Lot 60199 – Belgium: “Les premiers vols de la poste aérienne de

Belgium: “Les premiers vols de la poste aérienne de l‘ exposition internationale de Gand / Gent 1913” possibly the best collection existing of these earliest first flights of continental Europe. 47 ! first flight post cards are included of which 40 are different, Raoul Hubinont records in his 1963 book “Les vols de Gand 1913 et quelques autres joyaux de l‘aérophilatélie belge“ only 70 examples existing of these same flights, this collection representing more than 60% of the recorded examples, many been illustrated in the Hubinont handbook. Included is the ONLY RECORDED FRANCHISE DE PORT post card showing the “Poste aérienne exposition de Gand / Aéroplanes de Brouckers Deperdusin” handstamp (illustrated by Hubinont on page 34), a normal AUDENAERDE PICTURE POST CARD with this airmail h.s (ONLY TWO KNOWN), a rare flown photo post card showing Crombez the pilot and autographed by him, THE ONLY KNOWN REGISTERED ! GAND FIRST FLIGHT POST CARD, the UNIQUE flown enveloppe, a Gent first flight post card to Morocco with Casablanca Deutsche Post arrival making it the FURTHEST DESTINATION OF ANY GAND FIRST FLIGHTS, mail sent to Zamosc (near Lublin), possibly being the earliest aeroplane air mail sent to Poland, a unrecorded Gand-Comines 23 June flight, or the same from Gand-Aerseele 29 June, the spectacular coloured franking Blankenberghe-Gand 21 July (illustrated by Hubinont on page 38). Many of the 47 first flight post cards are ONLY RECORDED IN ONE OR TWO EXAMPLES. In supplement there is an interesting selection unused “poste aérienne exposition de Gand, un franc” post cards, a telegram signed by Crombez, the Hubinont book etc. In general very fine condition.