{"product_id":"forever-stamps-2016-botanical-art-flower-illustration-collection-first-class-postage","title":"Botanical Art 2016 Forever Stamps — Imperforate Booklet of 20","description":"\u003ch2\u003eIssue facts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIssued: January 29, 2016\u003cbr\u003eFirst Day City: Atlanta, GA\u003cbr\u003eType of Stamp: Definitive (Imperforate)\u003cbr\u003ePrinted by: Ashton Potter\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Double-sided booklet of 20\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBotanical art and the seed catalog\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoughly 1,800 botanical gardens exist worldwide today, from small specialist plots to campuses holding thousands of species. The illustration tradition that grew up alongside them has been serving gardening catalogs and magazines for more than two centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Landreth founded the first mail-order seed catalog in 1784. His reputation spread quickly enough that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson became customers. He introduced the zinnia to the United States in 1798, followed by the first genuinely white potato and then the tomato, and in 1832 he launched the country's first floral and horticultural magazine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy the covers mattered\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeed companies and catalogs multiplied through the 19th century. Industrialization gave many Americans both convenience and leisure, elaborate flower gardens came into fashion, and the catalog cover became the place to sell a new variety.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe W. Atlee Burpee Company was particularly good at it — well-executed cover art generated demand for each season's introductions, and sales followed. Competitors adopted the approach, and a number of firms still prefer painted covers to photography.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Forever Stamp Center","offers":[{"title":"100 Stamps (5 Books)","offer_id":47100622307527,"sku":"ST16-A9-5","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"300 Stamps (15 Books)","offer_id":47100622340295,"sku":"ST16-A9-15","price":54.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"500 Stamps (25 Books)","offer_id":47100622373063,"sku":"ST16-A9-25","price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1000 Stamps (50 Books)","offer_id":47100622405831,"sku":"ST16-A9-50","price":149.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"5000 Stamps (250 Books)","offer_id":47100622438599,"sku":"ST16-A9-250","price":699.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/6250\/4647\/files\/70008152-6E75-D223-36B3-0E11DDDF8B9D-1-1-800x800_8c9bbc26-3e09-4770-a6a1-e7fc62b5e754.jpg?v=1788604305","url":"https:\/\/www.foreverstampcenter.com\/products\/forever-stamps-2016-botanical-art-flower-illustration-collection-first-class-postage","provider":"center","version":"1.0","type":"link"}