20c Dogs block of four

A block of four semi-jumbo commemorative stamps featuring dogs was issued September 7, 1984, in New York City, in conjunction with the 100th anniversary celebration of the American Kennel Club. The First Day Ceremony was held in the New York Life Insurance Building, which housed the club.

The American Kennel Club (AKC), a nonprofit corporation, is the largest canine registry in the world. The AKC categorizes pure bred dogs into seven groups; sporting, working, hounds, terriers, toys, non-sporting, and herding. Since its inception, the AKC has registered approximately 28 million dogs of 125 different breeds.

The block of four stamps featured dogs from five groups. The upper left stamp featured the beagle of the hound group and the Boston terrier of the non-sporting group. The upper right stamp depicted the Chesapeake Bay retriever and the cocker spaniel of the sporting group. The Alaskan malamute of the working group and the collie of the herding group were represented in the lower left stamp. The black and tan coonhound and the American foxhound of the hound group were pictured in the lower right stamp.

The stamps were designed by Roy Andersen of Sedona, Arizona; art director and typographer was Howard Paine; modeler was Ronald C. Sharpe. The gravure process was used. The stamps were issued in panes of forty.

Reference:

Postal Bulletin (August 9, 1984).

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