Being a fan of old movies I remembered Jean Hersholt's brilliant performance of the grandfather, in Heidi. Shirley Temple, transforms her reclusive grumpy grandpa into a man with a heart. Hersholt appeared in 75 silent films, 65 sound films and directed four films. Born in Denmark, he emigrated to California before WW1 where he worked in silent film. His talent earned him a starring role as the villain in the silent film classic, Greed. He is best remembered for his long running radio series, Dr. Christian, a philosophical doctor who practiced in the typical Midwestern town.

Jean Hersholt's interest in Christmas Seals began before he portrayed the father of the Christmas Seal, Einar Holboll, in a radio drama called, the Man Who Loved Children, which aired November 1944. Early the same year Jean Hersholt was given a fine US Christmas Seal collection (download and view) by the National Tuberculosis Association, and presented by Dr. Kendall Emerson, the 4th acting Director of the NTA. The collection is housed in an Elmer Long Album, which was designed by Vernon Bressler; two old time Christmas Seal dealers. Hersholt continued to collect Christmas Seals up until the time of his death.

Of course, there are other celebrity Christmas Seal collectors, such as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who also received a presentation Christmas Seal collection from the NTA and the CS&CSS ten years before. Hersholt, like FDR, were both avid stamp collectors, so their interest in Christmas Seals came naturally. When I came across Jean Hersholt's Christmas Seal collection, I was intrigued and wondered if the FDR collection, presented in 1933, was similar to this one. This collection includes letters as well as Christmas Seals he received from dealers of the period including Charles Lorenz and May Rigney. These purchases were added to the collection.

In 1939, Hersholt broadened his social interests and played a critical role in establishing the Motion Picture Relief Fund, now known as the Motion Picture and Television Fund. Hersholt was honored for his services to the industry three times with an honorary Academy Award, first in 1940 and the second time in 1949 and the third time in 1950. Shortly after his death in 1956 the Academy created a prestigious humanitarian award in his honor. Over the years it has been given to some of Hollywood’s top figures.  He is one of only 11 people with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Santa Post Christmas Seals are well documented commercial Christmas Seals. Larry Hixon was a Pioneer collector of this material. His collection was well documented by Joseph Ward, jr. In, Larry Hixon's Santa Post, published by CS&CSS and offered on the Literature page of this website. 

This image, submitted by advanced tied on collector, George Lukacs, is an important clue in their history. Now I must read the book to see just what Joe and Larry knew or supposed about the Santa Post series.

 

Back in June of 2016 I, your webmaster John Denune, Jr. published a 'News' item on Christmas Seal Campaign envelopes which illustrated my father, John Denune, Sr's collection. Since then member Ms Patricia Tucker has been busy searching and has discovered more years! 1917, previously thought to be the earliest has been superceded by her discoveries of 1912 and 1913, and more recently 1918. Her 1918 Red Cross Christmas seal campaign envelope was complete with pamphlets and letterhead. It is interesting to note that the 1918 campaign envelope and letterhead illustrate the double barred cross, the international symbol of the fight against tuberculosis. It wasn't until the following year, 1919 that this symbol, the crusader cross of Godfrey of Bullion was used on the Christmas Seal itself. 

Over the last twenty years, ancillary items such as these have become more and more popular. Once part of Green's US Local TB Christmas Seal Catalog, buttons were the first ancillary item to be re-done. Lou Caprario's 2nd edition Christmas Seal Button book is a lovely, must have volume. Several CS&CSS members are kicking around the idea for a new book of ancillary TB Christmas seal items, which may include letterhead, pamphlets, package inserts, milk bottle caps and collars, bonds, meeting labels, booth envelopes, transit passes, menu labels, certificates of appreciation, placemats, posters, publicity items, sales folders, window labels, posters, as well as Christmas Seal campaign envelopes.

This rare TB car badge was recently discovered by member Dave Lowental. All TB items from Uruguay are scarce to rare. What's interesting about this badge, it states the name of the TB society that issued it, information previously unknown in Green's Catalog. A quick search of this name uncovered pictures of their TB hospital located in Montevideo, the capital. The building was built in 1907 with the sole purpose of being a specialized care facility for the treatment and prevention of TB. Named in honor of Uruguayan doctor, Dr. Joaquin de Salterain, it has been in continuous use for TB care and education ever since.

