This stamp is the fourth issued in the new American Design series. The first three stamps in the series were American Toleware (2002), American Clock (2003), and Tiffany Lamp (2003). Reflecting the rich diversity of American design, the series showcases objects from various eras, regions, and ethnic cultures that combine utility with beauty and function with form.

The Chippendale Chair stamp features artist Lou Nolan's stylized treatment of a Chippendale chair with an elaborately carved back and cabriole, or curved, legs. The artist based his design on a Chippendale side chair, or chair without arms, made in Philadelphia between 1760 and 1765. The chair is part of the collection of decorative arts in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC. The colors Nolan used for the wood and seat cover give the stamp design a contemporary feel.