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Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
American Consular Service Stamp Cover
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

American Consular Service Stamp Cover

Artifact IDMO 1997.15.132
Object Type Envelope
Maker
Dateca. 1934
MediumPaper, Ink, Wax
Dimensionsoverall H 4 1/8 in x W 9 1/2 in (10.5 cm x 24.1 cm )
Physical DescriptionA white stamp cover from the American Consular Service in Bermuda. The envelope is addressed to (pre-printed): THE HONORABLE / THE SECRETARY OF STATE, / Washington, D. C. / United States of America. Hand written in ink in the lower left corner: Commercial. The return address is in the upper left corner. Adhered in the upper right corner of the envelope is a Bermudian 1910-1920 blue 2½p Caravel postage stamp (Scott 44). The envelope is postmarked Hamilton, Bermuda, date unreadable.

A square section has been cut out from the flap on the reverse of the envelope where an American Consulate wax seal would have been applied. Also on the reverse, a red ink stamped message reads: FROM THE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT COLLECTION / AUTHENTICATED BY H. R. HARMER INC., N. Y. The circled number "R193" is written in pencil in the lower right corner, and the number "DCW-5" is written in pencil further up.
Historical NoteFranklin Roosevelt was an avid, lifelong stamp collector who gathered over 1.2 million stamps into his personal collection during the course of his life. He began collecting stamps at the age of eight at the suggestion of his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, who passed on her collection to him.

After FDR's death, his personal stamp collection, including this stamp cover, was sold at public auction in 1946 in accordance with his wishes.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteDonated to the FDR Library by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute in 1995.
Credit LineGift of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesStamp Collecting Materials (National Archives Identifier 749938)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestricted
CopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
In Collection(s)
Not on view