Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
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The global stamp circle shape sure is different and the jury is out on that one. Looks like a sticker ya know.
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Yeah, and at its normal size, it's hard to see the continents on the globe. The contrast between the colors is not that good.
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I rather like the new international rate stamp--can't really put my finger on why, but it's a little different. There are a handful of US stamps I'm looking forward to this year--the one celebrating West Virginia's statehood is a nice painting, with the fog; the Arlington Green Bridge (although I've not been able to find out why a Vermont landmarks is commemorated on a stamp that will have it's first issue in Georgia), and the Grand Central Station stamp (although at $19.95, I might have to wait till I get some Express Mail sent to me.) The new inverted Jenny is a neat idea as well. For anyone interested, here are the ones announced thus far: http://beyondtheperf.com/2013-preview/
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I have to say I am pleased the USPS released the new Rosa Parks stamp in Detroit but a little disappointed they are releasing the muscle car series in Daytona Beach. Not to knock Rosa but nothing defines Detroit more than cars particularly Detroit Iron. It would have been fitting for the USPS to release the muscle car series at this years Detroit Auto Show and made a world news event out of it. I hope they add a few more muscle cars in the future.
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I'm going to respectfully disagree with Logistical1 on the choice of venue for release of the muscle car stamps. I think releasing the issue at the track at the start of a weekend that culminates with the Daytona 500 cup race was a smart marketing decision. Rather than targeting car enthusiasts at the Detroit show, the USPS is going after race car enthusiasts. Attendance at the track will will only be about 20% of that attending the Detroit show; however, almost 14 million NASCAR fans will be watching the activities at Daytona that weekend and I think they are the real target of the USPS promotion.
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To make the new issues more interesting here is additional data on the stamps issued so far in 2013:
1st January 2012
F (45¢) Emancipation Proclamation, 150th Anniversary
With this 2013 stamp, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Emancipation Proclamation is an order issued to all segments of the Executive branch (including the Army and Navy) of the United States by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. It was based on the president's constitutional authority as commander in chief of the armed forces; it was not a law passed by Congress. It proclaimed all those enslaved in Confederate territory to be forever free, and ordered the Army (and all segments of the Executive branch) to treat as free all those enslaved in ten states that were still in rebellion, thus applying to 3.1 million of the 4 million slaves in the U.S. The Proclamation could not be enforced in areas still under rebellion, but as the army took control of Confederate regions, the slaves in those regions were emancipated rather than returned to their masters. From 20,000 to 50,000 former slaves in regions where rebellion had already been subdued were immediately emancipated, and over 3 million more were emancipated as the Union army advanced. The Proclamation did not apply to the five slave states that were not in rebellion, nor to most regions already controlled by the Union army; emancipation there would come after separate state actions and/or the December 1865 ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, which made slavery illegal everywhere in the U.S. The Proclamation did not compensate the owners, did not itself outlaw slavery, and did not make the ex-slaves (called freedmen) citizens. It made the eradication of slavery an explicit war goal, in addition to the goal of reuniting the Union. Lincoln believed the Emancipation Proclamation, potentially applying to several million African-American slaves in the South, was the "central act of my administration, and the great event of the nineteenth century." According to many historians, only the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States have had as great an impact on human life and liberty for so many. One provision of the proclamation authorized enlisting African Americans in the Union army. Some 180,000 blacks subsequently joined the army, and nearly 40,000 gave their lives fighting for freedom.
The stamp art uses that powerful statement, "Henceforward Shall Be Free," on a design evocative of broadsides from the Civil War era. Art director Antonio Alcalá worked with graphic designer Gail Anderson to produce this important commemorative stamp, one of a civil rights set being issued in 2013. The Emancipation Proclamation stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 20.
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14th January 2013
46¢ Kaleidoscope Flowers - red and blue, coil
46¢ Kaleidoscope Flowers - green and purple, coil
46¢ Kaleidoscope Flowers - orange and violet, coil
46¢ Kaleidoscope Flowers - pink and green, coil
46¢ x 4 Kaleidoscope Flowers, coil strip of 4
Spring flowers, state flowers, wildflowers—these are but a few of the many botanical subjects on stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service. Flowers are among the most popular subjects for collectors and the stamp-buying public. In a modern twist on a perennial favorite, the Kaleidoscope Flowers stamps combine the allure of flowers with the impact of modern computer graphics. The set of four stamps depicts the same contemporary flower drawing, with each stamp featuring one of four different color combinations: red and blue, green and purple, orange and violet, or pink and green. Some of the color combinations create the illusion that patterns recede or come forward, giving the stamps a dramatic visual appeal. The lines and curves of the drawing are reminiscent of a kaleidoscope flower—familiar, yet at the same time utterly distinctive.
Designed by art director Antonio Alcalá, Kaleidoscope Flowers features the work of graphic artists Petra and Nicole Kapitza.
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16th January 2013
F(46¢) Lunar New Year - Year of the Snake
The Snake is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac and related to the Chinese calendar, as well as in related East Asian zodiacal or calendrical systems. According to one mythical legend, there is a reason for the order of the 12 animals in the 12 year cycle. The story goes that a race was held to cross a great river, and the order of the animals in the cycle was based upon their order in finishing the race. In this story, the snake compensated for not being the best swimmer by hitching a hidden ride on the horses hoof, and when the horse was just about to cross the finish line, jumping out, scaring the horse, and thus edging it out for sixth place. The same 12 animals are also used to symbolize the cycle of hours in the day, each being associated with a two-hour time period. The "hour" of the snake is 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., the time when the sun warms up the earth, and snakes are said to slither out of their holes. The reason the animal signs are referred to as "zodiacal" is that one's personality is said to be influenced by the animal sign(s) ruling the time of birth, together with elemental aspect of that animal sign within the sexegenary (60 year) cycle. Similarly, the year governed by a particular animal sign is supposed to be characterized by it, with the effects particularly strong for people who were born in a year governed by the same animal sign. In Chinese symbology, snakes are regarded as intelligent, but with a tendency to be somewhat unscrupulous.
It’s good to welcome the New Year with a bang! A bundle of firecrackers—colored red for luck—highlight the U.S. Postal Service’s 2013 Year of the Snake stamp, sixth in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Snake begins on February 10, 2013, and ends on January 30, 2014. Across many cultures, in the United States as elsewhere, the Lunar New Year is celebrated in various ways, often with parades and parties. Firecrackers are traditionally used to scare off evil spirits and welcome this time of renewed hope for the future. Lucky foods are eaten—kumquats, for example (issued in 2011)—and given as gifts. Festive lanterns, colored red for luck (issued in 2008), are common decorations at Lunar New Year celebrations, where they are frequently hung in rows.
Combining original artwork by Kam Mak with two elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps—Clarence Lee’s intricate paper-cut design of a snake and the Chinese character for “Snake,†drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun—art director Ethel Kessler has created a culturally rich stamp design that celebrates the diversity of the American experience. The Year of the Snake stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 12.
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17th January 2013 - Apples
With these stamps, the U.S. Postal Service proves that apples are not only good—and good for you—but they’re also delightful, cheery stamp subjects, just right for postcards! Some of America’s favorite varieties of this popular fruit are shown in these four stamps, each depicting a different kind: the bright-red Baldwin, the green Granny Smith, the yellow Golden Delicious, and the multi-colored Northern Spy. The stamp art was illustrated with pen and ink and watercolor, with some additional detail added on the computer. Designed by art director Derry Noyes, Apples features the work of John Burgoyne.
33¢ Apples, block of four from pane
33¢ Apples, coil strip of four
The bright-red Baldwin
The Baldwin apple is a bright red winter apple, very good in quality, and easily shipped. It was for many years the most popular apple in New England, New York, and for export from America. The Baldwin originated soon after 1740 as a chance seedling on the farm of Mr. John Ball of Wilmington, Massachusetts, and for about 40 years thereafter its cultivation was confined to that immediate neighborhood. The farm eventually came into the possession of a Mr. Butters, who gave the name Woodpecker to the apple because the tree was frequented by woodpeckers. The apple was long known locally as the Woodpecker or Pecker. It was also called the Butters. Deacon Samuel Thompson, a surveyor of Woburn, Massachusetts, brought it to the attention of Col. Loammi Baldwin of the same town, by whom it was propagated and more widely introduced in eastern Massachusetts. From Col. Baldwin's interest in the variety it came to be called the Baldwin. A monument to the Baldwin apple now marks the location, the monument's inscription reads: "This monument marks the site of the first Baldwin Apple Tree found growing wild near here. It fell in the gale of 1815. The apple first known as the Butters, Woodpecker or Pecker apple was named after Col. Loammi Baldwin of Woburn." Erected in 1895 by the Rumford Historical Association.
The green Granny Smith
The Granny Smith green apple is a tip-bearing apple cultivar, which originated in Australia in 1868. It is named after Maria Ann Smith, who propagated the cultivar from a chance seedling. The tree is thought to be a hybrid of Malus sylvestris, the European Wild Apple, with the domestic apple M. domestica as the polleniser. The fruit has hard, light green skin and a crisp, juicy flesh. Granny Smiths go from being yellow to turning completely green. The acidity mellows significantly, and it then takes on a balanced flavor. The cultivar originated in Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia in 1868 from a chance seedling propagated by Sussex-born Maria Ann Smith (née Sherwood, b. 1799, d. 9 March 1870), from whom comes the name.It was introduced to the United States in 1972 by Grady Auvil. Granny Smith apples are light green in color. They are eaten raw and commonly used in pie baking. This cultivar needs fewer winter chill hours and a longer growing season to mature the fruit, so it is favored for the milder areas of the apple growing regions.
