1938 U.S. Christmas Portrait Seals Block Collection, 4 blocks of 4, perf. 12 1/2 x 12, full gum, F, MNH. Issued by the National Tuberculosis Association. These Slogan Seals are from a Christmas Seals sheet with a printer's mark of "E". Fresh, full gum, shipped flat.
The four corner seals are portrait seals, and show the portraits and names of four men active and outstanding in their respective countries in furthering the work and stuggle to wipe out tuberculosis. The seals are as follows:
Seal #1 shows an image of Dr. Rene Laennec of France, who in 1816 invented the stethoscope.
Seal #10 shows an image of Dr. Robert Koch of Germany, who in 1882 proved TB to be a germ born disease.
Seal #91 shows an image of Dr. Edward L. Trudeau of New York, who in 1885 established the first Umnited States TB sanatorium at Saranac Lake, New York.
Seal # 100 shows an image of Einar Holbell, the Danish postal clerk who in 1904 started the sale of Christmas Seals in Denmark.
The 1938 Portrait Seals are usually collected in blocks of one Portrait Seal with three normal seals.
Christmas Seals are also known as TB Charity Seals, and are usually classified as Charity Seals, or Cinderella Stamps.
