What's the cachet of a cachet?

That is to say, what is the value or prestige (Merriam-Webster definition 2b of cachet) of a philatelic design on an envelope (Merriam Webster definition 4a of cachet)?

I don't have a great answer for this. For some philatelists, cachets seem to be visual baubles that tell us nothing about postal history, viz., the study and collection of covers that chronicle the movement of the mail (Juell et al., Encyclopedia of United State Stamps and Stamp Collecting, p. 730). For others, the addition of a cachet design element on a cover (envelope) can make one's heart palpitate with pleasure. According to the American First Day Cover Society (AFDCS), the significance of the cachet is that it "enhances the cover by complementing the stamp and can be attractive, educational, humorous, and other things. There are many different cachets for each new stamp ... The choice adds an exciting dimension to the hobby."

I lean towards the latter camp. My collecting strategy is to seek out almost any cover variety that is franked with an IGY stamp from the U.S. or other countries, and also covers with other stamps that have cachets specifically mentioning or related to the IGY. "Almost any" can be a dangerous qualifier to a stamp collection in that the scope can become rather large, but in this case the limitation imposed by the IGY aspect makes this a reasonable endeavor. 

In general, I am attracted to meaning somewhat above style. For example, when I watch a movie, the production value and the acting is less important than whether the movie has something significant or interesting to say to me. Likewise, in stamp and cachet designs, I think about what overt or covert message is being promulgated, what you might call the semiotics of philately.

Most cachets are mass produced by companies that specialize in them. But some are hand drawn by individuals. There is lots more information on hand drawn covers here, most of which I have not yet explored. In this post, I'm showing all the hand drawn/painted cachets on covers I currently own that are franked with the U.S. IGY stamp Scott #1107. 

I can't assess the relative value/significance of these. On the one hand, some cachet artists are recognized and their work definitely enhances the value of covers. On the other hand, anyone can do one of these (which is fine). The AFDCS has a Court of Honor, annually selecting a different cachet artists who has contributed to the hobby through the beauty of their art. It also has run a Cachetmakers Contest since 2003 to choose the best designed cachets in different categories. 

Some definitions from the American First Day Cover Society's FDC Terminology will be helpful:

 add-on

A cachet design added to a cover which was originally uncacheted. An add-on cachet should be identified by maker and date so that it is clear that it is not contemporary with the cover. Unfortunately, many add-ons are not so identified. [Cachets significantly more recent that the stamp's FDOI are considered by some to be illegitimate. De Vries (There's no hard rule for when a cachet becomes an 'add-on', Linn's Stamp News, 3/31/14, p. 38-39) suggests a consensus that cachets can be considered as not to be add-ons up to one year after the FDOI.]

cachetmaker

One who designs and/or produces cacheted envelopes. Cachets may be identified by the artist's name, brand name, or manufacturing firm. [This post only will focus on individual artists working independently.]

 hand drawn (HD)

A cachet applied to a cover by hand with pen, pencil, brush, chalk, or other art media. Each cachet is made individually and is an original. [Not necessarily colored.]

hand painted (H/P) or hand colored (H/C)

A printed, hand drawn or hand made cachet to which hand painting or hand coloring has been added. [All of those in this post.]

It seems like the most renowned cachet maker was Dorothy Knapp, one of the members of the AFDCS Court of Honor.  There's even a book about her: 

Book cover (Amazon)

Dorothy Knapp: Philately and Family Hardcover (2015), by Douglas S. Weisz. The Amazon blurb on the books says it "is the definitive biography and complete works of the most famous cachet artist in the history of philately. Envelope art has been utilized for over a century to communicate a public message through the mail system. Every stamp and event tells a story and Dorothy illustrated this in her legendary style within the limited canvas of an envelope. Over 1600 full color images tell the story of her work of nearly 20 years."

By rough count, today there were 454 Knapp cacheted covers on eBay, at a median price of  $375. I was inspired to buy one that was at the low end of the price spectrum. I'll show it to you when it comes in.

The trigger for this post is my recent acquisition of a very nice hand painted FDC bearing the U.S. IGY stamp. It is signed by William N. Wright, the only artist of my cachets in today's post whom I've learned anything about, from this 2010 article in the AFDCS magazine, First Days. He was active in the 1940s and 1950s, including the issue year 1958 of the IGY stamp. This cover utilizes his characteristic vibrant water colors, and text within a curlicued banner. The motif is planet Earth, surrounded by some other celestial objects, with a rocket, and the words International Geophysical Year. 

To compare to Knapp, today there were about 69 Wright covers on eBay, at a median price of $50.

William Wright hand-painted cover, US 213 in my collection

Ben Kraft has hand-painted (water colors?) add-on cachets on US FDCs dating from 1940 to at least 1990. He has 18 cachets listed on eBay today, median price $4.80. The image on this IGY cover features a bright and perky sun, maybe happy to see its surface on the IGY stamp.

Ben Kraft hand drawn cachet, US 120 in my collection

C. T. Lewis was the addressee of five covers, and I'm guessing s/he was the artist, using pen and colored pencil. Although simply done, probably by a youth (with an adult addressing the covers), these nicely represent several of the themes of IGY: the Earth-Sun-Moon system; polar/Arctic exploration with international cooperation; Antarctica; Explorer 1 (and its Vanguard rocket) and Sputnik III, the first American and third Soviet satellites launched during the IGY); a seismograph. I can't find any other covers by this Lewis. Perhaps these were a one-off school project. I am assuming these cachets were reasonably contemporaneous with the FDOI. My verdict: art = simple; idea = very nice!

C T Lewis hand drawn cachet, US 121 in my collection

C T Lewis hand drawn cachet, US 122 in my collection

C T Lewis hand drawn cachet, US 123 in my collection

C T Lewis hand drawn cachet, US 124 in my collection

C T Lewis hand drawn cachet, US 125 in my collection

MAC's water color cachet seems to show Antarctica with a yellow orb (the sun? a lunar phase?) superimposed, and the text Ever Changing Earth. There are eight hand drawn cachets on eBay today that are indicated as MAC's, but the artwork is different than this one, and those covers are all addressed, so I don't think the cachetmaker is the same.

Signed by MAC, US 146 in my collection

This is the closest of this group to an all-over cachet, a design that fills most of the entire face of the envelope, as compared to one that occupies just the left side. It's hard to read all the text, but it is signed by MH, '86, so would appear to be an add-on cover. It seems o have been returned to sender, and/or missent, according to the stamped messages. Maybe it was sent to the addressee in 1986 without new postage? The ink and water colors portray some sort of battle royale with a devil bashing Batman (?) over the head with the Earth. I don't fully get the theme, to be honest.

Signed by MH, US 149 in my collection

This water colored cachet features the solar surface, riffing on the IGY stamp design. I can't find any information about the artist.

Signed by Mox (Hax?, Max?), US 173 in my collection

Sadly, I can't draw worth a lick. Any artists out there want to design a cachet?