Sunday Stamps II - 40

issued August, 1959

Designed by artist Robert Foster with a modern oil derrick to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first commercial oil well drilled in the US (the Drake's Well). Despite intense lobbying by oil historians and the petroleum industry, this is the only commemorative oil stamp USPS has produced. In 1959, at the stamp's unveiling, the Postmaster General, Arthur Summerfield declared "The American people have great reason to be indebted to this industry. It has supplied most of the power that has made the American standard of living possible." Attitudes to the oil industry have changed greatly since those heady days.

for technology and industry

Fistral Beach

Published by the Proprietors, headland Hotel Co., Ltd.
Newquay, Cornwall

Headland Hotel was built in 1900 to the highest standards to be the finest hotel in South West England. Every floor had two washrooms for the gentlemen and two for the ladies. Every bedroom had a fireplace, hot and cold running water, electric light, and an electric service bell

Sunday Stamps II - 39

1977, joint issue Canada USA

The Peace Bridge crosses over Lake Erie at the mouth of the Niagara River and connects Fort Erie (Ontario) to Buffalo (NY). This is about 20km from Niagara Falls, and the fast moving current of the Niagara River posed a challenge to the building of the bridge. When it opened, it was the only road bridge on the Great Lakes from Niagara to Minnesota. 

Unusually for joint issues, these stamps are very different in design.

bridges

Elizabeth II

2012

cat circus

unsent, 1940s
Alfred Mainzer Cats

meet me at the tower

circa 1955

There's a new landmark at the "Ex". It's the Shell Oil Tower, whose gleaming glass walls and giant clock add a new feature to the skyline. An elevator is waiting to whisk you to the observation platform, far above the ground, where you can look down on the breathtaking spectacle of the greatest show on earth, the Canadian National Exhibition...look out over Metropolitan Toronto. here is a unique bird's eye view which makes a trip up the Shell Tower a must for every visitor to the Exhibition. You'll find the Shell tower straight through the Princes' Gates. make it a meeting place - get into the habit of saying to our friends "meet me at the Shell Oil Tower".

source: promotional flyer

After it was demolished in 1985 to make way for a car race, many people were lost as they left instructions to meet at a no longer standing tower. It is still missed.

Sunday Stamps II - 38

1976 surcharge

in 1976 the pula replaced the South African rand at par as official currency. This stamp for 1c (cent) has a 1t (thebe) overprint surcharge.
Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz and found in many parts of eastern Botswana.

a popular gemstone for rocks, gems, minerals

Grand Island

unused, date unknown

Both of these bridges were opened in 1935 and are operated by the New York State thruway. The bridges extend I-90 over the Niagara River to Grand Island from Niagara Falls to the north and from Tonawanda (a suburb of Buffalo) to the south. Grand Island is the largest island along the Niagara River. The North Bridge is 4,000' in length with the South Bridge slightly shorter, at 3,400'. The South Bridge is undeniably much prettier. In 1963 a nearly identical bridge was built alongside as a northbound span with the older bridge becoming a two lane southbound span.

a pair of bridges for Sepia Saturday

Sunday Stamps II - 37

issued 1969, one of a series of eight fish stamps
each of the stamps has the same shell border

The Moonfish, or Monodactylus argenteus, is a disc shaped silvery fish with a flattened body. They can reach as big as 11" (27cm). They are found in the Red Sea (and east coast of Africa) and seem to like fresh water tidal pools and inshore reefs where they are known to feed on insects, plant matter and detritus.

Sunday Stamps II - 36

issued 1990, the first of the lighthouse series
designed by Howard Kuslow and Howard Pain

Admiralty Head Lighthouse is found on Whidby Island and was in use from 1903 until 1922 when it was deactivated. Standing 120' above sea level, the  conical tower is 30' tall and has a Spanish style two-storey residence attached. The 18" brick walls are covered in stucco and was the last brick lighthouse designed by Carl Leick. It has been restored by the Washington State Parks and is open year round for visitors, tours, and special events (it is apparently popular for weddings).

Sunday Stamps II - 35

issued in 2011 for Travel in Taiwan under the theme of Celebrations/Greetings.
designed by Lin Hsiao-han
This is Kenting, 'a hot tourist destination in the summer. Lazily sunbathing under the blue sky or sitting under an umbrella is a perfect way to enjoy a hot summer day on the beach' (ChunghwaPost)
Kenting is a National Park, established in 1984 and is Taiwan's oldest and most southern national park. It is well known for its tropical climate and sunshine, scenic mountain and beach.

