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PILOT EARL OVINGTON WAS THE FIRST

For auction is the 20th anniversary envelope signed/autographed by Earl Ovington, the first pilot to deliver U.S. mail by airplane.

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On September 23, 1911, Earl Ovington was duly sworn in as the first pilot to deliver mail by airplane. He was handed a bag containing 640 letters and 1,280 postcards. At 5:26 P.M. he took off in his Dragonfly airplane amidst a crowd of spectators who were t to witness the flight.

Earle Ovington aboard Dragonfly. Photo courtesy of Ross County Historical Society.

When he arrived to his destination in Mineola, he circled around his target at 500 feet, dropped his mail bag, and on impact the bag burst wide open. The first delivery of mail by air scattered like a new years confetti popper. The mail was quickly recovered and sent to their final destinations by regular ground service. The delivery went down into history and a new type of mail delivery was started, AIRMAIL .

On September 23, 1931, 20 years to the day of the historical first airmail flight, Earl Ovington signed this special envelope, to commerate the anniversary. The envelope bears two different cachet stamps with the postmark from Los Angeles, CA, September 23, 1931, 5 A.M. The envelope arrived 60 hours later in Richmond Hill, New York on September 25, 1931. It was promptly postmarked at 5:30 P.M. on the reverse side. This envelope is truly a unique and rare historical artifact of early U.S. aviation and the U.S. postal service.

Envelope size measures 3 3/4" x 6 1/2". Museum quality. No damage. No tears. In its original condition as preserved for 75 years.

Retail price: $895.00. Special ebay buy it now price; is $495. or to best acceptable offer.

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