F4907s

Pioneers of American Industrial Design

Fiesta Dinnerware by Frederick Hurten Rhead

Signature

Collins Cover Announcement

A Beautiful New Collins Set

Cats, Holidays, a nd Consu merism

in 20th Century America

INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS IN AMERICAN CULTURE

Set of 12

This amazing set of individually handpainted First Day Covers is the result of several independent concepts that I was able to combine to culminate in one of the finest groups of cachets I've ever produced. Although color copies can never capture the true beauty of actual watercolor art, the enclosed illustrations do convey the artistic excellence of this set. Appealing cachet content and strong visual appeal combine to create a unique look at our American culture. Holidays represent the importance that we place on our roots and traditions. Consumer goods and their transformations represent the fact that we always strive to increase the quality of life. And the precious cats represent our humanity as we often share our lives with special pets as valued and loved companions.

To provide a little insight as to how this exclusive Collins set came into existence, let me offer the following. The first breakthrough came as I was pondering how to create interesting portrayals of the various products of industrial design. There were twelve stamps, and my roving thoughts eventually connected that number to the months in a year. Holidays helped to define the months as well as the "American experience" so I decided that they would form the core.

The dog cachets in my "Flags of Our Nation" series were an instant and sustaining hit with collectors. Since the post office has never issued a large and all-inclusive set of dog stamps, I thought it was time that cover collectors had the option to have such a set. Ever since I started the canine project, I have been looking for a similar opportunity to present various breeds of cats. Lo and behold, this was it! 

CATS

To make this series a pet lover's delight and a cat fancier's treasure trove, I chose twelve really beautiful breeds. In order from January to December, appearing in these remarkable watercolored First Day Covers will be the following: Burmese * Himalayan * Munchkin * Russian Blue * Siamese* Turkish Angora * American Shorthair * Abyssinian * Persian * Bombay * Maine Coon * and Bengal. All of them are naturally portrayed in their preferred habitat — the loving American home.

HOLIDAYS

Holidays are cherished and enjoyed by most Americans, and this set brings the major ones we celebrate into one series of covers. The carved pumpkin for Halloween, the basket of colored eggs for Easter, and the red heart and flowers for Valentine's Day. Patriotic cachets are an important element with an Iraq veteran's boyhood bedroom. A Fourth of July picnic, and a Memorial Day parade are all featured. An Irish pub on St. Patrick's Day, a vintage Singer sewing machine for Labor Day, and a traditional Thanksgiving dinner are all represented. New Year's Day rings in the set, and a Christmas/Hanukkah cachet brings this fabulous and festive set to a close. Many topicalists collect individual holidays, and their only source for these Collins covers will be from collectors who get this set now. The same can be said for topical cat collectors.

CONSUMERISM

In their write-up describing these new stamps, the Postal Service wrote that industrial design is the study and creation of products that "have been optimized for human use" And that these products "helped shape the look of everyday life in the 20th Century. "

From tableware to electric appliances and from a camera to a typewriter, I show various forms of these consumer goods that made their way into everyday life in the 1900s. They are shown in traditional holiday settings that help define this set as the "American experience." And they share the magnificent individually hand painted cachets with twelve breeds of lovable and beautiful cats. Do not miss out on this incredible set. At one per month, it fits into every hobby budget, and you will love looking forward to each shipment. THE 201' CENTURY AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.