Folk Costumes

Every three years the Nordic postal services issue Nordic stamps with a common theme. In 1989 Nordic stamps eighth in succession and the theme was “Folk Costumes”. The Norwegian stamps on this First Day Cover issued on 20.4.1989 feature a woman’s and a man’s costume. The woman’s costume is from Setesdal. This is an embroidered, richly adorned with silver costume. The costume has two skirts – ablack one worn over a white one. The headgear is a black woolen kerchief with a printed pattern of roses.

The man is wearing a Kautokeino costume. The cap belonging to this costume has a star shaped crown. Both the cap and the smock-type jacket are decorated with brightly coloured ribbons. The skirt of the jacket is pleated and the jacket is worn with a colourful leather belt.
The postmark represents the tongue of a shoe belonging to a folk costume from Hardanger, while the illustration on the cover depicts a brooch made by Frisenberg of Lillehammer in traditional Gudbrandsdal style. Merja gave me this pretty FDC.