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Philatelic News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2002
Stamp Release #02-030
Art Of John James Audubon Featured On Second Stamp In 'American Treasures' Series
WASHINGTON - The beautiful work of artist and naturalist John James Audubon will be honored on a new commemorative stamp to be issued June 27 in conjunction with the Postage Stamp Mega-Event stamp show in Santa Clara, Calif.The 37-cent Audubon stamp will be dedicated at a first day of issue ceremony held at noon in the Theater of the Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway. The stamp will be available at Santa Clara post offices starting June 27 and at post offices across the country beginning the following day.
"Audubon's story encapsulates the spirit of young America, when the wilderness was limitless and untamed. Similarly, the U.S. Postal Service reflects a spirit of transformation as it finds itself in a wilderness of change, facing an uncertain future," said Daryl Ishizaki, manager, Post Office Operations for the San Jose District, who will be the dedicating official.
"It is fitting that soon we will carry his name and legacy of conservation on a U.S. postage stamp, an appropriate symbol for the Postal Service as we leave our own legacy of preservation-universal service to the American people," said Ishizaki.
Also scheduled to participate in the ceremony are Santa Clara Postmaster Darrell Stoke; Jackson Taylor, president, American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA); Robert E. Lamb, executive director, American Philatelic Society (APS); and Daniel Taylor, vice president, State Programs, National Audubon Society.
"We are delighted that the U.S. Postal Service is honoring the work of John James Audubon with a postage stamp," said Audubon President and CEO John Flicker. "His extraordinary illustrations and observations are an inspiration to millions of bird enthusiasts and conservationists around the globe."
Art director Derry Noyes, of Washington, D.C., chose Audubon's vividly colored and exquisitely rendered portrait of two species of tanager birds-Louisiana Tanager (now known as Western Tanager) and Scarlet Tanager-for this second issuance in the American Treasures series. Inaugurated in 2001 with the Amish Quilts stamps, the series showcases beautiful works of American fine art and crafts.
Audubon (1785-1851) was a self-taught artist and naturalist whose magnum opus, "Birds of America," has been described as "the finest pictorial ornithological book ever produced."
Born in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), Audubon was raised in France. He moved to the U.S. in 1803 and became a citizen a few years later. By 1820, after a series of unsuccessful business enterprises, Audubon had dedicated himself to the project that became his life's work and greatest passion-a comprehensive survey of American birds, beautifully and realistically illustrated and shown in their natural habitats. The National Audubon Society was founded as a bird conservation organization in 1905 and named after the famous artist.
The first stamp to honor Audubon was issued in 1940 as part of the Famous Americans series; the second in 1985 as part of the Great Americans series. Two of his other bird portraits were previously featured on three different stamps: Columbia Jay appeared on a 1963 issuance, as well as a 1967 airmail stamp; Long-billed Curlew was depicted on one of the Four Centuries of American Art stamps issued in 1998.
The artwork of plate 354 from a reprint of "Birds of America" is featured on the latest stamp. It portrays two male Louisiana Tanagers in spring plumage and two Scarlet Tanagers, an "old male" in spring plumage and an "old female."
To see the Audubon stamp, visit the Postal Service Web site at www.usps.com, select "News and Events," click on "Philatelic News" then go to the online version of this press release.
Current U.S. stamps and other philatelic products, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available by calling toll free 1 800 STAMP-24. A selection of current stamps and gift items is available online at the Postal Store at www.usps.com.
The Postage Stamp Mega-Event show runs June 27-30 and is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the ASDA and APS Web sites at www.asdaonline.com and www.stamps.org, respectively.
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TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: John James Audubon
Item Number: 453300
Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent Commemorative
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: American Treasures
Issue Date & City: June 27, 2002, Santa Clara, CA 95050
Designer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Existing Art By: John James Audubon
Modeler: Donald H. Woo
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Engraver: Southern Graphics
Printer: Sennett Security Products (SSP)
Printed at: American Packaging Corporation, Columbus, WI
Press Type: Rotomec, 3000
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 70 million stamps
Paper Type: Pre-phosphored, Type I
Gum Type: Pressure Sensitive
Processed at: Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
Colors: Magenta, Yellow, Cyan, Black, Cool gray 1, Red, Green
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.41 in./21.33 x 35.81 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.99 x 1.56 in./ x 25.14 x 39.62 mm
Pane Size (w x h): 6.00 x 7.71 in./152.40 x 195.83 mm
Plate Size: 240 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "S" followed by seven (7) single digits
Marginal Markings: " © 2001 USPS" " Price " Plate Numbers in four corners " Plate Position Diagram " (2) UPC codes
Catalog Item Number(s): 453340 Full Pane of 20 - $7.40
453330 Block of 10 - $3.70
453320 Block of 4 - $1.48
453364 First Day Cover - $0.75
HOW TO ORDER THE FIRST DAY OF ISSUE POSTMARK
Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 1 800 STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store at www.usps.com. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
JOHN JAMES AUDUBON STAMP
POSTMASTER
1200 FRANKLIN MALL
SANTA CLARA CA 95050-9991
After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by July 27, 2002.
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Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 137 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $65 billion, it is the world's leading provider of postal services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume-some 207 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves 7 million customers each day at its 40,000 retail locations nationwide.
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