Ingrid Bergman, Legends of Hollywood (U.S. 2015)

Updated August 18th: From the USPS: The Ingrid Bergman Forever Stamp goes on sale Aug. 20. Since there is no first-day-of-issue ceremony, the Postal Service decided to give the stamp visibility in a “Hollywood” setting where Bergman became famous as well as an opportunity to sell stamps and products.

On Aug. 20, a special retail station will be set up at the West Hollywood Library between 4-7 p.m. PT. A stamp enlargement will be displayed, and stamps and products will be sold, including the Swedish stamps (in strips of four) and a special first-day cover with both U.S. and Swedish stamps.

Here is the location:

West Hollywood Library
625 N. San Vicente Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069

[USPS press release]
Ingrid Bergman First Day of Issue Stamp Sales Event in West Hollywood August 20
The 19th stamp in the Legends of Hollywood series honors the Swedish-born actress

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA — On August 20, 2015, the U.S. Postal Service and Posten AB of Sweden will jointly honor Swedish-born actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982), who lit up American and European films for decades.

The U.S. Postal Service’s issuance will be a 49-cent commemorative Forever stamp, featuring a circa 1940 image of Bergman taken by Laszlo Willinger, well known for his portraits of celebrities. Artist Kristen Monthei digitally colorized the image. Monthei also colorized a still of Bergman from the film Casablanca, which is featured on the stamp pane selvage. Art Director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp pane.

In celebration, a special Ingrid Bergman stamp and philatelic product sales event will be held at the West Hollywood Library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., on August 20, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. In addition to the stamps, First Day covers, Digital Color Postmark covers and Framed Stamp Art will be available for purchase. The Postal Service will also offer a unique collectible — a joint U.S.–Sweden First Day of Issue cover containing both U.S. and Swedish stamps and Los Angeles and Stockholm postmarks. First Day of Issue hand-postmark service will also be available at the event.

The Ingrid Bergman commemorative Forever stamp, the 19th stamp in the Legends of Hollywood series, goes on sale nationwide in the U.S. on August 20, with Posten AB of Sweden issuing their Bergman stamps on the same day. The U.S. stamp will be available at Post Offices, online at USPS.com or by calling 800-STAMP-24.

During her career, Bergman won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for best actress. She is best remembered for her timeless portrayals of Ilsa Lund in Casablanca (1942); Paula Alquist in Gaslight (1944); Anna Koreff in Anastasia (1956); and Alicia Huberman in Notorious (1946).

Updated August 1st: The first day postmarks: bergman_dcp_vscThe DCP measures 3.00″x1.32″.bergman_bw_vscThe B&W cancel measures 2.43″x1.02″.

The Swedish cancel measures 48mm in diameter: IngridBWSwedensampleUpdated July 23rd from the Postal Bulletin:

Ingrid BergmanOn August 20, 2015, in Los Angeles, CA, the U.S. Postal Service® will issue the Ingrid Bergman commemorative 49-cent (Forever®) First-Class Mail® stamp, in one design, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 473300). This is a joint issue with Posten AB of Sweden who will issue their stamps on the same day.

The stamp will go on sale nationwide August 20, 2015.

With this issuance, the U.S. Postal Service and Posten AB of Sweden join in honoring actress Ingrid Bergman (1915–1982). The 19th stamp in the Legends of Hollywood series celebrates the Swedish-born star who lit up the screen for several decades winning three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Actress. The stamp art features a circa 1940 image of Bergman taken by Laszlo Willinger, known for his portraits of celebrities. Artist Kristen Monthei digitally colorized the image. Monthei also colorized the selvage photograph, a still of Bergman from Casablanca. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp pane.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark:
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at http://www.usps.com/shop, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:

Ingrid BergmanIngrid Bergman Stamp
Manager, Retail
U.S. Postal Service, Los Angeles District
7001 South Central Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90052-9614

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50. All orders must be postmarked by October 19, 2015.

