X501

St. Francis of Assisi

Patron Saint of Italy

Autum 2019 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 6 X501 — St. Francis of Assisi — 10/7/82

A Collins "first" in cachetmaking. I used the stamp in the cachet as part of the design. The design on the stamp depicted St. Francis from the shoulders up as he fed little birds on tree branches. Placing the stamp strategically on the envelope, I completed his body, completed the tree, and added some appealing forest animals as the cachet design. Hand painting in watercolors to coordinate with the colors in the stamp completed the scene. Several cachetmakers have used this technique since, but this was the very first time it was officially recognized as the first cachet using this design technique in the 2019 St. Louis Americover exhibit that won the "Most Popular" award. It is an honor that Collins was the founding pioneer on a cachetmaking technique now known as "extension art" or "stampcentric."