Taj Mahal featured on new Korean stamp

 

The Gyeongju Silk Road Cultural Festival

 

Date of Issue : 10 July 2015

Here is a beautiful stamp issued by Korea Post on 10th July 2015 , The stamp issued in celebration of The Gyeongju Silk Road Cultural Festival, features Taj Mahal, The Pride of India.

Korea Post issued a postage stamp to commemorate the Silk Road Cultural Festival Gyeongju 2015 scheduled to be held at Gyeongju World Culture Expo Park from August 21 to October 18, 2015. The theme for the Silk Road Cultural Festival Gyeongju 2015 is Eurasia Culture Express Train.

Journey on the Silk Road

The stamp depicts the “Journey on the Silk Road” in the hope that the Expo will give visitors excitement that transcends time and space, and help them understand the world and look into the future with the knowledge of culture. The item was released on the 10^thof July.

The 2015 Gyeongju Silk Road Cultural Festival will be held at Gyeongju World Culture Expo Park and throughout the city of Gyeongju from August 21 to October 18, 2015 under the theme of “Eurasia Culture Express Train”.

The Silk Road was the great ancient route connecting the East and the West, and the 2015 Gyeongju Silk Road Cultural Festival will bring together the cultures of Korea and Eurasia through over 20 specialized cultural programs in three areas.

The first one is the “Meeting of Civilizations”. Here, visitors will learn about the histories and cultures of the participating countries through various performances and things to see. There will be the Silk Road Grand Bazaar, where each street will feature a participating country’s traditional tea and cuisine, craftworks, and folk performances.

The Silk Road Odyssey will present the history and culture of the Silk Road. The performance “Silla” (titled “BaSilla” in Korean) will inspire audience with a grand epic poem of Persian and Silla heroes fifteen hundred years ago as they came together over the sea. The second area is the “Golden State of Silla”. Here, programs and activities will highlight the art and culture of Silla, widely remembered for its glorious civilization of golden sculptures and adornments.

The special exhibition, “Silla: Korea’s Golden Kingdom”, will feature more than 640 golden relics, including Bodhisattva in Pensive Pose (National Treasure No. 83), and arrange them according to different stages of Silla art. Visitors can also enjoy some unique programs that combine historical elements and state-of-the-art technology.

Among these programs will be “Silk Road, the Festival of Lights” and “Seokguram HMD (head mounted display) travel experience”. The third area is “Venue of Mingling”. There will be not only performances of traditional musical instruments of the Silk Road countries, but also the special art performance, “Flying: Hwarang Expedition”, which features actions of the Hwarang during the Silla period, and the “Korea in Motion Festival”, showcasing unique elements of Korea’s performing art.

Some 40 countries including the Silk Road Countries, such as China, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Turkey, and the sister cities of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Gyeongju city will be coming to Korea to participate in the 2015 Gyeongju Silk Road Expo. Korea Post is issuing one commemorative stamp depicting the “Journey on the Silk Road” in the hope that the Expo will give visitors excitement that transcends time and space, and help them understand the world and look into the future with the knowledge of culture.

Read More

Error on recent Canada Post stamp

 

 

Canada Post is recalling all stamps commemorating Dinosaur Provincial Park, issued to post offices last week, because the hoodoos on the stamp don’t exist there but are actually from east of Drumheller, Alberta. However, the image is labelled as Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park, which is almost two hours away.

Spokeswoman Anick Losier says the stamps, which were part of a pack of five, were issued on the 3d July and meant to celebrate the country’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Almost immediately, Canada Post received feedback that it had made a mistake and took full responsibility for the flub on the 6^th July.

“We contacted the mayor of Drumheller, Alberta Parks as well as the Canadian Badlands Tourism to apologize”, Losier says.

Once the mistake was confirmed, the stamps were pulled from Canada Post’s website and mail orders. The agency is currently recalling the product from about 6,000 post offices across the country. Once the incorrect stamps are collected, they will be destroyed.

Canada Post buys images from photographers or hires them to shoot a series. It also works with a stamp advisory committee and organizations like Parks Canada to source the right photos.

