U.S. Postal Service to celebrate the tailfin starting in October
Posted Apr 25th 2008 7:28PM by Jeremy Korzeniewski
Filed under: Time Warp, Coupes, Sedans/Saloons, Wagons/Estates, Cadillac, Chrysler, Lincoln, Pontiac
Click on the 300C to see all five stamps in high-resolutionAll the way back in 2004, we
wondered out loud why the U.S. Postal Service chose only to showcase cars from the first half of the decade starting in 1950. All of you waiting on pins and needles now have an official date when this offense will be rectified: October 3, 2008. Starting on that day, each of the 37,000 Post Office locations will begin offering five new "50s Fins and Chrome" 42-cent first-class stamps as part of the "America on the Move" series. We've gallerized each of the upcoming stamps for your viewing enjoyment:
These new stamps were unveiled at the auto-mecca that is the Spring Carlisle Collector Car & Swap Meet in Carlisle, PA. The designs were illustrated by Art M. Fitzpatrick using an example of each car which is still currently road-worthy. We think Fitz did a darn good job on these particular stamps, which will make the mundane act of sending letters just a bit more palatable starting in October.
[Source: U.S. Postal Service]
Tags: 50s Fins and Chrome, 50sFinsAndChrome, America on the Move, AmericaOnTheMove, auto stamps, auto-stamps, automobile stamps, automobile-stamps, AutomobileStamps, AutoStamps, car stamps, car-stamps, CarStamps, collectible stamps, collectible-stamps, CollectibleStamps, collector stamps, collector-stamps, CollectorStamps, post office, post-office, PostOffice, stamps, u.s. postal service, U.s.PostalService
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MemphisNET @ Apr 25th 2008 7:43PM
It's too bad Chrysler couldn't make a modern/retro 300C Coupe to combat the CTS Coupe.
Hell, even do a nod to tailfins!
Tool @ Apr 25th 2008 7:52PM
I'm sure that everyone has their favorite 1957 MY classic, but it's hard to believe that the iconic 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is not one of the 5 represented here.
MoonRover @ Apr 25th 2008 8:13PM
Or the Ford Fairlane 500 hardtop.
spots @ Apr 25th 2008 9:11PM
For one, I'm glad there's no '57 Chevy- they're everywhere in just about every form you can imagine- and some you probably can't- wouldn't surprise me if someone somewhere sells condoms with the things emblazoned on them!
It's nice to see something different for once!
Personally I think a '57 Nash Ambassador would've been a good choice, but I'm weird. LOL!
Stéphane Dumas @ Apr 25th 2008 9:24PM
or the forgotten 1956 Chevy who could be a good choice and I agree with spots about a 1957 Nash Ambassador and let's add a 1956 DeSoto Adventurer or Plymouth Fury to the list. (and if AMC had let Nash continued to survive to 1958, here what might have been if there was a 1958 Nash Ambassador http://www.whatifcars.com/gallery/What-If-Cars/58_Ambassador )
I wonder if someone could retouch with Photoshop pictures of Accord coupe/sedan, Camry, Altima, etc... to add tailfins? ;-)
Bill @ Apr 25th 2008 11:15PM
I never understood the fascination with 57 Chevy's either. Compared to everything else offered that year, they're downright dumpy. Too tall, too round.
Glad they included the 300C, but my favorite car of the late 50's is the 57/58 DeSoto Adventurer. Virgil Exner was the best designer of that era by far.
500 @ Apr 25th 2008 8:13PM
Crap, the cost of a stamp will be going up to 42 cents?
Oh well, I'll be buying these for sure.
Benfolio @ Apr 25th 2008 8:24PM
Why a Nomad???
Oh wait, it's a Pontiac.
STILL.
Pat @ Apr 25th 2008 9:19PM
Makes we wish car designers would be bring back some form of tail fin on cars (and hood ornaments)
Craig @ Apr 25th 2008 9:34PM
Anyone know if these Illustrations are traditional works or digital? They kinda look like vector work...
If they are they're very impressive. I've been getting into doing some the last couple years - they're pretty time intensive. And these ones look very detailed.
Bruce @ Apr 26th 2008 3:52PM
Art Fitzpatrick is the famous "AF" of the "AF & VK" duo that used to do so many automotive illustrations. Van Kaufman was "VK". Go to Art's web page: http://www.fitz-art.com/
His work is incredible. Back when he and Van worked together, Van did the backgrounds and Art the cars. You may remember in particular all the work they did for Pontiac. Sometimes their initials didn't show but even then you could always spot an AV & VK rendering. Back then, their work was done with paint, probably guache.
I had the pleasure of meeting Art a few years ago at a Pontiac convention. I told him of how we Industrial Design students used to idolize he and Van when we were in school. At the time I met him, he had just done the '50's stamps of a few years back. They were done on the computer as I presume these new ones were. I was amazed that a man his age had learned to do the same thing with computer technology. Most people his age are lucky to be able to use e-mail.
Read more about Art here: http://tinyurl.com/3omhsz
Craig @ Apr 25th 2008 9:36PM
Opp - saved and zoomed in, they look more like traditional pieces. Just very detailled.
Rob @ Apr 25th 2008 10:55PM
Glad they're honoring the Golden Hawk. Gorgeous car that has been all but forgotten. Everyone talks about the '55 and '57 Chevys, but the '58 Bel Air was the real masterpiece. It wasn't just a car, it was a great work of art. This is just from an artistic standpoint. I have no idea if the engines on the '58 were any better than the '57 or '55, but I'd take a '58 over either of the other two any day.
Azrael4h @ Apr 26th 2008 12:01AM
I was shocked to find any Studebaker featured anywhere save on the cover of Turning Wheels. Forgotten marques are just that; forgotten.
I think there was a better '59 Caddy to put there; though it was a ambulance. Ecto 1.
TriShield @ Apr 26th 2008 12:00AM
Back in the glory days when cars actually had style. Now pretty much everything on the road looks like an appliance or a jellybean. Not at all how people back then pictured motoring today.
SPG @ Apr 26th 2008 5:02AM
Those are some beautiful cars.
And to join everyone's wishing for another car, late 50's Dodge Fury four door.
I love those.
spots @ Apr 26th 2008 12:52PM
The Fury was a Plymouth, not a Dodge- and my favorite would be the one that inspired a generation of Japanese science fiction movies (credit Motor Trend many years ago for that remark), the 1961.
DanMan @ Apr 26th 2008 11:36AM
You're right guys its the last retro fad, the tailfin. The only design cue from the 50s that hasn't come back. Personally I'd love to see a designer take a crack at that one. It would have to be a lot cooler than the spoilers designers tack onto everything today from Chevy Aveos to Toyota Avalons.
Gargamello @ Apr 26th 2008 7:04PM
So very cool. Every one of those rides is a beauty. That was when it was still possible to get excited about car designs. Sigh.
carlbolt @ Apr 26th 2008 10:11PM
This is difinitely an ugly American car, big, sluggish, clumsy, so funny it has two fins on it. What a low taste!