First Flight event covers

Just a quick question on the popularity of First Flight covers? I recently came across a large collection of mostly USA first flight covers from the 1930's through the 1950's and was wondering if there is a market for these covers on HS? A quick search shows about 4000 covers available on HS but there is no way of knowing if they sell on a regular basis. Thanks in advance for any feedback or experiences with FF covers.

https://www.hipstamp.com/store/michaels-covers

Comments

  • 5 Comments sorted by Votes Date Added
  • In my experience supply generally outstrips demand, even in cases where very few were sent. Very similar to naval covers - collectors are avid but few.

    If you ask a dealer at a show for a package price on all his first flight covers he will probably offer to help carry them out to your car and take you out to dinner. That is great from a collectors standpoint but not so good as a seller. I've sold a few at shows - generally ones of local interest or of graphic or topical interest. I've sold maybe 10 percent of those that have gone through my hands in the last 30 plus years. The remainder are still around somewhere although I put a few in each box lot I wholesale out.

    Others may have a different experience - it will be an interesting thread to follow
  • My experience is similar to Carol's. I bought a small lot of these last year. Any with 'extras' went quickly (for example, several TWA first trans-continental flight covers that included TWA inserts inside commemorating the flight); those with Spartan cachets or common flights are sitting in a box...
    One thing you could check on that 'other site' is looking under the 'sold' category which could give you some idea of the volume in sales versus time there.
  • Thanks for feedback Carol & George! I did take a look at that other site and the most recent 100 offerings that closed in the last two days showed 30% sold and 70% unsold. The ones that did sell seem to follow what was pointed out and have better cachet or particular details, not so much interest in the hand stamped covers.
  • I collect both first Trans-Pacific flight covers (China Clipper, 1935) and covers from the first National Air Mail Week (1938). My experience has been that, if appropriately priced, those covers will have multiple bidders. I've recently started a hometown collection so if you have any covers postmarked in Cicero, Illinois I'd be interested.
  • Is there any demand for first flight covers from India?
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