Malaysia - Pets

Thank you Budin For this lovely FDC about pets. Malaysia issued these nice stamps on 18.01.2011.

Year of the Rabbit 14.1.2011

France issued this stamp and FDC on 14.01.2011 to usher in the Year of the Rabbit. 

Eric sent me this lovely cover.

Composers 22.1.2011

The Cyprus Post has issued a series of three stamps commemorating the most famous composers of the 18th century: Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 -1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 -1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is considered to have been the most crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.

Merja sent me this wonderful First Day Cover.

Owls 4.9.1998

This First Day cover from Finland was issued on Sept. 4, 1998, showing owls was given to me by Ella. In Finland there are eleven different types of owls. Owls have been around for millions of years, and many myths have been told about them. Some people believe owls are wise while others believe they are messengers of death or just plain evil. Owl Myths and Superstitions from around the World. There are five stamps on the minature sheet showing different types of owls. These are the Bubo bubo - Eurasian Eagle Owl, wing of Bubo bubo; Aegolius funereus - Boreal Owl (juvenile); Strix nebulosa - Great Gray Owl and Nyctea scandiaca (now called Bubo scandiacus) - Snowy Owl. Owls are considered as both wise and possibly messengers of death. There are many myths surrounding owls in various parts of the world. These are :-

France: When a pregnant woman hears an Owl, it is an omen that her child will be a girl.
Germany: If an Owl hoots as a child is born, the infant will have an unhappy life.
Scotland: It's bad luck to see an Owl in daylight.
Australia: Aborigines believe bats represent the souls of men and Owls the souls of women. Owls are therefore sacred, because your sister is an Owl - and the Owl is your sister.
Croatia: The Owl is a symbol of City of Krk on the island of Krk, and is also protector of the island of Solta, where it is called "cuvitar".
Malawi: The Owl carries messages for witches.
Belgium: Legend has it that a priest offered the Owl his church tower to live in if the bird would get rid of the rats and mice that plagued his church.
Aztecs: One of their evil gods wore a Screech Owl on his head.
Arctic Circle: A little girl was turned into a bird with a long beak by magic, but was so frightened she flapped about madly and flew into a wall, flattening her face and beak. So the Owl was created.

Azerbaijan – Polar Bears

Azerbaijan Postal Department issued these pretty stamps on the displayed minisheet in 2007 to popularize the Polar bear named Knut. Knut (born 5 December 2006) is a polar bear who was born in captivity at the Zoologischer Garten Berlin. Rejected by his mother at birth, he was raised by zookeepers. He was the first polar bear cub to survive past infancy at the Berlin Zoo in more than thirty years. When Knut was born, he was no bigger than a snowball and unable to care for himself. His mother didn't know how to take care of Knut and rejected him. Knut would have died if it weren't for Thomas Dorflein, a zookeeper who nurtured Knut and gave him the love and attention he needed to thrive. The adorable little polar bear captured the world's attention, and now Knut is loved around the globe. At one time the subject of international controversy, he became a tourist attraction and commercial success. After the German tabloid newspaper Bild ran a quote from an animal rights activist that seemingly called for the death of the young cub, fans worldwide rallied in support of his being hand-raised by humans. Children protested outside the zoo, and e-mails and letters expressing sympathy for the cub's life were sent from around the world.

Knut became the centre of a mass media phenomenon dubbed "Knutmania" that spanned the globe and spawned toys, media specials, DVDs, and books. Because of this, the cub was largely responsible for a significant increase in revenue, estimated at about five million euros, at the Berlin Zoo in 2007 Zoo attendance figures for the year increased by an estimated 30 percent, making it the most profitable year in its 163-year history.

Mauritius - Fish

The Postal Services of Mauritius issued a set of 12 definitive postage stamps on Fishes of Mauritius to replace the definitive set on the Protection of the Environment. The set comprises stamps of the 50cs, Re1, Rs2, Rs3, Rs4, Rs5, Rs6, Rs7, Rs8, Rs10, Rs15 and Rs25 denominations. For this issue, the philatelic products consist of 3 sets of First Day Covers with 4 stamps each, 3 Souvenir Sheets with 4 stamps each and Souvenir Sheets on 3 First Day Covers. I am showing only one of these FDCs issued on 9.10.2000. These fishes with the exception of some species are found throughout the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Canada - Walter Joseph Phillips

