2003 37c Patriotic Flags: Liberty Carving

U.S. #3780
37¢ Liberty Carving
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. The full color, 26 page booklet stood as one of only three large format prestige booklets ever produced by the Postal Service, pairing two panes of ten stamps with an illustrated history of the American flag's decorative uses across more than two centuries. The Stars and Stripes had graced nearly every corner of American culture since the nation's first official flag was authorized in 1777, appearing on everything from postcards and playing cards to children's toys and political banners.

This particular design features a nineteenth century hand painted carving of a woman holding aloft a sword and flag, a striking piece of American folk art from an era when patriotic imagery was often rendered by hand for display in homes, storefronts, and public spaces. Wood carvings like this one reflected a long tradition of American folk artistry, with craftsmen creating figures that combined decorative skill with expressions of national pride. Such pieces often served as trade signs, decorative statuary, or simply as personal displays of patriotism during the nineteenth century