The yellow Golden Delicious
The Golden Delicious is a cultivar of apple with a yellow color. It is not closely related to the Red Delicious apple. Golden Delicious is a large, yellow skinned cultivar and very sweet to the taste. It is prone to bruising and shriveling, so it needs careful handling and storage. It is a favorite for salads, apple sauce, and butter. The original tree was found on the Mullins' family farm in Clay County, West Virginia, United States and was locally known as Mullin's Yellow Seedling and Annit apple. Anderson Mullins sold the tree and propagation rights to Stark Brothers Nurseries, which first marketed it as a companion of their Red Delicious in 1914. In 2010, an Italian-led consortium announced they had decoded the complete genome of the Golden delicious apple. It had the highest number of genes (57,000) of any plant genome studied to date.
The multi-colored Northern Spy
The Northern Spy apple, sometimes known as "Northern Spie" or "Northern Pie Apple" is a variety of apple native to the Northern East Coast of the United States and parts of Michigan and Ontario. It is popular in upstate New York. Skin color is a green ground, flushed with red stripes where not shaded, and it produces fairly late in the season. The white flesh is juicy, crisp and mildly sweet with a rich, aromatic subacid flavor, noted for high vitamin C content. Its characteristic flavor is more tart than most popular varieties, and its flesh is harder/crunchier than most, with a thin skin. It is commonly used for desserts and pies, but is also used for juices and cider. Further, the Northern Spy is also an excellent apple for storage, as it tends to last longer due to late maturation. It was discovered around 1800 in East Bloomfield, New York, south of Rochester, New York, as surviving sprouts of a seedling that had died and was cultivated with stock brought in from Connecticut. It is not widely available at retail outside its growing regions but still serves as an important processing apple in those areas.
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18th January 2013
66¢ Wedding Caket
Sure to add a touch of beauty and romance to wedding correspondence, the Wedding Cake stamp, first introduced in 2009, is a timeless addition to the U.S. Postal Service's Weddings series. Often the centerpiece of a wedding reception, the cake has been a wedding tradition for many generations. This two-ounce stamp features a photograph of a three-tier wedding cake topped with white flowers, their green stems and leaves a delightful contrast to the cake's creamy white frosting. The stamp is a perfect addition to a wedding invitation or other mailing such as oversize cards or small gifts that require extra postage. Pastry chef Peter Brett created and designed the cake, which was photographed by Renée Comet. The stamp was designed by art director Ethel Kessler.
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23rd January 2012
66¢ Spicebush Swallowtail, butterfly
The spectacular spicebush swallowtail butterfly graces the third butterfly stamp for use on large greeting card envelopes. The stamp art was created on a computer, using images of preserved butterflies as a starting point. The result is a highly stylized, simplified image of a spicebush swallowtail rather than an exact replica. Both as caterpillars and adults, spicebush swallowtails hide from their predators in plain sight. They do this by mimicking other animals and even inedible objects. When very young, the brown and white caterpillar resembles a bird dropping. The caterpillar later morphs into what looks like a small green snake, with yellow and black markings that resemble a snake’s eyes and a false forked tongue. The butterfly’s chrysalis mimics a dried brown leaf, complete with veins.
Nationally known artist Tom Engeman worked with art director Derry Noyes on this design. The square format of the stamp was developed in partnership with the greeting card industry to indicate that this stamp may be used for square envelopes weighing up to and including one ounce. Greeting card envelopes printed with a silhouette of a butterfly indicate the need for an additional 20 cents postage--or the use of this butterfly stamp. The butterfly stamp may also be used to mail envelopes with irregular sizes and shapes.
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23rd January 2013
86¢ Tufted Puffins
With tufts of bright yellow feathers springing from its head, the tufted puffin looks like a clown to some and a punk rocker to others. Two of these unmistakable sea birds appear on the Tufted Puffins stamp, depicted during breeding season when their signature yellow plumage appears. Tufted puffins can be found along the Pacific coast from Oregon to Alaska. They hunt underwater, diving as deep as 200 feet and using their wings to propel themselves through the water. True creatures of the sea, they even eat underwater, and spend much of their lives on the open ocean. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp, which features a painting by artist Robert Giusti.
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25th January 2013
$5.60 Priority Mail - Arlington Green Bridge
The scenic Arlington Green Covered Bridge in Bennington County, Vermont, takes center stage in this Priority Mail stamp. One of the most-photographed covered bridges in the state, it was built in 1852 using the Towne Truss design. Looking through the bridge one catches a glimpse of "The Inn on Covered Bridge Green" formerly the home of painter Norman Rockwell from 1943-1954. The digital stamp art depicts the red wooden bridge against a backdrop of autumn leaves. On the far side of the bridge, a white church steeple rises from a traditional village green. The bridge spans the Batten Kill trout stream in Arlington, just off Route 313 in southern Vermont. Although it stretches 80 feet across the stream, the bridge’s roadbed is only wide enough to allow one lane of traffic to rumble over its wooden planks at a time. On August 28, 2011, the Arlington Green Covered Bridge was damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene (2011) and remains closed. Designed by Derry Noyes, the stamp showcases a digital illustration created by artist Dan Cosgrove.
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1st February 2013
$19.95 Express Mail - Grand Central Terminal
A beloved New York City landmark turns one hundred years old in 2013, and the U.S. Postal Service is celebrating with the Grand Central Terminal issuance. The train station officially opened on February 2, 1913, and was soon recognized as one of the most majestic public spaces in the world. It is a commuter rail terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Built by and named for the New York Central Railroad in the heyday of American long-distance passenger rail travel, it is the largest train station in the world by number of platforms: 44, with 67 tracks along them. They are on two levels, both below ground, with 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower, though the total number of tracks along platforms and in rail yards exceeds 100. The terminal covers an area of 48 acres. The terminal serves commuters traveling on the Metro-North Railroad to Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in New York State, and Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. Until 1991 the terminal served Amtrak, which moved to nearby Pennsylvania Station upon completion of the Empire Connection. Although the terminal has been properly called “Grand Central Terminal†since 1913, many people continue to refer to it as “Grand Central Stationâ€, the name of the previous rail station on the same site, and of the U.S. Post Office station next door, which is not part of the terminal. It is also sometimes used to refer to the Grand Central – 42nd Street subway station, which serves the terminal.
The stamp art captures the grandeur of this architectural masterpiece with an illustration of the main concourse. Early morning sunlight streams through the 60-foot-tall windows, illuminating the people below. In the foreground, travelers gather near the station’s round information booth topped with its four-sided clock. The edges of the terminal’s famous sky ceiling can be seen at the top of the stamp art, its background of robin’s egg blue decorated with a mural of constellations and figures of the Zodiac. The graphic illustration was created by artist Dan Cosgrove, working with art director Phil Jordan. Grand Central Terminal is being issued at the Express Mail rate.
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28th January 2013
F($1.10) Airmail - Globe, round shaped stampt
In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service introduces Global Forever®, a new international rate stamp. The Global Forever stamp offers a single price for any First-Class Mail International 1-ounce letter to any country in the world. For the January 27, 2013, price change, theGlobal Forever stamp may also be used to mail a 2-ounce letter to Canada.
This stamp features a rendering of Earth composed of images created from satellite data and redesigned with 3D computer technology. The view of our planet shows the Atlantic Ocean flanked by the Americas, Africa, and part of northern Europe. In the stamp art, the globe is isolated on a white background. The shape of the stamp is round. The text, which surrounds the image of Earth, includes the words “Global Forever.â€
Italian artist Leonello Calvetti used a variety of maps, primarily from NASA, to create his design. With 3D computer technology he was able to modify depth, vary color, and create subtle light and shadow details on terrain surfaces to achieve a high level of photorealism while also attaining something new. “I always have been fascinated by space and what astronauts could see from out there,†Calvetti says. “As an artist, an illustrator, I wanted to make my own representation of the Earth.†Art director William J. Gicker selected this depiction of Earth by Calvetti. Greg Breeding designed the stamp. ==========================================================================================
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(see image in earlier post)
28th January 2013
F($1.10) Airmail - Globe, round shaped stampt
In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service introduces Global Forever®, a new international rate stamp. The Global Forever stamp offers a single price for any First-Class Mail
International 1-ounce letter to any country in the world. For the January 27, 2013, price change, theGlobal Forever stamp may also be used to mail a 2-ounce letter to Canada.
This stamp features a rendering of Earth composed of images created from satellite data and redesigned with 3D computer technology. The view of our planet shows the Atlantic Ocean flanked by the Americas, Africa, and part of northern Europe. In the stamp art, the globe is isolated on a white background. The shape of the stamp is round. The text, which surrounds the image of Earth, includes the words “Global Forever.â€
Italian artist Leonello Calvetti used a variety of maps, primarily from NASA, to create his design. With 3D computer technology he was able to modify depth, vary color, and create subtle light and shadow details on terrain surfaces to achieve a high level of photorealism while also attaining something new. “I always have been fascinated by space and what astronauts could see from out there,†Calvetti says. “As an artist, an illustrator, I wanted to make my own representation of the Earth.†Art director William J. Gicker selected this depiction of Earth by Calvetti. Greg Breeding designed the stamp.
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30th January 2013
F(46¢) Sealed with Love
Evoking the romance of a bygone era, the Sealed with Love stamp expresses the joy and beauty of handwritten love letters. The stamp art depicts an envelope fastened with an elegant wax seal. The seal, in shades of red, is a small heart enclosed inside a larger heart, both surrounded by a graceful filigree circle. The exquisite delicacy of the stamp art invites us to send our own love letters, a romantic gesture that never goes out of style. The Victorians were ardent letter writers and believed that there was a proper way to compose letters, particularly love letters. Etiquette manuals aided Victorian
romantics in penning appropriate letters to their beloveds. While these books reflected the Victorian obsession with propriety, the senders still wished to make their feelings known, and there was a precise etiquette for using sealing wax. Although today red is the color most associated with passion, in the mid-1800s, blue was the color of love, with wax of various shades denoting the degree of emotion felt by the sender.
