Mint. MNH. No flaws. Original undisturbed gum. From a Smoke-Free and Pet-Free Environment.

On November 9, 1972, the U.S. Postal Service issued these Christmas Angels 8¢ gummed stamps in Washington, DC. The stamp depicts two angels with musical instruments (an early trumpet and a vielle) from a 15th century anonymous painting titled "Mary, Queen of Heaven" from around 1485/1500. These angels are from the upper right corner of the larger work in a collection at the National Gallery of Art.

This oil painting is attributed to an early Netherlandish painter known as the Master of the Saint Lucy Legend - thus referred to because it seems to be done by the same hand as the artist of an altarpiece depicting the legend and life of Saint Lucy. John Oliver Hand writes of the painting, that it “is of great interest to musicologists. Not only does the painting depict Renaissance instruments with great accuracy, but it also mirrors contemporary performance practices” (Hand 1986).

Scott # 1471

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