An unofficial same-day New York cover for the 18-cent American Architecture stamp depicting Stanford White's New York University Library—now known as Gould Memorial Library—correctly cataloged as Scott 1928. The issue's official first-day city was Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1981. This House of Farnam cachet pairs the building and White's portrait with a stylized nude Evelyn Nesbit Thaw on a rose-trimmed “red velvet swing,” a raised glass, and Masonic imagery. Its sensational framing refers to White's exploitation of the teenage Nesbit and his 1906 murder by her husband, Harry Thaw, followed by heavily publicized trials.
Claude
The cachet features two distinct artwork elements: a detailed pen-and-ink illustration of the NYU Library building (designed by Stanford White) with a portrait of Stanford White (1853-1906) below it, accompanied by Masonic square-and-compass symbols; and a colorful hand-painted nude figure of Evelyn Nesbitt Thaw seated on a red velvet swing adorned with roses, holding a martini glass. Text identifies her as 'The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing' and notes her origin of Tarentum, Pennsylvania. The stamp is a USA 18c Architecture series issue depicting the Stanford White-designed NYU Library New York in black engraving on white. The circular date stamp reads 'New York, NY / Aug 28 / 1981 / 10001' in blue ink.
Mistral
This First Day Cover features a detailed cachet with two distinct themes: an architectural illustration of the NYU Library designed by Stanford White, accompanied by his portrait and Masonic symbols; and a hand-painted portrait of Evelyn Nesbitt Thaw on a red velvet swing adorned with roses, holding a martini glass. The stamp depicts the NYU Library and is part of the American Architecture series, with a circular postmark from New York dated August 28, 1981. The cover is in good condition with clear artwork and postmark details.
(The automatic summaries sometimes misidentify the postmark as part of the cachet artwork.)
