“Our next stamp takes us to Boston, where the most successful fair in the Eastern States was held. It is interesting to note that, while all the stamps issued in New York State took an eagle for the device, those used in New England States were adorned with figures of soldiers or sailors. The stamp before us represents a sailor with a wooden leg, holding the American flag in his right hand; the vignette is crossed by the legend, ‘National Sailors’ Fair,’ on label above ‘Ten’ below ‘Cents.’ They are produced by lithography, printed in light green and cut out by an oval punch with scalloped edges. The fair was held in January, 1864, and realized $147,000 for the cause.
“The next stamp on our list comes from Springfield, Mass., and I have no information other than that supplied by the label itself. The design represents an officer bowing to two ladies, probably welcoming them to the fair, the figure 10, in rather large figures, being between them; in the center above is the inscription, ‘Soldiers’ Fair,’ below, ‘Springfield, Mass.’; figure 10 in the left upper corner, ‘Chubbuck’ in small letters in the lower right corner. It is evidently printed from a wood block in brownish mauve ink in various shades. Not the least interesting part of this stamp is the engraver’s name in the corner, ‘Chubbuck,’ the celebrated engraver of the Brattleboro stamp.
“The last of the series is a remembrance of Stamford, Conn. It represents a soldier on guard, with the name of the town, ‘Stamford,’ in straight line at top; on arched ribbon, ‘Soldiers’ Fair’; below, in straight line, ‘Fifteen Cents.’ It is printed from a wood block in brown ink on white paper. There were many other fairs held throughout the length and breadth of the loyal States, but although I gave special attention to the subject at the time, the above described are all that I have been able to discover. The success of the post-offices at the soldiers’ fairs induced other charitable institutions to adopt like means of raising money, among which may be named the Children’s Aid Society, the Orthodox Jewish Fair, etc., etc., but as they lack the national element, I do not think them worthy of collection; but the series I have described, which is composed of thirteen stamps, all told, and considering the small number, the interest attached to them and the great events they commemorate is well worthy an honored place in the collections of American philatelists.”
So from their origin the Red Cross seems to have a special right to these stamps. Their success will be apt to cause various organizations to desire to copy this idea. This will lead to an unfortunate result. Such repetitions will tire the public and the multiplicity of the stamps will create a lack of interest and destroy their usefulness not only for these other charities, but for the purpose for which they were revived in this country—the anti-tuberculosis work of the American Red Cross. It is to be hoped that our unfortunate American habit of “running a good thing into the ground” will not lead in this case to the destruction of the usefulness of the Red Cross Christmas Stamp by the overproduction of these charity stamps.
