There are many things I absolutely love. Snail mail and history are two of the most adored.
I recently discovered that there are people out there who sell vintage stamps. Oh my gosh, how very cool. It is so me. I ordered a pack of 100 13¢ USPS, non-used stamps. What a treat! Included was a variety of 13 different images, giving me a wonderful opportunity to learn the history of so many new things.
I really enjoy meeting people through their stamps. Nurse Clara Maass (1876-1901) gave her life during a scientific study to determine the cause of yellow fever. In April 1898, Maass left school to serve as a nurse in the Spanish-American War. In 1900, she returned to Cuba to aid the effort to discover the cause of yellow fever. For the sake of science, she allowed herself to be bitten seven times by mosquitoes infected with yellow fever. She died at the age of 25. Wow, right?
Less dramatic, this stamp introduced me to Jimmie Rodgers, The Singing Brakeman. Born on September 8, 1897, in Meridian, Mississippi, he overcame a hard life to become a well known radio star. A life of poor health caused his early death at age 35, though decades later he was one of the first three people inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961.
U.S. #1683 commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first phone call, which was placed by Alexander Graham Bell on March 10, 1876. Bell’s famous words were, “Mr. Watson, come here. I want you!"
Issued in New York, NY in 1978, this block of four stamps commemorates the contribution of dance to American society. Represented are ballet, folk, or square dance, modern dance, and theater.
There is just something about a quilt that I am drawn to. This original block of four stamps was based on a "basket" design from an American quilt made in New York City in 1875. Although the industrial revolution made it possible to mass produce inexpensive blankets, the quilt was considered to be attractive, practical, and very economical.
The USPS created the Folk Art Series in 1977 to honor important and lesser-known items in American art and culture. Folk Art is loosely defined as the art of the everyday, rooted in traditions that come from community and culture and expressing cultural identity by conveying shared community values and aesthetics.
Interestingly, by the time the third issue in the series was released, in 1979, the postal rate had gone up 2 cents.
Another thing I love are butterflies. Issued as a set of four, the 1977 stamps pictures the Swallowtail, Checkerspot, Dogface and Orange-Tip butterflies. Each butterfly represents a different geographic region of the United States.
This Benjamin Franklin stamp was one of the 113 commemorative stamps issued over a six-year period in honor of the U.S. bicentennial. As a group, the Bicentennial Series chronicles one of our nation’s most important chapters, and remembers the events and patriots who made the U.S. a world model for liberty.
The Bicentennial theme was repeated on the 1977 Traditional Christmas stamp, which pictures General George Washington at prayer in Valley Forge. Yes, this was the Christmas stamp for 1977. So very, very interesting.
Who knew a $13 investment would provide such fun?... oh wait, I did!
"Consider the postage stamp:
its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing
till it gets there."
-Josh Billings
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1 comments:
These are so cool! Clara Maass--yikes! My quilting buddies loved the quilt stamps back in the day. Love the dance ones too. How fun!
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