Item: Philatelic First Day Cover (FDC) from Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Scouting and the centenary of Lord Baden-Powell's birth. This cover was prepared for collectors and is unaddressed.
Cachet 1 (Printed, Green):
Text: "50 JAREN PADVINDERIJ / EERSTE DAG VAN UITGIFTE" and "50 YEARS OF SCOUTING / FIRST DAY OF ISSUE".
Design: Circular emblem with "B•P", "1857 (fleur-de-lis) 1907", and "1957".
Cachet 2 (Circular, Purple Rubber Stamp):
Text: "EERSTE DAG VAN UITGIFTE / NED ANTILLEN 22 FEBR. 1957".
Design: Central fleur-de-lis.
Stamps: Netherlands Antilles Scott #B28-B30 The 1957 Lord Baden-Powell semi-postal issue.
Signatures (Handwritten, Blue Ink):
"N. Alten." (Nicolaas "Cola" Alten was a well-known designer and producer of cachets for Netherlands Antilles FDCs).
"Curacao"
Envelope: Airmail envelope with red and blue lozenge border.
Marking: "PAR AVION • BY AIR MAIL" printed on the envelope.
Postmark: WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO N.A. (Netherlands Antilles) - February 22, 1957.
Baden-Powell's Centenary & World Thinking Day: February 22nd is the birth date of Lord Robert Baden-Powell (born 1857). This date is celebrated annually by Scouts and Guides worldwide as "Founder's Day" or "World Thinking Day." The year 1957 marked the centenary of his birth.
50th Anniversary of Scouting: 1957 also marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Scout movement (Brownsea Island, 1907). The cachet explicitly states "50 JAREN PADVINDERIJ / 50 YEARS OF SCOUTING".
Jubilee Jamboree: These commemorations were part of the global celebrations leading up to and including the 9th World Scout Jamboree (the "Jubilee Jamboree") held in Sutton Park, England, in August 1957.
N. Alten Cachet: The signature "N. Alten." is significant. Nicolaas "Cola" Alten was a prolific and recognized designer and producer of cachets for First Day Covers from the Netherlands Antilles during this period. His signed covers are sought after by specialists.