Up for sale is a rare, historically significant 1913 Real Photo Postcard (RPPC) featuring an early military aviation scene. The handwritten caption along the top reads: "army aeroplane Culebra W.I." (West Indies) with the date "1913" noted at the bottom.
The photograph captures a fascinating moment in early aviation history: an early pusher-style military biplane/hydroplane sitting in the water, surrounded by soldiers or crew members handling the aircraft near the shoreline.
The setting is Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, a critical location used for early United States military maneuvers and aviation testing just prior to World War I.
This is an exceptional piece of ephemera for collectors of early flight, U.S. military history, Signal Corps aviation, or Caribbean/Puerto Rican topographical history.
Item Specifications
• Type: Real Photo Postcard (RPPC)
• Subject: Early Army Military Hydroplane / Biplane
• Location: Culebra Island, West Indies (Puerto Rico)
• Year: 1913
• Format: Silver gelatine black-and-white print on postcard stock
• Era: Divided Back / Early Aviation Pioneer Era
Condition Report
• Overall Condition: Very Good antique condition given its age.
• Front: The image is clear with good contrast and sharp details of the aircraft and figures. Honest vintage wear along the edges and corners. Visible ink handwriting from the original era at the top and bottom margins.
• Corners/Edges: Mild softening and minor corner bumps consistent with age and storage in an album.
Related Items:
Hallmark Greedo Vintage Figure Star Wars Ornament 2026 NYCC 1/5000 PRESALE 2026
$69.78
Vintage French Glass Beads 1979- Bodmer Blue Size 8/0 Limited Supply-Translucent
$3.99
AQUA PEARL Lite Orange 29” Rare NIB Vintage Never released New in box VIDEO 2001
$350.00