Hemant sent me this lovely First Day Cover. The stamp on the cover is about the famous painting York Boat on Lake Winnipeg (1930) by Walter Joseph Phillips (October 25, 1884 – July 5, 1963). WJ Phillips was an English-born Canadian painter and woodcutter, acclaimed as one of Canada's most famous printmakers and for popularizing the colour woodcut in the style of the Japanese. Phillips was born in Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, England. As a youth, he studied at the Birmingham School of Art. After studying abroad in South Africa and Paris, he worked as a commercial artist in England. In June 1913 he moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he lived for more than 28 years. Phillips died in Victoria, British Columbia, in 1963. Phillips is famous for his woodcuts and watercolour sketches. His artistic career spanned from the 1900s through the 1940s, during which time his work was exhibited throughout North America and Great Britain. Common subjects for Phillips included the lakes of Manitoba—York Boat on Lake Winnipeg (1930)

is a well-known print—the prairies, and in his later years, the Rocky Mountains, where his ashes were scattered. In 1940 he was asked to become a resident artist at the Banff Centre, then known as the Banff School of Fine Arts, where he played an important role in the development of their visual arts program. Its Walter Phillips Gallery, which focuses on contemporary art, is named after him. The Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta holds an extensive collection of Phillips works and a research archive.

Finland – 250th Anniversary 19.9.1949

The stamp on this cover was issued on 19.09.1946 to mark the 250^th Anniversary of the Finnish Pilotage service. In September 1696 King Charles of Sweded signed an ordinance of pilotage, which combined Southern Finland with the Swedish Pilotage Organisation. A bit of history at this point won’t be out of place. Finland was historically a part of Sweden, and from 1809 onwards, an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire.Finland was declared independent from Russia in 1917. “Sweden – Finland” is an outdated Finnish term referring to the Swedish Kingdom from the Kalmar Union to the Napoleopnic wars, or the period from the 14^th to the 18^th Century.

The first lighthouse in Finland was built on Utö in 1753. The round lighthouse building was blown up during the Swedish - Russian war of 1808 - 1809. The present lighthouse was built in 1814 under the supervision of Chief Pilot Gustav Brodd. The lantern and the lights have been modernized several times. Utö was also attacked during the First World War. This time it was battleships from the Imperial German navy that attacked Utö in 1915. Among the casualties were one telegraphist and two wounded gunners. The present lens was installed in 1906. At the entrance to the lighthouse there are two memorial plaques. One of them is in memory of the battleship ´Ilmarinen´, which in 1941 ran into a Soviet mine outside Utö and sank. The other describes the attack of the Soviet army on the Utö fort in the beginning of the Winter War in 1939. The Utö fort held out against two Soviet battleships. One of them presumably sank. Brita very kindly sent me this historical cover.

Anorthosis Famagusta 28.1.2011

Centenary of the founding of Anorthosis Famagusta Athletic and Cultural Club. Anorthosis was established in Ammochostos in 1911 and this year it celebrates 100 years of historic, sporting and cultural achievement. It was and continues to be a beacon of progress and a contributor to the Cyprus community and in particular the national issue. It takes a leading role and has assisted in encouraging sports through the various team sections it operates. The Anorthosis Association displacement due to the Turkish invasion in 1974 did not put an end to its brilliant course; from its temporary base in Larnaka, it has succeeded in progressing in sport gaining an international reputation. Therefore, Anorthosis is undoubtedly an unyielding ambassador of Cyprus. Its main vision remains its return to its ancestral land. Thank you Merja for this topical fdc.

The Spring of life 24.1.2011

The Spring of life is a set of five light and delicate stamps. This cover has a miniature sheet of the stamps on it. These were issued on 24.1.2011. The little birds trill in the shelter of thick bushes. Big flowers drawn with a light green line make the impression of the Asian art. The designer Pietari Posti, born in Helsinki, and works in Barcelona. Ella gave this fine FDC and the lovely maxicard to me.

Malaysia - Sultan of Pahang

This striking FDC was sent to me by my friend Budin. It is about the traditional ruler of Pahang which is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea. Its state capital is Kuantan, and the royal seat is at Pekan. Other important towns include Jerantut, Kuala Lipis, Temerloh and the hill resorts of Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands, Bukit Tinggi and Fraser's Hill. The Arabic honorific of Pahang is Darul Makmur ("Abode of Tranquility"). The ethnic composition is roughly 1,000,000 Malay and Bumiputra, 233,000 Chinese, 68,500 Indians, 13,700 others, and 68,000 non-citizens.