“Somehow in the process we missed the piece that led to this unfortunate mistake”, Loiser says. “That part of the process we’ve reviewed and have fixed to make sure this doesn’t happen again”.

Canada Post is currently working with Parks Canada and Dinosaur Provincial Park to reissue the stamp as soon as possible.

Mistakes on postage stamps are rare but not completely unheard of.Emil Hakim who runs the retail shop Century Stamps and Coins in Mississauga says the value of an erroneous stamp depends on how many are snapped up by private collectors.

“If less than 100,000 get in private hands, the rarity would go up”, he says. “You’re looking for something that’s going to be sought after. The value will decrease if there’s more issued”.

The market sets the price after about a year, when it’s established exactly how many of the stamps were bought.

Hakim says in 1995, a stamp was issued as part of a migrated wildlife set, which featured the word “fawn” without the “f”. Since a high number of those were released, the corrected version is worth more than the wrong one. Over 4.5 million were released, and when the mistake was discovered, 800,000 were corrected and put back into circulation.

Another factor that determines the market value is how many were actually placed on letters and mailed, says John Sheffield, executive director of the Canadian Stamp Dealers’ Association.

“My hunch is the market value will not be as great as some other printing errors that have happened in the past”, he says. “It could take years for the number in circulation to be known and a value to be determined”.

He says it’s now known that there were only 400 copies of the 1959 St. Lawrence Seaway five-cent stamp with the centre inverted that made it into public hands.

Unused copies of this stamp have a catalogue value of US$10,000 and used ones are US$8,000.

“This Dinosaur Provincial Park ‘flub’ is nowhere near as significant as the Seaway error and the market value will be whatever a collector is prepared to pay”, Sheffield says.Canada Post could not confirm the number of erroneous Dinosaur Park stamps in circulation.

 

Read More

Animal Poaching awareness

 

South Africa Post issued a set of stamps featuring six endangered South African species to raise awareness of illegal animal trade.

Mlu Mathonsi, acting Group CEO of the Post Office, said a total of 50 000 stamp sheets will draw attention to the plight of the oribi, black rhino, grey crowned crane, ground hornbill, sungazer and Cape parrot.

The six were selected by the Endangered Wildlife Trust, an organisation founded in 1973 with the purpose of protecting South Africa’s threatened wildlife species. The artwork on the stamps is by Alan Ainslie, a wildlife artist who has exhibited with world-renowned artists such as Raymond Harris-Ching (New Zealand), Keith Joubert (South Africa) and Paul Bosman (US).

“But the Post Office is doing more than raise awareness. The Endangered Wildlife Trust has trained staff at South Africa’s international mail centres so X-ray machine operators know how to identify animals and animal parts in parcels to foreign countries”, Mathonsi said.

Animal poaching is an increasing global phenomenon. In Southern Africa, poaching has increased at an alarming rate. The situation has become so bad that local newspapers have labelled our national wildlife parks “killing fields”. Estimated to be the third largest illegal industry worldwide after drugs and human trafficking, poaching often has its roots in organised, trans-boundary crime and is among the most serious threats to the survival of plant and animal populations.

Poaching has a detrimental effect on biodiversity both within and outside protected areas. As wildlife populations decline, species are depleted locally, and the functionality of ecosystems is disturbed.

It is believed that sophisticated rhino and other wildlife theft networks are in operation, using helicopters and trucks to “strip South Africa of its wildlife”. Wildlife organisations in the country are therefore forced to continually increase security measures to protect our conservation areas and their wildlife.

Newq Stamp on Tourism theme

Laško – Tourist’s favourite destination

Slovenian Post  released a special stamp that depicts Laško – one of the most famous tourist destinations of Slovenia on the 7^th of March.

Laško is particularly renowned for the tradition of beer brewing and healing water springs. Wellness and health tourism are based on honey and beer treatment and are accessible to all.

The countryside around Laško offers pleasant spots, surroundings with its cultural and natural heritage intact. Unspoilt and interesting landscape is waiting to be discovered and explored. They invite you to countless mountain and hiking trails crisscrossing the local hills and valleys, leading through forests, over meadows and pastures.

