Craven Film CorporationWorld Through Stamps: The Stories Behind Postage Stamps, The (1957)

Great moments in aviation history as told through postage stamps.

This item is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: Craven Film Corporation
Audio/Visual: Sd, B&W
Keywords: Communication: Postal: Stamps; Aviation: History; Hobbies

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: doowopbob - - October 14, 2007
Subject: Stamps Caused An Addiction!

When I Was A Kid The Backing Of Stamp Was Fish Glue!....Next Thing I Knew I Was Licking Girls!

Reviewer: Spuzz - - September 25, 2005
Subject: Yay Lindbergh!

Totally fun overview of the history of airplanes, told, yes, through stamps! My God! What a great idea! I LOVED this film! The film uses both archival clips and the stamps to weave our way through history. The narrator seems to love this idea too. Its quite obvious that this was a series, and I would like to see more of this pleaaaaaaaaase!! (Hint Hint Rick!) This is a MUST see on this site!

Reviewer: Wilford B. Wolf - - July 29, 2005
Subject: Extreme stamp collecting!

This film appears to be a syndicated 15 minute TV show from 1953 about the stories on stamps. This episode is called "New Horizons For Old" and covers primarily Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic in 1927.

The piece starts off talking about early attempts at long distance flights before World War I. It also talks about how the US government was only one that would bankroll airplanes and developed the first airmail routes in 1918. They also show an example of the first airmail stamp, along with the infamous "upside down Jenny" stamp, which they quote as being worth $4000 (and now worth several million). The story moves to the barnstormers who bought up surplus Jennys. This ties back into Lindberg, who got his start on this circuit before finally flying mail.

The piece is illustrated with many examples of period newsreels of planes. There is also discussion of the other people that attempted to cross the Atlantic in 1926 and why Lindbergh called his plane "The Spirit of St. Louis".

Overall, a decent overview of the historic flight and some good footage of early airplanes. However, it's fairly average in the end.

Shotlist

Pan over CUs of various airmail stamps

Title: NEW HORIZONS FOR OLD
By Alan Stern

CU 1949 airmail stamp commemorating 45th anniversary of Wright Brothers flight
French stamp commorating July 25, 1908 Bleriot flight across English channel
VS old Bleriot plane taking off
VS old World War I-vintage planes, not clearly identified
VS World War I combat in air and anti-aircraft fire from ground
May 16, 1919: US Navy seaplane taking off from Newfoundland (NC4); one lands at Azores; two lost
CU New York Times page about trip
VS New York Stock Exchange and Wall Street ca. 1919
CU first airmail stamp Ð 24 cents of Curtiss Jenny in flight
CU inverted center stamp
VS Jenny flying, air-to-air
Spectators on ground looking up to sky, ostensibly watching air show
VS airshow activities
CU finger pointing at book, looking for specific passage; then specific passage outlined in The Spirit of St. Louis, by Charles A. Lindbergh
CU Lt. Commander Richard E. Byrd
Noel Davis
Capt. Charles Nungesser
Clarence Chamberlin and Bert AcostaÕs plane
VS CUs other aviators
LS ByrdÕs plane crashing at Teterboro airport
Wreck of DavisÕs plane
NY Times headlines about loss of Nungesser and Coli
CU Charles Lindbergh in helmet, goggles and leather flying jacket
Spirit of St. Louis being rolled to airport
Lindbergh suiting up for flight, does final interviews
Lindbergh gets into Spirit of St. Louis
Lindbergh takes off from New York, very heavily loaded; finally wheels up (May 20, 1927)
Aerial over Rhode Island and Cape Cod
LS ocean waves (VS)
Coast of Nova Scotia
Wing against sky, over ocean
Rocky coast of Newfoundland
Ocean
Clouds; fog enters frame from right
Night sky illuminated by moon
Lightning in night sky
Clouds seen from above
Flyby fishing boats on ocean
Coast of Ireland from air
Flying over England, buildings on coast
Night shot of Place de la Concorde
Night shot, people milling around airfield and running to plane
Nighttime mob (good)
Running figures on field
CU smiling Lindbergh in Paris
VS commemorative stamps honoring Lindbergh, issued by various nations