Rhode Island Tercentenary FDC - Unlisted Corner Card

Rhode Island Tercentenary Issue First Day Cover
300th Anniversary of the Settlement of Rhode Island
Issued on May 4, 1936 in Providence, RI - Scott #777

Unlisted Corner Card from Postmaster General James Farley
to Agriculture Secretary Henry Wallace with Signed Letter

View Full Size Letter

James Farley was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 1932 and in 1933 he was appointed Postmaster General by President Franklin Roosevelt, which position he held until 1940.

Farley is noted in Philatelic annals for his "Farley's Follies," special imperforate (and a few special perforated) ungummed stamp sheets initially issued beginning in 1933 as a favor to President Roosevelt, an avid stamp collector and other close friends in the administration. Stamp Collectors and Dealers placed pressure on the USPS after they found out about these special issues and Farley was forced to order a special printing of these stamps. The special printing of Farley's imperforate stamps were sold only in Washington, D.C. for three months in 1935.

Henry Wallace was the Secretary of Agriculture (1933-40) and later the Vice President (1940-44) under Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1945 Roosevelt appointed Wallace as Secretary of Commerce, however in 1946 Harry Truman, fired him for criticizing the administration's policy toward the USSR. In 1948 Wallace ran for President on the Progressive Party ticket. The Progressive Party advocated social reform and friendship with the USSR and Wallace was much vilified as a communist sympathizer.

Back-Stamp from the
Department of Agriculture

Enhancement of Embossed Corner Card Return Address

Embossed Postal Logo

I picked up another Farley Cover sent to a Reverend Charles W. Oppenheim in Raymond Illinois. The cover and letter were very similar to this one, so after scanning the image, I sent it along to a good friend and fellow RIPHS member. For those of you who are interested the scan of the Oppenheim Letter can be viewed at Postmaster Farley Letter to Reverend Oppenheim.