The feature stamp on this hand drawn and individually hand painted, all-over FDC, by Camille Rendal, is the PO's 1991 Canoe of the 1800s coil stamp, Scott # 2454 . . . and this one accented with a strip of 5 feature stamps . . . and with a rarely PNC # 1 stamp included, no less (center stamp).
About the inspiration for the feature stamp : the canoe was one of the earliest forms of transportation in our nation's formative years. It was first used by Native Americans for hunting purposes. Later, came the European fur traders, who used the canoe to transverse from one market to another. And, of course, America's ground-breaking explorers relied on canoes to map out and chart a new, ever-growing American landscape.
About the combo stamp : for this one, Mrs. Rendal teamed up with the PO’s 1991 Steam Carriage of 1866 stamp, Scott # 2451, also from the Historic Transportation series.
About the hand drawn and hand painted cachet : on her all-over cachet, Mrs. Rendal checks out a pair of 19th century exploring pioneers streaming their way across a river in their 1800s canoe, while the glassy surface of the water mirrors their journey.
By the way, to avoid any confusion about this cover's cachet maker, let me explain that the logo which you see at this cover’s lower right corner is the company logo of Mr. A.D. Hertz’s "Heluva Covers." Mr. Hertz was a cover enthusiast who worked with several cachet makers who did work for him over the years. After they gave him their cacheted art, he would send them to the post office to be canceled, and then he, himself, would sell them in his store and via mail. But he, in no way, had anything to do with the cachet's actual artistry.
About the special cancellation : and for this one, Mrs. Rendall obtained a well-positioned bar cancel from Secaucus, New Jersey.
About the Scarcity Factor : please note that this cover was not numbered, and so I am going to go out on the proverbial “limb” by calling this a One-of-a-Kind FDC.
All in all, aa most colorful look at one of the most widely used means of transportation in our nation’s history.
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