N901

American Folk Art

Duck Decoys

Broadbill, Mallard, Canvasback, Redhead

Collins Cover Announcement 

FOLK ART - DUCK DECOYS

You will find this item uniquely different from any I have

ever done in regard to cachet and stamp arrangement. In

addition, the coloring on the cachet is superb, and this FDC

sports both the official cancel and an excellent unofficial

tying the four Decoy stamps to the cover.

After spending a restful New England night in Burlington on

the shore of Lake Champlain, an early morning start found me

on the road south to the peaceful village of Shelburne -- home

of the historical museum of the same name. At this official

city post office I secured the four attractive folk art

stamps. Portrayed on each is an artistic decoy of a different

duck -- Canvasback, Redhead, Broadbill and Mallard. In this

order, I affixed the four along the bottom edge of the cover.

The second pair (Broadbill and Mallard) has the Shelburne

cancel.

Late morning found me on the road to Vermont's interior.

"Sugaring time" was just about to begin, and soon the maple

sap would be running throughout the state. It was a lovely

drive as I passed numerous farms and a few covered bridges.

Then I was there, the small hamlet post office of Marshfield.

This was a one person office and it was old -- so old that the

only machine cancel on the premises was an old hand-cranked

model. And, the hand cancel that was used on my covers was

also most unusual. It was mounted on about a 15 inch handle

(reminded me of a branding iron) and is oval in shape as

opposed to the usual circular ones. This super unofficial ties

the first pair (Canvassback and Redhead) to the cover.

Above the stamps and cancels, the brightly hand-painted cachet

stretches across the entire breadth of the envelope. A

dazzling sunrise bathes the sky in brilliant yellow gold and

peach orange. Along a lake's shoreline marsh, a duck hunter

crouches. His decoys are spread on the quiet surface, and six

mallards (four drakes followed by two hens) wing overhead. In

the distance, against the morning sky, a larger "V" of ducks

flys over the water.

An unusual and beautiful cover. Item #N901 - $8.50.