Cuba 1903 - EDIFIL 77(ip) - 2 cent Christopher Columbus, 160x89mm, Knife 81 stamped envelope.
The 1903 2c carmine on white Christopher Columbus stamped envelope used from Havana to Boston, Mass. Privately printed corner card of: BACON STEAMSHIP LINE - Mercaderes 35, Havana. Indicium cancelled with HAVANA - CUBA - AUG. 17, 1903 duplex c.d.s. - This envelope was used by Mr. John R. Bullard, addressed probably to his mother (don't think he was married at this time) in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Bullard was living in Cuba since the late 1890's and in 1901 he volunteered, was injected and became very ill with yellow fever. Unlike Clara Maass, he survived and later on, in 1929, became the recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor for his "service to humanity and science" along with Dr. Walter Reed, Jesse Lazear and others. Information about him can be found in the book "Yellow Jack" (John R. Pierce and Jim Writer - 2005) and in Google, of course. This envelope does not bear his name, but I recognized his handwriting from a similar envelope that remains in my collection. That envelope bears his corner card from the time he was living in Artemisa, where he purchased land and became a farmer. (See picture with a red background) - The 2012 EDIFIL catalogue value for these envelopes with a privately printed corner card is € 95,- (US $130.00). Cleanly opened at top, slightly rough at the upper right corner but no loss of paper whatsoever. There is a light (rubber band?) stain down the center of the envelope, that as it is always the case, looks much worse in the scanned picture that to the naked eye.