PITTSFIELD, Mass., June 20,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Postal Service
today revealed the refined, timeless beauty of Shaker design with
12 new stamps, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the arrival of
the first Shakers in America.
Attendees at the Shaker Hancock Village explored the collection
of furniture, crafts and tools, and had the opportunity to see four
of the Shaker designs used in the stamp images.
News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag
#ShakerDesignStamps.
Devoutly religious and committed to simple living, the Shakers
imbued everything they made with uncommon grace — from modest oval
boxes to furniture, textiles and even architecture. Their
minimalist designs include no excessive ornamentation. Instead, the
Shakers concentrated on the harmony of form and function, creating
pieces renowned worldwide for their simplicity, utility and
impeccable quality.
Founded in England in the 18th
century, the Shakers were a celibate, pacifist and socially
progressive offshoot of mainstream Quakerism. Calling themselves
the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, they
were persecuted for their beliefs and practices, most notably
ecstatic dancing during worship. In 1774, a small group of Shakers
immigrated to America and eventually settled near Albany, NY. By the 1840s, at their height,
approximately 5,000 Shakers lived in more than a dozen, largely
self-sufficient settlements from Maine to Kentucky. They arranged their communities in
"families," where men and women lived as brothers and sisters,
property was held in common, and everyone aspired to create heaven
on earth.
Shaker design exemplifies some of the core values of Shaker
life: honesty, humility and joyful simplicity. Viewing all work as
a form of worship, the Shakers found God in the details of
everything they made and so they aspired to nothing short of
perfection. "Do all your work as though you had a thousand years to
live," urged Shaker leader Ann Lee,
"and as you would if you knew you must die tomorrow." In stripping
objects of all but their essential elements, the Shakers not only
exposed the elegance inherent in even the most humble of items but
also reinvented the concept of beauty itself.
With its emphasis on durability, functionality and timeless
minimalism, Shaker design has had a profound effect on generations
of architects, artisans and crafters. Today, Sabbathday Lake in
Maine remains the only active
Shaker village in the world. Other settlements operate as living
history museums, where visitors can see authentic Shaker design and
experience the Shaker way of life in person.
Stamp Design
The 12 Shaker Design stamps feature photographs by Michael Freeman and are arranged in three rows
of four stamps each.
Row 1 (left to right)
Meeting room, Brick Dwelling, Hancock Shaker Village,
Pittsfield, MA
The meeting room showcases quintessential elements of Shaker
design, including built-in cupboards, a peg rail for keeping items
off the floor, a long communal bench, and a cast-iron wood-burning
stove.
Tannery, Shaker village of Mount Lebanon, New Lebanon, NY
Founded in 1787, Mount Lebanon served as a model and leader for
all other Shaker communities. The tannery, which was built in 1834,
highlights the simple symmetry of Shaker architecture.
Spinning wheel, Fruitlands Museum, Harvard, MA
Like everything the Shakers made, this spinning wheel has a
simplified and unadorned form that perfectly highlights its
function without sacrificing visual appeal.
Staircases, Trustees' Office and Guest House, Shaker Village of
Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, KY
Rising three stories and bathed in light, the staircases, which
were built in 1839-1841, display Shaker design at its height, their
organic form offering a pleasing contrast to the straight lines of
the peg rails.
Row 2 (left to right)
Dwelling house hallway, South Union Shaker Village, Auburn, KY
All Shaker dwellings had two staircases, one for men and one for
women.
Silk neckerchiefs, South Union Shaker Village, Auburn, KY
The Kentucky Shakers were among the first in the United States to raise silkworms and weave
silk into cloth. These brightly colored neckerchiefs were worn over
the shoulders to protect clothing and preserve modesty.
Rocking chair, Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury, NH
Chairs like this rocker were used by community members and also
sold to the "world," as the Shakers called mainstream society. It
features back slats that increase in size from the seat to the top
of the chair and are bent just slightly to accommodate the sitter
more comfortably.
Bentwood box detail, Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield
"Swallowtail" joints allowed the side of a wooden box to expand
and contract without buckling or cracking. The joints were secured
with copper tacks, which would not rust and discolor the wood.
Row 3 (left to right)
Heater stove, Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield
The Shakers discovered that a cast-iron wood-burning stove could
heat a room more efficiently than a fireplace. The additional box
on top, called a "super heater," increased the surface area,
allowing the stove to give off more heat with the same amount of
wood. By enclosing the flames, the stove also decreased the threat
of fire.
Cupboard with oval boxes, Fruitlands Museum, Harvard
Because their beliefs stressed cleanliness and order, the
Shakers made abundant cupboards and cabinets to keep everyday
objects organized, out of sight and free of dust.
Bentwood boxes and carriers, Fruitlands Museum, Harvard
The Shakers made their iconic bentwood boxes in a variety of
shapes and sizes. Some were finished with a lid, while others
featured a handle to make carrying items easier.
Cheese baskets, Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield
Dairy farming was an important aspect of life in some Shaker
villages. Featuring a large, hexagonal woven pattern, cheese
baskets were lined with cheesecloth in order to separate the curds
and whey.
Derry Noyes served as art
director and designer for the stamp pane.
Shaker Design stamps are being issued in panes of 12 as Forever
stamps, which are always equal in value to the current First-Class
Mail one-ounce price.
A video about the stamps will be posted after today's event on
the Postal Service's Facebook and Twitter pages at
facebook.com/USPS and twitter.com/usps.
Postal Products
Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products
through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by
calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations
nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the
USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional
information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-
inspired products can be found at StampsForever.com.
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National contact: Albert Ruiz
albert.ruiz@usps.gov
Local contact: Steve Doherty
stephen.n.doherty@usps.gov
usps.com/news
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SOURCE U.S. Postal Service