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Happy Birthday, ArtCraft

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.

Seventy-five years ago, a New Jersey stamp company began producing a new line of first
day covers.

Those are special envelopes, postmarked with the date that a stamp or stamps first went
on sale. There’s often a design, or cachet, on the envelopes.

The company was the Washington Stamp Exchange, owned by the August brothers, Leo and Sam
and the first day covers were called ArtCraft. They’re still being made, every issue since
1939. Leo’s son-in-law Tim Devaney is now a co-owner.

“We’ve certainly had to adapt to a lot of changes over the years as far as stamp technology,
the types of stamps that are being issued, relationships with the Postal Service. Those
sort of things have all evolved over the past two decades or so.” RUNS :15

The designs on ArtCraft first day covers were engraved. Sam’s son Mike August says parts
still are.

“We’re still engraving the type on our cachets, and, it’s, you know, it’s a signature of
what we’ve produced for all that 75 years.” RUNS :07

ArtCraft soon became the most popular line. If you have any first day covers in your
collection, chances are at least one is an ArtCraft.

Today’s it’s the longest running line of first day covers, but Mike worries about finding
new customers.

“Stamp collecting and cover collecting seem to be challenged by a failure to bring younger
people into these hobbies.” RUNS :07

But there may be another generation on the way for ArtCraft and its family-owned parent
company, says Tim.

“My son is currently working at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, and so he does
have an interest in stamps and stamp collecting.  We really haven’t talked about him
coming into the business, but, you know, I can... I can hope.” RUNS :14

I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting,
visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.

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In order to make the self-imposed 60-second limit on the CBS version, and yet still have
a coherent feature, I recorded a version for CBS Radio that was more different than usual
from the VSC version:

Download this report as an MP3 sound file.

Happy Birthday, ArtCraft

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.

Seventy-five years ago this month, a New Jersey stamp company began producing a new line of
first day covers.

Those are special envelopes, postmarked with the date that a stamp or stamps first went on
sale.

The designs on ArtCraft first day covers were engraved, and produced by the August brothers,
Leo and Sam. Sam’s son Mike now runs the company.

“We’re still engraving the type on our cachets, and, it’s, you know, it’s a signature of what
we’ve produced for all that 75 years.” RUNS :07

ArtCraft soon became the most popular line. If you have any first day covers in your collection,
chances are at least one is an ArtCraft.

Today’s it’s the longest running line of first day covers, and the company is still family-owned.
And co-owner Tim Devaney, Leo’s son-in-law, says another generation may be on the way.

“My son is currently working at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, and so he does have an
interest in stamps and stamp collecting.   RUNS :07

And that's stamp collecting this week. I'm Lloyd de Vries, CBS News.

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