RARE vintage antique 1916 1919 CALIFORNIA LICENSE PLATE red star low 299 number

Description

This exceedingly rare California license plate was issued in 1916 originally and has the 1919 red star emblem.
I believe this was issued in 1916, because of the low rare number of 299.  In 1916, plate numbers issued ranged from 1 to 234317.
Please read the information below I found regarding 1916-1919 California license plates.
1916 was the first year plates were manufactured in California, not Massachusetts, and this was the first year reusable plates were made in the United States.
This came from the estate of a high end car collector, the back of the plate has two cork? bumpers on the top screw holes.
Plate measures 13" long by 4 1/2" tall.
Please look at pictures and ask any questions you may have before bidding.
Please look at pictures for condition, there are a few nicks in the enamel and some paint loss on the star. The star emblem has metal tabs on the back and is marked number 299 which matches the plate number of 299.
This is a rare opportunity to own  such a great antique California plate!
California License Plates 1914-1919
Beginning in 1914, state legislators opted to issue standardized license plates directly from Sacramento instead of requiring motorists to obtain them independently. This practice of requiring new plates every year made it possible for California to tax owners annually, instead of just once when the vehicle was purchased. Although the first California license plates were manufactured in Pennsylvania in 1914 and 1915, public outcry compelled Sacramento to have them made by an in-state firm for subsequent years. The contract was awarded to the California Metal Enameling Company (CAMEO) in Los Angeles, which produced them from 1916 through 1919. During this four-year span, California became the first state to permit license plates to be re-used over multiple years by simply requiring that a removable metal tab be changed every year upon renewal.
1914 - Passenger vehicle / Porcelain enameled steel
In 1914 the State of California began issuing physical license plates instead of requiring that owners make or buy them. These plates included a small metal dashboard tag similar to those provided by the State in prior years, although for 1914 a new shape was introduced.
1915 - Passenger vehicle / Porcelain enameled steel
The first license plates issued by California were produced by the Ingram-Richardson Manufacturing Company in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, and bore a strong resemblance to eastern state plates (such as Connecticut and Massachusetts) as a result. This two-plate set survives with its matching-number metal dashboard tag intact to form an extremely rare grouping.
1916 - Passenger vehicle / Porcelain enameled steel with lead tab
In 1916, the California Enameling Company (CAMEO) in Los Angeles, won the contract to manufacture state plates. The baseplate was made of porcelainized metal and updated annually with tabs of different designs, the first time such a system had been used by any state. The tab for 1916 was made of solid lead and came in the shape of a bear, the official state animal. Plate numbers ranged from 1 to 234317.
1917 - Passenger vehicle / Porcelain enameled steel with steel tab
California's state flower, the brightly colored poppy inspired the tab used only for plates registered in 1917. Plate numbers ranged from 234318 to 357299.
1918 - Passenger vehicle / Porcelain enameled steel with steel tab
Often mistaken for the United States Liberty Bell, the California mission bell, commemorating the state's missions, appeared on tabs for the 1918 calendar year. Plate numbers ranged from 357300 to 485000.
1919 - Passenger vehicle / Porcelain enameled steel with steel tab
Used only for 1919, the red star tab commemorated the United States victory in World War I and was especially popular with California motorists because it allowed for the patriotic red, white and blue color combination that was not possible in previous years. Issued during the final year of porcelain plates, this example bears a "dealer" designation indicating that the car to which it was mounted was owned by a dealership and possibly used as a demonstrator. Issued plate numbers ranged from 485001 to about 600000.