And by the time you read this I will be off to a beach (not one in Taiwan where it is monsoon season anyway) and will be offline for a few days. So I'll visit you all at your summer theme when we get back.

Sunday Stamps II - 34

issued October 2014

designed by Sami Saramäki to celebrate 'changes in everyday life', this particular set shows culinary culture and how eating habits have changed over the years to include fast foods (pizza) and imported foods (olives) to ethnic foods (sushi) along with the staples of potatoes, breads and fish and shrimp.  This is part of a series of stamps begun in 2013 for Finland's 100th anniversary of independence in 2017.

for food and drink

Sunday Stamps II - 33

This baby echidna stamp was issued in 2013 as part of Australia Post's Bush Babies II series and looks completely adorable in this illustration by Elise Martinson (who also illustrated the first Bush Babies series in 2011). The other stamps in the series show a kookaburra, possum, platypus and wombat (none of which I have)

below is the complete bush babies from Australia Post

for animals in the wild

in two weeks, you are encouraged to show off any stamps you have that make you think of summer. it may be as obvious as summer flowers, activities, or a holiday destination, or subtle like colours, or an author, or maybe planes/trains/automobiles/boats of summer travel. let your imagination free.

Statler

The Statler Hotels were founded by E. M. Statler, with the first one being built in Buffalo, New York (the first major hotel with running water and a private bath in every room). This card shows the second Hotel Statler that was built in 1923 and closed in 1984 although the ballrooms remained in use for catered events. It became the Statler Hilton in 1954 and some of the hotel rooms converted to offices by 1948 by the time WBEN Channel 4 had their television studios on the 18th floor. I seem to remember staying here as a child in the mid 60's and being excited that we were so close to the Saturday Night Dance Party that was still televised from the ballroom.  A failed renovation left the building abandonned and into bankruptcy and it might have been doomed for demolision had not a private developer took over in 2011 and it is now known as Statler City, a 'premier' wedding and event destination. 

an hotel illustration for Sepia Saturday

Sunday Stamps II - 32

 

Wild Orchids of Canada issued 27 April 1999 

for the (15th) World Orchid Conference held for the first time in Canada

The four stamp set was reissued in August 1999 marking the '99 World Philatelic Exhibition in Beijing

The stamps are from paintings by Poon-Kuen Chow (white background) 

and Yukman Lai (purple background)

clockwise from top left:
Large Yellow Lady's Slipper
Small Purple Fringed Orchid
Dragon's Mouth Orchid
Hulten Roundleaf Orchid

Torquay for sun

Torquay,  the English Riviera in South Devon
sent 21 July 1965, Torquay, Devon to Kilbirnie, Ayrshire
with a particularly fine cancellation

Enjoying ourselves, jolly company, food fabulous, and altogether most enjoyable, lots to see and do.
We have been a number of runs all most interesting. You would enjoy it, but too busy for a car.
A & B Wallace


a summer holiday with a beach or two, some sun and the sea for Sepia Saturday

Sunday Stamps II - 31

A fritillary butterfly on a thistle. This was a stamp design winner for 1990.

The fritillary gets its name from the checkered pattern on the wings (fritilus is Latin for dice box or chessboard). This particular one is possibly a silver-washed fritillary that feeds on brambles and thistles. The males are smaller and paler than the female.

floral pig

2007, Canada for Lunar New Year
Year of the Pig

The gold foil in the stamp is meant to reflect the ancient art form of cloisonné that originated in Beijing in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The stamps were issued on Jaunary 5, 2007 but within a month around 250 of the stamps were found to be missing the gold and silver foil so that the enhancements of the floral design is not seen. Those .52¢ stamps are much more valuable to collectors as a result, some selling for as much as $1,000 each! My sheet are all nicely foiled.

for Sepia Saturday theme of pigs

Sunday Stamps II - 30

1965, Mali for the 1st All Africa Games held in Brazzaville Congo

The All Africa Games were held from July 18 - July 25th, 1965 40 years after Pierre de Coubertin originally proposed the idea. In 1925, the Games to be held in Algeria never materialized. In 1929, the Games in Egypt were cancelled weeks before they were scheduled to begin by the colonial powers who feared they might "unite Africans" and help them break free from colonial rule.

