Beautifully engraved certificate from the American Racing Pigeon Union issued from 1942 to 1944 during WWII. This historic document has an ornate border around it with a vignette of a pigeon. This item is hand signed by the Company's President and Secretary and is over 63 years old. The certificate has been folded in thirds and was 3 hole punched in the white part of the border on the bottom. We have a certifcate from the Old Colony Pigeon Club and from the Fall River Racing Pigeon Concourse which can be selected in the club section.
Certificate Vignette In the 1860s, homing pigeons were imported from Europe. By 1872 the first club was formed to conduct races, but most fanciers flew pigeons individually or in challenge matches. The largest concentration of fanciers was in Philadelphia where in 1880, the Red Star Club held a pigeon show at which those in attendance agreed on the formation of "The Atlantic Federation of Homing Pigeon Societies" to conduct a concourse race. The first race in 1881 was a success. The following year one club won a majority of prizes and there were many losses, resulting in termination of the annual race. In 1883, the Federation was reorganized as "The Federation of Homing Pigeon Fanciers of America." The new organization was designed to maintain a permanent registry of the speed records at each distance and to administer all flights for record purposes. By 1909, several independent organizations came into existence, the most prominent of which was the Quaker City Concourse Association of Philadelphia. The independents sought to issue their own bands, which could be purchased for one third of the cost charged by the national organizations, desired local race rules, wanted more reliable timers owned by members, and used band profits to fund cash prizes. The Federation had reorganized in 1907 as the International Federation of American Homing Pigeon Fanciers to eliminate control by shareholders and vest voting rights in its members. A meeting was held on August 2, 1909, in Washington, chaired by D. C. Buscall, at which an organizational committee was appointed, comprised of seven fanciers who had written articles advocating the principles of the new entity. Buscall prepared a draft of proposed rules and an organizational meeting was held in Washington on November 2nd. Thirty-four fanciers from Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. attended. They elected McMicken as President, W. F. Dismer, Secretary-Treasurer, and D. C. Buscall, Race Secretary, and came up with the name the "American Racing Pigeon Union" (ARPU). History from The American Racing Pigeon Union, Inc. Press Information