vintage and contemporary postcards and stamps from around the world


30 September 2018

Sunday Stamps - G

1948, Gambia

Celebrating the Royal Silver Wedding of George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
The Republic of The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa and is surrounded almost entirely by Senegal with a coastline in the Atlantic. It is a long, narrow country that borders the Gambia River. It lies between latitudes 13° and 14°N and longitudes 13° and 17°W. It's only one of two countries whose short form of its name begins with 'The'.

for the letter G - Gambia, George VI


23 September 2018

Sunday Stamps - F

2018    France    Métiers d'art
designer: Florence Gendre
engraving: Pierre Albuisson

Another in France's series of stamps devoted to crafts, this one celebrating leather goods (maroquinier).

For the letter F - France



16 September 2018

Sunday Stamps - 'E'

2011, Estonia, Folk Costumes
designer: Mari Kaarma

Over the past 20 years, the tiny country of Estonia puts out an excellent, and exhaustive, array of stamps for folk costumes of its various regions.  these are all done by Mari Kaarma, whose mother was a fashion designer and his father a furniture designer.

for the letter E - Estonia

(I am still away on holidays, so please excuse my absence to your posts until I return next week!)

09 September 2018

Sunday Stamps - D

1987, Djbouti

These are also known as parasol mushrooms and are found in all kinds of wooded areas with subspecies in Europe, Asia, North and South America, and Africa. Apparently it is very tasty. But, only the caps are edible.

for the letter D - Djbouti


02 September 2018

Sunday Stamps C

2014, Czech Republic, My Own Stamps 
Z = international rate
designers:  Jaroslav and  Michal Weigel

Jara Cimrman ... creator of the world's first round stamp 
according to Ceska Post:
As a teacher in the Galician village of Nipple, Jara Cimrman met a local postmaster's daughter, Erika, T. who soon became his girlfriend and also the recorder of his ideas and principles.  We know from Erika T's records that Jara Cimrman presented to the Austrian Imperial and Royal Post Office his plan of using field artillery for delivery of express mail.  This innovative plan had the benefit of delivery within seconds to a given address.  The disadvantage was that it also reduced the number of addresses.  The plan was cancelled at the request of the Galician people. Inspired by the round postmark, Cimrman also designed a round postage stamp for these express consignments.

This is obviously not true as Jara Cimrman is a fictional character who spent his life in tireless pursuit of many disciplines. He is described as a "universal genius, inventor, sportsman, philosopher, criminologist, writer and philosopher". He first made an appearance on a radio show in 1966 and  became an immensely popular Czech national hero.
His wikipedia page (which records some of his exploits) is here

for the letter C - Czech Republic, Cimrman