Item Description

Historical Significance

This is a rare and hauntingly significant 1945 First Day Cover commemorating the opening of the United Nations Conference in San Francisco. While many UN covers feature symbols of peace, this specific PentArts cachet (produced by Collector's Surplus) serves as a stark historical record of the Ohrdruf Concentration Camp in Germany, which had been liberated by U.S. forces just weeks prior to this mailing.

The cachet illustration depicts the horrors found at Ohrdruf with the somber caption: "Slaved until too starved to work, their exit is Ohrdruf. Bullets may be merciful!" ### Technical Details

Stamp: Block of 4 Scott #928 (5¢ Toward United Nations) + Scott #E17 (13¢ Special Delivery) franking.

Postmark: San Francisco, CA – April 25, 1945 (First Day of Issue).

Cachet Maker: PentArts (Set ES, No. 172).

Provenance: Addressed to Edwin P. Haworth, the founder of Collector's Surplus and the creator of the PentArts line.

Reverse: Features the highly collectible "Permanent Registration" backstamp, specifically numbered as Cover No. 9.

Condition Notes

Front: Extremely clean with vibrant red ink in the cachet. The stamps are well-centered with crisp "First Day of Issue" killer bar cancellations.

Back: Securely sealed with the original registration stamp intact. No significant toning or edge wear.

Overall: A Museum-quality specimen of WWII postal history and Holocaust memorabilia.

Shipping & Handling

This item will be shipped in a rigid mailer with a protective archival sleeve to ensure it arrives in the same condition pictured. Tracking and insurance included.