There are 12 philatelic products for this stamp issue:

  • 473306, Press Sheet with Die-cut, $88.20 (print quantity 250).
  • 473308, Press Sheet without Die-cut, $88.20 (print quantity 500).
  • 473310 Digital Color Postmark Keepsake, $11.95.
  • 473316 First-Day Cover, $0.93.
  • 473317 Joint First-Day Cover, set of 2 (1 U.S. & 1 Sweden), $7.56.
  • 473318 First-Day Cover Full Pane, $12.30.
  • 473319 Cancelled Full Pane, $12.30.
  • 473321 Digital Color Postmark, $1.64.
  • 473324 Framed Art, $39.95.
  • 473331 Stamp Deck Card, $0.95.
  • 473332 Stamp Deck Card/Digital Color Postmark, $1.99.
  • 801216 Sweden Strip of 4 (2 designs), $7.95.

Technical Specifications:

Issue: Ingrid Bergman Stamp
Item Number: 473300
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class Mail Forever
Format: Pane of 20 (1 design)
Series: Legends of Hollywood
Issue Date & City: August 20, 2015, Los Angeles, CA 90052
Designer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Art Director: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Typographer: Ethel Kessler, Bethesda, MD
Ingrid BergmanExisting Photo: Laszlo Willinger
Artist: Kristen Monthei
Modeler: Donald Woo
Manufacturing Process: Offset, Microprint
Printer: Banknote Corporation of America/SSP
Printed at: Browns Summit, NC
Press Type: Alprinta 74
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 20 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Adhesive Type: Pressure-sensitive adhesive
Processed at: Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit SC
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x 1.42 in./21.34 x 36.07 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.98 x 1.56 in./24.89 x 39.62 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 8.47 x 7.17 in./215.24 x 182.09 mm
Press Sheets Size (w x h): 25.92 x 22.01 in./ 658.42 x 558.98 mm
Plate Size: 180 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: “S” followed by Four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings:
Front: Plate numbers in two corners of pane • Legends of Hollywood
Back: © 2015 USPS • USPS Logo • (1) UPC Code (473300) • Promotional Text • Ingrid Bergman Bio • Ingrid Bergman is a trademark of the family of Ingrid Bergman, Licensed by CMG Brands, LLC • CASABLANA licensed by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. • All Rights Reserved • Plate Position Grid • Plate position diagram

Low-resolution versions of the first-day postmarks: bergmandcpbergmanbwUpdated July 9th: The first-day postmark for this stamp will say “Hollywood, CA 90052,” according to the Postal Bulletin, although we understand the U.S. first day ceremony is unlikely to be held on the actual first day of issue.

Updated June 26th: PostNord, Sweden’s postal agency, is issuing two stamps honoring Bergman on August 20th. The press release is below, but here are the designs. First, the matching stamp: swe_ingrid1And the second stamp: swe_ingrid2USPS press release June 25th:
U.S. Postal Service and Sweden Post to Jointly Issue Ingrid Bergman Stamp
Forever Stamp to be Dedicated Aug. 20 in Sweden

Ingrid BergmanWASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service and Posten AB of Sweden announced today that award-winning actress Ingrid Bergman will be honored as the 19th stamp in the Legends of Hollywood series.

The stamp will be issued jointly by the Postal Service and Sweden Post and go on sale Aug. 20. Special ceremonies will be held later.

The stamp art features a circa 1940 image of Bergman taken by Laszlo Willinger, known for his portraits of celebrities. Artist Kristen Monthei digitally colorized the image. Monthei also colorized the selvage photograph, a still of Bergman from Casablanca. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp pane.

Bergman lit up the silver screen for decades, starring in a variety of European and American films. She won three Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, and the Tony Award for best actress. She is best remembered for her timeless portrayals of Ilsa Lund in Casablanca (1942); Paula Alquist in Gaslight (1944); Anna Koreff in Anastasia (1956); and Alicia Huberman in Notorious (1946).

