Pablo Casals and his cello featured on San Juan, Puerto Rico, postmark

By Michael Baadke

Sala Sinfonica Pablo Casals is a 1,300-seat concert hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that serves as the home to the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. The first concert performed there took place Oct. 3, 2009.

The hall is named for cellist and conductor Pablo Casals (1876-1973), who was born in Catalonia, Spain. Casals’ mother was from Puerto Rico, and his father was a Spanish organist and choir master who taught his sons music.

Pablo Casals made his home in Puerto Rico for many years.

An Oct. 29 postmark from San Juan depicts Casals playing his cello, and pays tribute to the concert hall named in his honor.

To obtain this postmark, send your request to:

SALA SINFONICA PABLO CASALS Station, Postmaster, 585 Ave. FD Roosevelt, Suite 110, San Juan, PR 00936-9681, Oct. 29.

The following postmarks are also available:

STEPEX Station, Postmaster, 1580 Sullivan St., Elmira, NY 14901-9998, Oct. 23-24. (Cannon, “Civil War Sesquicentennial 2011-2015.”)

ASDA Station, Postmaster, 380 W. 33rd St., Room 4032, New York, NY 10199-9998, Oct. 23-25. (Outline drawing of Statue of Liberty head.)

NASCAR DAY Station, Postmaster, 611 W. Academy St., Randleman, NC 27317-9998, Oct. 24. (Race car, “27th Annual, Let’s Go Racin’.”)

JACK DANIEL’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP INVITATIONAL BARBECUE Station, Postmaster, Box 9998, Lynchburg, TN 37352-9998, Oct. 24. (“27th Annual.”)

100th YEAR CELEBRATION Station, Postmaster, 22009 C.R. 18, Yellow Jacket, CO 81335-9998, Oct. 24. (“Yellow Jacket Store & Post Office, General Merchandise,” as sign on store front.)

BARBECUE FESTIVAL Station, Postmaster, Box 9998, Lexington, NC 27028-9998, Oct. 24. (Pig wearing overalls and cap in rocking chair playing fiddle, “32nd Annual.”)

PENNSAUKEN LIBRARY Station, Postmaster, 2700 Mount Ephraim Ave., Camden, NJ 08104-9998, Oct. 24. (Interlaced triquetra or triple knot.)

DEADWOOD Station, Postmaster, 307 Hellam St., Wrightsville, PA 17368-9998, Oct. 24. (Wizard Safari locomotive with buffalo insignia, Boy Scouts of America crest, “Wizard Safari,” “Iron Horse Encounter.”)

CUY-LORPEX Station, Postmaster, 2200 Orange Ave., No. 234, Cleveland, OH 44101-9998, Oct. 24-25. (Crossed anchors insignia, “U.S. Coast Guard.”)

Collecting pictorial postmarks is fun. To obtain them, please read our instructions. Share information by writing to Postmark Pursuit, Box 4129, Sidney, OH 45365.