Collection of 36 Magee "Arms of the United States" Patriotic Envelopes by (PATRIOTIC COVERS -- CIVIL WAR)

36 covers, each 5½" X 3", Philadelphia, PA, n.y. Very good to near fine. All unused and exceptionally bright and nice, with just the faintest bit of age toning to some. Superb complete grouping of this state arms collection published by Charles Magee of 316 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia -- issued as the prospect of civil war loomed. Of these 35 state envelopes, 11 would become Confederate states, 20 would remain Union states and 4 would be classified Border States. Each contains a 2¼" diameter circle at left and a slightly smaller inner circle with the words "ARMS OF" at top and the state name at bottom. In the middle of this inner circle is a colored image of the state coat of arms or appropriate image: "UTAH TER.," for instance, depicts a large beehive resting on a low platform surrounded by grass and shrubbery, bees a-buzzing amidst a blue sky; "ALABAMA' depicts a closeup of a gnarled tree trunk with a large "Map of Alabama" pinned against it. All but 9 of the Union state envelopes bear a printed slogan beneath the circle: "One Flag and One Government" for Maine, "Death to All Traitors" for Minnesota, "The Union at All Hazzards" [sic] for California and other pro-Union sentiments. Interestingly but not surprisingly, none of the future Confederate states include slogans in this Union-slanted collection and the two future Border States often identified as Confederate likewise have none (though future Border States Delaware and Maryland do). A thirty-sixth envelope serves as the title page for this collection, captioned "Arms of the United States" and of course showing a bald eagle, arrows in one talon and olive branch in the other, against a backdrop of American flags. Although undated, this series presumably was published pre-1861, as West Virginia was admitted in that year and thus is not present, nor is Nevada, admitted in 1864. Individual envelopes from this series turn up occasionally, invariably NOT colored; a complete group such as this, all bearing period color and in uniformly exceptional condition with original gum, is quite scarce and would be near-impossible to duplicate.