The 3 Cent 1948 Oregon Territory Issue: The First Day Cover Exhibit (Outstanding US First Day Cover Exhibits)

This is no ordinary FDC exhibit. Instead, it traces the development of the stamp from the initial stages to the final design. It includes a photograph of the essay of the one rejected design, as well as a photograph of the accepted design with minor lettering differences. These photographs required years to acquire. A photograph of the final design signed by the designer is included. Such an item is scarce. The publicity photograph represents the only form of “essay” available for modern issues. A plate block and First Day Covers (FDCs) autographed by the designer and the two engravers are shown, as well as a letter from the wife of the seal creator. These are scarce items. The exhibit contains a large die trial color proof in dull violet. This is the first proof on India seen since a few proofs in the 1939-1944 period. It is believed to be the only known large die proof of the issue in private hands. The Post Office Department announcement of the issue is exhibited, as well as a label giving instructions to the postmasters. No Post Office Department announcement cards were used for this issue. Plate blocks from all four plates in all positions are shown. Stamp production data are given. The exhibit also contains the first day program, a difficult acquisition owing to its age. It required years to obtain.The exhibit continues with examples of all of the official, as well as unofficial first day cancellations for the issue. This is followed by a wide variety of cachets on FDCs.All of the known first cachets for the issue are shown. Issue-specific cachets include many engraved, printed, hand-drawn, hand-drawn/hand-painted, hand-colored, thermographed, silkscreened, and typed cachets. The exhibit includes original Artmaster artwork, a one-of-a-kind item. Five cachets are the only known examples, including two handpainted by Dorothy Knapp for a client, and there were only four made for another cachet that is shown. Contemporary printed and hand-drawn/handpainted general-purpose cachets are exhibited. A letter from the Postmaster General with his general-purpose cachet is included. Other FDCs include postcards, commercial, combinations, duals, uncacheted, and those to foreign destinations, including the Pitcairn and Seychelles Islands. There are FDCs autographed by the Governor, other State officials, and a Senator in the exhibit. Some FDCs having cachets whose producers are unknown, also are included.The exhibited FDCs emphasize cachet designs. Sometimes one design was printed in different colors. These varieties generally are not shown to avoid repetition. Also, the same cachet may have been printed on different colored or different size envelopes. These varieties also are not shown for the same reason. Although not exhibited, all colors and varieties mentioned in the text are owned by the exhibitor. One predate, whose location is unknown, is known for this issue. This collection began in 1978.A brief resume of each cachetmaker (when known) is included in the text. This information required years of research. The text usually does not include the obvious, such as the cachetmaker, if the cachetis signed.The exhibit concludes with a showing of domestic and international usages of the stamp, including covers to Palestine and Africa. All usages having this stamp proved to be extremely difficult to acquire, contrary to the belief of some regarding more modern issues. Read more