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Headline Story/April 11, 2006
U.S. Se-Tenant
Block of 4 Honors
Ben Franklin
A beautiful new
block of four U.S. stamps pays tribute to
an amazing founding father
in his roles as Statesman,
Scientist, Printer and Postmaster.
Historians, scientists, statesmen and Postmasters came to the National
Constitution Center at 11 a.m. to witness the dedication of four U.S.
Postal Service postage stamps honoring the 300th birthday of Benjamin
Franklin. The 39-cent stamps depict Franklin’s accomplishments as a
printer, statesman, scientist and postmaster. The stamps were issued in
Philadelphia on April 7th, and issued nationwide Saturday, April 8th.
“We’ve captured the well-lived life of a remarkable man,” said Alan C.
Kessler vice chairman of the U.S. Postal Service’s presidentially
appointed Board of Governors, who dedicated the stamps. “We are very proud
to preserve Benjamin Franklin’s legacy with these spectacular new stamps.”
Joining Kessler at the ceremony was Dennis Wint, Chairman of the Benjamin
Franklin Tercentenary; Dr. Mark Skousen, 6th generation grandson of
Franklin; Frank Neri, District Manager of the U.S. Postal Service
Philadelphia Metro District and Judith Martin, Postmaster of Philadelphia.
Art director, designer and typographer, Richard Sheaff used historical
elements from Franklin’s life to create these stamp collages that have
educational, historical and scientific value reflecting the heritage of
the United States and the U.S. Postal Service. Benjamin Franklin holds the
unique distinction of being the second only to George Washington as the
most popular subject to be commemorated on a postage stamp with over
one-hundred stamps since 1847. His connection to the U.S. Postal Service
as the first Postmaster General under the Continental Congress in 1775 has
earned him a cherished place in the history of the organization.
Franklin’s successful printing businesses published materials including
government documents, currency, religious tracts and books. Design
elements in the Printer stamp include: a portrait of Franklin in a
printer’s smock by illustrator Michael Dooling; a 1729 edition of the
Pennsylvania Gazette, a 1733 edition of Poor Richard’s Almanack; and a
five-pound currency note printed by Franklin in 1770.
Intellectually curious, Franklin was one of the greatest scientists of his
day. Design elements in the Scientist stamp include a 19th-century Currier
and Ives lithograph of the legendary electricity experiment with a kite; a
depiction of water spouts and a “magic square” from “Experiments and
Observations on Electricity”; the “three-wheeled clock” from the book
“Select Mechanical Exercises” by James Ferguson; and a depiction of
Franklin at a desk from a mural by Charles Elliott Mills.
Design elements in the Postmaster stamp include: a graphic device used by
the Boston Post-Boy newspaper; a 1775 colonial postal cover and dated
postmark from Marlboro, MD; an 18th-century painting by Charles Wilson
Peale after a portrait by David Martin. A reference at the bottom of the
stamp refers to Franklin’s personal franking signature, “B. Free Franklin,
Postmaster.”
Franklin, born on January 17, 1706, was deeply involved in politics and
civic life and enjoyed a distinguished career as a statesman. The
Statesman stamp includes: a painting by John Trumbull of the signing of
the Declaration of Independence; a copy of Franklin’s 1754 “Join or Die”
political cartoon urging colonial unity; the top of the Declaration of
Independence; a pastel portrait of Franklin by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis;
and the Treaty of Alliance with France, which was negotiated and signed by
Franklin. |
