Golden Moments: A Collection of United States 1984 Commemorative Olympic Issues

Washington, DC: United States Postal Service, 1984. Hardcover. Wide 4to. Blue leatherette spine and blue cloth with gilt lettering and decoration, pictorial dust jacket. 76pp. Numerous color illustrations. Fine/near fine. A superb, tight first edition of what's really a study of "Paintings and 1984 Olympic postal designs by Robert Peak" -- Peak (1927-92) being the famed and prolific artist/illustrator responsible for a large number of iconic film posters, memorable national magazine covers -- and postage stamps. This copy bears (affixed to front and rear pastedowns, as intended) the clear sleeves displaying a set of his Olympic stamps and postal cards -- AND best of all this copy has been extra-illustrated with autograph items from four of these athletes profiled and depicted in Peak paintings. In order: Page 20 bears a fine heavy stock 5" X 3" card boldly signed "Parry O'Brien / May 13, 1985" in blue ballpoint affixed to lower left corner of the full-page illustration of this gold medal-winning shot put champion (1932-2007); page 64 bears a similar card boldly signed "4-27-85 / Eric Heiden" in blue ballpoint affixed to upper left corner of the full-page illustration of the famed speed skater (born 1958); page 66 bears a fine 3½" X 5½" glossy photograph of Christopher Dean (born 1958) and Jayne Torvill (born 1957) in costumed pose affixed to lower left corner of the full-page illustration, signed boldly by the renowned ice dancing team on the blank lower margin in black fineline; and lastly page 69 bears a fine heavy stock 5" X 3" card boldly signed "2.2.88 / Herb Brooks" (1937-2003) in blue fineline affixed to lower right corner of the full-page illustration of this coach's legendary hockey team. Original transmittal envelopes of all four extra-illustrations are laid in. A unique copy.