Wright Brothers Envelope Collection

December 17, 1948
Manuscript Collection #914
Creator(s)
United States Postal Service
Physical description
0.001 Cubic Feet, 1 item , consisting of a First Day Cover envelope
Preferred Citation
Wright Brothers Envelope Collection (#914), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

The Wright Brothers Envelope Collection contains one First Day Cover envelope (December 17, 1948) with a cachet entitled "Commemorating the Return of 'The Kitty Hawk' Wright Brothers' Plane" and postmarked at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.


Biographical/historical information

The Wright Brothers, Wilbur and Orville, both grew up in Indiana. Wilbur was the oldest of the two by four years. The brothers started their own newspaper in 1889 and three years later they opened up a bicycle shop and began working on lots of mechanical projects. They were both interested in the German aviator Otto Lilienthal and decided to start experimenting with flight on their own. To increase their chance of success, they came to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, because of their strong winds. In Kitty Hawk, the brothers succeeded in flying the first heavier-than-air plane (December 1903).

Source: http://www.history.com/topics/inventions/wright-brothers


Scope and arrangement

The Wright Brothers Envelope Collection contains one envelope with a cachet entitled "Commemorating the Return of 'The Kitty Hawk' Wright Brothers' Plane." The envelope details were made by the artist Day Lowry. Underneath the main title, there are two sentences informing the reader about the plane, where it has been, its significance and that it's being placed in the Smithsonian Institution on November 22, 1948. There are four of the same 6 cent Wright Brothers Air Mail United States Postage stamps on the envelope. It is postmarked to Kill Devil Hills, NC, dated December 17, 1949. The phrase "The Aristocrats" is printed in the upper left hand corner of the cachet.


Administrative information
Custodial History

May 16, 2003, 1 item, 0.001 cubic feet; Envelope (12/17/1948) entitled "The Aristocrats" commemorating the return of "The Kitty Hawk" [the] Wright Brothers' Plane" to the Smithsonian Institution from its 20 year exile in England; postmarked Kill Devil Hills NC; with four 6ยข United State air mail stamps. 6.5" x 3.75". Donor: Jonathan Dembo

Source of acquisition

Gift of Jonathan Dembo

Processing information

Encoded by Mark Custer, March 26, 2008

Processed by Morgan Gurganus, December 19, 2017

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.


Key terms
Topical
Aeronautics--North Carolina--Kitty Hawk
Stamped envelopes--North Carolina--Kitty Hawk
Wright Flyer (Airplane)