Fire & Ice: Zeppelins, Aerophilately and the Titanic #643

United States, 1928, cacheted autographed "Round the World" postal card, cancelled by Jun 28 1928 duplex, with pair China 249 tied, reverse has the scarcer red cachet with Jul 22 1928 duplex, John Henry Mears signature, with original receipt from Alexander Drysdale Gage, historic material; missing stamp, Fine to Very Fine.
Estimate $500 - 750

He was born on May 22, 1878 in Massachusetts. On July 2, 1913, he left New York City on the RMS Mauretania, then traveled by a combination of steamers, yachts, and trains to circumnavigate the Earth and reach New York City again on August 6, 1913. He had an elapsed time of 35 days, 21 hours, 35 minutes, 18 and four-fifths seconds. His record stood for 13 years. In 1928, he set the record again at 23 days 15 hours 21 minutes and 3 seconds. In the same year he wrote an autobiography called Racing the Moon.

After the Graf Zeppelin broke his record in 1929, he made one last attempt in 1930. He had to abandon the trip after the airplane he was on was damaged during takeoff. He died at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Los Angeles on July 26, 1956 .