Graphic designer Louise Fili worked with art director Derry Noyes on this stamp. Jessica Hische was the illustrator. The Sealed with Love stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp.
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4th February 2013
F(46¢) Rosa Parkst
In 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks courageously refused to give up her seat on a municipal bus to a white man, defying the discriminatory laws of the time.
The U.S. Postal Service is proud to honor the life of this extraordinary American activist who became an iconic figure in the civil rights movement. The stamp art, a
gouache painting on illustration board, is a portrait of Parks emphasizing her quiet strength. A 1950s photograph served as the basis for the stamp portrait. The response to Parks’s arrest was a boycott of the Montgomery bus system that lasted for more than a year and became an international cause célèbre. In 1956, in a related case, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that segregating Montgomery buses was unconstitutional. Soon after the boycott ended, Parks moved to Detroit, Michigan.
She joined the 1963 march on Washington and returned to Alabama in 1965 to join the march from Selma to Montgomery. The many honors Parks received in her lifetime include the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1966), the Spingarn Medal (1979), and the Congressional Gold Medal (1999). Upon her death in 2005, she became the first woman and second African American to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC.
Artist Thomas Blackshear II created an original painting for the stamp, which was designed by art director Derry Noyes. The stamp honoring Rosa Parks is one of three stamps in the civil rights set celebrating freedom, courage, and equality being issued in 2013.
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22nd February 2013
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1970 Chevelle SS
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1966 Pontiac GTO
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1967 Shelby GT-500
F(46¢) x 5 Muscle Cars, strip of 5
Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." A large V8 engine is fitted in a 2-door, rear wheel drive, family-style mid-size or full-size car designed for four or more passengers. Sold at an affordable price, muscle cars are intended for mainly street use and occasional drag racing.
They are distinct from two-seat sports cars and expensive 2+2 GTs intended for high-speed touring and road racing. Developed simultaneously in their own markets, muscle cars also emerged from manufacturers in Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere.
The Muscle Cars stamps celebrate an exciting era in American automotive history. Typically equipped with big, powerful engines, these high-performance vehicles first
roared onto our roads in the 1960s. The stamps feature five iconic muscle cars: the 1966 Pontiac GTO, the 1967 Shelby GT-500, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, the 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda, and the 1970 Chevelle SS. Artist Tom Fritz based his artwork on photographs of the cars, using bright-colored oil paints on hardboard to try to "capture the emotive quality" of each one. Growing up in Southern California, Fritz became familiar with the power of muscle cars and calls these paintings "a projection of my memories of the vehicles."
Muscle Cars is the third issuance in the America on the Move series. The stamps were designed by art director Carl T. Herrman. The first two issuances in the series
were 50s Sporty Cars (2005) and 50s Fins and Chrome (2008). The Muscle Cars stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps in self-adhesive sheets of 20 (4 of each design).
Muscle Cars - 1970 Chevelle SS
The Chevelle SS represented Chevrolet's entry into the muscle car battle. The SS 396 Chevelle included a 350 horsepower (260 kW) Turbo-Jet 396 V8, special suspension, "power dome" hood, black-accented grille, resilient rear-bumper insert, and wide-oval tires on sport wheels. Though a 375 horsepower (280 kW) cowl induction version was available, few were sold in favor of the newly introduced 454 engine in the October/November 1969 timeframe. The LS5 454-cubic-inch V8 produced 360 horsepower (270 kW) in standard form and a cowl induction version was also available. The LS6 produced a claimed 450 Gross HP in solid-lifter, high-compression, guise. It has been suggested that the LS6 was substantially "under-rated" and actually produced something on the order of 500 horsepower (370 kW) as delivered from the factory. Recent engine dyno tests have proven that the 1970 LS-6 engine makes over 470 hp and 500 lb/ft torque in stock configuration ( stock compression ratio, stock camshaft, stock intake and exhaust manifolds). Super Chevy Magazine conducted a chassis dyno test of a supposed production-line stock 1970 Chevelle and recorded 282 peak HP at the wheels. This test that was not done under SAE standards. The engine was said to be correct but is not confirmed. Current 1/4 mile times and MPH of a 1970 Chevelle equipped with 100% factory stock LS-6 engines and modern tires are turning very low 12 second times (12.08) with trap speeds of 117+ mph.
Muscle Cars - 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
Dodge, an American automobile brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified Dodge Chargers. The name is taken from Daytona Beach, Florida, which was an early center for auto racing and still hosts the Daytona 500, one of NASCAR's premier events. 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona was created to be a high-performance, limited-edition version of the Dodge Charger produced in the summer of 1969 for the sole purpose of winning high profile NASCAR races. One of the five famous aero-cars, the Dodge Daytona featured special body modifications that included a stabilizer wing on the rear deck, a special sheet-metal "nose cone", a flush rear backlight, a 'window cap' to cover the original Charger's recessed rear window, specific front fenders and hood, stainless steel A-pillar covers and fender mounted tire clearance/brake cooling scoops. The 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona carried a heavy-duty suspension and brake setup and was equipped with a 440 CID Magnum engine as standard. They were affectionately known as the "Winged Warriors" it is now a very rare and valuable collectible.
Muscle Cars - 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda
The Plymouth Barracuda is a two-door car that was manufactured by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1964–1974.The redesign for the 1970 Barracuda removed all its previous commonality with the Valiant. The original fastback design was deleted from the line and the Barracuda now consisted of coupe and convertible models. The high-performance models were marketed as 'Cuda deriving from the 1969 option. The E-body's engine bay was larger than that of the previous A-body, facilitating the release of Chrysler's 426 cu in (7.0 L) 'Hemi' for the regular retail market. Hemi-equipped cars received upgraded suspension components and structural reinforcements to help transfer the power to the road.
Muscle Cars - 1966 Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO was an option package that included Pontiac's 389 cu in (6.4 L) V8 engine, floor-shifted transmission with Hurst shift linkage, and special trim. In 1966 the GTO became a model in its own right. The project technically violated GM's policy, limiting its smaller cars to 330 cu in (5.4 L) displacement, but the new model proved very popular. The GTO became a separate model series, rather than an optional performance package, with unique grille and tail lights, available as a pillared sports coupe, a hardtop (without B-pillars), or a convertible. Also an automotive industry first, plastic front grilles replaced the pot metal and aluminum versions seen on earlier years. New Strato bucket seats were introduced with higher and thinner seat backs and contoured cushions for added comfort and adjustable headrests were introduced as a new option. The instrument panel was redesigned and more integrated than in previous years with the ignition switch moved from the far left of the dash to the right of the steering wheel. Four pod instruments continued, and the GTO's dash was highlighted by walnut veneer trim. Engine choices were between 389 cu in (6.4 L) V8 and 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8
Muscle Cars - 1967 Shelby GT-500
Automobile racer Carroll Shelby transformed a conventional Mustang into a serious track racer designated as the "GT-350". Additionally, shortened hoods and deleted rear seats with identifying trim were among the visual variations. These select Mustangs were converted to street, road racing, and drag cars in Shelby's plant at Los Angeles International Airport. The Shelby Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang. For 1967 the GT 500 was added to the lineup, equipped with the 428 Police Interceptor V8 Engine. In September 1967, production was moved to the A.O. Smith Company of Ionia, Michigan, under Ford control.
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02:23:07pm
Saleem,
Thank you for compiling such comprehensive information. It's always nice to have all the info you need in one place! 
Lisa
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i found the description for the Emancipation Proclamation interesting because of the large focus on USCT, which I don't think played much in Lincoln's decision. I think it was really a political stance intended to keep the border states in line (obviously, the Confederate states weren't coming back), with the knowledge that slave owners could KEEP their slaves. Lincoln would have issued it earlier, but he needed a large Union victory in the East (the Western Campaigns were more important in many respects, but it was the East that captured everyone's attention) and Gettysburg finally afforded him that.
The history of USCT is truly fascinating from both military and sociological PoV.
David
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03:50:35pm
" .... The history of USCT is truly fascinating from both military and sociological PoV. .... "
Ahh, David, Almost all History is interesting once you scratch beyond the surface. I'm about half way through "A Team of Rivals" and the two volumes set "The Last Lion" is awaiting Mr Lincoln's date at Ford's Theater with its sad end to his story. I know I read volume one years ago but still anticipate the pleasure of a second reading as a prelude to the recently completed volume two.
History and Stamping go together and one enhances the other. Without History, stamps would be little more than the Jam Jar Labels that were issued by the Trucial States in such quantity years ago.
Charlie,
Lecanto, Florida
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we're in agreement Charlie.... perfect harmony
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We just got done ordering all of the new stuff for this year so far. I showed the kids what has been released and this was their assessment.
PJ (9 year old kid) - Most favorite = The globe, then the cars, then the firecrackers. Least favorite = love stamp.
Steven (12 year old kid) - Most favorite = Firecrackers, cars, then globe. He didn't have a least favorite.
As I said before... things that go vrooom or boom.
Me (42 year old kid) - The bridge and the terminal are my favorites so far. I really like the scenery they are choosing for these high value stamps. I was thrilled that they are doing another set of cars. I've always liked when they would release those car stamps. The apples are a simple but eye catching design so I'm liking those. I'm out to lunch on the butterfly. It's cool that they are doing a series, but I'm still unsure if I like the artwork. I'm going to step out of the majority of the crowd and say that I agree with my kids that the globe is a neat stamp. It's simple, but the picture and shape of the stamp makes it eye catching. My least favorite so far is the cake. They have beaten that one to death now with reusing it 3 years in a row.
