1095 - Shipbuilding

The Shipbuilding stamp (Scott #1095) was issued on August 15th, 1957 in Bath, ME (read the postal announcement). The stamp commemorates the building of the first ship in America, the Virginia of Sagadahoc, in 1607 by members of the short-lived Popham Colony at the mouth of the Kennebec river in Maine. Bath had a full slate of events in August 1957 as they celebrated the 350th Anniversary of Shipbuilding in America.
I was interested in this stamp for a couple of reasons. First, while everyone learns about the Jamestown colony, the Popham colony was a mystery to me (for more information on the colony, click here). And second, I went to a summer camp, Camp Chewonki, near where the colony was located and was on the "Sagadahoc" team.
Below you will find photos of all my 1095 FDCs divided into six sections: Ceremony Program, Mellone, Of The Period, Add Ons, Combos, and Non FDCs. Since cachetmakers sometimes produce different cachets for the same stamp or slightly different versions of the same cover, I am showing either a single photo, multiple photos, a photo gallery view, or a slider view (when I have additional text per cover). Sometimes I will also add variations that have interesting cancellations (I have identified one pre-date (Aug. 14th), two unofficial cancels (Georgetown, ME and Popham Beach, ME), and five distinct Bath, ME cancels), usages, or destinations (so far the most interesting are to New Zealand, Malaya, Philippines, and Guatemala). Uniquely, I also have seven Artcraft FDCs autographed by all the Bureau of Engraving and Printing's designers and engravers who worked on this stamp. In all cases, you can click to see an enlarged photo of the cover or postcard. I have also put all the 1095 FDCs I own into a single, easy to view photo gallery.
I am always on the lookout for additional 1095 Shipbuilding covers. If you know of any cachetmakers I am missing or can provide corrections to this site (particularly in identifying "unknown" cachetmakers), please email me at LPD Cachets.
Ceremony ProgramMelloneOf The PeriodAdd OnsCombosNon FDCs
Ceremony Program
I have several copies of the official program - both the white and blue versions - given to participants and attendees of the first day ceremony held in Bath, ME on August, 15th 1957. I have heard that there are some programs with speakers' autographs and I would love to find one of the Commemorative Albums mentioned in the program!
Mellone
These are the 25 cachets listed in Mellone's catalog for the Shipbuilding stamp. I show many variations and usages, plus in the Artmaster section, I show the original artwork and printing plates for this issue.
M-1
Anderson
M-5
Beck, M. W.
M-9
  • Fluegel
  • Fluegel (overseas mailer)
M-13 thru 17
  • Pent Arts (M-13)
  • Pent Arts (M-14)
  • Pent Arts (M-15)
  • Pent Arts (M-16)
  • Pent Arts (M-17)
M-21
Von Ohlen
M-25
Unknown
M-2
Aristocrats-Lowry
M-6
Cachet Craft - Boll
M-10
Kolor Kover
M-18
Rank II
M-22
Wright
M-3
  • Artcraft
  • Artcraft (hand-tinted)
  • "Artcraft" (mimeographed fake)
  • Artcraft (w/Maryland Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. advertising insert)
  • Artcraft (w/Bath Iron Works Corp stockholder insert)
  • Artcraft (w/Bath Iron Works Corp employee insert)
  • Artcraft (dual w/3869)
  • Artcraft (airmail to New Zealand)
M-7
House of Farnam
M-11
Moosecachet
M-19
Velvatone
M-23
  • Unknown
  • Unknown (hand-tinted)
  • Unknown (6x7 paper w/two different Bath ME first day cancels)
M-4
  • Artmaster
  • Artmaster (hand-tinted)
  • Artmaster (dual w/3579)
  • Artmaster (original artwork)
  • Artmaster (printing plate)
  • Artmaster (printing plate - back)
M-8
Fleetwood (bottom: dual w/2061)
M-12
Hollywood Composers
M-20
Velvatone Max
M-24
Unknown (by Kuhleissen?)
Of The Period
The following FDCs are not in Mellone's, but are "of the period"...
Acadia Mutual Life (#10 envelope)
Dunn, C.I.
