Como Park Post issues 5¢ stamp produced from recut die
My most recent trip to check my post office box resulted mainly in me bringing home a stack of non-profit fundraising mailings that were for the most part of little philatelic interest, but there was one local post stamp awaiting me: a 5¢ Como Park Post stamp from Tom B.
Como Park Post 5¢ stamp
A written note on the back of the blue stamp identifies it as originating from a recut die. Although many modern local post stamps were at one time created in a similar manner as Tom’s, most these days, including my own Philosateleian Post stamps, are designed and printed using a computer.
Although Como Park Post’s stamps may not be quite as “slick” in appearance, there’s a special skill involved in creating something like this by hand, and it’s nice to see an example of the old methods still being used.
It has been right at a year since Purgatory Post last released a covered bridge stamp, but a new 11-sola stamp picturing the Bagley Bridge that previously spanned New Hampshire’s Warner River was issued on August 3, 2020.
Purgatory Post 11-sola Bagley Bridge stamp
Although most of the stamps in designer Scott A.’s series picture covered bridges that are still standing, Bagley Bridge, which was likely originally built in the 1830s, was dismantled in 1966. Scott tells me, however, that the bridge’s pieces were pulled out of storage in the early 21st century and reassembled as the Will Henry Stevens Covered Bridge outside an arts center in Highlands, North Carolina, where the bridge stands to this day.
Faux bird stamps on business reply envelope look familiar
Last year, it seemed like I was receiving a business reply envelope with cinderella stamps or preprinted stamp-sized images on it from Boys Town just about every other week. Similar envelopes from a couple of other organizations turned up in the mail, too, but I haven’t seen much in the way of that sort of material in recent months. Maybe that has something to do with the general impact of COVID-19, maybe not.
At any rate, a mailing from the American Lung Association that was waiting in my PO box on Monday did contain an envelope with five preprinted stamp-sized images picturing various birds. The containing envelope took a beating in transit, so the BRE has some dents, but it was nice treat to receive in junk mail.
American Lung Association business reply envelope with faux bird stamp designs
The bird images did seem vaguely familiar, so I did a bit of looking around and—surprise!—four of the five were used on the BRE enclosed in a November 2019 Boys Town mailing! It’s almost like a not-quite-cinderella joint issue of sorts.
This has to be more than coincidence, and I can only assume that Boys Town and the American Lung Association are using the same marketing outfit. I’m curious to see if these same birds turn up in any other mailings in the future.
Caught up on writing up 14¢ American Indian covers
At long last, I’ve finally finished writing up the various 14¢ American Indian covers that I had accumulated over the past few years! I’d been chipping away at that little project since early last month, and I’m happy to be able to share the last three covers with you here.
The first item is a 2¢ John Adams “Prexie” first day cover that had a 14¢ American Indian stamp added to it. Completely and totally philatelic, and a bit of an oddball item, but finding this example was a nice surprise.
14¢ American Indian first day cover
Next up is a 1942 air mail cover sent from the Canal Zone to Pennsylvania that bears a copy of the American Indian stamp. Although this is arguably a late usage of the 14¢ value, this stamp was surprisingly difficult to find on cover, and I remember being pretty excited to pick it up at a TSDA bourse here in San Antonio some time ago, back when we were still able to attend such things.
14¢ American Indian cover mailed from Canal Zone to Pennsylvania
And finally, we have an event cover marking the splashdown of Gemini 7 in the Atlantic Ocean in 1965. Yes, this is an example of the rotary press-printed American Indian stamp with Canal Zone overprint used over three decades after it was issued, but what a neat item commemorating one of the United States space missions.
14¢ American Indian Gemini 7 cover
I’m still on the lookout for American Indian stamps on cover, particularly solo usages of the stamp, but for now, at least, I’ve finished writing up the covers in my collection.
14¢ American Indian covers sent to casket, tire companies
As part of my continuing efforts to get my collection of 14¢ American Indian stamps properly sorted and written up, I’ve added a couple of items to my online exhibit over the past week and a half.
The first of these is an air mail special delivery envelope mailed to the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in 1937. The cover made it from Los Angeles to Akron, Ohio, the next day. Priority Express Mail today could hardly do better!
14¢ American Indian Fibreboard Products cover
The second item is a solo use of the 14¢ American Indian stamp on a cover mailed to the St. Paul Casket Company of Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1938. In my opinion, this cover despite the address is probably philatelic in nature, or at least philatelically-inspired, but what do you think?
14¢ American Indian St. Paul Casket Company cover
I still have a few more covers to write up as time permits, after which I would like to properly sort out the loose copies of this stamp that I have. We’ll see how things go.
