What:

The U.S. Postal Service will issue Shaker Design stamps to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the first Shakers in America. The set of 12 stamps celebrates the refined, timeless beauty of Shaker design and features photographs of items that highlight its core elements: simplicity and utility.

The first-day-of-issue event is free and open to the public. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #ShakerDesignStamps.

Who:

Stefanie A. Curry, postmaster, Pittsfield, MA, Post Office

When:

Thursday, June 20, at noon (EDT)

Where:

Hancock Shaker Village

1843 W. Housatonic St.

Pittsfield, MA 01201

RSVP:

Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/shakerdesign

Background:

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, they created pieces renowned worldwide for their impeccable quality.

The 12 Shaker Design stamps feature photographs by Michael Freeman and are arranged in three rows of four stamps each.

The first row showcases, from left, a meeting room at Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, MA; the tannery at the Shaker Village of Mount Lebanon, New Lebanon, NY; a spinning wheel from Fruitlands Museum, Harvard, MA; and staircases in the Trustees' Office and Guest House at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, KY.

The second row features, from left, a dwelling house hallway and silk neckerchiefs from South Union Shaker Village, Auburn, KY; a rocking chair from Canterbury Shaker Village, Canterbury, NH; and the "swallowtail" joints of a bentwood box from Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield.

The third row highlights, from left, a heater stove at Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield; a cupboard with bentwood boxes and a collection of bentwood boxes and carriers at Fruitlands Museum, Harvard; and cheese baskets in the dairy at Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield.

The stamp pane selvage features a black-and-white photograph of Brother Ricardo Belden (1868-1958) in his workshop at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield. The photograph was taken by Samuel Kravitt circa 1935.

Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps with the photographs by Michael Freeman.

Shaker Design stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, which are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.