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AUSTRIA 1958 PRO JUVENTUTE BALLOON POST SPECIALIZED POSTAL STATIONERY COVER

1958 (Oct. 26), Kinderdorf Balloon Post Jubilee Souvenir Cover from Salzburg to Salzburg-Kasern. The envelope features a block of FOUR IMPRINTED ISSUES AT UPPER RIGHT acting as the postal stationery base layout, consisting of regional costumes and provincial definitive indicia (3g blue, 3g red, 5g red, and 20g green). This unique commemorative stationery envelope is uprated with a 30g purple girl with grapes definitive and a 1.50 S reddish-brown Linz building definitive to satisfy the specialized flight premiums. The uprating adhesives and the underlying imprinted block are tied by a circular SALZBURGER FESTSPIELE / 30.8.58 machine cancel and a central pictorial balloon post postmark. An octagonal first day marker inscribed Ersttag with a central post horn and Austrian federal eagle is struck at the upper left.

Two superb strikes of the illustrated cachet reading 10 JAHRE ÖSTERR. BALLONPOST / XX. BALLONPOSTFLUG / SALZBURG 2 / 26.OKT.1958 / BALLON "OMO" clearly anchor the left portion of the envelope. The lower center displays a blue two-line commemorative handstamp reading F. M. VIERTHALER / JUBILÄUMS-FLUG. A framed blue label inscribed MIT BALLONPOST is affixed at the bottom right corner, balanced by a red-framed anniversary text box reading 1948-1958 / Österreichische Pro Juventute / 10 Jahre Kinderdorfballonpost / S 10.-. The destination field is struck by a circular SALZBURG-KASERN / 26.10.58-17 / a arrival backstamp at the center. The reverse features a wide unsealed security flap printed with intensive German instructional text detailing the Verwendungsmöglichkeiten dieses Ballonpost-Briefumschlages. The envelope is in a sound and intact state of preservation.

This highly specialized commemorative flight cover tracks an organized social and philatelic transit route over Salzburg during the late 1950s. Dispatched on October 26, 1958, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the SOS Children's Villages (Kinderdorf) fundraising flights, the cover features a rare four-indicia official stationery printing uprated with supplemental definitive issues to satisfy the special 10-Schilling balloon carriage fee. The envelope was physically loaded into the basket of the famous hot air balloon "OMO" at Salzburg, flown over the metropolitan area, and processed through the Kasern airfield post wicket on the same afternoon, providing an exceptional record of mid-century Austrian humanitarian aero-philately.

Two superb strikes of the illustrated cachet reading 10 JAHRE ÖSTERR. BALLONPOST / XX. BALLONPOSTFLUG / SALZBURG 2 / 26.OKT.1958 / BALLON "OMO" clearly anchor the left portion of the envelope. The lower center displays a blue two-line commemorative handstamp reading F. M. VIERTHALER / JUBILÄUMS-FLUG. A framed blue label inscribed MIT BALLONPOST is affixed at the bottom right corner, balanced by a red-framed anniversary text box reading 1948-1958 / Österreichische Pro Juventute / 10 Jahre Kinderdorfballonpost / S 10.-. The destination field is struck by a circular SALZBURG-KASERN / 26.10.58-17 / a arrival backstamp at the center. The reverse panel features a wide unsealed security flap printed with intensive German instructional text detailing the Verwendungsmöglichkeiten dieses Ballonpost-Briefumschlages. The envelope is in a sound and intact state of preservation.

Please examine lot scan carefully and please send any questions at least 48 hours before the auction closes. Please note that cover condition usually includes normal wear and tear to cover edges, opening tears and some creases and wrinkles. Only exceptional or extreme condition issues will be mentioned.

Legend:

PS - Postal Stationery

FL - Folded Letter

SFL - Stampless Folded Letter

RPO - Railway Post Office

CDS - Circular Date Stamp

DPO - Dead Post Office

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