O801

Herman Melville

Author

Collins Cover Announcement 

HERMAN MELVLE

(Moby Dick Design)

Visual impact! That's what I wanted to capture with my Moby Dick design. How do you show the "great white whale" on a relatively small First Day envelope? Here's what I came up with for your collection so play close attention, Mates.

The handsome Melville vertical stamp is to the lower left of the cover. From left to right the great white Moby is diving into the depths. His tail is over the stamp, his body is center, his head is

to the lower right corner. His size spans the ENTIRE cover. How to present the whale was only part of the dilemma. How to show the water? The ocean? The depths? I opted for an unusual approach that I think you will like. I ran several bars of varying width across the cover. They symbolize different depths. Starting at the bottom the bars are painted dark blue. Then progressing upwards to the surface the bars are painted various shades of turquoise and lighter blue. Against this sea of blue is the diving white whale. He is diving with a harpoon in his side which has a line going to the surface and a longboat at upper left. In the boat, brightly dressed crew members pull at the oars. In the distance at upper right, the mother ship waits as the struggle begins.

Becky and I flew into Providence, Rhode Island on July 31st. Becky is my daughter and I knew I would need help on this one as the schedule would be tight. (Becky is part of my plan to get covers out to you quicker -- she's growing into an able assistant with brains and a caring attitude.)

On the morning of Aug. 1, we drove to New Bedford, Mass, on the coast. This historic whaling port was alive with activity. At the post office many dealers were selling covers. Inside, the line to purchase stamps was huge. Becky waited while I made the rounds. I was delighted to meet Ed Thompson (Tammy's father of "Tammy's Cachets"). Ed and I missed connections at Christmas Pets and then again at St. Lawrence Seaway when my wife was injured and I couldn't make it. Ed and family were getting ready to head out for unofficials. John Burke from the Washington First Day Cover unit was there. John is great, as are Art and Dwight who rotate at First Day cities. They really care about the collectors. Becky was now buying stamps so I said my good-byes and we hastened to the car. Outside, the covers were going like hotcakes. I think this is going to prove to be a very popular issue with much interest in the various cachets.

North was our direction as we headed to Logan Airport in Boston. Soon we were on our way flying south (all the time licking and sticking) to an exclusive COLLINS unofficial cancel. When I was in North Carolina in July for Roanoke voyages, I located a great cancel for the Herman Melville issue and that is where we were heading. Into Norfolk we flew and another rental car. Driving southwest, we finally pulled into the rural village of Whaleyville, Virginia. It was "the" unofficial for a Moby Dick cover. COLLINS was the only cover to aet there.

Becky was a tremendous help and a welcome companion. Together we headed home with a feeling of accomplishment. This COLLINS is one whale of a hand-painted cover. The unusual placement of the stamp at lower left where the dignified author Melville stares out at you. Over him, his creation dives through the blue depth bars with the embedded harpoon pulling the longboat and its frail human cargo.

The related Whaleyville unofficial addina the philatelic proof that this cover was indeed serviced on actual First Day of Issue by

COLLINS and daughter. But most of all, the main overwhelming focus is clear and simple and uncluttered. It is the great white whale Moby Dick. Item #O801 - $7.50.