Chapter 3

THE CURTISS LABELS (REGARDED AS PROOFS OR MORE CORRECTLY AS FORERUNNERS)

Including the rare missing proof required to make up the complete set of 20

The 1919 issue of the Curtiss labels, surcharged for use in the first official flight flown by Knox-Martin, was limited to 200-260 copies, depending on whose opinion is correct.

The following year, advertising labels thought suitable for surcharge were obtained for semi-official use. The source of the labels is a bit of a mystery. They were originally sold in cigarette card packs, having been printed as publicity material by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Car Company Inc. of Buffalo, New York. It appears these were then on sale in a stationery store in Barranquilla. Cigarette packs of cards were then quite popular, as were baseball cards.

When an anticipated issue of CCNA stamps was delayed, these labels were acquired to serve the purpose by overprinting and cutting off the Curtiss wording.

There are 20 labels of which there is believed to be only one full set known. However, Kessler states that, to his knowledge, only 19 six-part sets existed. He must have been aware that 20 labels did exist. Cole had one only set of 19 in the 1940 Kessler sale. Another full collection we know of was originally in the Rendon collection, subsequently sold to Boonshaft in the 80s. When he passed away in the early 90s, his collection was sold to Harmer. Harmer offered this set for sale at GBP 7,500 in 2008.

Though it is rumored that 100 of each label was purchased, this is largely conjecture. These labels showed scenes of flights, all of which were thought suitable for airmail use as they included pictures of planes. These were overprinted with Compania/de/Navegacion Area/Porte aereo $0.10.

Eight of the labels were initially chosen for surcharging. In March 1920, another label was also added for surcharging. The labels are widely regarded as proofs, and the balance not surcharged are collectors’ items. These do not appear in SG catalogues. A full set of labels is just about impossible to locate.

There are, however, several existing short sets of 19 non-surcharged labels. When offered, they can be found at various prices from $2,500 to $5,000, depending on condition. It is not known how many short sets exist – probably very few. The rare and missing label shows the design “plane above two clouds”. It is difficult to value this label. It could be worth some several thousand dollars at auction, but the majority of owners will be missing this rarity.

Why is it so rare? Well, it seems fairly certain that these labels were not produced or distributed in even quantities. Nine designs were surcharged, and supposedly up to 100 of each design were produced. It seems there were hardly enough labels to produce the required surcharged stamps, so it is unlikely there were even 100 at the outset. We know of 48 unused and used stamps of “plane above two clouds” stamps with this particular surcharge. Add the known label and account for a few “lost” numbers, and one wonders how many of these labels were originally acquired.

There is no record of the numbers of each label in existence. But several of the 19 short sets must be quite rare. Obviously, the 11 non-surcharged would be plentiful.

CONCLUSION

Valuation based on actual estimates in auction catalogues:

Complete set of 20 per Harmer 2008 GBP 7,500

Partial set of 19 per various GBP 2000 +

Less than 19 what a buyer would pay

Collectors should acquire the partial 19-copy sets or look for a full set at any price.