M1004s

Horses

Saddlebred

Fred Collins Signature

Collins Cover Announcement 

HORSES

Set of Four

This set of four individual Horse covers is one of the pride and joys of all my 1985 efforts. The issue was certainly one of the more popular among stamp collectors for 1985, and I feel that you will really like these four COLLINS FDCs. As with my Dog FDCs, a final cover with all four stamps will be offered at a later date. It will have a cachet of its own and will not be part of this set of four.

Before I describe each of the hand-painted cachets, let me tell you how they were created. We picked the stamps up first thing on the morning of issue in Lexington, Kentucky. Like my 1984 Dog set, I decided to do two with the official cancel (Lexington, Kentucky) and two with a related unofficial. And what a great unofficial it is! A few years back while on vacation in the Smokey Mountains, I passed through the small settlement of Horse Shoe, North Carolina. Ever since, I've been waiting patiently for a chance to use it on my FDCs. This has to be the very best cancel for this First Day. And, as is often the case, COLLINS was the only one to get it. No other covers can offer it. To get there, it was necessary to charter a private plane to fly from Kentucky to Ashville, N.C. Then it was west via a rental car to Horse Shoe. I am always excited when I can offer my collectors First Day Covers such as these. Each has a very large, beautiful hand-painted cachet. Each has one of the four Horse stamps that corresponds to the cachet. The Morgan and Saddlebred stamps are officially canceled at Lexington, Kentucky. The Quarter Horse and Appaloosa stamps are unofficially canceled at Horse Shoe, North Carolina. (This cancel is magenta in color and rather faint.)

Appaloosa 

Featured in Buffallo Bill's Wild West Show, the Appaloosa prances out toward the viewer with his famous rider in the saddle. Behind him, a contingent of show riders gallops across the arena -- two cowboys and two Indians all attired in colorful western garb. In the background, the crowd watches from under the tent canopy with multi-colored flags waving in the breeze.

Saddlebred

This high-stepping horse is shown in front of a southern plantation house. Spanish moss in the trees and pink blooming shrubs highlight the well-kept grounds. Attired in blue waist coat and wide-brimmed plantation hat, the owner and his mount seem to become one.

Morgan

High on a rocky ledge overlooking Harper's Ferry, a cavalryman astride his Morgan horse views the countryside through his telescope. The Morgan was the main mount of the First Vermont Regiment during the Civil War. It is a panoramic cachet with a tiny cluster of buildings in the settlement flanked by the blue rivers and the lush green of fields and woodlands.

Quarter Horse 

A cowboy has run down a stray calf from the main herd, and the noose from his lasso has just setled about the young cow's neck. The Quarter Horse has started to pull up to bring the rope taut. In the background, the main herd is seen being guided by another rider, and beyond are green foothills under a cloud-filled sky.

This set of four COLLINS FDCs with hand-painted cachets will certainly rank among the finest of any done for this very well received issue. Animals and horses are popular topicals, so please do not hesitate too long if you would like them. I took great time and care to come up with just the right color combinations on these four lovely cachets, and I am anxious for them to be sent out. Item #M1002 (set of 4) $25.00.