Postal Portfolio

Linoleum Block Prints

For many years, Curtis produced limited-edition artworks through the meticulous process of hand-carving linoleum blocks and applying ink. These prints were designed as postal cachets, more formally recognized as First Day of Issues or First Day Covers (FDCs).

What is a First Day of Issue Cover?

A First Day of Issue Cover (FDC) is an envelope bearing a postage stamp that is canceled on the official date of the stamp’s release. These covers often feature a printed design—typically machine-produced—accompanying the postal cancellation, and occasionally include special or commemorative cancellations to mark the significance of the event. For example, the 1969 First Day Cover commemorating the Apollo 11 moon landing featured a stamp with an astronaut on the lunar surface, postmarked on the day of issue with a special cancellation from Houston, Texas.

In 1996 Dave Curtis began creating limited edition prints that he carved out of linoleum blocks. In the beginning the designs varied from regular subject matter that went with the subject of the stamp but on occasion the artist's creativity got the best of him and he created surrealistic pieces. These are the rare ones! Over the past 20 years now Dave has won many awards for his covers but now he is well known for his covers. In 2015 he received a great honor by having a cover entered into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian's American History Museum. To date, 2016, Dave has created over 2000 individual designs.

Dave Curtis's first cover design

Dave Curtis's second cover

Dave's first experiment with multiple colors

The Art of the Cover

In 1996, Dave Curtis began producing limited-edition prints carved from linoleum blocks, which he used to create uniquely artistic First Day Covers. While many of his early designs reflected the subject matter of the corresponding stamps, his creative instincts occasionally led him to craft surrealistic compositions that stood apart—these are now considered rare and highly sought after. Over the next two decades, Curtis produced more than 2,000 original designs and received numerous awards recognizing the artistic merit of his covers. In 2015, his work was honored with a place in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Though he has since retired from making First Day Covers to focus solely on painting, Curtis’s remaining FDC inventory was sold, much of which can still be found on eBay. His legacy in the field lives on—not only through collectors but also through the work of his ex-wife, Sabrina, who took up the practice and earned accolades for her own distinctive approach to block-printed covers.

More on this unique chapter in American philatelic art will be featured in the forthcoming book A Dive into Sir Real’s Aquarium by David F. Heatwole.

Selections from the Curtis Philatelic Portfolio

These two covers go together. This example shows that they are number 3 in the small series of 10.

Three very rare larger prints by Dave Curtis

A true collectible! Below shows two covers that go together. This example shows that they are number 3 in a small series of 10.

Another notable work in the Curtis series of First Day Covers is this block print shown below, which the artist produced on multiple occasions using different color palettes. The image is based on Curtis’s own wedding photograph, lending the piece a deeply personal resonance. In the years since its creation, the print has gained collectible status—partly due to the artist's

later divorce, a chapter explored in detail in David F. Heatwole’s memoir and biography A Dive into Sir Real’s Aquarium, which chronicles his long-standing friendship with Curtis.