Exceptionally rare vintage matte-finish 3.5 x 5.5 French postcard photo of the aviation pioneer in a handsome half-length and front-facing pose, signed neatly in the lower border in black ink, "Yours truly, Wilbur Wright." The reverse bears collector's notations, "Camp d'Auvours - Sarthe - Aout 1910," and printed text in French, including: "Comptoir Photographique de l'Ouest. — Le Mans." In fine condition, with some light soiling and silvering.
Camp d'Auvours near Le Mans was a central location in the Wrights' flying experience in France. It was where, two years previous, on December 18, 1908, Wilbur Wright soared to a height of 110 meters and set an epic new altitude record. For his achievement, he was given the Aero Club de la Sarthe prize. The 1910 date of this photo aligns with the 2nd Exposition Internationale Aéronautique (Salon de l’Aviation), which was held from October 15 to November 2, 1910, at the Grand Palais in Paris, France. Signed photos of the elder Wright are extremely scarce, given his early death from typhoid fever in 1912. Examples as fine as this, with a crystal-clear image and impeccable signature, are highly sought-after and very rarely seen.
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