For future releases, I'll reserve judgement until I get them in hand, but I'll say that I'm thrilled that they did a different design with the flag stamps. The ones last year were just too darn plain looking. I filed those along with the weather vanes at the bottom of my favorites list.
---Pat
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.....yes and every wedding or party I get invited to has one of those cake stamps on it.
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Has anyone been able to find out why the Arlington Green Bridge (located in Bennington County, Vermont) stamp had it's FDOI in Norcross, Georgia? I've not seen anything explaining that.
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Lloyd DeVries' FDC column in the Feb 25th issue of Linns' Stamp News discusses this. I tried to copy the text but I am not allowed to do that. Turns out there was a stamp show in Norcross, GA at the appropriate time, and the folks in Vermont couldn't--plus the bridge was damaged in Hurricane Irene. Apparently FDOI sites can have little or no correlation with what is on the stamp.
Roger
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In the past two years, I was able to buy most stuff from USPS.com in blocks of 4. Not everything, but most. I would typically buy two blocks of four. There was a 50/50 chance of getting a plate block. I would always keep one of those blocks intact and then file it away in my blocks, sheets and stationary collection. The other block would then be broken down, with me keeping the plate number corner for my singles collection and then auctioning off the remaining three.
As I went through January and February's new stuff, I noticed that a lot of the single stamps, were not available in blocks of four, but rather, you had to buy an entire sheet. It was cheaper for me to go to eBay and buy a single from a seller there at a higher rate, then potentially get stuck with a bunch of extras in inventory by purchasing an entire sheet.
That was a bit of a bummer. Oh well, perhaps they were losing money on selling stuff like that, however, then that doesn't explain why I was able to buy two blocks of 5 of the new car stamps. It just makes me wonder into their rhyme or reason for doing things.
---Pat
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7th March 2013
F(46¢) x 12 - Modern Art in America 1913-1931, pane of 12
F(46¢) x 12 - Modern Art in America, imperforate pane of 12 from uncut press sheet
In celebration of the triumph of modern art in America, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates 12 important modern artists and their works, 100 years after the groundbreaking Armory Show opened in New York in 1913. The masterpieces reproduced in the stamp art were created between 1912 and 1931. The stamp sheet also includes a quote by Marcel Duchamp and verso text that identifies each work of art and briefly tells something about each artist. Art director Derry Noyes worked on the stamp sheet with designer Margaret Bauer.
a - (46¢) - House and Street (1931), Stuart Davis
Stuart Davis’s vibrant depictions of contemporary commercial objects made him an important precursor of the later Pop artists. His oil-on-canvas painting, House and Street (1931), presents two views of a street in New York, forcing the viewer to be in two places at once.
b - F(46¢) - I saw the Figure 5 in Gold (1928), Charles Demuth
Charles Demuth, a leading watercolorist of his era, is widely remembered for his “poster portraits†of friends such as the poet William Carlos Williams, the subject of the work I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold (1928), in oil, graphite, ink, and gold leaf on paperboard.
c - F(46¢) - The Prodigal Son (1927), Aaron Douglas
Aaron Douglas was the most important visual artist to emerge from the Harlem Renaissance. The gouache-on-paper painting, The Prodigal Son (1927), was created in a modernist style that has been described as “Afro-Cubism.â€
d - F(46¢) - Fog Horns (1929), Arthur Dove
Arthur Dove was one of modern art’s earliest abstract painters and was probably the first American artist to paint a totally abstract canvas. Dove was interested in attempting to duplicate sound as colors and shapes. The oil-on-canvas painting, Fog Horns (1929), suggests the peal of foghorns at sea.
e - F(46¢) - Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2 (1912), Marcel Ducha
Marcel Duchamp, an important forerunner of the Pop art and conceptual art movements, outraged and disturbed many viewers by irreverently flouting artistic convention. His oil-on-canvas painting, Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 (1912), was the most talked-about work at the Armory Show of 1913.
f - F(46¢) - Painting, Number 5 (1914-15), Marsden Hartley
Marsden Hartley was one of America’s greatest modernist painters. His oil-on-canvas work, Painting, Number 5 (1914-15), is an abstract composite portrait of Karl von Freyburg, a young German officer who was killed in World War I.
g - F(46¢) - Sunset, Maine Coast (1919), John Marin
John Marin was the preeminent watercolorist of his era. He transformed the medium by experimenting with abstraction, such as in his watercolor-on-paper painting, Sunset, Maine Coast (1919).
h - F(46¢) - Razor (1924), Gerald Murphy
Gerald Murphy produced only about a dozen works in less than ten years as a practicing artist, yet today he is recognized as a significant painter whose work prefigured the Pop art of the 1960s. The oil-on-canvas painting, Razor (1924), typifies Murphy’s work in its detailed depiction of commonplace objects.
i - F(46¢) - Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico/Out Back of Marie’s II (1930), Georgia O’Keefe
Georgia O’Keeffe was one of the foremost painters of the 20th century. Widely known for her close-up flower paintings, O’Keeffe also famously painted urban and desert landscapes, including this oil-on-canvas painting, Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico / Out Back of Marie’s II (1930).
j - F(46¢) - Noire et Blanche (1926), Man Ray
Man Ray was associated with some of the most important artistic movements of the 20th century—chief among them Dadaism and Surrealism—and is best known for his photography. His gelatin-silver print, Noire et Blanche (1926), is from a series of photographs juxtaposing a woman’s face with a Baule mask (or a replica) from West Africa.
k - F(46¢) - American Landscape (1930), Charles Sheeler
Charles Sheeler explored the balance between abstraction and realism in his photographs and paintings, which often depicted aspects of the mechanized modern world. By titling this oil-on-canvas painting American Landscape (1930), Sheeler explored the relationship between rural traditions and his modern subject matter.
l - F(46¢) - Brooklyn Bridge (1919-20), Joseph Stella
Joseph Stella, American’s first Futurist painter, is remembered for his multiple images of the Brooklyn Bridge and other iconic New York scenes. The oil-on-canvas painting, Brooklyn Bridge (1919-1920), has been read as a comment on the tension between technological achievement and the spiritual dimension implicit in any human endeavor.
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19th March 2013 46¢ Patriotic Star coil
With this illustration of a red, white, and blue striped star, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates American patriotism. The star is one of the nation’s quintessential symbols, a shining reminder of our indomitable spirit. “When I go out of doors in the summer night, and see how high the stars are,†wrote 19th-century philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, “I am persuaded that there is time enough, here or somewhere, for all that I must do.â€
The Patriotic Star stamp features a red, white, and blue five-pointed star on a white background. The star on the stamp is actually two stars—a smaller one inside a larger one. Both have five points, like the stars on the American flag.
Created digitally by artist Nancy Stahl, the star is designed to look like it is crafted from striped ribbon. Greg Breeding served as the art director on the project. To accommodate business use, the Patriotic Star is being issued as a First-Class Rate Large Coil stamp in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. At the time of issuance, the Patriotic Star stamps are being sold at a price of 46 cents each, or $1,380 (for a coil of 3,000) or $4,600 (for a coil of 10,000).
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3rd April 2013 - F(46¢) x 4 block of 4 - La Florida, 500th anniversary of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon's founding of Florida.
Exploring Ecosystems: A Florida verdant wetland is the primary subject of the Nature of America series 2006 issuance. Twelve panes, and 120 stamps later, the series (which began in 1999 with Sonoran Desert) concluded its ecological journey in an Hawaiian rain forest.
The U.S. Postal Service commemorates the 500th anniversary of the naming of Florida with the release of stamps that celebrate the state’s floral abundance. During the Easter season of 1513, Spanish explorers first visited the state we now know as Florida. They named the land "La Florida" for Pascua Florida ("Feast of the Flowers"), Spain’s Easter celebration, and for the verdant display of vegetation that they could see from their ship.
The four se tenant stamps contain a cascade of blossoms that evokes the feeling of a tropical garden. Each stamp shows a particular variety of flower: red and pink hibiscus; yellow cannas; morning glories in white, red, and shades of purple; and white and purple passionflowers. The stamp pane includes on the selvage an imagined scene of explorers traveling in a small boat along a river or channel surrounded by tropical foliage.
Flowers are a perennial favorite with collectors and the stamp-buying public, and La Florida’s exquisite blossoms will be an elegant addition to the U.S. Postal Service’s tradition of producing appealing and beautiful floral stamp art.
Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp, with floral art by Steve Buchanan. La Florida stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps.
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5th April 2013 - F(46¢) Vintage Flower Seed Packets, booklet pane of 10
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Philox
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Calendula
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Digitalis
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Linum
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Alyssum
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Zennias
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Pinks
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Cosmos
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Aster
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Primrose
Flowers are among the most popular subjects on stamps, and the U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of beautiful issuances with Vintage Seed Packets.
From hand-tinted lithographs in the early 1800s to modern photography, images of floral perfection have adorned flower seed packets for more than a hundred years. The stamp art features ten photographs of antique seed packets (printed between 1910 to 1920), cropped to highlight their beautiful floral detail.
Each of the stamps depicts the colorful blossoms of one kind of flower—cosmos, digitalis, pinks, primrose, calendula, aster, linum, alyssum, phlox, and zinnia. Above each illustration in bold capital letters is the name of the flower depicted.
Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp booklet.
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10:46:10am
re: New USA Stamps
The global stamp circle shape sure is different and the jury is out on that one. Looks like a sticker ya know.
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re: New USA Stamps
Yeah, and at its normal size, it's hard to see the continents on the globe. The contrast between the colors is not that good.