The Sultan of Pahang is the constitutional ruler of his state and he holds office for life. The 1959 constitution states that the Sultan is " the fountain head of justice and of all authority of government " in the state. He is vested with the executive power of the state, is the Head of the Religion of Islam in the state and the source of all titles and dignities, honours and awards in the state. Since 1974, the Sultan or hereditary monarch has been Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah.

France – Madame Curie 27.1.2011

Marie Skłodowska Curie (7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was a Polish-born French physicist and chemist famous for her work on radioactivity. She was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity and the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry. She was also the first female professor at the University of Paris. She was born Maria Skłodowska in Warsaw (then in Vistula Land, Russian Empire; now in Poland) and lived there until she was twenty-four. In 1891, she followed her older sister Bronisława to study in Paris, where she obtained her higher degrees and conducted her subsequent scientific work. She founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and Warsaw. Her husband Pierre Curie shared her Nobel prize in physics. Her daughter Irène Joliot-Curie and son-in-law, Frédéric Joliot-Curie, also shared a Nobel prize. She was the sole winner of the 1911 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and she is the only woman to win the award in two different fields. Her achievements include the creation of a theory of radioactivity (a term she coined), techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes, and the discovery of two new elements, polonium and radium. Under her direction, the world's first studies were conducted into the treatment of neoplasms (cancers) using radioactive isotopes. While an actively loyal French citizen, she never lost her sense of Polish identity. She named the first new chemical element that she discovered polonium (1898) for her native country, and in 1932 she founded a Radium Institute (now the Maria Skłodowska–Curie Institute of Oncology) in her home town, Warsaw, headed by her physician sister Bronisława. This nice FDC was given to me by Eric.

Lithuania – Christmas stamps

Lithuania Post issued this nice folder with Christmas stamps issued from 1994 to 2002. I was lucky to get this from Raimonda. Also displayed are the pretty stamps on the cover in which this folder was sent by Raimonda.

USA - 50th Anniversary of Transpacific Airmail Service

It was 76 years ago today that Pan Am inaugurated Trans-Pacific airmail, carried on its first flight by the flying boat the China Clipper. The flight started from San Francisco, California and had a final destination of Manila, Philippines. The 8,000-plus mile flight, including stops in Guam, Hawaii and others took approximately 60 hours. Postage was paid by a new 25-cent airmail stamp.

This first day cover and stamps were issued on February 15, 1985, at San Francisco, California to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Martin M-130 Flying Boat’s, First Transpacific Airmail Flight. The 44c stamps show mail being loaded into the “China Clipper”). United States Commemorative Airmail Postage Stamp 50th Anniversary of Transpacific Airmail Service, China Clipper was designed By Glenn L. Martin. Thanks to Hemant, I could show you this nice cover.

Finland – Finlandia 88

This FDC of Finlandia 88 was issued in 1987 and is the third in the Finlandia 88 series. This miniature sheet as the ones in 1985, 1986 and 1988 were issued to support the World Stamp Exhibition. The stamps show the railway engine Lemminkainen. It was the engine used on 31^st January 1862 when the famous Helsinki – Hameenlinna line was inaugurated. Transporting mail started on this route in April 1862. The map shows the Finnish rail network in 1870 and in 1987. Incidentally, Hämeenlinna is the oldest railway station in Finland. The orgininal station building, designed by the architect Carl Albert Edelfelt, was destroyed during the Finnish Civil War in 1918. The current red brick station building was designed by Thure Hellström and completed in 1921. Hämeenlinna is located about halfway between Helsinki and Tampere. Ella sent me this wonderful cover.

Christmas Stamps 12.11.2009

Cyprus issued these nice stamps to herald in Christmas in 2009. Maria sent me these FDCs.

USA – World Stamp Expo’89

This FDC is very topical considering that INDIPEX2011 is going to start from the 12^th of February 2011. The 20th congress of the Universal Postal Union was held in Washington D.C. from 17 November till 3 December 1989. Coinciding with the congress a special stamp exhibition, World Stamp Expo '89, was held. During the congress a number of decisions were taken, including the adoption of the fourth additional protocol to the Constitution of the Universal Postal Union.

World Stamp Expo '89, the first international philatelic exhibition directly sponsored by the US Postal Service in its 214-year history, took place November 17-20 and November 24-December 3. It was held in conjunction with the 20th Congress of the Universal Postal Union. After George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln has appeared more often on US postage stamps than any other person. The portrait reproduced on this sheet appeared on the first Lincoln stamp issued April 15, 1866, the first anniversary of this death. Based on an 1861 photograph of the president, the 1866 stamp was framed in black and was generally known as a mourning stamp. This wonderful cover was given to me by Hemant.

