Claude
The cachet features a vibrant, hand-colored circus wagon design with two black dragon/serpent creatures flanking an ornate decorative frame topped with the number '1823' in an oval medallion. The lower portion reads 'THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!' on a banner scroll, with large decorative wagon wheels in red and white on each side, and a small circus animal medallion at center bottom. A strip of five 5-cent USA Circus Wagon 1900s coil stamps is affixed at the top. The postmark is a pictorial station cancel from the New York State Fair, Syracuse, NY, dated August 31, 1990, incorporating the dates '1841-1990' and featuring a map of New York State. The cover is numbered 40/151 and signed by the artist in blue ink.
Mistral
This First Day Cover features a vivid, hand-colored cachet by Julian Pugh, showcasing an elaborately decorated circus wagon pulled by two stylized black dragons with green eyes and yellow accents. The wagon is adorned with colorful patterns, including red and white wagon wheels, and a banner reading 'THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH!' in gold lettering. The top of the cachet includes a medallion with the date '1823,' referencing P.T. Barnum. A strip of five 5-cent Circus Wagon coil stamps (Scott 2452) is affixed, cancelled with a pictorial postmark commemorating the 1841-1990 New York State Fair anniversary, featuring a silhouette of the state and an airplane. The postmark is dated August 31, 1990, from Syracuse, NY. The cover is signed by the artist and numbered 40/157. The condition appears excellent, with vibrant colors and a clear postmark.
(The automatic summaries sometimes misidentify the postmark as part of the cachet artwork.)