C. George, Jr. III
Hyde Windlass Co. (w/insert)
Linto
Postmaster General
Tellekson
  • Adams Press
  • Adams Press (in blue)
  • Adams Press (front: official Bath ME back: unofficial Bath ME)
  • Adams Press (front: official Bath ME back: unofficial Georgetown ME)
Dyer
Goodyear
JAX ("J. Weiss")
Mandabach
Riemann
Van Dahl (general purpose cachet)
Bert (#5 envelope)
Eyerman
(top: honors the 100th anniversary of Robert Baden-Powell's birth; he founded the world Scout movement)
Grossman
Lewis, Eric
Maul
Root's
Waldau, Norbert C.
Bresnick
George (CWG)
A.O. Henry
Lindenmeyr (w/insert)
Meter Digest
Salomons (maxi-card)
White House
Wood, G.
Wood, N. (paste-on labels from Hyde Windlass Co.)
Unknown Covers
  • Signed by Gov. Ed Muskie
  • Generic Cachet Craft-Boll cachet
  • Uses a Sadworth WWII patriotic cachet
  • Handmade envelope
  • Paste-on Labels
  • Paste-on Label
  • Not Uncommon
  • Predate (08/14/1957) UO Coggon, IA cancel
Unknown Postcards
  • Seems handpainted on stiff cardboard (not a real postcard)
  • Probably serviced by same person
  • Not uncommon - I have seen it called "Delco Colorart Maxicard"
  • Large (9x7) on photo stock
  • Used earlier in August -- repurposed later for FDC
  • (came with a photocopy of the reverse showing first day cancel)
  • (came with a photocopy of the reverse showing first day cancel)
  • (came with a photocopy of the reverse showing first day cancel)
  • (came with a photocopy of the reverse showing first day cancel)
  • (came with a photocopy of the reverse showing first day cancel)
  • Strangely, this is a photocopy of a postcard but with real stamp/cancel.
  • Strangely, this is a photocopy of a postcard but with real stamp/cancel.
  • Strangely, this is a photocopy of a postcard but with real stamp/cancel.
  • Strangely, this is a photocopy of a postcard but with real stamp/cancel.
Add-ons
The following FDCs are not in Mellone's, but are modern day "add-ons"...
Collective
Webcraft
Evanson
Winston
Hobo Art
Left Blank
Muzarell
Left Blank
Unknown Covers
  • All three look like they were produced by the same person.
Combos
The Shipbuilding stamp has often been used in combination with other stamps on FDCs, particularly water-oriented and Maine-related stamps. But the most common usage is with the 1957 Special Delivery stamp (E21) which was released a few weeks after the Shipbuilding stamp. Also, make sure to see the Hideaki Nakamo cachet in the "Other Combos" section!
E21
  • Aristocrats - Lowry
  • Artcraft
  • Artmaster
  • Bert (#5 envelope)
  • Cachet Craft
  • Fleetwood
  • Haskell
  • House of Farnam
  • Kolor Kover
  • Kramer
  • Sadworth
  • Waldau, Norbert C.
Other Combos
  • combo w/1270 - Artcraft cachet
  • combo w/1391 - Artcraft cachet
  • combo w/1391 - Artmaster cachet
  • combo w/1441 - America cachet
  • combo w/1655 - Colonial cachet
  • combo w/2340 - Nakamo cachet
  • combo w/3131 - Cortpex cachet
  • combo w/3131 - Unknown cachet
  • combo w/3389 - Colonial cachet
  • combo w/3389 - LEB cachet
  • combo w/3579 - Tillotson cachet (dual w/C138)
  • combo w/3869 - Artcraft cachet (dual w/U571)
  • combo w/4073 - Ranto (Type 4: on 2093 photo copied bulletin)
  • combo w/U598 - Colorano cachet
  • combo w/U609 - Colorano cachet
  • combo w/U609 - No cachet
Non FDCs
While these covers primarily show Maine/ship-related events that used the Shipbuilding stamp, there are some interesting everyday usage examples too. There are two event covers that are fairly common, but very interesting: 1) the Launching of the N/S Savannah (1st Nuclear Merchant Vessel), and 2) Operation Deep Freeze (w/Byrd Station, Antarctica cancel).