K1201

U. S. Flag

Flag With Fireworks

Collins Cover Announcement 

U.S. FLAG/FIREWORKS

The two-part hand-painted cachet of this FDC plus the terrific show quality unofficial First Day cancel combine to make this cover worthy of your consideration.

A large segment of the cover was printed with a midnight black sky. Against this night sky, a colorful (all hand painted) array of exploding rockets and bursting fireworks provides a visual sensation. And, against this background of excitement and color, a large American flag is in the foreground and, like the fireworks, is hand painted against the dark night sky.

Beautiful. In fact, for this Flag/Fireworks stamp, the fore­going COLLINS cachet as described would make this a fine collectible.

But...there is much more. Utah collector Jim Jones (the stamp was issued in Colorado) advised me of a planned show cancel that was to be in use. It would pay tribute to an 1889 Railroad Post Office (R.P.O.) of the old Leadville and Aspen Line. I thought it would add a great deal to the cover if part of the cachet was dedicated to this railroad theme. Thus, a smaller, separate hand-painted cachet shows an old engine and train steaming into Leadville about to pick up the mail sack. This concept of designing a cachet to correspond to an unofficial First Day cancel is a subtle but very important part of enhancing this FDC.

You will enjoy this issue. A fine Denver, Colorado unofficial First Day cancel with the old "Leadville and Aspen R.P.O." postmark. The related hand-painted railroad cachet identifying the "Leadville" connection. And, the impressive large hand­painted flag and fireworks display set against the coal black sky which relates beautifully to the theme of the stamp. A fineCOLLINS FDC. Item #K1201 - $7.50