Branches of Friendship

Branches of Friendship. These colourful peculiar birds are sleeping on their own branches. Make them take wings - send some postcards to friends with these stamps or put the whole sheet into an envelope and make your friend happy. Happy Valentine's Day! A miniature sheet entitled "Branches of Friendship" was released on 24.1.2011 to celebrate Valentine's Day - known as Friend's Day in Finland. The stamps, illustrated by Janne Harju, show an adorable flock of friends in their colourful nests. This delightful First Day Cover was sent by Ella.

Jersey – Ship Building

During the second half of the 12^th century the Channel Islands grew in importance as a stopping off point for travellers between the Plantagenet possessions in England and Aquitaine. As trade increased the islands would have been used by all sorts of merchant shipping. It was during this time that ships in northern waters began to adopt the stern hung rudder, and the old fashioned steering board gradually disappeared. Ships continued to be clinker-built, that is with overlapping planks, as opposed to the more Mediterranean influenced carvel-built tradition of end-on-end planking. It is also about the end of the 12^th century that the compass made its appearance although most mariners still followed the old practices of observation. The ships still tended to stay within sight of land which meant that most shipping between England and Gascony would have passed within sight of the Channel Islands and many would have stopped off especially in St Peter Port with its sheltered, deepwater anchorage.

The miniature sheet shows a few of the important ships that were constructed in Jersey. Merja sent me this MS.

Percy Douglas, a three-masted ship named after Major General Sir Robert Percy Douglas, then Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. Although the Percy Douglas was built in Beaumont, Jersey by Edward Allen, it was registered in Liverpool to Thomas Hayley to whom the ship was awarded when Edward Allen went bankrupt. Registered as 781 tons and launched on 8 August 1861, the Percy Douglas worked the China routes until 14 December 1871 when it was finally wrecked after running aground off Rangoon, India.

Gemini, a three-masted barque built by Daniel Le Vesconte of First Tower for Messrs. Deslandes and Pallot. The Gemini was registered as 430 tons and launched on 7 May 1864, making voyages to China, South America, the West Indies and New York. Records indicate that the crew was paid 2.5 pounds per month and the mate received no less than 5 pounds. She was eventually broken up in Singapore in 1880 after being declared unseaworthy. However, some experts believe that after a name change, it sailed for many more years.
Tickler. This two masted schooner was built in Jersey in 1858 for the Le Boutilier Company. The Tickler with a weight of 93 tons, measured 93 feet long, had a beam of 19 feet and drew some 10 feet of water. She plied the trade routes of northern Europe and the Mediterranean, with occasional voyages to Newfoundland. After ten years in service, the Tickler was mortgaged with the Jersey Joint Stock Bank and was subsequently sold to Charles Robin and Company. Some three years later Robin and Company, a principal ship owning company on the island took control of the Tickler. Because of financial difficulties the schooner, along with other vessels, was sold to France in 1888. She was last mentioned in the Lloyd’s List in 1864.
The Hebe was built by Daniel Le Vesconte of First Tower and owned by the Le Boutilier Company. This brig, launched in January 1861, weighed 236 tons, measured 119 feet long with a beam of 24 feet and had a draft of 13 feet. She plied her trade on the North Sea and the North Atlantic. She was also used to ferry emigrant workers from Europe to Canada. She was wrecked in October 1887 on Bryon Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. And by the way, Hebe was the daughter of Hera and Zeus and the sister of Ares and Eleithyia. She is the goddess of youthful beauty and the cupbearer of the Olympus, later to be replaced by Ganymedes. She married Herakles after he won immortality.

Moomins 7.5.2003

Further to the last Moomin post yesterday, today I give you another Moomin FDC. It was issued on 7.5.2003. This lovely cover was given to me by Brita.

Finland – The Moomins 6.5.2009

The FDC and the booklet of Moomin character stamps were issued on 6.5.2009. The pictures on the stamps are sketches by Tove Jansson. The original sketches are in Moominvalley, in the Tampere Art Museum. The Moomins are the central characters in a series of books and a comic strip by Swedish-Finn illustrator and writer Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish by Schildts in Finland. They are a family of trolls who are white and roundish, with large snouts that make them resemble hippopotamuses. The carefree and adventurous family live in their house in Moominvalley, in the forests of Finland. In the past their temporary residences have included a lighthouse and a theatre. They have many adventures along with their various friends. In all, nine books were released in the series, with five picture books and a comic strip being released between 1945 and 1993. The Moomins have since been the basis for numerous television series, films and even a theme park called Moomin World in Naantali, Finland. Ella sent this lovely cover to me.

