“The Great Light Will Shine”: Nikola Tesla’s 1900 Letter to the Red Cross
Long before radio astronomy, long before space probes, long before SETI, Nikola Tesla believed he had detected communication from another world and this was…
26 posts aboutStory time
“Are You Too Deeply Occupied to Say If My Verse Is Alive?” - Emily Dickinson’s 1862 Letter to T.W. Higginson
Emily Dickinson’s first letter to Higginson is a quiet reminder: Some of the most important human connections begin with uncertainty.
“A Love Letter That Outlived Its Writer”: The Story of the Blue Mauritius
Some pieces of paper carry entire centuries.The Blue Mauritius, a small square of blue-green ink printed in 1847, is one of them.Barely an inch wide, it has…
“Everything Here Strikes Me as Very Odd”: Louisa May Alcott’s Civil War Letter
The 30-year-old author, not yet famous for Little Women, volunteered at the Union Hotel Hospital in Washington, D.C., tending to soldiers wounded in the…
The Z Grill: America’s Rarest Stamp and the Mystery of Its Tiny Diamonds
In 1868, the U.S. Post Office tried to stop people from reusing stamps by pressing tiny diamond-shaped ridges into them, a process called “grilling.” The…
A Royal Romance: King Henry VIII’s Love Letter to Anne Boleyn
In the early 1520s, King Henry VIII wrote a string of heartfelt letters to Anne Boleyn, a lady-in-waiting at the English court. These letters offer a rare,…
“Your good Sistar and Cousin”: Elizabeth I’s Letter to Mary, Queen of Scots (21 December 1568)
In the winter of 1568, Europe’s eyes were fixed on a drama between two queens: Elizabeth I of England and her cousin, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
Designing Penny: The Racing Pigeon with a Flair for “tea”
Every community has that one friend who seems to know everything before anyone else and in Pippin’s Park Buddies, that role belongs to Penny.
“Too Late to Say Goodbye”: How Samuel Morse’s Loss Sparked a Revolution in Communication
How a letter too late to say goodbye became the birth of faster communication.
“Fly to the Bosom of Your God”: Alexander Hamilton’s Farewell Letters
On the eve of July 11, 1804, Alexander Hamilton prepared to meet Vice President Aaron Burr in a duel that would end his life. Knowing he might not return,…
Designing Maverick & Goose – Pippin’s Park Buddies Take Flight
When we set out to design Pippin’s Park Buddies, we knew each character needed to carry their own charm, quirks, and history. Some are grounded, some are…
Between Meadows and Mortality: John Keats writes to Fanny Brawne
On August 17, 1819, John Keats wrote to Fanny Brawne from the quiet English town of Winchester. By this time, Keats was immersed in both the beauty of the…
Designing Kosmo & Morph for Pippin’s Park Buddies
Every good park has its legends: the quiet figures you only catch glimpses of and the cosmic dreamers who make you wonder if the universe is listening back.…
From Islands to Icons: The Story of the Hawaiian Missionary Stamps
In 1851, the Kingdom of Hawaii issued its very first postage stamps. Today remembered as the Hawaiian Missionaries, they are printed on fragile blue pelure…
Diego, My Love: Frida Kahlo’s Tender Letter of Devotion
By 1940, Frida was living through both personal and physical struggles. She had been hospitalized multiple times for the lingering effects of polio and a…
Five Sons, One Letter and a President’s Condolence.
Some letters are meant to share news, others to inspire, and a few… to comfort wounds that can never truly heal. In the fall of 1864, with the American…
The Alexandria “Blue Boy”: A Love Letter That Time Refused to Burn
In the world of philately, some stamps are prized for their beauty, others for their rarity, and a precious few for the stories they carry. The Alexandria…
The Basel Dove: Pioneering Postal Elegance
The Basel Dove represents everything we stand for: meaningful communication, beautiful design, and the enduring power of the written word.
A Letter Before Silence: Virginia Woolf’s Parting Words to Leonard.
In a world where we hide pain behind perfect photos and polished status updates, Virginia’s last letter is unflinchingly real. It reminds us that love is…
Japan’s 10-Year Postbox Where Art, Memory, and Letters Meet
Kubota calls it a “place for lost voices”—a home for letters that were never meant to arrive, or could no longer reach their recipients. Visitors are…
The One-Cent Magenta | The Most Mysterious Stamp in the World
It’s just a scrap of paper — tiny, faded, and roughly cut. But in the world of stamps, it's legendary. Known as the British Guiana 1c Magenta, this tiny…
Decoding Retention
Andrew Chen explains that virality without retention is an illusion—a spike followed by a crash. Our data proves that sustained engagement is what turns…
From One to Two
It’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed since we embarked on this journey. As I look back, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride…
More than a supporter — Pippin Supporters Club
You might be wondering, why? If you are, we have some answers. If you are not, well.. bear with us anyway; there are some fun as well as important stuff…
Random chance made Lettre happen, and we think that’s beautiful.
Our meandering journey with Lettre - from ideation to MLP
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