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06:00:27pm
re: New USA Stamps
I rather like the new international rate stamp--can't really put my finger on why, but it's a little different. There are a handful of US stamps I'm looking forward to this year--the one celebrating West Virginia's statehood is a nice painting, with the fog; the Arlington Green Bridge (although I've not been able to find out why a Vermont landmarks is commemorated on a stamp that will have it's first issue in Georgia), and the Grand Central Station stamp (although at $19.95, I might have to wait till I get some Express Mail sent to me.) The new inverted Jenny is a neat idea as well. For anyone interested, here are the ones announced thus far: http://beyondtheperf.com/2013-preview/
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re: New USA Stamps
I have to say I am pleased the USPS released the new Rosa Parks stamp in Detroit but a little disappointed they are releasing the muscle car series in Daytona Beach. Not to knock Rosa but nothing defines Detroit more than cars particularly Detroit Iron. It would have been fitting for the USPS to release the muscle car series at this years Detroit Auto Show and made a world news event out of it. I hope they add a few more muscle cars in the future.
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re: New USA Stamps
I'm going to respectfully disagree with Logistical1 on the choice of venue for release of the muscle car stamps. I think releasing the issue at the track at the start of a weekend that culminates with the Daytona 500 cup race was a smart marketing decision. Rather than targeting car enthusiasts at the Detroit show, the USPS is going after race car enthusiasts. Attendance at the track will will only be about 20% of that attending the Detroit show; however, almost 14 million NASCAR fans will be watching the activities at Daytona that weekend and I think they are the real target of the USPS promotion.
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re: New USA Stamps
To make the new issues more interesting here is additional data on the stamps issued so far in 2013:
1st January 2012
F (45¢) Emancipation Proclamation, 150th Anniversary
With this 2013 stamp, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
The Emancipation Proclamation is an order issued to all segments of the Executive branch (including the Army and Navy) of the United States by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War. It was based on the president's constitutional authority as commander in chief of the armed forces; it was not a law passed by Congress. It proclaimed all those enslaved in Confederate territory to be forever free, and ordered the Army (and all segments of the Executive branch) to treat as free all those enslaved in ten states that were still in rebellion, thus applying to 3.1 million of the 4 million slaves in the U.S. The Proclamation could not be enforced in areas still under rebellion, but as the army took control of Confederate regions, the slaves in those regions were emancipated rather than returned to their masters. From 20,000 to 50,000 former slaves in regions where rebellion had already been subdued were immediately emancipated, and over 3 million more were emancipated as the Union army advanced. The Proclamation did not apply to the five slave states that were not in rebellion, nor to most regions already controlled by the Union army; emancipation there would come after separate state actions and/or the December 1865 ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, which made slavery illegal everywhere in the U.S. The Proclamation did not compensate the owners, did not itself outlaw slavery, and did not make the ex-slaves (called freedmen) citizens. It made the eradication of slavery an explicit war goal, in addition to the goal of reuniting the Union. Lincoln believed the Emancipation Proclamation, potentially applying to several million African-American slaves in the South, was the "central act of my administration, and the great event of the nineteenth century." According to many historians, only the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States have had as great an impact on human life and liberty for so many. One provision of the proclamation authorized enlisting African Americans in the Union army. Some 180,000 blacks subsequently joined the army, and nearly 40,000 gave their lives fighting for freedom.
The stamp art uses that powerful statement, "Henceforward Shall Be Free," on a design evocative of broadsides from the Civil War era. Art director Antonio Alcalá worked with graphic designer Gail Anderson to produce this important commemorative stamp, one of a civil rights set being issued in 2013. The Emancipation Proclamation stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 20.
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14th January 2013
46¢ Kaleidoscope Flowers - red and blue, coil
46¢ Kaleidoscope Flowers - green and purple, coil
46¢ Kaleidoscope Flowers - orange and violet, coil
46¢ Kaleidoscope Flowers - pink and green, coil
46¢ x 4 Kaleidoscope Flowers, coil strip of 4
Spring flowers, state flowers, wildflowers—these are but a few of the many botanical subjects on stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service. Flowers are among the most popular subjects for collectors and the stamp-buying public. In a modern twist on a perennial favorite, the Kaleidoscope Flowers stamps combine the allure of flowers with the impact of modern computer graphics. The set of four stamps depicts the same contemporary flower drawing, with each stamp featuring one of four different color combinations: red and blue, green and purple, orange and violet, or pink and green. Some of the color combinations create the illusion that patterns recede or come forward, giving the stamps a dramatic visual appeal. The lines and curves of the drawing are reminiscent of a kaleidoscope flower—familiar, yet at the same time utterly distinctive.
Designed by art director Antonio Alcalá, Kaleidoscope Flowers features the work of graphic artists Petra and Nicole Kapitza.
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16th January 2013
F(46¢) Lunar New Year - Year of the Snake
The Snake is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac and related to the Chinese calendar, as well as in related East Asian zodiacal or calendrical systems. According to one mythical legend, there is a reason for the order of the 12 animals in the 12 year cycle. The story goes that a race was held to cross a great river, and the order of the animals in the cycle was based upon their order in finishing the race. In this story, the snake compensated for not being the best swimmer by hitching a hidden ride on the horses hoof, and when the horse was just about to cross the finish line, jumping out, scaring the horse, and thus edging it out for sixth place. The same 12 animals are also used to symbolize the cycle of hours in the day, each being associated with a two-hour time period. The "hour" of the snake is 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., the time when the sun warms up the earth, and snakes are said to slither out of their holes. The reason the animal signs are referred to as "zodiacal" is that one's personality is said to be influenced by the animal sign(s) ruling the time of birth, together with elemental aspect of that animal sign within the sexegenary (60 year) cycle. Similarly, the year governed by a particular animal sign is supposed to be characterized by it, with the effects particularly strong for people who were born in a year governed by the same animal sign. In Chinese symbology, snakes are regarded as intelligent, but with a tendency to be somewhat unscrupulous.
It’s good to welcome the New Year with a bang! A bundle of firecrackers—colored red for luck—highlight the U.S. Postal Service’s 2013 Year of the Snake stamp, sixth in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Year of the Snake begins on February 10, 2013, and ends on January 30, 2014. Across many cultures, in the United States as elsewhere, the Lunar New Year is celebrated in various ways, often with parades and parties. Firecrackers are traditionally used to scare off evil spirits and welcome this time of renewed hope for the future. Lucky foods are eaten—kumquats, for example (issued in 2011)—and given as gifts. Festive lanterns, colored red for luck (issued in 2008), are common decorations at Lunar New Year celebrations, where they are frequently hung in rows.
Combining original artwork by Kam Mak with two elements from the previous series of Lunar New Year stamps—Clarence Lee’s intricate paper-cut design of a snake and the Chinese character for “Snake,†drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun—art director Ethel Kessler has created a culturally rich stamp design that celebrates the diversity of the American experience. The Year of the Snake stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 12.
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re: New USA Stamps
17th January 2013 - Apples
With these stamps, the U.S. Postal Service proves that apples are not only good—and good for you—but they’re also delightful, cheery stamp subjects, just right for postcards! Some of America’s favorite varieties of this popular fruit are shown in these four stamps, each depicting a different kind: the bright-red Baldwin, the green Granny Smith, the yellow Golden Delicious, and the multi-colored Northern Spy. The stamp art was illustrated with pen and ink and watercolor, with some additional detail added on the computer. Designed by art director Derry Noyes, Apples features the work of John Burgoyne.
33¢ Apples, block of four from pane
33¢ Apples, coil strip of four
The bright-red Baldwin
The Baldwin apple is a bright red winter apple, very good in quality, and easily shipped. It was for many years the most popular apple in New England, New York, and for export from America. The Baldwin originated soon after 1740 as a chance seedling on the farm of Mr. John Ball of Wilmington, Massachusetts, and for about 40 years thereafter its cultivation was confined to that immediate neighborhood. The farm eventually came into the possession of a Mr. Butters, who gave the name Woodpecker to the apple because the tree was frequented by woodpeckers. The apple was long known locally as the Woodpecker or Pecker. It was also called the Butters. Deacon Samuel Thompson, a surveyor of Woburn, Massachusetts, brought it to the attention of Col. Loammi Baldwin of the same town, by whom it was propagated and more widely introduced in eastern Massachusetts. From Col. Baldwin's interest in the variety it came to be called the Baldwin. A monument to the Baldwin apple now marks the location, the monument's inscription reads: "This monument marks the site of the first Baldwin Apple Tree found growing wild near here. It fell in the gale of 1815. The apple first known as the Butters, Woodpecker or Pecker apple was named after Col. Loammi Baldwin of Woburn." Erected in 1895 by the Rumford Historical Association.
The green Granny Smith
The Granny Smith green apple is a tip-bearing apple cultivar, which originated in Australia in 1868. It is named after Maria Ann Smith, who propagated the cultivar from a chance seedling. The tree is thought to be a hybrid of Malus sylvestris, the European Wild Apple, with the domestic apple M. domestica as the polleniser. The fruit has hard, light green skin and a crisp, juicy flesh. Granny Smiths go from being yellow to turning completely green. The acidity mellows significantly, and it then takes on a balanced flavor. The cultivar originated in Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia in 1868 from a chance seedling propagated by Sussex-born Maria Ann Smith (née Sherwood, b. 1799, d. 9 March 1870), from whom comes the name.It was introduced to the United States in 1972 by Grady Auvil. Granny Smith apples are light green in color. They are eaten raw and commonly used in pie baking. This cultivar needs fewer winter chill hours and a longer growing season to mature the fruit, so it is favored for the milder areas of the apple growing regions.
