# 2815 FDC - 1994 52c Love Series: Dove and Roses
U.S. #2815
1994 52¢ Dove and Roses
Love Series
- The 15th US Love stamp
- Issued for use on wedding invitations
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Love Series
Value: 52¢, the two-ounce rate
First Day of Issue: February 14, 1994
First Day City: Niagara Falls, NY
Quantity Issued: 274,800,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Panes of 50 in printing sleeves of 600
Perforations: 11.25 x 11.2
Why the stamp was issued: For use on wedding invitations. A two-ounce stamp is often needed for these envelopes because they tend to weigh more –carrying the invitation, an RSVP card, and a return envelope.
About the stamp design: USPS art director Richard Sheaff found a Victorian-era die-cut of two doves and flowers to use as inspiration for this stamp. Artist Lon Bush created a painting loosely based on the image, making a number of changes.
Special design details: In addition to red and yellow roses, the flowers pictured include baby’s breath and blue carnations.
First Day City: Niagara Falls, NY – a popular honeymoon destination
About the Love Series: Based on the popularity of Christmas stamps, the USPS issued its first Love stamp in 1973. It wasn’t intended to be the start of a series, and in fact, it wasn’t until 1982 that another Love stamp was issued. Love-themed stamps were issued sporadically over the next few years. The USPS stated that they weren’t intended just for Valentine’s Day mail, but also for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. In 1987, the USPS officially declared it a series, and new Love stamps have been issued virtually every year since. Love stamps are classified as “special” stamps. They are on sale longer than commemoratives, are usually printed in greater quantities, and may go back to press to meet demand.
History the stamp represents: Doves have been a traditional wedding symbol for thousands of years. The dove represented innocence to the ancient Egyptians, love and devotion to the early Greeks and Romans, and peace and longevity to the ancient Chinese. The Roman goddess of love, Venus, made the dove a sacred animal. A groom gave a dove to the bride to show his commitment to her and her family. Doves are an appropriate symbol for eternal love since the birds mate for life. In recent years, releasing doves at weddings has become very popular in the US, both for the symbolism and for the spectacle. Of course, the “white doves” that are released at weddings are not doves at all, but white racing pigeons. Unlike real doves, the white pigeons have a homing instinct that ensures they will return to their owners and be cared for.
Though often connected with romance and passion in Greek and Roman mythology, it wasn’t until the Victorian era that the rose solidified its status as a symbol of love. At that time of high moral standards, floriography, the secret language of flowers, was used to convey otherwise inappropriate ideas too forbidden to speak about. Different flowers were given certain meanings, and dictionaries were published to define the various possible messages. Feelings could be expressed discreetly through a bouquet or a single flower. A white rose stood for innocence, orange for desire, pink for admiration, and purple for enchantment. A red rose suggested love and enduring passion, an association that still holds true today.
U.S. #2815
1994 52¢ Dove and Roses
Love Series
- The 15th US Love stamp
- Issued for use on wedding invitations
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Love Series
Value: 52¢, the two-ounce rate
First Day of Issue: February 14, 1994
First Day City: Niagara Falls, NY
Quantity Issued: 274,800,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Photogravure
Format: Panes of 50 in printing sleeves of 600
Perforations: 11.25 x 11.2
Why the stamp was issued: For use on wedding invitations. A two-ounce stamp is often needed for these envelopes because they tend to weigh more –carrying the invitation, an RSVP card, and a return envelope.
About the stamp design: USPS art director Richard Sheaff found a Victorian-era die-cut of two doves and flowers to use as inspiration for this stamp. Artist Lon Bush created a painting loosely based on the image, making a number of changes.
Special design details: In addition to red and yellow roses, the flowers pictured include baby’s breath and blue carnations.
First Day City: Niagara Falls, NY – a popular honeymoon destination
About the Love Series: Based on the popularity of Christmas stamps, the USPS issued its first Love stamp in 1973. It wasn’t intended to be the start of a series, and in fact, it wasn’t until 1982 that another Love stamp was issued. Love-themed stamps were issued sporadically over the next few years. The USPS stated that they weren’t intended just for Valentine’s Day mail, but also for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. In 1987, the USPS officially declared it a series, and new Love stamps have been issued virtually every year since. Love stamps are classified as “special” stamps. They are on sale longer than commemoratives, are usually printed in greater quantities, and may go back to press to meet demand.
History the stamp represents: Doves have been a traditional wedding symbol for thousands of years. The dove represented innocence to the ancient Egyptians, love and devotion to the early Greeks and Romans, and peace and longevity to the ancient Chinese. The Roman goddess of love, Venus, made the dove a sacred animal. A groom gave a dove to the bride to show his commitment to her and her family. Doves are an appropriate symbol for eternal love since the birds mate for life. In recent years, releasing doves at weddings has become very popular in the US, both for the symbolism and for the spectacle. Of course, the “white doves” that are released at weddings are not doves at all, but white racing pigeons. Unlike real doves, the white pigeons have a homing instinct that ensures they will return to their owners and be cared for.
Though often connected with romance and passion in Greek and Roman mythology, it wasn’t until the Victorian era that the rose solidified its status as a symbol of love. At that time of high moral standards, floriography, the secret language of flowers, was used to convey otherwise inappropriate ideas too forbidden to speak about. Different flowers were given certain meanings, and dictionaries were published to define the various possible messages. Feelings could be expressed discreetly through a bouquet or a single flower. A white rose stood for innocence, orange for desire, pink for admiration, and purple for enchantment. A red rose suggested love and enduring passion, an association that still holds true today.