O601

Brooklyn Bridge

Hybrid Cable-Stayed/Suspension Bridge

Collins Cover Announcement 

BROOKLYN BRIDGE

This very popular 1983 First Day cover celebrates the centennial of the Brooklyn Bridge. In New York City the festive occasion was given much media coverage and many events were scheduled to mark the 100 year Birthday observance of this 1883 engineering marvel. At the Annual American First Day Cover Society Convention, FDCs of this issue were definitely among the year's favorites. It is sure to be a widely collected cover now and years to come, and I recommend adding at least one to your collection.

In my opinion, both the cachet and the two super unofficials share equally top billing and importance. A Connecticut COLLINS collector and friend suggested to me that the small town of Brooklyn, CT might be an appropriate and rare unofficial. It is perfect as it brings into play the name "Brooklyn" but does so by using a very limited unofficial. The cancel itself is a very nice large bullseye with killer bars. I believe that only one other gentleman made it to this distant and related village and he was a collector doing only a small number of covers. The Brooklyn unofficial by itself make this a "must" FDC for any specialized collection, but it is only half the story. Since Brooklyn is part of the fabulous and immense "Port of New York" and since this issue is meant to honor a bridge, I felt that Bridgeport, Conn. would indeed be the final touch. The large, clear bullseye is the second related unofficial that transforms this FDC from a "must" to a "priority must" for any Brooklyn Bridge collector. It is the end product of a day that started by picking up the stamps in New York, affixing them to covers and continued to its conclusion with stops in Bridgeport and Brooklyn, Conn.

The handpainted cachet is subtle...but study the coloring carefully. From the right foreground to the left badkground, the span crosses above the river. On the distant shore is the city skyline at daybreak. The horizon has a streak of pale orange to show the coming sun and a touch of yellow is thus reflected in the water and the puffy clouds. However, the shadows of early dawn have not yet entirely vanished and hints of pale purple are thus also reflected in the clouds and water. The bridge itself is done in a strong brown with some lighter highlights. The background color for the text is a contrasting shade of blue and the cachet is surrounded on three quarters by a bridge colored border, but it is left open at the top so as not to inhibit the cloud effect.

As with the TVA cover, I like to consider this a typical COLLINS but with the two unofficials and painted cachet it certainly isn't a typical First Day cover. Hope you enjoy it. Item 0601. Price $5.50