The yellow Golden Delicious
The Golden Delicious is a cultivar of apple with a yellow color. It is not closely related to the Red Delicious apple. Golden Delicious is a large, yellow skinned cultivar and very sweet to the taste. It is prone to bruising and shriveling, so it needs careful handling and storage. It is a favorite for salads, apple sauce, and butter. The original tree was found on the Mullins' family farm in Clay County, West Virginia, United States and was locally known as Mullin's Yellow Seedling and Annit apple. Anderson Mullins sold the tree and propagation rights to Stark Brothers Nurseries, which first marketed it as a companion of their Red Delicious in 1914. In 2010, an Italian-led consortium announced they had decoded the complete genome of the Golden delicious apple. It had the highest number of genes (57,000) of any plant genome studied to date.
The multi-colored Northern Spy
The Northern Spy apple, sometimes known as "Northern Spie" or "Northern Pie Apple" is a variety of apple native to the Northern East Coast of the United States and parts of Michigan and Ontario. It is popular in upstate New York. Skin color is a green ground, flushed with red stripes where not shaded, and it produces fairly late in the season. The white flesh is juicy, crisp and mildly sweet with a rich, aromatic subacid flavor, noted for high vitamin C content. Its characteristic flavor is more tart than most popular varieties, and its flesh is harder/crunchier than most, with a thin skin. It is commonly used for desserts and pies, but is also used for juices and cider. Further, the Northern Spy is also an excellent apple for storage, as it tends to last longer due to late maturation. It was discovered around 1800 in East Bloomfield, New York, south of Rochester, New York, as surviving sprouts of a seedling that had died and was cultivated with stock brought in from Connecticut. It is not widely available at retail outside its growing regions but still serves as an important processing apple in those areas.
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re: New USA Stamps
18th January 2013
66¢ Wedding Caket
Sure to add a touch of beauty and romance to wedding correspondence, the Wedding Cake stamp, first introduced in 2009, is a timeless addition to the U.S. Postal Service's Weddings series. Often the centerpiece of a wedding reception, the cake has been a wedding tradition for many generations. This two-ounce stamp features a photograph of a three-tier wedding cake topped with white flowers, their green stems and leaves a delightful contrast to the cake's creamy white frosting. The stamp is a perfect addition to a wedding invitation or other mailing such as oversize cards or small gifts that require extra postage. Pastry chef Peter Brett created and designed the cake, which was photographed by Renée Comet. The stamp was designed by art director Ethel Kessler.
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23rd January 2012
66¢ Spicebush Swallowtail, butterfly
The spectacular spicebush swallowtail butterfly graces the third butterfly stamp for use on large greeting card envelopes. The stamp art was created on a computer, using images of preserved butterflies as a starting point. The result is a highly stylized, simplified image of a spicebush swallowtail rather than an exact replica. Both as caterpillars and adults, spicebush swallowtails hide from their predators in plain sight. They do this by mimicking other animals and even inedible objects. When very young, the brown and white caterpillar resembles a bird dropping. The caterpillar later morphs into what looks like a small green snake, with yellow and black markings that resemble a snake’s eyes and a false forked tongue. The butterfly’s chrysalis mimics a dried brown leaf, complete with veins.
Nationally known artist Tom Engeman worked with art director Derry Noyes on this design. The square format of the stamp was developed in partnership with the greeting card industry to indicate that this stamp may be used for square envelopes weighing up to and including one ounce. Greeting card envelopes printed with a silhouette of a butterfly indicate the need for an additional 20 cents postage--or the use of this butterfly stamp. The butterfly stamp may also be used to mail envelopes with irregular sizes and shapes.
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23rd January 2013
86¢ Tufted Puffins
With tufts of bright yellow feathers springing from its head, the tufted puffin looks like a clown to some and a punk rocker to others. Two of these unmistakable sea birds appear on the Tufted Puffins stamp, depicted during breeding season when their signature yellow plumage appears. Tufted puffins can be found along the Pacific coast from Oregon to Alaska. They hunt underwater, diving as deep as 200 feet and using their wings to propel themselves through the water. True creatures of the sea, they even eat underwater, and spend much of their lives on the open ocean. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp, which features a painting by artist Robert Giusti.
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re: New USA Stamps
25th January 2013
$5.60 Priority Mail - Arlington Green Bridge
The scenic Arlington Green Covered Bridge in Bennington County, Vermont, takes center stage in this Priority Mail stamp. One of the most-photographed covered bridges in the state, it was built in 1852 using the Towne Truss design. Looking through the bridge one catches a glimpse of "The Inn on Covered Bridge Green" formerly the home of painter Norman Rockwell from 1943-1954. The digital stamp art depicts the red wooden bridge against a backdrop of autumn leaves. On the far side of the bridge, a white church steeple rises from a traditional village green. The bridge spans the Batten Kill trout stream in Arlington, just off Route 313 in southern Vermont. Although it stretches 80 feet across the stream, the bridge’s roadbed is only wide enough to allow one lane of traffic to rumble over its wooden planks at a time. On August 28, 2011, the Arlington Green Covered Bridge was damaged by flooding caused by Hurricane Irene (2011) and remains closed. Designed by Derry Noyes, the stamp showcases a digital illustration created by artist Dan Cosgrove.
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1st February 2013
$19.95 Express Mail - Grand Central Terminal
A beloved New York City landmark turns one hundred years old in 2013, and the U.S. Postal Service is celebrating with the Grand Central Terminal issuance. The train station officially opened on February 2, 1913, and was soon recognized as one of the most majestic public spaces in the world. It is a commuter rail terminal station at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Built by and named for the New York Central Railroad in the heyday of American long-distance passenger rail travel, it is the largest train station in the world by number of platforms: 44, with 67 tracks along them. They are on two levels, both below ground, with 41 tracks on the upper level and 26 on the lower, though the total number of tracks along platforms and in rail yards exceeds 100. The terminal covers an area of 48 acres. The terminal serves commuters traveling on the Metro-North Railroad to Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in New York State, and Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. Until 1991 the terminal served Amtrak, which moved to nearby Pennsylvania Station upon completion of the Empire Connection. Although the terminal has been properly called “Grand Central Terminal†since 1913, many people continue to refer to it as “Grand Central Stationâ€, the name of the previous rail station on the same site, and of the U.S. Post Office station next door, which is not part of the terminal. It is also sometimes used to refer to the Grand Central – 42nd Street subway station, which serves the terminal.
The stamp art captures the grandeur of this architectural masterpiece with an illustration of the main concourse. Early morning sunlight streams through the 60-foot-tall windows, illuminating the people below. In the foreground, travelers gather near the station’s round information booth topped with its four-sided clock. The edges of the terminal’s famous sky ceiling can be seen at the top of the stamp art, its background of robin’s egg blue decorated with a mural of constellations and figures of the Zodiac. The graphic illustration was created by artist Dan Cosgrove, working with art director Phil Jordan. Grand Central Terminal is being issued at the Express Mail rate.
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(See image in earlier post)
28th January 2013
F($1.10) Airmail - Globe, round shaped stampt
In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service introduces Global Forever®, a new international rate stamp. The Global Forever stamp offers a single price for any First-Class Mail International 1-ounce letter to any country in the world. For the January 27, 2013, price change, theGlobal Forever stamp may also be used to mail a 2-ounce letter to Canada.
This stamp features a rendering of Earth composed of images created from satellite data and redesigned with 3D computer technology. The view of our planet shows the Atlantic Ocean flanked by the Americas, Africa, and part of northern Europe. In the stamp art, the globe is isolated on a white background. The shape of the stamp is round. The text, which surrounds the image of Earth, includes the words “Global Forever.â€
Italian artist Leonello Calvetti used a variety of maps, primarily from NASA, to create his design. With 3D computer technology he was able to modify depth, vary color, and create subtle light and shadow details on terrain surfaces to achieve a high level of photorealism while also attaining something new. “I always have been fascinated by space and what astronauts could see from out there,†Calvetti says. “As an artist, an illustrator, I wanted to make my own representation of the Earth.†Art director William J. Gicker selected this depiction of Earth by Calvetti. Greg Breeding designed the stamp. ==========================================================================================
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re: New USA Stamps
(see image in earlier post)
28th January 2013
F($1.10) Airmail - Globe, round shaped stampt
In 2013, the U.S. Postal Service introduces Global Forever®, a new international rate stamp. The Global Forever stamp offers a single price for any First-Class Mail
International 1-ounce letter to any country in the world. For the January 27, 2013, price change, theGlobal Forever stamp may also be used to mail a 2-ounce letter to Canada.
This stamp features a rendering of Earth composed of images created from satellite data and redesigned with 3D computer technology. The view of our planet shows the Atlantic Ocean flanked by the Americas, Africa, and part of northern Europe. In the stamp art, the globe is isolated on a white background. The shape of the stamp is round. The text, which surrounds the image of Earth, includes the words “Global Forever.â€
Italian artist Leonello Calvetti used a variety of maps, primarily from NASA, to create his design. With 3D computer technology he was able to modify depth, vary color, and create subtle light and shadow details on terrain surfaces to achieve a high level of photorealism while also attaining something new. “I always have been fascinated by space and what astronauts could see from out there,†Calvetti says. “As an artist, an illustrator, I wanted to make my own representation of the Earth.†Art director William J. Gicker selected this depiction of Earth by Calvetti. Greg Breeding designed the stamp.
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(see image in earlier post)
30th January 2013
F(46¢) Sealed with Love
Evoking the romance of a bygone era, the Sealed with Love stamp expresses the joy and beauty of handwritten love letters. The stamp art depicts an envelope fastened with an elegant wax seal. The seal, in shades of red, is a small heart enclosed inside a larger heart, both surrounded by a graceful filigree circle. The exquisite delicacy of the stamp art invites us to send our own love letters, a romantic gesture that never goes out of style. The Victorians were ardent letter writers and believed that there was a proper way to compose letters, particularly love letters. Etiquette manuals aided Victorian
romantics in penning appropriate letters to their beloveds. While these books reflected the Victorian obsession with propriety, the senders still wished to make their feelings known, and there was a precise etiquette for using sealing wax. Although today red is the color most associated with passion, in the mid-1800s, blue was the color of love, with wax of various shades denoting the degree of emotion felt by the sender.
