N2601

Riverboats

Robert. E. Lee

Collins Cover Announcement 

RIVERBOATS

Robert E. Lee

The Mighty Mississippi River is the setting for this handpainted COLLINS in my five cover Riverboat Series. In the 1800's most of the settlements dotting the banks of "Old Man River" were sleepy hamlets reminiscent of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It is such a waterfront scene that I feature in this cachet.

A young boy who, in fact, could be Huck Finn enjoys the day with his fishing pole and pet dog. Nearby a small flatboat, the watery workhorse used for hauling local cargoes of freight and supplies, is unloaded at the wharf. Bales, barrels, and kegs are neatly stacked attesting to the importance of the busy river trade. Further out, a solitary rower strains at the oars of his dinghy. All in all, a quiet and sleepy morning as the wide river rolls by.

But...the morning is now shattered by an exciting and awaited event. The showboat Robert E. Lee makes its grand approach with its two huge stacks trailing smoke and two smaller stacks near the stern also smoking. The multidecked riverboat is propelled by the huge sidewheel. The Robert E. Lee and similar boats were the grandest vesssels sailing the great river in America's Heartland. A shrill blast on the whistle announces its arrival for your collection. A stirring sight from the days of Huck Finn's Mississippi. The Robert E. Lee. Item #N2601. $11.75.

Spring 2021 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 25 N2601 to N2605 — Riverboats — 8/22/96

This set sold out so quickly it was almost unbelievable. The cachet art on each of the Riverboat hand painted covers is incredible, and I ask you to take a few moments to review each of the cachets. A golden sunset provides a spectacular setting on the Oklawaha River — note the palm trees, sub-tropical foliage and the big gator sunning on the bank. From their small village along the Yellowstone River, a band of Sioux watch a passing riverboat — note the designs on the teepees and the impressive buttes on the opposite shore. A passenger steamboat is shown on the mighty Mississippi River — note the cargo stacked on shore, a flatboat with cabin moored to the waterfront, and a boy with dog fishing from the wharf. A sidewheeler on the Hudson River passes a picturesque sailboat — note West Point on the opposite shore. In the Northwest, a sternwheeler visits the islands in Puget Sound — note the sparse pine boughs on the tall trees and peaks from the Cascade Range in the distance. This set will always be a lasting testimonial to the cachet quality of Collins hand painted covers. Rarely comes up for sale.