2003 37c Patriotic Flags: Modern Hand Fan

U.S. #3779
37¢ Flag on Fan
Patriotic Flags Set
Issue Date: April 3, 2003
City: New York, NY
Quantity: 60,000,000
Printed By: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed
Perforations: Serpentine Die Cut 10 x 9.75
Color: Multicolored

This stamp was issued on April 3, 2003, as part of a set of five designs collectively known as Old Glory, released in the second United States prestige booklet. Prestige booklets combined postage stamps with informational pages exploring a particular theme, and the Old Glory booklet spanned 26 pages tracing how the American flag motif had appeared across a wide range of everyday and decorative objects throughout the nation's history. The booklet included two ten-stamp panes and highlighted flag imagery found on items ranging from songbooks and postcards to playing cards and folk art.

This particular design features a folding hand fan decorated with the American flag, a style of patriotic decorative object that became popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Fans painted or printed with flag imagery served both a practical purpose and a decorative one, often used at patriotic gatherings, parades, and civic celebrations. The flag motif appeared on countless everyday objects during this period, reflecting a broader trend of incorporating national symbols into household items and personal accessories.