K501s

American Author

Horatio Alger - Children's Literature

Fred Collins Signature

Collins Cover Announcement 

HORATION ALGER

Horatio Alger is always associated with a good work ethic - work hard and you will achieve your goals and receive your rewards. Since hard-working youths are used to illustrate this industrious Horatio Alger philosophy, I decided to use the "apprentice" theme in my cachet and cancel.

The hand painted cachet shows a boy sitting at a workbench doing woodwork. It is well colored showing tools, woodchips, etc. But the main thrust is kept simple - a hard working individual engrossed in his work.

In colonial days, many boys learned a job by working as an apprentice. Accordingly, I chose the colonial style pictorial postmark of the "B Free Franklin" Post Office in Philadelphia for my unofficial. This is an excellent "related" cancel because Benjamin Franklin himself served as an apprentice at the printing shop of his older brother James until he was 21 years old.

The hand painted cachet and the nice balance of the two hand cancels (official and unofficial) make this a very nice cover.

Item No. K501 - $5.50