N5104

Apples

Granny Smith Apple

Collins Cover Announcement 

The Big Apple

Empire State Building

Apple Variety: Granny Smith

The Empire State Building is universally thought of as an American icon. It is located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 3461 Street in New York City and derives its name from New York being known as the Empire State. It was completed in 1931 and at 1,454 feet in height was the world's tallest building for 40 years.

The Empire State Building is designed in the distinctive Art Deco style and is one of the seven wonders of the modern world. It is ranked number one on the list of America's favorite architecture. In this mini-set of four First Day Covers honoring the Big Apple, it was a slam dunk that the Empire State Building would be represented.

My individually hand painted cachet shows the very upper portion of the building, and the pleasing Art Deco style is clearly visible. The most famous depiction of the building was in the 1933 movie King Kong. In this classic film the title character, which is a giant ill11 Iape, climbs to the top of the building to escape his captors and is then attacked by airplanes. As a fitting close to the Big Apple series of Collins cachets, I show a defiant King Kong clinging to the top of this New York City landmark.

This set has captured the imagination of many of my collectors, and I appreciate the several notes or comments referring to the creative linkage of these new apple stamps to the world's most famous city. My stock is getting low, so please be sure that you have all four before I sell out. New York, NY is unique in so many ways but I have tried to give you a taste of four famous and historic slices of the Big Apple. The Yankee baseball idol Babe Ruth; and the fabulous Bronx Zoo represented by the wildlife collage of panda, giraffe, and snow leopard; the ever-inspiring image of Lady Liberty standing in the harbor; and the popular culture image of King Kong standing atop the Empire State Building. All of the above are Americana to the core. The Big Apple!

The Empire State Building — Collins #N5104 — is now ready at $14.50.