1978 CR Envelopes
1978 Six French First Day Cover envelopes (and five extras) dated "2 Decembre 1978" celebrating and carrying stamps of TH and TMCM. The colored pictures on these envelopes show respectively La Fontaine in a pastoral setting with animals; TH at the start; TH along the way; town and city rats in the country; and two versions of the town and city rats at the city meal. La Fontaine: Between $2 and $5 from Karen Ross, Iron Mountain, MI, through Ebay, April, '99; Alexandre Prozopiorski, April, '99; Charles Legault, Gloucester, Ontario, through Ebay, Jan, '00; and Annick Tilly, Clignancourt, July, '01. TH envelope at the finish for $3 from Topical Paradise, Feb., 20. Envelope with La Fontaine portrait and Château-Thierry coat of arms for $1 from Topical Paradise, Jan., '20.
The postmark on each celebrates "La Croix Rouge et la Poste." The place of the postmark is La Fontaine's own Chateau-Thierry. The La Fontaine illustration is signed HR(?), and I seem to recognize the work, but cannot pin it down. The La Fontaine envelope proclaims "First Day Cover" twice. The woodland scene on it is lovely. "TH Start," "TMCM Country," and one of the "TMCM City" envelopes have a straight-line golden border around the illustration. "TH Along the Way" and one "TMCM City" envelope share a different format from these other two, including a number (No. 1103 and No. 1104 respectively). They alone present the text of their fable on the verso of the envelope. TH at the finish seems to present yet another format.
Click on any envelope to see it full-size.
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La Fontaine |
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TMCM Country |
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TMCM City #1 |
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TMCM City #2 |
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TH Start |
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TH Along the Way |
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TH at the Finish |
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Château-Thierry Coat of Arms |
