Stamps on Screen: Frasier

Close your eyes.

Wait, can you still read this? Open them! Open your eyes.

Alright, don’t close your eyes. But before you read any farther, take a pause and name the top female TV fashion icons of the ‘90s.

You probably remember “the Rachel,” the hairstyle worn by every barista inspired by Jennifer Anniston’s character on “Friends”. Or how about the floppy hats and eclectic wardrobe of Blossom? Personally, I was influenced by MTV’s animated Daria Morgandorfer. (Perhaps a little too influenced, but I digress.) You may be thinking of characters from “Saved by the Bell,” “The Fresh Prince,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” or “In Living Color”. 

But when you think of the height of hip and cool fashion choices, did “Frasier” come to mind?

In the 20th century, sending and receiving mail were ubiquitous parts of life. So, it’s no wonder that letters, stamps, postal employees, and a variety of jokes at the post office’s expense appeared on television over the years. In this post of my ongoing series, Stamps on Screen™, I’d like to look a little closer at one outfit worn by an underrated ‘90s fashionista, Daphne Moon.

Who was Daphne Moon?

Following his divorce, “Cheers” regular character and eminent psychiatrist Frasier Crane moves back to his hometown of Seattle. (That is to say, following the end of “Cheers,” actor Kelsey Grammer got a spinoff.) Frasier now hosts a successful talk radio call-in show, but his bachelor lifestyle is interrupted when his injured father has to move in with him. A hard nosed, retired cop, Martin Crane resists any attempt at hiring a physical therapist until he meets the very quirky, very British, and possibly psychic Daphne Moon.

Daphne serves a number of roles in the Crane household. Primarily, she offers live-in care to Martin. But she’s regularly seen managing meals, folding laundry, walking Eddie the dog, and offering eccentric anecdotes about his past in Manchester, England. Oh, and Frasier’s brother Niles (also pictured above) is hopelessly in love with her from first sight.

What did she wear?

“Frasier’s” wardrobe team gave Daphne a typical look for a young woman in the ‘90s—dark floral prints, scrunchies, and bangs. Lots of bangs. But on episode six of season two, “The Botched Language of Cranes,” one outfit admittedly caught my attention. In two scenes at Frasier’s condo, Daphne wears an open vest decorated with oversized stamps. 

The woven fabric design (and probably the quality of my TV) make it hard to see some of the stamps clearly. But others were easy to discern. Here are a few that I recognized:

The Machin

Of course, one of the most prominent images on this British character’s vest should be the most recognizable British stamp. Located under Daphne’s folded arms in the topmost image is a British definitive stamp—possibly THE definitive British stamp—known by many simply as “the Machin”. Based on a 1964 effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, this long-running stamp series began in 1967. (Presumably, the series will end once stamps are issued for His Majesty King Charles III on May 6, 2023. But the proposed stamps of the new monarch are listed as commemoratives and not definitives, so … I’m not sure how things work on the other side of the pond.) Understandably, Machins have evolved over the decades, notably changing denominations when Britain moved to decimalization in the 1970s. According to one source, more than 320 billion Machin stamps have been issued over the years.

Apollo 8

Another iconic stamp, this time from the U.S., is this Apollo 8 commemorative issue. In 1968, NASA launched astronauts to the moon and back for the first time. The Apollo 8 capsule rounded the moon on Christmas Eve, and to celebrate the occasion, “the astronauts on board read the first ten lines of the Book of Genesis to a massive worldwide television audience.” Both a technical feat for spacefaring and for television broadcasting, the moment was immortalized in this stamp issued on May 5, 1969. The stamp depicts the astronauts’ view of the moon’s surface with a waning Earth in the background. The words “In the beginning God …” represent the passage read during the mission.

Albert Einstein

Correct me if I’m wrong, but it looks to me like on each of Daphne’s shoulders is a copy of this Einstein stamp. Albert Einstein was famously one of the greatest scientific minds of the early 20th century, redefining our understanding of spacetime with his theories of general and special relativity. During World War II while in the U.S., Einstein renounced his German citizenship in order to stay stateside and escape Nazi persecution. After the war, Einstein was one of the leading figures in the World Government Movement. This one-color stamp was issued in 1966, 11 years after his death, as part of the Prominent Americans stamp series. 

Italian Castles

Lastly for the purposes of this post, I spot a partial stamp from the long-running Italian castle issue. This definitive set contains upwards of 52 different castle designs. Issues started in September 1980 and ran well into the 1990s until the “Women through Art” series began in 1998. Since I can’t be sure which of the 47 stamps appeared on her vest, I’ve chosen to highlight Castello di Rocca Sinibalda. Located 75 km northeast of Rome, this fortress traces its history back to the year 1084, though much of what we see today was designed by the Renaissance architect Baldassarre Peruzzi. Today, you can visit and stay at the castle, enjoy horseback riding, and of course, partake in sun kissed local wines.

What do you think? Are you a fan of “Frasier”? Do you recognize more stamps on Daphne’s vest? Let me know your thoughts!