Definitive 4¢
Sheet of twenty, one stamp design
In 2014, the U.S. Postal Service® reissued Chippendale Chair, the fourth stamp in the American Design series.
First issued in 2004 and again in 2007, this 4¢ definitive stamp features a stylized treatment of a Chippendale chair made in Philadelphia between 1760 and 1765.
The Chippendale chair depicted on the stamp is a side chair, or chair without arms. The intricately patterned back features spiral ornaments called scrolls as well as carvings of a tassel and a shell. Another shell decorates the front of the seat. This exquisite chair has graceful cabriole, or curved, legs. The colors used for the wood and seat cover give the stamp design a contemporary feel.
English cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale’s (1718-1779), book The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director (1754) influenced furniture design on both sides of the Atlantic. His work was known for its carved decorations and elaborate chair backs. In America the style varied by region, with Philadelphia artisans producing the most extensively ornamented furniture.
The stamp artist for the Chippendale Chair was the late Lou Nolan. Derry Noyes was the art director.
Made in the USA.
Issue Series: American Design #4
Issue Date: January 2, 2014
Art Director/Designer: Derry Noyes, Lou Nolan
SKU: 705604
USPS® Philatelic Archive 