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The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries. Tom Peluso produced first day covers decorated envelopes celebrating the issuance of new stamps for many issues. "I do occasionally Canada, Israel, but mostly the whole program of U.S. definitives, commemoratives, postal stationery, all high values, I do them all." RUNS :11 The artwork on such envelopes is called a "cachet." Peluso designed and sold his own cachet art, under the name Therome, an acronym from the first letters of the names of his family: Thomas, Eric, Rose "and M-E me." RUNS :01 He often worked late at night. "I actually stay up late 2, 3 o'clock in the morning, and I get some of my best ideas late at night. It's very quiet, and I'm able to think." RUNS :08 As you might imagine, Tom was retired, after 27 years with the New York City transit system as a maintenance machinist. It was a buyout; he was 49, but never looked back. "I've been retired since, doing what I like." RUNS :02 Tom used a variety of art media for Therome Cachets, before his son Eric got him started using a computer and PhotoShop. "I play with it, constantly learning different things." RUNS :03 Peluso said he was his own toughest critic. "It has to pass me, before anybody else sees it, because I'm a really, really tough guy on arts and cachets." RUNS :07 Tom began as a first day cover collector himself, then decided to produce his own. He was inspired by some of the classic cachetmakers, like Dorothy Knapp and Ken Boll. "I just said, 'Oh, I want to do that stuff.'" RUNS :02 And he studied the past masters. "From looking at some of the Dorothy Knapp covers, I get some of my ideas, only I modernize it." RUNS :06 Tom's first wife, Rose, passed away in 2008. He says she only tolerated his cachetmaking, but his second wife Carol encouraged him. "When I was doing the cachets, she'd say, 'Hey, this really great!' I said, 'It is?'" RUNS :05 Sadly, shortly after this interview, Tom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, and passed away at the age of 72. His Therome Cachets, however, will live on. "I did it the way I wanted to do it." RUNS :02 I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting, visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com. ---------------------------------------------------------- Go to Previous Report Go to Next Report Go to Report Index |
