Census of 1911, 25c Black, Rodgers "Vin Fiz" Semi-Official Air Post (Scott CL2)

Notes:

Formerly Census No. CL2-UNC-02
According to Flight of the Vin Fiz by E. P. Stein (p. 205), "on board the Pullman for the leg to Denison was Mr. Jasper Allen, the eminent editor and publisher of the Hartshorne Sun. Mabel promptly charmed him into purchasing a Vin Fiz stamp, her first such sale. Allen placed his stamp on a postcard addressed to his wife in Hartshorne. The card was flown from Fort Worth to Dallas and cancelled Oct. 19, 7:30 PM. A second card with the Vin Fiz stamp was purchased by Allen and delivered to his mother in Hartshorne." This second card with the stamp still affixed was described and photographed in the 1939 Kessler auction catalogue of the Dr. Philip G. Cole collection (Part 1). The stamp was subsequently removed, and was reunited with the cover in 2018.

Provenance:

Matthews (off post card) Collection
10/26/1939, Dr. Philip G. Cole, Kessler Auctions (on post card), Lot 33
9/27/1994, Siegel Auction Galleries, United States Stamps and Covers, Sale 761, Lot 834, Realized $26,000, Edward Lettick, realized
10/8-10/1998, Robert Zoellner Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Robert Zoellner Collection of United States, Sale 804, Lot 728, Realized $30,000, realized
5/8-9/2008, Jay Hoffman Collection, Siegel Auction Galleries, The Jay Hoffman Collection of United States Stamps, Sale 956, Lot 547, Realized $47,500, realized

Certificates:

Off Card 429988 (2005) It is genuine, with a small tear opposite the "R" in "Flyer" and a small diagonal crease and tear at bottom right
On Card 562360 (2019) It is genuine, the Vin Fiz stamp with a small tear opposite the "R" in "Flyer" and a small diagonal crease and tear at bottom right, lifted, and hinged in place