A Window for Freemasonry - Scottish Rite

“
Caches are envelopes printed
”
or hand-painted with
images or stories about the stamp.
— Dr. Guy Dillaway
An early item in the collection depicts
Bro. George Rogers Clark on a stamp
dated Feb. 25, 1929, and debuted in Vincennes,
IN.
Famous actor William S. Hart was
known as the “first of the white hat
cowboys” based on his reputation of
remaining true to his “good guy” character
even off the screen. His stamp was
first issued at Hollywood Station Oct.
31, 1944.
Bro. Winthrop Sargent served as a
major with General Knox during the
American Revolution. He later became
the first governor of the Mississippi Territory.
He is shown on a stamp celebrating
the sesquicentennial observance
of Mississippi in 1948. The stamp was
released in Natchez, MS, and the cache
shows Sargent with the square and
compasses.
Another set features Masonic Nobel
Prize winners such as Frank Kellogg,
secretary of war under Coolidge; President
Theodore Roosevelt; Rudyard
Kipling; Ralph Bunche, one of the authors
of the United Nations charter;
Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin,
and author Alex Haley.
Bro. Brahmstadt started collecting
stamps in 1978 but decided early to concentrate
on caches or first-day covers.
Although he has samples from many
genres most of his items are Masonic in
nature. Sprinkled in among the stamps
with a fraternal connection are a few
Americana subjects such as Betsy Ross
and the Pony Express. In addition to
the stamps, the caches include a brief biography
or story of the featured subject.
Brahmstadt is a retired electrician
who spent much of his career involved
with show business.
He spent time on the road with traveling
productions. He also has worked
in every Chicago venue, with many
years spent at the Arie Crown Theater
at the McCormick Center. He proudly
says it is the third largest in the nation
behind only Radio City Music Hall
(which it was modeled after) and the
Kennedy Center.
The cache collection is quite valuable,
according to appraiser Guy Dillaway. A
dentist by profession, Dr. Dillaway has
a deep background in stamp collecting.
He is a certified philatelic appraiser
and has done work for the American
Philatelic Society and the American
Stamp Dealers Association. He also
served as president of the Spellman Philatelic
Museum in Weston, MA, for 20
years.
Dillaway categorizes this as a collection
of “event covers.” Many of the
stamps are from their first day of issue
while for some “the thrust is the event
or person.” Caches, he explains, are envelopes
printed or hand-painted with
images or stories about the stamp featured
on the cancellation. They began to
appear in the early 1920’s.
“The early ones were lithographed
or, in some cases, printed with a rubber
stamp.” Many of the caches in this collection,
he points out, “were created by
Edsel — the printer, not the car.”
Edsel, he explains was known for
producing Masonic collections using
American stamps.
Dr. Dillaway described the collection
as being extensive and well ordered. It
contains many interesting pieces. One
he pointed out as noteworthy features
the penny black stamp on a folded letter
sheet.
This particular stamp, depicting
Queen Victoria is well known among
collectors as the first adhesive postage
stamp. He said that it is not particularly
rare but is highly collectible. The stamp
was issued on May 6, 1840.
Bro. Harry states that his purpose in
amassing the stamps was not for profit.
He says “I went in with the idea, not for
making money, but to collect, and to
concentrate on particular subjects. That
is the difference between a collector and
an investor.”
Harry Brahmstadt’s meticulous care
in creating this collection and his generous
donation to the Van Gorden-
Williams Library has assured that this
piece of Masonic heritage is not only
preserved, but is also available to all.
Stamp and cover of the late Winston Churchill, prime minister of
Great Britian. He was initiated in Studholme Lodge No. 1591.
AUGUST 2006 / THE NORTHERN LIGHT 13