The IOC granted the Games official recognition as a continental multi-sport event (just as the Asian Games and the Pan American Games) and were to be held the year before the Olympics. The 2nd Games were awarded to Mali in 1969, but these were cancelled due to a military coup. Nigeria stepped up to host in 1971, but were delayed until 1973 due to the Biafran War. The Games were plagued by further setbacks and it wouldn't be until the 5th Games in 1991 that they would be held for the first time on the four year cycle. This year the Games will again be held in Brazzaville, Congo, from September 4 - 19.

Mali won a silver in soccer in 1965 and two golds in unidentified events.

for sporting events

next week, as requested by Bob Scotney, we have a butterflies theme

Sunday Stamps II - 29

one of a series of 5 Finnish mailboxes issued in 2011

for postal themed stamps

Sunday Stamps II - 28

issued in 2012 for Europa series 'Visit'

this is one in a series of six minor lighthouses on the Isle of Man designed by local artist Tracey Dean

Douglas Harbour is located on the southern end of the capital city of Isle of Man, Douglas, and is the main commercial shipping port. The outer harbour has two jetties, four piers, eleven berths and an area designated for lifeboats.

for ports and harbours

In honour of the UK's 160th anniversary of the first pillar box, Joy has chosen our theme for next week - post/mail boxes, or anything postal themed.

100 rooms air conditioned

unsent, circa 1949?
Miami Colonial Hotel
Facing Beautiful Bayfront Park,
Miami 31, Florida

Centrally located - Modern - Fireproof - Steam Heat - Air Conditioned Coffee Shop and 
Cocktail Lounge - Public Space - Sun Bathing on Roof Garden - Open All Year - 200 Rooms 
(including 100 air conditioned)

Centralement localizado - Moderno - Edificado contra fuegos - Califacción - Aire acondicionado Comedor y Cotel Lounge - Espacio para el publico - Soleadores en el Roof Garden - Abierto todo el ano - 200 Quartos (incluyendo 100 aire acondicionado)

a Genuine Curteich Chicago "C.T. Art-Colortone" Post Card

a Hotel for Sepia Saturday

Sunday Stamps II - 27

The Mole and the Rocket (Krtek a raketa) 2013

Designer Zdenek Miler and Otakar Karlas (who adjusted the original design to fit the stamp)

Krtek, or Mole, is a cartoon character originally created by Zdenek Miler in 1956. Miler wanted his mole to be understood all over the world, so the cartoons have a distinct lack of dialogue, using instead non-figurative exclamations to express Moles's feelings and perceptions. Miler's own daughters did the voice-overs. The Mole and the Rocket was a 9 minute film made in 1965 where Mole crash lands on a deserted sea island and makes friends with a crab who helps him find the lost parts of his rocket. There have been around 50 of these short (approximately 5 minute) cartoons made with the last one in 2002. Miler died in 2011 at age 91.

for cartoons, or children's drawings

a giant

unsent, 1939

Operates daily at the Underwood Elliott Fisher Exhibit in the Business Systems and Insurance Building at the New York's World's Fair. This huge machine, weighing 14 tons, is 1,728 times larger than the regular Underwood Master. It required 3 years to build. Each typebar weighs 45 pounds and the carriage alone weighs 3,500 pounds. letters are typed on 'stationery' measuring 9 by 12 feet, and the ribbon in the machine is 100 feet long and five inches wide. two box cars were required to transport the Giant to the World's Fair.

Sepia Saturday for typewriters

Sunday Stamps II - 26

issued 1973,
featuring instruments and musicians for the series of Musical Instruments of Central and West Africa

The Fleetway

unused, 1930's

The Detroit Windsor Tunnel is the second busiest crossing between The US and Canada. The first is the Ambassador Bridge - which is also between Detroit and Windsor. The bridge was completed in 1929 and the tunnel in 1930. Construction took about 26 months and was completed almost a year ahead of schedule and cost $25 million.

a tunnel for Sepia Saturday

Sunday Stamps II - 25

Joint Issue Singapore and France, November 2013

graphic design by Ivory Seah of Singapore

There are four stamps in the set showing the 'sophisticated fashion in France and cultural costumes of Singapore'. 

