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1939 FAM-18 F18-1b First Flight Cover New York Shanghai US Asiatic Fleet.
Offered here is an unusual 1939 FAM-18 Transatlantic Air Mail first-flight cover, catalogued in the original collection as F18-1b.
The cover originated in New York on May 20, 1939, franked with the 30¢ U.S. Trans-Atlantic Air Mail stamp, and was addressed to a member of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet in Shanghai, China.
The original collector\'s mounting notes identify the routing as:
New York, U.S.A. → Lisbon, Portugal → Shanghai, China
Details visible on the cover and recorded with it include:
- New York, N.Y. — May 20, 1939, 9 AM
- 30¢ Trans-Atlantic Air Mail postage
- FAM-18 / Trans-Atlantic first-flight cachet
- Addressed to U.S. Asiatic Fleet, Shanghai, China
- Lisboa-Central transfer marking — May 21, 1939
- Collector\'s notes state onward carriage from Lisbon was by surface
- U.S. Asiatic Fleet / Shanghai receiving marking — June 5, 1939
- Additional Lisbon and Shanghai-related postal markings on reverse
- Returned to Writer
- Postal return marking indicates Unclaimed
The combination of an inaugural FAM-18 transatlantic dispatch with an Asiatic Fleet destination, onward transmission to Shanghai, and subsequent returned-unclaimed handling makes this much more interesting postal history than a standard New York–Lisbon first-flight cover.
This cover came from a specialized collection of 1939 Pan American FAM-18 transatlantic postal history, where it was identified as F18-1b.
Condition is consistent with genuine circulated postal history from 1939, including normal handling, toning, postal markings and age-related wear. The reverse contains important transit and return markings.
The accompanying 8\" × 11\" collector information sheet is included for reference only and will be neatly folded around the cover for shipping; the cover itself will be protected and packed securely in a rigid mailer.
Please inspect all photographs carefully. Front and reverse are part of the description.
WYSIWYG — What You See Is What You Get.
Sold as a historical philatelic collectible.
No returns.