In Laško, a large number of food and drink tastings take place all year round, as do several displays and presentations of local growers, craftsmen and artists.

Read More

New stamps from Netherlands

 

Beautiful Netherlands 2015: Fortified - Naarden

Date of Issue : 2 February 2015

The Beautiful Netherlands series is in 2015, in the sign of the special fortified towns that still rich country. This year, five fortified turn.On February 2 appear three sheetlets about Elburg (Gelderland), Bourtange (Groningen) and Naarden (Noord-Holland) on May 26 followed by two sheetlets about Hulst (Zeeland), Willemstad (Noord-Brabant) and a collective sheet in which all five fortified towns are included.

This fortified residences were protecting the civilian population against external attacks by building city walls, towers, ramparts and gates. Such fortified cities were built in the fifteenth to the eighteenth century.

PostNL spends with the issuance of the stamp sheets Beautiful Netherlands 2015 attention to these fortified with stamps on which a historical map of each city-state, with the background of the skin a large aerial. The Beautiful Netherlands series brings PostNL since 2005 expressed that the company is rooted in Dutch society. The series focuses on local history and cultural wealth.

All stamp sheets from the Beautiful Netherlands 2015 series are designed by graphic designer Karin Langeveld of Trapped in Suburbia office in The Hague.

Stamp on cartoon character Miffy

 

Date of Issue : 28 January 2015

Netherlands Post introduced a special set of stamps dedicated to Miffy ‒ a small female rabbit in a series of picture books drawn and written by Dutch artist Dick Bruna. The issue was released on the 28^th of January and is now available for purchasing.

After Miffy and her friend Nina sang a song from the new musical ‘Miffy Celebrates’, PostNL Director Ludo Voorn presented Miffy and Nina with the first stamps. Voorn explained why Miffy deserves her own stamp, now that she has turned sixty. “We are proud to highlight this important event with the issue of twelve series of stamps throughout the year. I’m convinced that these unique stamps will bring back very fond memories of the Miffy books for many”.

As part of the programme, artist Richard Hutten revealed the first ever Miffy-related art project. “What makes the sculpture so unique is that Miffy is always looking you straight in the eye. Miffy has no front or back because she has six eyes and six mouths”, explains Hutten.

Club News

Gujpex 2015, 13th Gujarat State Level Philatelic Exhibition will be held at Ahmedabad from 24th - 27th March 2015.

Venue: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial, Opp. Circuit House, Shahibaug, Ahmedabad – 380 004.

Read More

New Special cover

 

Allahabad Philatelic Exhibition 2015

Ganga –Yamuna - Sarswati Sangam, Allahabad

 

A special cover was released at Allahabad today during inauguration of  Allahabad Philatelic Exhibition 2015.

- Ashwani Dubey from Allahabad

News from Philatelic Societies

Indian Thematic Society

Dear collectors,

To celebrate eighteenth year of regular publishing “ITS Stamp News”, Indian Thematic Society has decided to compliment with one year FREE subscription of its quarterly magazine “ITS Stamp News” to two top winners with thematic collections (One from Senior and other from Junior Group) in all Circle Level Philatelic Exhibitions in India, held during the year of 2015. So just contact us such winners to claim your subscription with scan of their first sheet of collection, which we will print in future issues for sharing with other readers of this magazine.

- Suraj Jaitly      Mobile: +91 98728 51244 email : indianthematicsociety@gmail.com 
MIG # 3464, Phase Two, Dugri Road, Ludhiana - 141 013 INDIA

 

Read More

New stamps from New Zealand

 

75th anniversary of New Zealand’s national airline - Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL)

 

Date of Issue : 14 January 2015

New Zealand Post will issue  a set of five stamps and a Miniature sheet on 14 January 2015.  2015 marks the 75th anniversary of New Zealand’s national airline and this stamp issue explores the role Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), National Airways Corporation (NAC) and Air New Zealand have played in connecting New Zealand and the world.

