Howard Koslow (American, 1924 - 2016) "Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands" Signed lower left. Acrylic on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the 29c Northern Mariana Islands stamp issued November 4, 1993. Situated 1,500 miles east of the Philippines and 1,400 miles southeast of Japan, lies the Pacific archipelago known as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Comprised of 14 separate isles with white sandy beaches dotted with orange flame trees, this tropical setting is fast becoming a popular getaway for American tourists. Four of the most visited islands of the Northern Mariana group are Saipan, Tinian, Agrihan and Rota. On two of these islands, Tinian and Rota, spectacular examples of ancient latte stone architecture can be seen. Used to support the thatched homes of the Chamorro natives, rows of latte stone columns are ingeniously topped with large hemispherical capstones. Found only on the Northern Marianas and Guam, the fascinating latte stone construction is believed to have first appeared around 1180 -- a date determined by the radiocarbon dating of food processing tools located near the housing sites. Today, the Mariana Islands' latte stone remnants serve not only as tourist sites, but also as a link to an ancient culture. Image Size: 14 x 12 in. Overall Size: 19.75 x 18 in. Unframed. (B14423)