Besides editing 1800+ pages of Green's TB Seal Catalogs, before his untimely death in 2022, Dan Cousineau wrote many Christmas Seal Albums of the world. Many are works in progress. Click for FREE downloads of 5 of the most complete which include: 231 page Japan, 84 page Finland, 70 page Portugal, 44 page Switzerland, and 46 page Starr Commonwealth.

Japan seal album - R.pdf (25.24 MB)

Finland TB Album.pdf (7.69 MB)

Portugal TB seal Album R.pdf (9.31 MB)

Switzerland TB Seal Album R.pdf (5.31 MB)

Starr Commonwealth Album R.pdf (6.77 MB)

Beginning in the 1990's a few copies of  Green's US National Christmas Seals were printed in color on a experimental basis. Color was becoming less expensive, but most collectors wanted the cheaper black and white editions. Then, a few years later, several titles were released in full color, including Charles Hoger's supplement to Green's Foreign; Lou Caprario's TB Buttons; Tim McGuinness Easter Seal Catalog, and Joseph Ward, Jr's Santa Post Catalog.

Now, due to the much lower cost of color printing, followed by price reductions, all new titles are printed in full color. It is hard to believe, but thanks to the volunteer writers of the CS&CSS, color catalogs now total over 3500 pages.

Christmas Seal & Charity Stamp Society Literature

Not since 1908 had the US hosted the International Union against TB's International Conference, held in Washington, DC, on September 29th thru October 2nd, 1926. More than 500 doctors ad public health workers from the US plus 58 medical people from 22 different countries participated. Following the conference, the National Tuberculosis Association held their 22nd annual meeting October 4-7. These 11 TB dignitaries were leading the fight against TB in American and around the world.

Included here is a souvenir of the 1926 International Conference, a book given out by Sweden including a set of their seals, 1904 thru 1926 as well as a set of seven different telegram forms, which a portion of the sale of went to the Swedish TB Society.

Photo One

1) Dr. Charles A. Hatfield, Director of the Institute for TB Research, Philadelphia

2) Dr. Lindsley R. Williams, Managing Director of the National Tuberculosis Association, NYC

3) Dr. Theobald Smith, President of the International Union Against TB

4) Dr. Edward R. Baldwin, Director Trudeau Sanatorium, Saranac Lake, NY

5) Dr. John Weinzirl, Professor of Bacteriology, University of Washington, Seattle

Photo Two

1) Dr. George C. Rutland, Director of Syracuse Health, Syracuse, NY

2) Dr. B. Weill-Halle, Director of the School for Child Welfare, College of Medicine, Paris, France

3) Olga Nethersole, famous actress and founder of the People's League for Health, London, England

4) Dr. Leon Bernard, Secretary General International Union Against TB

5) Dr. Nathan Raw, member of Parlament from Liverpool, and TB specialist

6) Dr. Ernt Lowenstein, Professor of Experimental Pathology, University of Vienna, Austria

See related "New" items on 2-15-22, and 3-12-2022

The World's First Easter Seal was issued in 1934 in Elyria Ohio. The National TB Association, who issued Christmas Seals since 1907, was keeping a close eye on their new competitor. Other countries, including our neighbor to the north, picked up on the Easter seal idea for "crippled children".

 "Cleveland Plain Dealer cartoonist J.H. Donahey designed the first (Easter) seal. Donahey based the design on a concept of simplicity because those served by the charity asked "simply for the right to live a normal life." " 
https://www.easterseals.com/about-us/history/

This ongoing enormous project of our beloved Seal News Editor, and Vice President, David Teisler, is making our journal more useful. There are over six thousand pages of Seal News issued since 1931. As new issues of Seal News are released, the project is expanding, and includes, issue, page, author, date, and title of scholarly articles.

 

Though a "Christmas Seal" page has existed in Wikipedia for some time, thanks to John Fitzgerald for expanding it into something beautiful. Check it out!