J1601s

Great Americans

Sitting Bull - Hunkpapa Leader - Battle of the Little Bighorn

Fred Collins Signature

Collins Cover Announcement 

SITTING BULL

Famous American Series

I knew when this stamp was first announced that it would be a popular issue. After considering several cachet designs, I narrowed it down to two and, not wanting to discard either one, decided to go with two excellent covers. Sitting bull was a renowned chief of the Sioux tribe, and I chose to use unofficial cancels that would recall two other famous Sioux chiefs -- Crazy Horse and Black Hawk.

The first cover is a full portrait of the warrior chief as he sits in front of his teepee on a buffalo robe. He is dressed in a fringed buckskin shirt, leggings, and beaded moccasins. A brightly colored blanket covers his lap, and he is holding a ceremonial peace pipe. A lone eagle feather adorns his long, braided hair.

His facial expression is stoic and one can appreciate his character just by gazing at his proud bearing. Other teepees of the village are prominent in the background and wisps of smoke from morning cook-fires float through extended lodge-poles into the pink dawn sky. The stamp has a fine unofficial (real) First Day cancel from Crazy Horse, South Dakota.

The second cover depicts a war party of mounted braves returning to their village. The chief in full feathered headdress is astride a paint -- the spotted horse so associated with the plains tribes. The group of warriors pauses on the crest of a hill observing the familiar camp in the valley below. Their dress and weapons are a good representation of the Sioux tribe. This cover boasts two stamps -- one is officially canceled at Rapid City and the second has the fine unofficial of Black Hawk, South Dakota.

These two COLLINS covers in the Famous American Series will be excellent additions to any collection and I am happy to offer them to you. Item #J1601 (Portrait) - $7.50 and Item #J1602 (Horsemen) - $8.00.

Spring 2021 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 17 J1601 — Sitting Bull — 9/14/89

This cover is one of my personal favorites that I've done for Native Americans over the years. It shows Sitting Bull sitting on a buffalo robe in front of his teepee wearing fringed buckskins and beaded moccasins while holding a peace pipe. I obtained the stamps in the official city of Black Hawk, South Dakota and then went on to obtain a wonderful bold first day postmark with killer bars from Crazy Horse, South Dakota. Sitting Bull was the leader of the Lakota Sioux during their resistance to the United States in the late 1800's. When the Lakota tribes along with the Northern Cheyenne annihilated Colonel George Armstrong Custer and his 7th Cavalry Battalion on June 25, 1876, his brave leadership was a major reason for the victory. A classic Native American hand painted Collins cachet.