M2501

Christmas Wildlife

Ring-Necked Pheasants -- “December Ascent”

Collins Cover Announcement 

1995 CHRISTMAS WILDLIFE COVER

"A COLLINS TRADITION"

Back in 1988 I decided to do something a little different and offer a once-a-year Wildlife cachet in a winter setting combined with a "combo" First Day Cover featuring two of the year's Christmas stamps. It has been a fun project each year, and I am pleased to present this year's Wildlife edition, "December Ascent".

My favorite up-land game bird is the Ring-necked pheasant. The male's feathered body is an eye-catching russet brown that actually is lovely to behold. The head is colorful and distinctive --being a wonderful shade of green with a large area of bright red around the eye. Separating the green and red head from the russet body is a white band around the neck from which the name is derived. I count it a very lucky day when I see this magnificent bird in the wild--especially in winter displayed against a blanket of freshly fallen pristine snow.

The setting for this year's cachet is an open meadow. Barren trees and the remnants of high wild grasses appear here and there. In the foreground lies a fallen log crowned by a few inches of fresh snow. The serene solitude of this December woodlands scene is awakened by an explosion of color as two male pheasants arise from the ground and take off in flight. The whole scene is framed by a border, also hand painted, of forest green. The two stamps I used this year are "Sledding" and "Christmas Angel" which do not appear on any other of my covers.

A wonderful addition to the COLLINS Wildlife series. Ringnecked Pheasants. "December Ascent." Item #M2501. $11.25.

Winter 2020 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 22 M2501 — Christmas Wildlife 1995 — Ring-Necked Pheasant — (10-19-95)

These Christmas stamps are tied to the cover with the first day of issue bullseye postmark from Christmas, Florida. The male pheasant is a beautifully marked game bird. A russet feathered body is a reddish brown with a thin white band around the neck. The head is a vibrant forest green with a large red eye-patch. Two of the lovely birds have just risen in flight from a snow-covered hillside.