posted 02-16-2025 08:15 AM               

Space Cover 793: Artcraft autographed space stamp FDCs

Here are three Artcraft FDC (First Day [of issue] Cover) cachets, with the first one for the issue of the Echo I stamp in 1960; the Gemini "Space Twins" issue in 1967; and the $11.75 Express Mail stamp of 1998.

This is an enlarged example of an Artcraft cachet as an example to show the fine detail, high quality and excellent artistic quality of Artcraft's FDC cachets.

Before I became a space collector, I collected United States stamps and FDCs. During that time I accumulated a large number of Artcraft FDC's, with many commemorating space events. Then after converting to space collecting, I sold most of my Artcraft FDC's, but kept all my Artcraft FDC's that commemorated space events. I then used them over a period of time for autograph requests to astronauts and space officials.

I always considered Artcraft FDCs the best done and best available. In fact they were available and produced for over 75 years, but I was surprised recently to learn that the Washington Stamp Exchange, the producer of Artcraft cacheted FDCs, had discontinued FDC production in 2015. That disappointment resulted in me searching through my collection looking for Artcraft FDCs that I had previously had autographed by astronauts and space officials. Here are some:

A request I sent to John Glenn resulted in this excellent autographed and inscribed Artcraft Mercury stamp FDC. I had sent an Artcraft Apollo 8 FDC to NASA Administrator Thomas O. Paine, who nicely signed this Apollo 8 commemorative stamp FDC.

These are two Artcraft cachet varieties of the C76 moon landing issue of 1969. For that very special occasion and stamp, in addition to their standard black ink engraved cachet, they also did the same cachet in blue. I'd like to say that this was one of my moon landing FDCs I personally used for Armstrong's autograph, but this instead came from a fellow collector for a substantial price. But the one below in blue, autographed by Kurt Debus, was acquired by me for only the price of postage like most of the others shown here.

Making extremely good use of an Artcraft Decade of Achievements FDC, issued during the Apollo 15 flight, Jim Irwin signed it in person for me at his book signing in 1973. This 1973 Artcraft Nicolaus Copernicus 500th anniversary commemorative stamp FDC was autographed by Clyde Tombaugh, Pluto discoverer, and James Christy, discoverer of Pluto's moon, Charon.

This 1975 Artcraft Apollo-Soyuz Test Project FDC was signed by German rocket pioneer Hans Hosenthein, a member of Dr. von Braun's Original 118 Rocket Team from Peenemuende, Germany. In addition to later contributing to the US rocket and space programs, he earlier was involved in the infamous V-2 rocket development at Peenemuende, Germany. Below is another Artcraft C76 Apollo 11 FDC that was very appropriate to be signed by Bruce McCandless, who was the Apollo 11 lunar surface EVA Capcom.

posted 02-17-2025 08:08 AM               

I do not have many ArtCraft covers, and all of mine are unadorned by signatures. I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of their artistic quality - they are second to none.

The first ArtCraft cover I bought is the same you portray at the very top of the thread - an Echo 1 satellite FDC.

When I acquired it I was very impressed with the graphic quality of the cachet art... but very puzzled as to why a lighthouse was prominent in the design! 😶

posted 02-22-2025 10:59 AM               

My little contribution to these examples shown here, would be only two Artcraft FDC covers signed for ASTP stamps.

posted 02-22-2025 03:40 PM               

Here are two more Artcraft FDCs for the pair of ASTP stamps, but unsigned. But these are of note as the top cover is an unofficial FDC from Cape Canaveral, as the actual official First Day of Issue site was KSC. Ken Havekotte did this cover along with many more of all types for ASTP events.

The bottom cover is special. It's not an unofficial FDC, but an official FDC for the Soviet ASTP stamps and postmarked at Moscow, USSR with the standard Artcraft ASTP cachet. It would also be considered an ASTP launch cover as well as a FDC.

posted 02-24-2025 10:24 AM               

• Unofficial first day places on Artcraft covers

• Foreign stamps on Artcraft covers.

posted 02-28-2025 12:45 PM               

See a close-up image.

posted 02-28-2025 10:31 PM               

Society members were paying a premium for society covers so similar but different cachets were produced.

posted 03-01-2025 12:19 PM               

A scan of my Artcraft 1958 IGY FDC.

posted 03-02-2025 01:48 PM               

Here are two more Artcraft space stamp FDCs with two more excellent designed cachets. The top cover commemorates US space achievements in 1981 and has one stamp from the block of 8 stamps from that issue - with an image in the cachet closely resembling the stamp. Walter C. Williams, NASA Chief Engineer, 1975-82, signed the cover.

The bottom Artcraft FDC is a joint production of Chris Calle's, who designed the stamp, and Ken Havekotte's, who used the stamp to create an impressive quadruple-cancel unofficial FDC for the 20th anniversary of the first moon landing (cancels from KSC, Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island and Titusville, FL).

posted 03-03-2025 12:07 PM               

Unfortunately, as Bob pointed out, there are no further Artcraft covers during the last decade as they are no longer available. First produced in 1939 by the Washington Stamp Exchange, the decreased volume of sales could no longer sustain the high cost of their production for all U.S. stamp first day cover issues. Millions of covers were produced up to 2015 with nearly 100 different space-themed Artcraft covers printed.

Just like Bob, Antoni, and Stephane, here are nearly three dozen more Artcraft space first day covers with authentic signatures of astronauts, rocket and space pioneers, other Space Age leaders, and scientists. Most of the signers should be recognized and note that each autograph pertains to his aerospace career in connection to the space cover theme.

They should be perfect fits so-to-speak and my apologies to Bob for using similar covers signed by Glenn and Armstrong. But it just goes to show that we know there are at least two Project Gemini Artcraft FDC's signed by the first man to walk on the moon. On the contrary though, there must be thousands of Glenn-signed Project Mercury 4-cent stamped first day covers by the first American to orbit the earth. Most of the other astronaut signed covers below are vintage signatures of the late 1960's to early 1970's.

Not included below are many more autographed Artcraft first day cachet covers with different cachets not yet seen. Thanks for looking and the support in sharing space cover topics with us like this. It's much appreciated.

posted 03-04-2025 10:07 AM               

Below are twelve Artcraft FDCs, with each autographed by a well-known US space program leader of the Mercury-Gemini-Apollo era.

All these I've now shown resulted from my collecting the "old fashioned way," in that they all came from requests I sent through the mail (TTM) to each person. Finding addresses and the time and effort in preparing and mailing out autograph requests was quite an involved process. But the payoff was generally good results and the anticipation of daily mail delivery with something often coming from NASA.

Now, eBay purchases are the current collector's primary means of acquiring space autographs for their collections and probably much of their time spent now is surfing eBay and sending out payment via PayPal.

Those signing these twelve covers are a virtual Who's Who in US space exploration history. I've included little extra information about their illustrious careers because most have added career information themselves.

Those very knowledgeable of US space exploration history should know the names of these 12 significant space program personalities who's autographs are found below:

James Webb, T. Keith Glennon, Robert Seamans, Robert Gilruth, Joseph Shea, Sam Phillips, John Houbolt, Eugene Shoemaker, Joseph Gavin, Thomas Kelly, Guenther Wendt and Carl Seiberlich.

Webb and Glennon were the first two NASA Administrators

After the Apollo 1 fire, Sam Phillips was appointed Apollo Program Director

Houbolt was instrumental in NASA selecting LOR for Apollo lunar missions

Gavin and Kelly led Grumman's design and development of the Lunar Module