A First Flight Cover : The Balbo Flight

Here is a new acquisition, posted here rather than on Canada even though the stamp is a classic Newfoundland C18.

This is AAMC FF 52 or Walsh/NSSC FF 38b

Anyone else have one to share?

Unusual - no Registered mark of any kind (except the registration number 1378 of course).

Hi Tommy. I LOVE the Balbo items. I have a cover, shown in this previous thread:

https://goscf.com/t/24108#24108

I also have a book which references the flight you show. Apparently, only about 70 covers left from Shoal Harbor and were also canceled at St. Johns on their way to Rome. The copy in the book shows a Registration mark of 1885 and not quite as nice as yours. (Est price $500 in 1996). Nice piece.

tommy, that is great, and I only wish I had one.

regards, Theron

Partime,

Great link thanks--I might have to get that book, where and how much did you get it for?

I have the AAMC book which describes the flight; also Dalwick and Harmer's history of all Newfoundland FFCs; and Walsh's NSSC has a little bit on the Balboa undertaking. The Shoal Harbor transit one is pricey and rarer than mine. There were 1,078 covers flown from this leg of St Johns to Shoal to Rome, but only about 35 from Shoal Harbor onward.

Yakboomer : I believe I just saw another one for auction on Vance or Eastern's auction...

I really can't remember where I got the book ... maybe just a general search or ebay, or whatever. In any case, here is the cover and back, so you have more luck finding it.