Pan American Airways Clipper First Passenger Flight Special Pass 1939 - Engraved For Sale

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Pan American Airways Clipper First Passenger Flight Special Pass 1939 - Engraved:
$4500.00

Own a unique part of Pan Am History. These are seldom if ever seen in public. When Pan American Airways did a proomotion for a new clipper or a route they pulled out all this stops. On this one, that included the First Lady of the United States and \"golden passes\".
This item was a VIP gift to attendees at the promotional \"first passenger flight\" of the Pan Am Yankee Clipper held at the dock at the Anacostia Naval Air Station located in southeastern Washington, D.C. on March 3, 1939. President Franklin Roosevelt\'s wife, Eleanor, did the honors.
This bronze (probably) pass is a heavy seven ounces and is approximately 3.5 inches x 2.5 inches and 3/16 inches thick. About the size of a business card. It feels very heavy in the hand. No, it\'s not gold! But it sure looks like it.
The text reads:
Pan American Airways SystemIssues this Special Pass to
Major General H.H. ArnoldFor the First Passenger FlightFollowing the Christening of theYankee ClipperByMrs. Franklin Delano RooseveltAnacostiaMarch 3, 1939
(signed)Juan Trippe (signature)President
The pass is engraved for Major GeneralH.H. Arnold, known worldwide as \"Hap\". He was the commanding general of the Army Air Corps (later the Army Air Force). Later, in December 1944 he would become one of only nine Five Star flag officers in U.S. History and an aviation pioneer in his own right.See the formal portrait photo.
The Pan Am winged logo is raised (see photo) and secured with a screw. The \"globe\" part of the logo looks to be blue enamel.
The back is polished. It has an engraved maker\'s mark (see picture) that reads \"M. Stafford Co. New York, N.Y. 96 Fulton ST.\"
The Yankee Clipper was a Boeing 314 flying boat. The pass is \"signed\" by Juan Trippe, the legendary president of Pan Am.
This \"golden\" (NOT actual gold) pass served as a desk paperweight for General Arnold through his lifetime including on his desk in the Pentagon during his service during World War II. It was probably handled by many of his well-known associates who met with him there including Charles Lindbergh, General George Marshall, Col. Paul Tibbets, famed aviator JacquelineCochrane and many others.
Fate of this aircraft: The Yankee Clipper was destroyed in a landing accident at Cabo Ruivo Seaplane Base, in Lisbon, Portugal on February 22, 1943.