Graphic designer Louise Fili worked with art director Derry Noyes on this stamp. Jessica Hische was the illustrator. The Sealed with Love stamp is being issued as a Forever® stamp.
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(see image in earlier post)
4th February 2013
F(46¢) Rosa Parkst
In 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks courageously refused to give up her seat on a municipal bus to a white man, defying the discriminatory laws of the time.
The U.S. Postal Service is proud to honor the life of this extraordinary American activist who became an iconic figure in the civil rights movement. The stamp art, a
gouache painting on illustration board, is a portrait of Parks emphasizing her quiet strength. A 1950s photograph served as the basis for the stamp portrait. The response to Parks’s arrest was a boycott of the Montgomery bus system that lasted for more than a year and became an international cause célèbre. In 1956, in a related case, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that segregating Montgomery buses was unconstitutional. Soon after the boycott ended, Parks moved to Detroit, Michigan.
She joined the 1963 march on Washington and returned to Alabama in 1965 to join the march from Selma to Montgomery. The many honors Parks received in her lifetime include the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1966), the Spingarn Medal (1979), and the Congressional Gold Medal (1999). Upon her death in 2005, she became the first woman and second African American to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC.
Artist Thomas Blackshear II created an original painting for the stamp, which was designed by art director Derry Noyes. The stamp honoring Rosa Parks is one of three stamps in the civil rights set celebrating freedom, courage, and equality being issued in 2013.
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22nd February 2013
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1970 Chevelle SS
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1966 Pontiac GTO
F(46¢) Muscle Cars - 1967 Shelby GT-500
F(46¢) x 5 Muscle Cars, strip of 5
Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." A large V8 engine is fitted in a 2-door, rear wheel drive, family-style mid-size or full-size car designed for four or more passengers. Sold at an affordable price, muscle cars are intended for mainly street use and occasional drag racing.
They are distinct from two-seat sports cars and expensive 2+2 GTs intended for high-speed touring and road racing. Developed simultaneously in their own markets, muscle cars also emerged from manufacturers in Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere.
The Muscle Cars stamps celebrate an exciting era in American automotive history. Typically equipped with big, powerful engines, these high-performance vehicles first
roared onto our roads in the 1960s. The stamps feature five iconic muscle cars: the 1966 Pontiac GTO, the 1967 Shelby GT-500, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, the 1970 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda, and the 1970 Chevelle SS. Artist Tom Fritz based his artwork on photographs of the cars, using bright-colored oil paints on hardboard to try to "capture the emotive quality" of each one. Growing up in Southern California, Fritz became familiar with the power of muscle cars and calls these paintings "a projection of my memories of the vehicles."
Muscle Cars is the third issuance in the America on the Move series. The stamps were designed by art director Carl T. Herrman. The first two issuances in the series
were 50s Sporty Cars (2005) and 50s Fins and Chrome (2008). The Muscle Cars stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps in self-adhesive sheets of 20 (4 of each design).
Muscle Cars - 1970 Chevelle SS
The Chevelle SS represented Chevrolet's entry into the muscle car battle. The SS 396 Chevelle included a 350 horsepower (260 kW) Turbo-Jet 396 V8, special suspension, "power dome" hood, black-accented grille, resilient rear-bumper insert, and wide-oval tires on sport wheels. Though a 375 horsepower (280 kW) cowl induction version was available, few were sold in favor of the newly introduced 454 engine in the October/November 1969 timeframe. The LS5 454-cubic-inch V8 produced 360 horsepower (270 kW) in standard form and a cowl induction version was also available. The LS6 produced a claimed 450 Gross HP in solid-lifter, high-compression, guise. It has been suggested that the LS6 was substantially "under-rated" and actually produced something on the order of 500 horsepower (370 kW) as delivered from the factory. Recent engine dyno tests have proven that the 1970 LS-6 engine makes over 470 hp and 500 lb/ft torque in stock configuration ( stock compression ratio, stock camshaft, stock intake and exhaust manifolds). Super Chevy Magazine conducted a chassis dyno test of a supposed production-line stock 1970 Chevelle and recorded 282 peak HP at the wheels. This test that was not done under SAE standards. The engine was said to be correct but is not confirmed. Current 1/4 mile times and MPH of a 1970 Chevelle equipped with 100% factory stock LS-6 engines and modern tires are turning very low 12 second times (12.08) with trap speeds of 117+ mph.
Muscle Cars - 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona
Dodge, an American automobile brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified Dodge Chargers. The name is taken from Daytona Beach, Florida, which was an early center for auto racing and still hosts the Daytona 500, one of NASCAR's premier events. 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona was created to be a high-performance, limited-edition version of the Dodge Charger produced in the summer of 1969 for the sole purpose of winning high profile NASCAR races. One of the five famous aero-cars, the Dodge Daytona featured special body modifications that included a stabilizer wing on the rear deck, a special sheet-metal "nose cone", a flush rear backlight, a 'window cap' to cover the original Charger's recessed rear window, specific front fenders and hood, stainless steel A-pillar covers and fender mounted tire clearance/brake cooling scoops. The 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona carried a heavy-duty suspension and brake setup and was equipped with a 440 CID Magnum engine as standard. They were affectionately known as the "Winged Warriors" it is now a very rare and valuable collectible.
Muscle Cars - 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda
The Plymouth Barracuda is a two-door car that was manufactured by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1964–1974.The redesign for the 1970 Barracuda removed all its previous commonality with the Valiant. The original fastback design was deleted from the line and the Barracuda now consisted of coupe and convertible models. The high-performance models were marketed as 'Cuda deriving from the 1969 option. The E-body's engine bay was larger than that of the previous A-body, facilitating the release of Chrysler's 426 cu in (7.0 L) 'Hemi' for the regular retail market. Hemi-equipped cars received upgraded suspension components and structural reinforcements to help transfer the power to the road.
Muscle Cars - 1966 Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO was an option package that included Pontiac's 389 cu in (6.4 L) V8 engine, floor-shifted transmission with Hurst shift linkage, and special trim. In 1966 the GTO became a model in its own right. The project technically violated GM's policy, limiting its smaller cars to 330 cu in (5.4 L) displacement, but the new model proved very popular. The GTO became a separate model series, rather than an optional performance package, with unique grille and tail lights, available as a pillared sports coupe, a hardtop (without B-pillars), or a convertible. Also an automotive industry first, plastic front grilles replaced the pot metal and aluminum versions seen on earlier years. New Strato bucket seats were introduced with higher and thinner seat backs and contoured cushions for added comfort and adjustable headrests were introduced as a new option. The instrument panel was redesigned and more integrated than in previous years with the ignition switch moved from the far left of the dash to the right of the steering wheel. Four pod instruments continued, and the GTO's dash was highlighted by walnut veneer trim. Engine choices were between 389 cu in (6.4 L) V8 and 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8
Muscle Cars - 1967 Shelby GT-500
Automobile racer Carroll Shelby transformed a conventional Mustang into a serious track racer designated as the "GT-350". Additionally, shortened hoods and deleted rear seats with identifying trim were among the visual variations. These select Mustangs were converted to street, road racing, and drag cars in Shelby's plant at Los Angeles International Airport. The Shelby Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang. For 1967 the GT 500 was added to the lineup, equipped with the 428 Police Interceptor V8 Engine. In September 1967, production was moved to the A.O. Smith Company of Ionia, Michigan, under Ford control.
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
20 Feb 2013
02:23:07pm
re: New USA Stamps
Saleem,
Thank you for compiling such comprehensive information. It's always nice to have all the info you need in one place!
Lisa
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re: New USA Stamps
i found the description for the Emancipation Proclamation interesting because of the large focus on USCT, which I don't think played much in Lincoln's decision. I think it was really a political stance intended to keep the border states in line (obviously, the Confederate states weren't coming back), with the knowledge that slave owners could KEEP their slaves. Lincoln would have issued it earlier, but he needed a large Union victory in the East (the Western Campaigns were more important in many respects, but it was the East that captured everyone's attention) and Gettysburg finally afforded him that.
The history of USCT is truly fascinating from both military and sociological PoV.
David
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
21 Feb 2013
03:50:35pm
re: New USA Stamps
" .... The history of USCT is truly fascinating from both military and sociological PoV. .... "
Ahh, David, Almost all History is interesting once you scratch beyond the surface. I'm about half way through "A Team of Rivals" and the two volumes set "The Last Lion" is awaiting Mr Lincoln's date at Ford's Theater with its sad end to his story. I know I read volume one years ago but still anticipate the pleasure of a second reading as a prelude to the recently completed volume two.
History and Stamping go together and one enhances the other. Without History, stamps would be little more than the Jam Jar Labels that were issued by the Trucial States in such quantity years ago.
Charlie,
Lecanto, Florida
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re: New USA Stamps
we're in agreement Charlie.... perfect harmony
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We just got done ordering all of the new stuff for this year so far. I showed the kids what has been released and this was their assessment.
PJ (9 year old kid) - Most favorite = The globe, then the cars, then the firecrackers. Least favorite = love stamp.
Steven (12 year old kid) - Most favorite = Firecrackers, cars, then globe. He didn't have a least favorite.
As I said before... things that go vrooom or boom.
Me (42 year old kid) - The bridge and the terminal are my favorites so far. I really like the scenery they are choosing for these high value stamps. I was thrilled that they are doing another set of cars. I've always liked when they would release those car stamps. The apples are a simple but eye catching design so I'm liking those. I'm out to lunch on the butterfly. It's cool that they are doing a series, but I'm still unsure if I like the artwork. I'm going to step out of the majority of the crowd and say that I agree with my kids that the globe is a neat stamp. It's simple, but the picture and shape of the stamp makes it eye catching. My least favorite so far is the cake. They have beaten that one to death now with reusing it 3 years in a row.