Bergman joins Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart, Alfred Hitchcock, John Wayne, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn and Bette Davis, among many others, with a Legends of Hollywood stamp in her honor.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Sweden’s press release, in Swedish:

Filmstjärnan Ingrid Bergman porträtteras på nya frimärken

PostNord ger den 20 augusti ut två frimärken som uppmärksammar 100-årsminnet av skådespelerskan Ingrid Bergmans födelse. Frimärksutgåvan är ett samarbete med US Postal Service, som ger ut ett motiv.

Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982) var en av de starkast lysande stjärnorna i den internationella filmvärlden. Tre Oscarstatyetter erövrade hon – två för bästa kvinnliga huvudroll i ”Gasljus” 1944 och ”Anastasia” 1956 – och den filmintresserade publikens hjärta.

Hennes karriär inleddes i Sverige, nådde toppen i Hollywood och American Film Institute rankar henne som den fjärde största stjärnan genom tiderna i amerikansk film.

Ingrid Bergman var en naturlig gemensam nämnare för PostNord och US Postal Service i detta frimärksprojekt som är en fortsättning på samarbetet för tio år sedan kring Greta Garbo-frimärkena.

– Med frimärkena Ingrid Bergman 100 år har vi nöjet att presentera ett nytt samarbete, med US Postal Service. Visst är dessa frimärken lika vackra som de i vårt samarbete kring Greta Garbo-frimärkena för tio år sedan. Vi valde valören 14 kronor, portot för utrikes brev, för att de ska kunna ge ett bidrag till att visa en bild av Sverige ute i världen genom något av de miljontals brev som skickas till mottagare utomlands, säger Britt-Inger Hahne, frimärkschef i PostNord.

Fakta om frimärkena Ingrid Bergman 100 år – PostNord
Frimärkena har formgivits av Gustav Mårtensson. Förlagor är ett porträttfotografi av Laszlo Willinger/Heritage/TT, och en akvarell av Stina Wirsén efter foton av Sven-Gösta Johansson/TT. Lars Sjööblom graverade Willinger-porträttet. Tryckning har skett i kombination ståltryck och offset (Willinger-porträttet) och offset (Wirsén-porträttet). Förpackningen är rulle med 100 frimärken och två motiv. Valören är 14 kronor, för utrikes hälsningar och brev.

Fakta om frimärket Ingrid Bergman 100 Years – US Postal Service
Frimärket har utformats av Ethel Kessler efter ett fotografi av Laszlo Willinger. Tryckning har skett i offset och förpackningen är ark med 20 frimärken.

Digitala foton av de tre frimärkena bifogas.

Följande text måste finnas med i anslutning till frimärket från US Postal Service när detta avbildas: Ingrid Bergman™ is a trademark of the family of Ingrid Bergman, licensed by CMG Brands, LLC. And CASABLANCA – Licensed by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Of particular interest to American collectors, the press release points out that the USPS and PostNord collaborated ten years ago for Greta Garbo stamps, and says the denomination is 14 kronor, the international rate.

The Swedish stamps were designed by Gustav Mårtensson. One is based on a photo by Laszlo Willinger, the other a watercolor by Stina Wirsén for Photos by Sven-Gösta Johansson. The Willinger design was engraved by Lars Sjööblom and is printed in a combination recess and offset process. The watercolor design is printed by offset. I believe the stamps are being issued in coils of 100, possibly with the both designs in both rolls.

27 thoughts on “Ingrid Bergman, Legends of Hollywood (U.S. 2015)

  1. I can’t wait until they are issued, I love Ingrid Bergman. I have seen most all of her movies.

  2. Beautiful Stamps, And I would hope for more joint issues in the future. I
    believe they would show the world cooperation between countries. Bravo for the Bergman issue. She was a great lady.

    • Google “Joint Issue Stamps” There are hundreds of them. The US Postal Service records 47 joint issues with other countries, Ingrid Bergman will be #48. Some of the stamps are nearly identical like the Greta Garbo stamps, others look nothing alike but are about the same subject, such as the 2007 “International Polar Year” with USA, Canada, Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

  3. That US Stamp really captures the timeless beauty of Ingrid Bergman . Can wait to see the “FDC cachets” and” Dragon Cards” of this issue .

