Lannie H. Smith [Letter]
Name/Title
Lannie H. Smith [Letter]Description
Type written letter from Lannie H. Smith: "July 25, 1945 Dear Jimmy, I received the following covers from you since I wrote you last: "Sue Carolina", Liberty is still alive" from Prague, Okla.; "Not even a Viggle" from England, Ark, "Keep 'em Flying" and "This is our 1942 model in Petunia Pink!". They are all nice, and I am proud of them. Yes, I got the one from Sleepy Eye with a good cancellation. I received another nice cover from the man at Camp Carson, General Hospital, -- he said he was mostly interested in APO'S, -- so I'm afraid that I couldn't do much good exchanging with him. If your sister-in-law decides to go into the cover business, painting covers, I will give her some orders. There is no doubt but what she could get all the work she can do. I placed an ad in cover news advertising my War Maps like I sent you, and have received lots of orders. I don't know yet whether my ad was deceiving or not, will just have to wait and see, before I advertise them further. Jimmy, I thank you for lots of nice covers just received. You asked me if I received a "Runge" Frist Day cover, -- I received a Poland "Runge", but no others. I don't know why it is, but I have lost few covers out of every shipment I make for First Days. "Bye" Lannie"Context
Lannie Smith was one of five Texas envelope artists that stand among the best-known envelope artists of the 20th Century – Gladys Adler of Bellaire and her daughter, Florene Edmiston O’Neill of San Antonio; Mrs. R.H. Swartz of Houston; and Dr. Charles Martin of Canyon, Texas. Their work in the 1930s and 1940s highlights a folk-art tradition that dates from the 1850s in England when postage stamps and envelopes were first used. Decorating envelopes was a popular pastime before television when one could listen to the radio and draw at the same time.Category
Texas Folk Art: One-Hundred Fifty Years of the Southwestern Tradition