The Finnish flag 24.1.2011

The Finnish flag - the Blue Cross flag is a very popular motif in Finnish stamps. Now the second class gets its own flag, traditional, but living: the flag is embossed a little bit.

On the sheet there are ten self-adhesive stamps. Thanks Ella.

Cyprus – 50 th Anniversary of The European Court of Human Rights 12.11.2009

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court, established by the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides legal recourse of last resort for individuals who feel that their human rights have been violated by a contracting party to the Convention. Application before the court can also be brought by other contracting parties. The Convention was adopted under the auspices of the Council of Europe, all 47 of whose member states are parties to the Convention. This First Day Cover and the stamp was issued by Cyprus to commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of the Organisation. This lovely card was sent to me by Maria. This FDC came in a cover with some pretty Cypriot stamps which are also being displayed.

Finland – Mailboxes

Five stamps - five different kind of mailboxes typical for Finns. They might be self-made, designed after their own houses or personalized in an other way. Material is as important as the colour. The self-adhesive stamps are issued in the coil of hundred but are sold as well as a strip of five. They were also issued on 24.1.2011 Aren't the First Day Cover and the Maxi Card superb? Thanks Ella.

Cyprus – Joint Issue

The Cypriot and Romanian Postal Services issued a common commemorative series of postage stamps with a common theme "Viticulture". For the uninitiated Viticulture is the study of the science of growing grapes, with the ones used to produce wine being the primary focus. It includes the study of vine selection, irrigation styles, planting techniques, pest and disease management, optimal harvesting and more. Anything that can possibly happen to the grape before the wine making process begins is included in viticulture. Every aspect of growing grapes has a large impact on the quality of the finished wine. People who are involved with viticulture are called viticulturalists, and usually work closely with vineyards and grape growers to ensure the finest grapes, which will in turn create the best possible finished wine. Merja sent me this miniature sheet.

The vine has been known since ancient times. According to ancient Greek mythology, Ambelos was God Dionysus' beloved friend. When Ambelos died, Dionysus asked Zeus to transform him into a beautiful vineyard with sweet fruit, the grapes. Viticulture has flourished in the Mediterranean basin since the dawn of historical times, because in Mediterranean countries, the climate and the soil both provide ideal conditions for vineyards to thrive. In Cyprus, the earliest evidence of the existence of wild grapes came to light during the archaeological excavations at the Neolithic site of Vrisi - Ayios Epiktitos, which dates back to 4500-3900 B.C. According to other archaeological finds, the cultivation of grapevines started during the early 2nd millennium B.C. and viticulture as well as wine making have been the main activities of the Cypriots since immemorial times. The importance of viticulture does not merely lie in the production of the raw material, which is necessary for wine making. Viticulture allows the development of mainly barren, rocky, sloping lands in mountainous and semi-mountainous areas, thus contributing to the conservation of the landscape, preventing soil erosion, guaranteeing at the same time human presence in disadvantages rural areas. In Cyprus, each area cultivates specific types of grapes (mavro, xynisteri, malaga, maratheftiko, etc.) from which local wines are produced. There are also wines produced from particular grape mixtures or wines made from new imported varieties of grapes. Sorry guys no more; I am rushing off to get myself a new bottle of the finest …………

Finland – New stamps

Also on January 24, two stamps in the shape of a plus sign, each with a different value were issued; these can be used to increase the value of previously purchased stamps if necessary. The themes of the stamps illustrated by Teemu Ollikainen and Timo Berry are a birch bud (0.20) and a birch leaf (0.30).

From 1st February, will start a New letter sending policy: Because of this new policy Itella needed new 2^nd class stamps. That’s why Itella issued so many new stamps on the same day. As of February, all letters, papers, packages and direct advertisements delivered by Posti will be carbon neutral. This is said to be ‘first in the world’. All deliveries are carbon-neutral - for the first time in the world. This feature will be automatically included in all products without any extra charges for customers. The first step towards carbon neutrality is the active reduction of CO2 emissions of mail deliveries through measures taken by Itella. Taking part in climate projects that replace the use of fossil fuels and produce renewable energy through wind or biogas compensates the remaining emissions. Thank you Ella for this FDC.