Gamm

One envelope with 4 stamps with 4 unofficial Michigan cancels, two other envelopes with two stamps each, each using unaddressed #6-3/4 (6-9/16" x 3-3/4") envelopes. Gerry Adlman of Gamm Cachets would buy the stamps, then travel to cities connected to the subject and get unofficial cancels on the first day of issue.  The inclusion of the Milan cancellation on the block envelope is puzzling – the hometown of Lesli Saari is usually given as Cadillac, MI. The cachet is stated to be a design from a 1623 edition of Vinciolo, probably the “Les excellents eschantillons, patrons et modelles”. The original plate labeled “Passement Au Fuseau” is fig. 15 in Palliser’s “A History of Lace”.

first posted 1/10/2009