A3504

Thanksgiving

The Wild Turkey

Cover Announcement 

The First Thanksgiving 

Pilgrims of the Plymouth Colony

When the new Thanksgiving stamp was issued, I decided that I would produce a mini-set of five rather than just a single cover. I have always had a keen interest in United States history, and the story of the Pilgrims has fascinated me since the third grade_ The philatelic press has reported that this will be the one and only stamp in the "Holiday Celebration" series that honors our annual day of Thanksgiving. Not wanting to miss this golden opportunity to record philatelically this special moment in America's past, I am pleased to present a First Day Cover chronicle of the Plymouth Colony.

My five hand painted cachets are stunningly beautiful. A cornucopia (which comes from the Latin cornu copiae meaning "horn of plenty") is shown on the stamp, but the one on my cachet is, in fact, a superb watercolor still-life depicting many of the vegetables and fruits that sustained our earliest colonists. It is documented that, to bring fresh poultry to the table, wild turkeys were harvested from the surrounding forests. My cachet shows two hunters in search of this waxy bird, but they are so intent on their conversation that it appears the big Tom in full plumage will survive the encounter.

A young couple, with Bibles in hand, takes a short stroll within close proximity to the seaside village. He carries his long-gun for protection from any beasts that roam the deep woods as well as from any Natives that may intend harm. Looks of awareness and apprehension attest to the uncharted newness of their new home territory. The magnificent colors of the sky and water really provide a marvelous backdrop to the scene, and such a tremendous "look" can only be achieved by the individual brush strokes that transform the drawing into a miniature work of art.

Only the vivid imagination of each of us can conjure up what the first Thanksgiving feast actually looked like. We do know that local Indians attended. In my mind, I do not see them sitting at a table as this would not be in their realm of experiences. My cachet has them sitting on the ground being served bread, while the main dish cooks in an iron kettle over an open fire. The scene only shows a small, detailed part of the feast, and many unseen Pilgrims and Indians are also taking part. At day's end, the American tradition of  giving had begun.

After the Pilgrim's first dreadful winter, a small wildflower called Trailing Arbutus was the first to greet them. They took renewed hope and courage when they saw such a beautiful plant blossoming so bravely amid the winter snows. They wrote "0 sacred flower off  aith and hope. " To this day, this plant is called the Mayflower in New England. It is said that the Pilgrims first called it such after their ship because the fresh delicate green leaves emerging after a harsh winter reminded them that they, too, had triumphed over the season's grim and bitter experiences. In my final cachet, I show the Pilgrims' ship at anchor and, in the lower right corner, a sprig of its namesake — the Mayflower. It's a lovely cachet that symbolizes the triumph of hope and success over despair and failure. Throughout the year, they worked hard with renewed courage, and, when the growing season came to an end, celebrated with their feast of  Thanksgiving.

Nine years ago in 1993, I did the same sort of single stamp set. I called it "The people of the Oregon Trail." It sold out rapidly, and today those limited-edition cachets are extremely hard to find. And, when they do appear for sale, they go at a hefty premium over their original prices. The story of the Oregon Trail pioneers is another one of those sagas of American history that has always inspired me — as do the Pilgrims.

It is my belief that this set will be a certain sell-out I will accept multiple orders, but please understand that, as always, I reserve the right to reduce multiple orders if necessary. These lovely cachets are destined to become treasured 141)Cs within our hobby, and I urge you not to miss them.

It's with a deep sense of personal satisfaction that I proudly present my set of five limited-edition Thanksgiving cachets. They are offered at one per month so that all of my collectors can fit them into their hobby budgets and also allow the painting time required. I will only be offering these covers in full sets. Please respond promptly if you would like them.

The Feast — Collins #A3501; The Plymouth Colony — Collins #A3502; The Horn of Plenty — Collins #A3505; The Wild Turkey — Collins 4A3504; and The Mayflower — Collins #A3505. They are offered at

$12.75 each.

Spring 2024 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 32 A3501 to A3505 — We Give  Thanks — (set of 5 Thanksgiving cachets) — 10-19-01

When the Postal Service issued a stamp honoring Thanksgiving in 2001, I decided it was an incredible opportunity to create a first day cover chronicle of the Plymouth Colony. My five hand painted cachets are stunningly beautiful. There is a lovely rendition of The Mayflower, the English sailing ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. * A cornucopia (horn of plenty) is shown on the stamp, but the one on my cachet is, in fact, a superb watercolor still-life depicting many of the vegetables and fruits that sustained our earliest colonists. * It is documented that, to bring fresh poultry to the table, wild turkeys were harvested from the surrounding forests. My cachet shows two hunters in search of this wary bird, but they are so intent on their conversation that it appears the big Tom in full plumage will survive the encounter. * A young couple, with Bibles in hand, take a short stroll within close proximity to the seaside village. He carries his long gun for protection from any beasts that roam the deep woods as well as from any Native Americans that may intend harm. Looks of awareness and apprehension attest to the uncharted newness of their new home territory. The magnificent colors of the sky and water provide a marvelous backdrop for the scene.* Only the vivid imagination of each of us can conjure up what the first Thanksgiving feast actually looked like. We do know that the local Natives attended. In my mind, I do not see them sitting at a table as this would not be in their realm of experience. My cachet has them sitting on the ground being served bread, while the main dish cooks in an iron kettle over an open fire. The scene only shows a small, detailed part of the feast, and many unseen Pilgrims and Indians are also taking part. At day's end, the American tradition of Thanksgiving had begun.