  4. Yes it appears Sweden will issue two of the stamps on one roll of 100 @ 14kr ($1.62USD) each or 1400 kr ($161.81USD). Hopefully they will continue
    their practice of selling a strip 10 stamps from roll as they have done in the past with so many other of their coil stamps, which would work out to a more affordable 140 kr ($16.18USD) for the strip. In 2005 Greta Garbo they issued a miniature sheet and a booklet. I think we will also see at least a minature sheet, given the subject.

  5. From the 23 JULY 2015 postal bulliten
    473304 PSA Pn 20 $9.80 #10 11.95 #16 93c #21 1.64 #17 Joint FDC (2) $7.56 801216 Swedish strip-4 $7.95

  6. Still seems to be no announcement about a USPS Ceremony Program for this issue. I callled SFC today & they have no item #. Also odd Postnord still doesn’t have their Bergman stamps listed.Maybe the don’t offer Pre-sales. I would think this would be a big deal in Sweden

    • That’s because there is not yet an announcement of a U.S. first day ceremony – if any! At this time, the USPS is not planning any ceremony on August 20th (the first day of issue) and has not yet set a date for its own ceremony. Personally, if it is much later than the 20th or 21st, I won’t consider it a “first day” ceremony, but just another “dedication” ceremony.

  7. From what I can see not many of the Legends of Hollywood have had Ceremny Programs?

  8. USPS: “The stamp will be issued jointly by the Postal Service and Sweden Post and go on sale Aug. 20. Special ceremonies will be held later.” And “Forever Stamp to be Dedicated Aug. 20 in Sweden”. So it seems there will not be a First Day Ceremony in USA because it is to be dedicated in Sweden, therefore possibly no USPS FD Ceremony Program.

  9. As I suspected, Sweden is issuing a s/s of Ingrid Bergman along with the announced FDC and two coil stamps.

  10. How do you get the Swedish cancellation for the joint issue? Will there be a different location for the joint issue first day covers for cancellations? I have not seen any information re: that.

    Thank you.
    Greg

    • After purchasing and affixing the Swedish stamps to your covers, you would submit them to the same address as for the U.S. stamps. It would probably be a good idea to make it clear that you want the Swedish cancel on those stamps, and where you want it placed.

  11. Here’s to a terrific send-off for the Ingrid Bergman Stamp…better than Elvis,
    one dearly hopes!
    Now, for the next Hollywood Legend, the 20th in this wonderful series.
    My vote is for the great Van Johnson whose 100th Birthday will be on
    August 25, 2016. Van deserves this honor over any other MGM star of
    his era. He kept the studio solvent, as his popularity helped save
    Louis B. Mayer and Co.,and he was dubbed “the most adored male
    in the United States” by LIFE Magazine. Millions of his fans are still
    around, and a USPO Stamp in his honor should be issued, without
    question!

  12. Another Ceremony and cancel for the Ingrid Bergman stamp has been shown in the Pictorial and Digital Color postmark section of the 20 AUG postal bulletin. (see pg 61)
    It seems there will be a ceremony on 9 SEP 2015 in Washington DC.
    More info ?

    • I called the folks at Kansas City and pointed out the ‘Double Cancel announcement’. Her reply is:

      “So I found out that the FDC you would receive is the one on page 60 of the postal bulletin. The pictures on page 61 are the ones where you affix a stamp on the envelope and send it to the address listed to receive that cancel. Hope that helps you!

      Thank you,

      Tanya Letuli
      Customer Service
      United States Postal Service
      Stamp Fulfillment Services”

      Are you still confused?

      • RE Postal Bulletin 03 SEP 2015
        The SEP 09 PIC and DCP for Ingrid Bergman were in error and are not for sale.
        Also, the re-announcement (Postal Bulletin 03 SEP 2015 Pg 35
        of the PIC is also in error. (No Snap-boards in Washington DC)
        The only two cancellations are in Hollywood and Sweden.

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