Singapore's vibrant and multicultural heritage has allowed many traditional costumes to be still worn and commonly seen throughout the island, especially during the festive season.

for stylish clothing

chess master

received 2014 from Russia (Postcrosser Anastasya)
Irina Zeniuk, cats playing chess

for Sepia Saturday

lettering

sent,  2015
to Germany

book seller

received 2015, (from Postcrosser Femke, studying in Egypt)
Cairo (1925)

Hamburg Harbour

received 2014, from Postcrosser Claus
Grüße aus der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg
Greetings from Free and Hanseatic Hamburg

Avon River

The Festival Theatre
Stratford, Ontario, Canada
photography Robert C Ragsdale, 1970's

Sunday Stamps II - 24

Manor Houses of Poland, 2001
Janowiec near Pulau built 1770, I couldn't find much information on it but i believe it's now an open air  museum.

for places to live

Sunday Stamps II - 23

Canada, 1948
featuring Queen Victoria who was reigning in 1848 when Responsible Government was introduced and King George VI who was reigning in 1948 during the 100th anniversary.

Queen Victoria was born on May 24th 1819  (Canada celebrates with a holiday on the Monday before the 24th of May).  She would be 196 years old were she still alive.

Sunday Stamps II - 22

issued February 2014 from Switzerland
designed by Karin Hänni

Strobilomyces streobilaceus is also known as 'old man of the woods'.
The cone fungus has dishevelled scales covering its cap and stem and is found in mixed beech woodland. Do not snack on this mushroom - it has a bitter taste and is not edible.

cherry blossoms

Potomac Park, Washington, DC

Sunday Stamps II - 21

50th Anniversary of the International Peace Garden, 1982
The International Peace Garden is found on the Canadian-American border of North Dakota and Manitoba and was built to represent the peaceful relationship between our two countries.
Included in the garden is a floral clock, chapel, conservatory, interpretive centre and Game Warden Museum.

for peace and unity (or a personal favourite)

Sunday Stamps II - 20

issued 2014 as part of the History of the First World War with a military equipment theme

this stamp shows the Brusilov Breakthrough (also known as Offensive) a high point for the Imperial Russian Army.  A part of Western Ukraine was liberated in 1916 during the four month offensive, but at a cost of 1,600,000 casualties, it was also one of the most lethal battles in world history.

Lily of the Valley

birthday greetings
to my brother, and the new princess

May Day

unsent
printed at Printing Office of USSR Ministry for Communication (Moscow 1979)
artist B Ponomarev

food cart

received 2014
Gerobak Sate - Satay cart
Indonesian chicken skewers with peanut sauce

manned wheelbarrow

received 2014
Manned wheelbarrow (1875)

swimming fishes

received April 2015, Shanghai

Sunday Stamps II - 19

issued 2013, illustrated by James Gurney

Australia has an assortment of odd looking, and dangerous, creatures. So why not dinosaurs, too?

These Australian dinosaurs featured are:
Koolasuchus cleelandi - amphibian first found in 1978 in Victoria
it was a large creature with a skull about 26" long, a body of up to 16' and weighing perhaps 500kgs
Serendipaceratops arthurcclarkei  - a mystery animal known only from a single arm bone discovered in Victoria (and named after Arthur C Clarke, a science and science fiction writer)
Timimus hermani - a theropod discovered in Victoria in 1991.
the thighbone found was 44cm which might indicate a lithe animal of 8'
Qantassaurus intrepidus - a small bipedal herbivore discovered in Victoria in 1999.
it was possibly 6' long by 3' high
Diamantinasaurus matildae - discovered in Queensland and described and named in 2009
was a large quadrupedal herbivore weighing up to 15-20tons and reaching around 50' in length
Australovenator wintonensis - a bipedal carnivore discovered in Queensland
was 6'6" at the hip and about 20' long, weighing up to 1,000kg.

for dinosaurs or large animals

keep calm

Doctor Who, received 2014

Apologies for my absence for Sunday Stamps (health, medical) ... internet woes, but all is back up and on-line now.

Sunday Stamps II - 17

issued 2013  with a value of €0.58 (at the time of issue)
part of the series 'workhorses of our regions' in this case the Gironde region
but there is man working behind the horse as they make their way between the rows of vines which will eventually become Bordeaux wine.The man ploughing is quite diminutive compared to his working horse!

the graphic design is by Elodie Dumoulin

for people at work

also sharing with Sepia Saturday for horses (pure co-incidence, especially since I forgot!)