For future releases, I'll reserve judgement until I get them in hand, but I'll say that I'm thrilled that they did a different design with the flag stamps. The ones last year were just too darn plain looking. I filed those along with the weather vanes at the bottom of my favorites list.
---Pat
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re: New USA Stamps
.....yes and every wedding or party I get invited to has one of those cake stamps on it.
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04:47:56pm
re: New USA Stamps
Has anyone been able to find out why the Arlington Green Bridge (located in Bennington County, Vermont) stamp had it's FDOI in Norcross, Georgia? I've not seen anything explaining that.
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re: New USA Stamps
Lloyd DeVries' FDC column in the Feb 25th issue of Linns' Stamp News discusses this. I tried to copy the text but I am not allowed to do that. Turns out there was a stamp show in Norcross, GA at the appropriate time, and the folks in Vermont couldn't--plus the bridge was damaged in Hurricane Irene. Apparently FDOI sites can have little or no correlation with what is on the stamp.
Roger
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re: New USA Stamps
In the past two years, I was able to buy most stuff from USPS.com in blocks of 4. Not everything, but most. I would typically buy two blocks of four. There was a 50/50 chance of getting a plate block. I would always keep one of those blocks intact and then file it away in my blocks, sheets and stationary collection. The other block would then be broken down, with me keeping the plate number corner for my singles collection and then auctioning off the remaining three.
As I went through January and February's new stuff, I noticed that a lot of the single stamps, were not available in blocks of four, but rather, you had to buy an entire sheet. It was cheaper for me to go to eBay and buy a single from a seller there at a higher rate, then potentially get stuck with a bunch of extras in inventory by purchasing an entire sheet.
That was a bit of a bummer. Oh well, perhaps they were losing money on selling stuff like that, however, then that doesn't explain why I was able to buy two blocks of 5 of the new car stamps. It just makes me wonder into their rhyme or reason for doing things.
---Pat
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7th March 2013
F(46¢) x 12 - Modern Art in America 1913-1931, pane of 12
F(46¢) x 12 - Modern Art in America, imperforate pane of 12 from uncut press sheet
In celebration of the triumph of modern art in America, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates 12 important modern artists and their works, 100 years after the groundbreaking Armory Show opened in New York in 1913. The masterpieces reproduced in the stamp art were created between 1912 and 1931. The stamp sheet also includes a quote by Marcel Duchamp and verso text that identifies each work of art and briefly tells something about each artist. Art director Derry Noyes worked on the stamp sheet with designer Margaret Bauer.
a - (46¢) - House and Street (1931), Stuart Davis
Stuart Davis’s vibrant depictions of contemporary commercial objects made him an important precursor of the later Pop artists. His oil-on-canvas painting, House and Street (1931), presents two views of a street in New York, forcing the viewer to be in two places at once.
b - F(46¢) - I saw the Figure 5 in Gold (1928), Charles Demuth
Charles Demuth, a leading watercolorist of his era, is widely remembered for his “poster portraits†of friends such as the poet William Carlos Williams, the subject of the work I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold (1928), in oil, graphite, ink, and gold leaf on paperboard.
c - F(46¢) - The Prodigal Son (1927), Aaron Douglas
Aaron Douglas was the most important visual artist to emerge from the Harlem Renaissance. The gouache-on-paper painting, The Prodigal Son (1927), was created in a modernist style that has been described as “Afro-Cubism.â€
d - F(46¢) - Fog Horns (1929), Arthur Dove
Arthur Dove was one of modern art’s earliest abstract painters and was probably the first American artist to paint a totally abstract canvas. Dove was interested in attempting to duplicate sound as colors and shapes. The oil-on-canvas painting, Fog Horns (1929), suggests the peal of foghorns at sea.
e - F(46¢) - Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2 (1912), Marcel Ducha
Marcel Duchamp, an important forerunner of the Pop art and conceptual art movements, outraged and disturbed many viewers by irreverently flouting artistic convention. His oil-on-canvas painting, Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 (1912), was the most talked-about work at the Armory Show of 1913.
f - F(46¢) - Painting, Number 5 (1914-15), Marsden Hartley
Marsden Hartley was one of America’s greatest modernist painters. His oil-on-canvas work, Painting, Number 5 (1914-15), is an abstract composite portrait of Karl von Freyburg, a young German officer who was killed in World War I.
g - F(46¢) - Sunset, Maine Coast (1919), John Marin
John Marin was the preeminent watercolorist of his era. He transformed the medium by experimenting with abstraction, such as in his watercolor-on-paper painting, Sunset, Maine Coast (1919).
h - F(46¢) - Razor (1924), Gerald Murphy
Gerald Murphy produced only about a dozen works in less than ten years as a practicing artist, yet today he is recognized as a significant painter whose work prefigured the Pop art of the 1960s. The oil-on-canvas painting, Razor (1924), typifies Murphy’s work in its detailed depiction of commonplace objects.
i - F(46¢) - Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico/Out Back of Marie’s II (1930), Georgia O’Keefe
Georgia O’Keeffe was one of the foremost painters of the 20th century. Widely known for her close-up flower paintings, O’Keeffe also famously painted urban and desert landscapes, including this oil-on-canvas painting, Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico / Out Back of Marie’s II (1930).
j - F(46¢) - Noire et Blanche (1926), Man Ray
Man Ray was associated with some of the most important artistic movements of the 20th century—chief among them Dadaism and Surrealism—and is best known for his photography. His gelatin-silver print, Noire et Blanche (1926), is from a series of photographs juxtaposing a woman’s face with a Baule mask (or a replica) from West Africa.
k - F(46¢) - American Landscape (1930), Charles Sheeler
Charles Sheeler explored the balance between abstraction and realism in his photographs and paintings, which often depicted aspects of the mechanized modern world. By titling this oil-on-canvas painting American Landscape (1930), Sheeler explored the relationship between rural traditions and his modern subject matter.
l - F(46¢) - Brooklyn Bridge (1919-20), Joseph Stella
Joseph Stella, American’s first Futurist painter, is remembered for his multiple images of the Brooklyn Bridge and other iconic New York scenes. The oil-on-canvas painting, Brooklyn Bridge (1919-1920), has been read as a comment on the tension between technological achievement and the spiritual dimension implicit in any human endeavor.
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re: New USA Stamps
19th March 2013 46¢ Patriotic Star coil
With this illustration of a red, white, and blue striped star, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates American patriotism. The star is one of the nation’s quintessential symbols, a shining reminder of our indomitable spirit. “When I go out of doors in the summer night, and see how high the stars are,†wrote 19th-century philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, “I am persuaded that there is time enough, here or somewhere, for all that I must do.â€
The Patriotic Star stamp features a red, white, and blue five-pointed star on a white background. The star on the stamp is actually two stars—a smaller one inside a larger one. Both have five points, like the stars on the American flag.
Created digitally by artist Nancy Stahl, the star is designed to look like it is crafted from striped ribbon. Greg Breeding served as the art director on the project. To accommodate business use, the Patriotic Star is being issued as a First-Class Rate Large Coil stamp in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. At the time of issuance, the Patriotic Star stamps are being sold at a price of 46 cents each, or $1,380 (for a coil of 3,000) or $4,600 (for a coil of 10,000).
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3rd April 2013 - F(46¢) x 4 block of 4 - La Florida, 500th anniversary of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon's founding of Florida.
Exploring Ecosystems: A Florida verdant wetland is the primary subject of the Nature of America series 2006 issuance. Twelve panes, and 120 stamps later, the series (which began in 1999 with Sonoran Desert) concluded its ecological journey in an Hawaiian rain forest.
The U.S. Postal Service commemorates the 500th anniversary of the naming of Florida with the release of stamps that celebrate the state’s floral abundance. During the Easter season of 1513, Spanish explorers first visited the state we now know as Florida. They named the land "La Florida" for Pascua Florida ("Feast of the Flowers"), Spain’s Easter celebration, and for the verdant display of vegetation that they could see from their ship.
The four se tenant stamps contain a cascade of blossoms that evokes the feeling of a tropical garden. Each stamp shows a particular variety of flower: red and pink hibiscus; yellow cannas; morning glories in white, red, and shades of purple; and white and purple passionflowers. The stamp pane includes on the selvage an imagined scene of explorers traveling in a small boat along a river or channel surrounded by tropical foliage.
Flowers are a perennial favorite with collectors and the stamp-buying public, and La Florida’s exquisite blossoms will be an elegant addition to the U.S. Postal Service’s tradition of producing appealing and beautiful floral stamp art.
Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp, with floral art by Steve Buchanan. La Florida stamps are being issued as Forever® stamps.
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5th April 2013 - F(46¢) Vintage Flower Seed Packets, booklet pane of 10
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Philox
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Calendula
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Digitalis
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Linum
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Alyssum
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Zennias
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Pinks
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Cosmos
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Aster
F(46¢) Flower Seed Packets - Primrose
Flowers are among the most popular subjects on stamps, and the U.S. Postal Service continues its tradition of beautiful issuances with Vintage Seed Packets.
From hand-tinted lithographs in the early 1800s to modern photography, images of floral perfection have adorned flower seed packets for more than a hundred years. The stamp art features ten photographs of antique seed packets (printed between 1910 to 1920), cropped to highlight their beautiful floral detail.
Each of the stamps depicts the colorful blossoms of one kind of flower—cosmos, digitalis, pinks, primrose, calendula, aster, linum, alyssum, phlox, and zinnia. Above each illustration in bold capital letters is the name of the flower depicted.
Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp booklet.
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