About This Stamp
In 2016, the U.S. Postal Service® issued Apples, a one-cent definitive stamp.
The stamp design features two apples on a branch surrounded by leaves. The original art for this stamp was illustrated using pen and ink and watercolor.
Also known as the Newtown pippin, the Albemarle pippin apple has deep historical roots. It first appeared in the late 17th century in an area of Queens, New York, formerly known as Newtown. The word “pippin” indicates that the trees originated from seedlings rather than from grafting—a technique common in the propagation of apple trees.
Savored for their crisp flesh and balanced flavor, these medium-sized, reddish-yellow and green apples soon gained popularity throughout colonial America. In 1755, Dr. Thomas Walker introduced them in Virginia when he returned home from the French and Indian War with a pile of cuttings. Grown on Walker’s plantation in Albemarle County, the celebrated New York apple received a new name and wider distribution.
Though harvesting of Albemarle pippins usually takes place in October, they are often considered a late-winter fruit. Unlike many other heirloom apple varieties, these durable apples maintain quality in storage, their initial tartness mellowing over time. By February, the apples still retain their characteristic flavor that makes them difficult to resist. The distinctive aroma and pleasant taste of the Albemarle pippin make it well suited for pie fillings, applesauce, and especially cider.
Art director Derry Noyes designed this stamp with an existing illustration by John Burgoyne.
Stamp Art Director, Stamp Designer
Derry Noyes
For more than 40 years Derry Noyes has designed and provided art direction for close to 800 United States postage stamps and stamp products. She holds a bachelor of arts degree from Hampshire College and a master of fine arts degree from Yale University.
Noyes worked as a graphics designer at Beveridge and Associates, a Washington, D.C., firm, until 1979 when she established her own design firm, Derry Noyes Graphics. Her clients have included museums, corporations, foundations, and architectural and educational institutions. Her work has been honored by American Illustration, the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington, Communication Arts, Critique magazine, Graphis, Creativity International, and the Society of Illustrators.
Before becoming an art director for the U.S. Postal Service, she served as a member of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee from 1981 to 1983.
Noyes is a resident of Washington, D.C.
Existing Art By
John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne was raised in Massachusetts, where he developed a passion for art at a very early age. After graduating from Massachusetts College of Art, Burgoyne embarked on a career as an illustrator. Today he works from his studio on Sandy Neck, Cape Cod, in Massachusetts.
Burgoyne’s illustrations have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, Cook's Illustrated, New York, Town and Country, Garden & Gun, Golf Digest, and Golf. His corporate clients have included Apple, American Express, Anheuser-Busch, Nike, Delta, IBM, the United States Postal Service, Volkswagen, Daimler Chrysler, Publix, A+E, and A24 Films. He has also created art for the Florida Aquarium, Bermuda Aquarium, and the Bermuda National Trust. Burgoyne's vineyard clients include Harlan Estate, Spottswoode, Trinchero, and Chappellet.
A member of the New York Society of Illustrators, Burgoyne has received more than 100 awards in the United States and Europe. His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, the Hatch Awards, Graphis, Print, One Show, Clio, and the New York Art Directors Club.
Existing illustrations of fruits by Burgoyne have appeared on the Apples postcard stamps (2013); on three 2016 low-denomination stamp issuances: Apples (one cent), Grapes (five cents), and Pears (ten cents); on one 2017 issuance, Strawberries (three cents); and on one 2018 issuance, Meyer Lemons (two cents). He created original illustrations for the Otters in Snow Forever® stamps (2021).