alaska - North Pole Round Flight via Svalbard (Spitsbergen), pre-printed cover from Barrow (now Utqiagvik), franked by White Plains Battle 2c carmine, violet Expedition marking and manuscript reads: ''12,000 miles over Arctic by airplane, 100 miles on foot to Shore'', Fairbanks ''1927. May. 16'' arrival marking, mounted on page from a Collection (inscription in Russian), mostly VF, Est. $300-$400

FIRST INTERNATIONAL ROCKET FLIGHT USA - MEXICO: 1936 (July 2-3), dark brown cover souvenir booklet, containing imperforate triangle single stamps and sheets of four 50c in red and blue (USA-Mexico) and in green and red (Mexico - USA), as well as two covers for direct and return flights, generally fresh and mostly VF, Est. $300-$400

1946, DC-4 Skymaster, 5c carmine, three-side margin block of 30 (5x6, bottom part of a pane), double paper variety with scotch tape paper splice on front (2nd row) and red rejection line with scotch tape on gum side (3rd and 4th rows), full OG, NH, VF and very rare, Est. $600-800

1973, Progress in Electronics, 11c multicolored, left margin single with olive color omitted and only traces of vermilion frame are presented, full OG, NH, VF, C.v. $550

1978, Wright Brothers, 31c+31c multicolored, transition strip of three vertical se-tenant pairs, left pair has all litho colors omitted, while right and middle ones have tiny traces of these colors, full OG, NH, VF and very rare, according to Scott Errors Cat. only 15 pairs exist, C.v. $1,500 doesn't reflect the rarity of this pair especially in transition multiple

1985, Aviation Pioneers, Lawrence and Elmer Sperry, 39c multicolored, bottom right corner margin vertical imperforate pair with ZIP imprint, full OG, NH, VF, C.v. $1,250

1991, Harriet Quimby, 50c multicolored, left sheet margin block of four imperforate horizontally, USPS imprint on selvage, tiny wrinkle at the bottom of lower left stamp, full OG, NH, VF, C.v. $1,600 as two pairs