Over twelve hundred designs for the Red Cross Christmas Stamp were received in response to the circulars sent out announcing a competition. The general average of these far exceeded the most sanguine anticipations. A large proportion of the drawings were excellent in execution and in ingenuity of arrangement and a fair number were of distinct artistic merit. Many, which were commendable in design and technique, could not be considered because they were too elaborate and too full of detail to stand reduction from three inches to seven-eighths of an inch square. This dimension required simple masses and distinctness of lettering and especial prominence of the Red Cross itself.
Enlarged Design of Red Cross Christmas Stamp for 1909. Colors to be Red and Green.
The exhibition was a remarkable object lesson proving a wide-spread interest in decorative design and a high average of taste and skill in this direction.
At the request of the Red Cross the Fine Arts Federation of New York named the following jury to pass upon the drawings: Mr. F. D. Millet, Mr. C. Y. Turner and Mr. Paul Bartlett. After a long and careful study of the exhibition, the following awards were made: Mr. Carl Wingate, New York City, First Prize; Mr. Augusto Bissiri, South Framingham, Massachusetts, Second Prize; Miss Grace D. Gerow, Jersey City, New Jersey, Third Prize.
The following persons were awarded Honorable Mention: Miss Sara B. Hill, of New York City; Mr. William F. Rauchsnabel, San Francisco, Cal.; Mr. R. A. Dunn, Providence, R. I.; Mr. W. P. McDonald, Cincinnati, Ohio; Miss Mary W. Bonsall, Philadelphia, Pa.; Mr. John H. Zeh, Philadelphia, Pa.; Miss Maud H. Lanktree, Berkeley, Cal.; Mr. Joseph N. Pearce, Philadelphia, Pa.; Mr. Silvio Paini, Columbus, Ohio; Mr. William Von Zell, Indianapolis, Ind.
(Signed) F. D. MILLET,
For the Jury.
All the drawings were exhibited from May 19th to May 24th, inclusive, in the Hemicycle of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the use of which was kindly given by the Directors of that institution for the purpose, and a large number of people visited the exhibition. On the afternoon of the last day President Taft, who is also President of the Red Cross, examined the exhibition with great interest and attention and approved the choice made by the jury. A reproduction of the First Prize Design in the reduced size is given in the Bulletin. The October Bulletin will contain reproductions of all the designs selected by the jury for award and also a further account of the exhibitions in Wilmington and Philadelphia where the drawings were shown.