the civil war began a century of wonderful patriotic designs on … · schmitt investors ltd. •...

Schmitt Investors Ltd. • Postal History Treasures No. 7 • 3

The Civil War began a century of wonderfulpatriotic designs on wartime covers.

Although people in the early 1800s began putting slogans and variousforms of primitive art on the envelopes used to send mail, the practicebecame a new form of cultural art when the Civil War tooks place in theUnited States. Such covers (especially if they have been used through themails as opposed to unused envelopes) are becoming quite valuable andhighly sought after. Shown on this page are some of the more unusualdesigns from various wars and from around the world in the period from theCivil War through World War II.

A New Zealand patriotic cover—one that is quite rarebecause it was used during the Boer War at the turn of thelast century. Boer War patriotic covers are scarce.

One of the rarest and most popular Civil War patriotic designs:The “Hanging Lincoln.” Used early in the war when Lincoln'spopularity for getting the Union into the war was unpopular.

An unusual post-World War IIcover postmarked on a U.S.Naval vessel anchored in TokyoBay nearly two months after thewar had ended.

Early Civil War patriotic design (designed and printed bythe Magnus Co. of New York) with overpayment of postage(1-cent and 3-cent stamp, postage was 3 cents) fromPhiladelphia to soldier in Pennsylvania regiment.

A rare German patrioticcover from World War Ishowing Kaiser Wilhelm andOtto Von Bismarck.

A September 1941 pre-World War II patriotic coveremphashzing how farming will help protect America. Notethe “V.. -” for Victory handstamp.