Old 'airmail' envelopes? ...

[cmeisenzahl]

Whatever happened to these? Are they still available anywhere?

[jbb]

I've seen it on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/17-Vintage-Air-Mail-En...1QQcmdZViewItem

Edited April 15, 2008 by jbb

[bluestocking]

You can find them here in the UK. I recently bought some made by Basildon Bond -- so they are around.

 

[Jimothy]

I have some here right now. I also have the lightweight blue paper that goes in them. Wantvme to snail-mail you?

 

[Phoenix]

I always pick up some when I'm in the UK- I'd be happy to mail you a few also- Basildon Bond.

[tfwall]

G. Lalo makes them in blue. Pendemonium has them from time to time.

[Ondina]

Also available in Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, and I'm pretty sure, Germany, too.

Edited April 16, 2008 by Ondina

[tfwall]

Whatever happened to these?

 

When the US made all first class letters go by air, there was no reason for people to use special envelopes anymore. There is no slower/cheaper alternative for you, as an individual, to send a letter except first class. Gone are the days of surface mail, airmail, zeppelin mail, etc.

[Titivillus]

Whatever happened to these? Are they still available anywhere?

 

 

Check Walmart they had the envelopes and pads of paper the last time I was there. Also Crane & G. Lalo make them.

 

Kurt

[bluestocking]

When the US made all first class letters go by air, there was no reason for people to use special envelopes anymore. There is no slower/cheaper alternative for you, as an individual, to send a letter except first class. Gone are the days of surface mail, airmail, zeppelin mail, etc.

 

The reason I use airmail stationery is that postage only covers up to a set weight -- just a few grams. I can write longer letters on more pages of my thin airmail stationery and still post them with a single stamp: an 81p royal mail international stamp only covers 20 grams. On thicker stationery, I would occasionally have to pay for more postage as they would weigh just a bit too much, and I can't be bothered with going to the post office to have them weighed, buy more stamps and so on. So, despite the days of modern progress, I do have a practical reason for using them for my letters back home to the states: it keeps my letters from being lost or returned due to insufficient postage and saves a tiny wee bit of jet fuel. It's just a matter of convenience, really. Besides, nothing screams exotic like airmail stationery!

 

 

[dcwaites]

Also available in Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, and I'm pretty sure, Germany, too.

And Oz, just noticed them somewhere recently in Campbelltown.

 

Basildon Bond brings back fond memories.

 

 

[RandyE]

Gone are the days of surface mail, airmail, zeppelin mail, etc.

 

Zeppelin mail, wow. That would be a cool item to have around. There is a certain mystique about those wonderful creations. Was there an envelope for those too, or some sort of visible designation (stamp, etc.)?

 

- R

 

[Titivillus]

Gone are the days of surface mail, airmail, zeppelin mail, etc.

 

Zeppelin mail, wow. That would be a cool item to have around. There is a certain mystique about those wonderful creations. Was there an envelope for those too, or some sort of visible designation (stamp, etc.)?

 

- R

 

I believe there are. An artist in New Orleans put out a children's book about Zeppelin's and included some ephermia as an appendix. Seems to remember there being stamps in it. check out my avatar for an example.

 

Kurt

Edited April 17, 2008 by Titivillus

[Immoteus]

I've seen them in Taiwan and Japanese stationary/book stores.

[English John]

When the US made all first class letters go by air, there was no reason for people to use special envelopes anymore. There is no slower/cheaper alternative for you, as an individual, to send a letter except first class. Gone are the days of surface mail, airmail, zeppelin mail, etc.

 

The reason I use airmail stationery is that postage only covers up to a set weight -- just a few grams. I can write longer letters on more pages of my thin airmail stationery and still post them with a single stamp: an 81p royal mail international stamp only covers 20 grams. On thicker stationery, I would occasionally have to pay for more postage as they would weigh just a bit too much, and I can't be bothered with going to the post office to have them weighed, buy more stamps and so on. So, despite the days of modern progress, I do have a practical reason for using them for my letters back home to the states: it keeps my letters from being lost or returned due to insufficient postage and saves a tiny wee bit of jet fuel. It's just a matter of convenience, really. Besides, nothing screams exotic like airmail stationery!

 

I have to ask, how do these thin papers work with fountain pens ? You can find Basildon Bond everywhere in Britain , and I hope you say it's brilliant !

[Blade Runner]

Gone are the days of surface mail, airmail, zeppelin mail, etc.

 

Zeppelin mail, wow. That would be a cool item to have around. There is a certain mystique about those wonderful creations. Was there an envelope for those too, or some sort of visible designation (stamp, etc.)?

 

- R

Yes, they were rubber stamped as zeppellin mail! In fact that's my current rubber stamping project -

I'm collecting rubber stamps and ephemera to create stylized versions of zeppellin mail envelopes for personal correspondence.

 

Some other unusual forms of mail -

 

Rocket mail - prob with explosions however - extinct

Tin Can Swimmer/Canoe mail off the coast of Niuafoou - extinct

Pneumatic post - extinct for general public mail delivery.

US pony express - extinct

Mule train mail - still exists for one US PO in the Grand Canyon!

Edited April 17, 2008 by jeen

[Ernst Bitterman]

Don't forget the drop-barrel in the Galapagos Islands, where passing sailors toss in a letter and root around to see if there's one aimed at their current destination-- THERE'S a traditional mail service.

[Blade Runner]

Don't forget the drop-barrel in the Galapagos Islands, where passing sailors toss in a letter and root around to see if there's one aimed at their current destination-- THERE'S a traditional mail service.

Ernst,

Thanks for mentioning that - Wonderful!

I also forgot ship mail and rail Mail in my previous post.

Edited April 17, 2008 by jeen

[tfwall]

When the US made all first class letters go by air, there was no reason for people to use special envelopes anymore. There is no slower/cheaper alternative for you, as an individual, to send a letter except first class. Gone are the days of surface mail, airmail, zeppelin mail, etc.

 

The reason I use airmail stationery is that postage only covers up to a set weight -- just a few grams. I can write longer letters on more pages of my thin airmail stationery and still post them with a single stamp: an 81p royal mail international stamp only covers 20 grams. On thicker stationery, I would occasionally have to pay for more postage as they would weigh just a bit too much, and I can't be bothered with going to the post office to have them weighed, buy more stamps and so on. So, despite the days of modern progress, I do have a practical reason for using them for my letters back home to the states: it keeps my letters from being lost or returned due to insufficient postage and saves a tiny wee bit of jet fuel. It's just a matter of convenience, really. Besides, nothing screams exotic like airmail stationery!

 

I have to ask, how do these thin papers work with fountain pens ? You can find Basildon Bond everywhere in Britain , and I hope you say it's brilliant !

 

I've never used Basildon Bond, but I have used the G. Lalo and a variety of vintage airmail onionskin. Both work very well with fountain pens. They are translucent and very thin, but do not bleed through or feather. The vintage stuff, I have some from WWII and some from the 60's, is still fine and serviceable. You can usually get it as a set with envelopes on eBay for under $10.

 

[bluestocking]

I have to ask, how do these thin papers work with fountain pens ? You can find Basildon Bond everywhere in Britain , and I hope you say it's brilliant !

 

Yep, I think it works really well. I got mine at your bog standard Ryman about a month ago and gave it a whirl. It's thin paper, but doesn't feather or bleed through. I'm guessing it's the same paper they have used for years, therefore sort of designed for use with FPs. It was about five quid all in for the paper tablet + envelopes, and I'm a happy customer.