The Extraordinary COLORS of Stamps

(Above) 1898 jet black $1 stamp. THIS stamp is one of the most beautiful stamps I have ever seen.

(Above) 1869 carmine and black 90¢ stamp. Add to an already beautiful stamp the cancellation mark, and if the gods of chance are working that day—you have something special.

(Above) 1940 ultramarine 5¢ stamp.

(Above) 1914 deep claret 50¢ stamp. These color names... they aren’t mine. These are stamp collector terms for describing color. Deep claret... love it. I may try to use that term today. Oh, what about the design of this one. Wow!

(Above) 1929 orange yellow 10¢ stamp.

(Above) 1919 apple green 13¢ stamp.

(Above) 1890 carmine red 2¢ stamp. Washington behind bars.

(Above) 1887 vermillion 3¢ stamp

(Above) 1873 yellow 2¢ stamp

(Above) 1923 brown violet 12¢ stamp

(Above) 1903 light blue 24¢ stamp. LOVE this!


I THINK ANY DESIGNER WILL APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY of these early U.S. postage stamps. While design is what many many in our field talk about when it comes to stamps, the unique colors are something else to consider. There is a rich beauty to these color palettes that I haven’t seen in a while. Of course, looking at stamps magnified to this scale creates entirely new ways of seeing. After all, stamps are tiny—the size of your thumbprint. I picked these out from hundreds being auctioned—just for the color. Enjoy the scale. Enjoy the color. Enjoy this day.

These stamps were part of the 2009 Heritage Auction Galleries Inaugural Signature Stamp Auction. Heritage Auction Galleries is the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer.

An AM repost from 2/06/09.

Pipe Dreams

(Above) Painting on canvas by Rene Magritte, 1928-1929.


(Above and below) Groups of pipes for sale on eBay.


PIPES ALWAYS REMIND ME OF THE SURREALISTS, Rene Magritte and Marcel Duchamp. Magritte’s famous painting “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (“This is not a pipe”) confounded the critics when he first exhibited it. Indeed, Magritte was correct. It was not a pipe, it was simply the image of a pipe. You couldn’t smoke it, it was an illusion—a flat 2-D representation of a pipe.

I would never collect pipes. I do not smoke and God knows I do not need another collecting obsession. But when I saw these two collections of pipes on eBay, it made me reflect on the essence of collecting. Looking at so many pipes together in one place, you begin to see differences. Seeing a large group of similar things helps one see the subtle changes, shapes, colors, textures and styles before you. Being a collector means being able to look at 48 pipes (or whatever) in front of you, and immediately being able to pick out the rare one, the modern fake or at the very least, ask the questions in your head that are necessary to begin to categorize them. Connoisseurship means knowledge. For the pipe collector, you’ll understand which pipes draw smoke the best, which ones have the best bowls, which woods are best.

Interested in buying a group of pipes? Just go here. The Magritte painting, if it were ever to come up for auction, would cost you some cool millions.

British Stamps Celebrate Design

Click any image for larger view.


Click any image for larger view.



Click any image for larger view.

LAST JANUARY 13, ROYAL MAIL OF THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH ISSUED
postage stamps of some of the world’s most iconic design work of the 20th Century. The Royal Mail enlisted a panel of experts from the world of design to help them make the final cut. The stamps themselves are beautifully designed, clean and elegant—worthy presentations for such great objects.

Here is what they came up with—a fine selection, I must say.

1st Class – London Underground Map
Harry Beck’s easy to understand design was based on an electrical wiring diagram.

1st Class – Routemaster Bus
Once a symbol of London to visitors from all over the world now only a few of Douglas Scott and Colin Curtis’s remain on London’s streets.

1st Class – Supermarine Spitfire AiplaneThe superlative Battle of Britain fighter with its distinctive elliptical wings was designed by R. J. Mitchell who sadly died before the plane went into production.

1st Class – K2 Telephone Kiosk
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s design bright-red phone box always stood out on the streets of the UK.

1st Class – Penguin Books
Edward Young’s book jacket design was instantly recognizable as a Penguin edition.

1st Class Large – Mini Skirt
Mary Quant rewrote the fashion rules for women forever with her daring design.

1st Class – Concorde Supersonic Jet
Aerospatiale and BAC’s supersonic jet was capable of twice the speed of sound and beautiful to look at too.

1st Class – Anglepoise Lamp
George Carwardine’s flexible design brought light wherever it was needed.

1st Class – The Mini Automobile
Sir Alec Issigonis made use of every available space in the small car that was as much a fashion statement as a means of transport.

1st Class – Polypropylene Chair
Found in public buildings throughout the world, almost everyone will have sat on a Robin Day chair at some time.

Stamps founds at dezeen.