Patricia Airways and Exploration Limited (PAEL) was formed by H.A. "Doc" Oakes and S.A. "Sammy" Tomlinson both former pilots with the Ontario Provincial Air Service.
They staked gold mining claims in Red Lake in Mar 1926 which they sold in Toronto for a down payment on a Curtiss Lark plane.
This plane was a larger version of the Jenny and could readily convert its skis to either wheels or floats.
As a result of the demise of Elliot-Fairchild the Canadian government permitted PAEL to clear the backlog and paid them 25c for every letter carried, this being the only occasion on which this was ever undertaken in Canada. From July 7 onward PAEL was permitted to make its own charge for mail carried and a levy of 25c was made on the Pine Ridge and Red Lake, while letters to Woman Lake, Birch Lake and Cat Lake were to cost 50c. |
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PAEL Rate Card
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| Click on card for larger image. |
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Because of the diversity of proofs and stamps, PAEL is a collector's dream (or,for some, a nightmare).
Further, while covers from previous companies where largely philatelic, there was a substantial amount of mail carried by this company for proper commercial purposed.
Since PAEL anticipated a merger many times in 1927 only a small stock of stamps was kept on hand to obviate large remainders.
There were three PAEL issues or "styles" all of which had a common central design featuring the front view of the Curtiss Lark biplane flying over a northland scene - similar to that depicted on the earlier stamps of Laurentide Air Service.
Style One |
- caCL0013-17
- yellow paper
- perf 12
- green border/margin design containing RED LAKE and AIR MAIL
- red airplane with "Lark" below
- route inscription below airplane
- face value 25c
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Style Two |
- caCL0018-22
- green paper
- perf 12
- black border/margin design containing WOMAN LAKE and AIR MAIL
- light brown airplane with "Lark" below
- route inscription below airplane
- face value 50c
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Style Three |
- caCL0023-30
- yellow paper
- rouletted
- green border/margin design
- red airplane without "Lark"
- no route inscription
- face value 25c
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This air service map is on the reverse side of the company's stationary envelopes.
The company name at the top was superimposed from front.
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