Evening star., 1954-10-10
phiiotelic News
U. S. Envelope Catalogue
Meets Collectors Needs
By james WoIdo Fowcett

s&S
the second, third and fourth
issues, placed In circulation In
1860, 1851 and 1863 respec-
tively-the period Of the Civil
War, notably rich in historic
cal connotations. Denomina-
tions in these categories ex-
tend from 1-cent to Accents,
paper colors are numerous, de-
tails Of variation many. Mr..
Thorp prices specimens from
as little as SO cents to as much
as $500.
He next considers the United
States envelopes made by
George H. Reay. Brooklyn, N.
Y, between 1870 and 1874.
This man had been an employe
Of Nesbitt and "had invented
and developed machines used
in the Nesbitt plant. When
the contract was awarded to
him. certain unsuccessful bid
ders protested and "many
legal actions followed" with
the result that Reay was des-
tined to hold the contract for
only the. four years set forth
under his original agreement"
He has been credited. however,
with having created what are
probably the finest engravings
and manufactured envelopes
on the finest quality paper
ever produced for the Gov
ernment."
Dies Moy Be in Eost River
The denominations Of the
Reay series include /, 2, 3,
6, Z, 10. IL, Is, "a, 80 and 80
cents, showing Franklin. jack
son, Washington. Lincoln,
Stanton. Jefferson. Clay. Web
ster, Winfield Scott. Alexander
Hamilton and Oliver Hazard
Perry in Cameo proflles Of
exquisite workmanship. A leg
end suggests that when Reay
finally lost the envelope con-
tract he wrapped the dies In
a cigar box and "gave them to
his wife with instructions that
she pitch them overheard when
crossing on the ferry boat from
Brooklyn to New York" The
package still may be on the
bottom of the East River.
Mr.. Thorp devotes the third
section of his volume to the
envelopes of the so-called
"Plimpton dynasty"-that is,
the covers made by the Plimp-
ton Manufacturing Co. and
Plimpton & Morgan at Hart
ford, Conn, between 1874 and
1894 and again by Plimpton
& Morgan between 1895 and
1908. These at the beginning
closely resembled the Reay
types but gradually ceased to
have that character, the
canoes" becoming less and
less artistic.
, Exposition 'Commemorotives'
In 1875 the Plimpton estab-
lishment nevertheless proved
itself capable of original work.
For the Centennial EXPOSE
ton at Philadelphia it pro-
duced "the first commemora-
tive stamps issued anywhere
in the world"-the envelopes
known as embossed Scent
green on white, scent red on
white, Die II; and the en-
bossed Scent green on white.
Scent red on white, Die 70.
A courier on horseback and
a locomotive, tender and mail
car featured the design. Both
dies were made, it seems, from
one master die.
New cameo" designs were
developed by Plimpton-M Morgan
between 1887 and 1899 for
regular issues carrying pro-
file portraits Of Franklin,
Washington. jackson and
Grant and, more Importantly,
for the Columbian Exposition
envelopes of 1893-1-cent blue
on white, 2-cent violet on
white, scent brown on white
and 10-cent slate on white.
This latter group constitutes
a fascinating collecting prob
lem in itself. and Mr.. Thorp's
book contains data Of the high
est value in this connection.
A like observation applies to
his whole catalogue, including
the goth century sections Of
it not reviewed here or now.
The annual summer semi
postals" Of The Netherlands
this year pay tribute to i've
Dutch cultural leaders-Mar-
tinus Nijhoff. poet; Willem
Piper. composer; H. P. Ber-
large, architect, and Vincent
Van Gogh, painter.