 

 

The Air New Zealand story began under the name of TEAL, with its first flight across the Tasman in 1940. This was a major milestone in New Zealand’s social history, as New Zealanders were no longer limited to their own shores and the days of lengthy journeys by sea were over. When NAC began flying in 1947, it vitally linked the breadth of domestic New Zealand, connecting friends, family and businesses across the country in a way never before deemed possible. In 1978 NAC merged into Air New Zealand and the combined network brought together international and domestic travel.

These commemorative stamps feature key milestones of flight over the past 75 years and each features an icon of the aircraft used at the time.

Stamp designs

80c – The first flight – Auckland to Sydney

The Tasman opened up for air travel with TEAL’s inaugural service on 30 April 1940 when ZK-AMA Aotearoa, a Short S.30 flying boat, made the journey from Auckland to Sydney. It also marked the beginning of the first regular trans-Tasman mail delivery. With a flight time of over nine hours there were ten passengers onboard, and the service was captained by WWI returned Air force Pilot John Burgess. Flight in this era was new and exciting but also limited to the wealthy and elite. Passengers went to great effort to look their best.

$1.40 – Travelling the country with NAC

NAC began flying on 1 April 1947. It would later become an exclusively domestic airline, performing the vital function of connecting New Zealand’s towns and cities. Locations as remote as Kaikohe, Westport and Invercargill were among its first destinations. In its early days, NAC also flew across the Pacific Sea to Norfolk Island.

$2.00 – Exploring the Pacific with TEAL

The Coral Route began in 1951 and was a Pacific Island tour aboard the flying boats of the time. It featured stops at Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti and the Cook Islands, and was regarded as a highly glamorous affair of romance and indulgence. With it came vital air links for the Pacific’s outer islands. It provided transportation of medical supplies and opened trade opportunities as tourists visited with increasing frequency and numbers. The route had its origins in the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s transport services operated during WWII.

$2.50 – Sharing the flying experience

When NAC merged into Air New Zealand in 1978 it was the beginning of a uniquely Kiwi identity and service at a time when flight was becoming more accessible to everyday New Zealanders. Fleet changes and the advent of the wide-bodied jet, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, further broadened possibilities for travel and tourism. Air New Zealand took delivery of its first DC-10 in 1973. In the same year it introduced the Koru logo, which today is an inseparable part of its identity.

$3.00 – From now and into the Future

Embracing New Zealand’s innovative spirit, Air New Zealand was the first airline in the world to take delivery of Boeing’s B787-9 in 2014. The technologically advanced aircraft uses 20 percent less fuel than similar aircraft, and demonstrates the incredible progression in flight since the early days of the flying boat. From commencing as an airline with one flight a week across the Tasman, there are now 58 services from New Zealand to Sydney each week and direct routes to 26 international destinations.

Club News

Kovaipex - 2014, District Level Philatelic Exhibition at Coimbatore - 27th - 29th November 2014

Kovaipex - 2014, Coimbatore District Level Philatelic Exhibition was organized at Tamilnadu Agricultural University Campus, Coimbatore from 27th to 29th November 2014. It featured exhibits in 144 frames holding collections of many young and senior philatelists. During the exhibition two special covers were released on 28th November 2014.

Special Cover on 40 years of Aroma Group of Companies, Coimbatore - 28th November 2014

On the occasion of 40 years of services of Aroma Group a Special Cover was released, featuring products of the group. (Special Cover approval no. TN/22/2014). The organizations under the umbrella brand “Aroma” are Sri Mahalaxmi Dairy, Aroma Bakery and Sri Mahalaxmi Bakery.

Special Cover on Golden Jubilee year (1964-2014) of Mail Motor Service, Coimbatore - 28th November 2014

A Special Cover was released on the occasion of Golden Jubilee of Mail Motor Service in Coimbatore. The cover depicts the fleet of Mail Motor Service. (Special Cover approval no.TN/20/2014)

Courtesy : Indian Philately Digest

Read More

Tourism stamps from Bahamas

Bahamas Tourism celebrates its 50th anniversary

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (MOT) in conjunction with the Bahamas Philatelic Bureau General Post Office unveiled four commemorative stamps in honour of the 50th anniversary of the Ministry of Tourism and in recognition of the importance of the tourism industry in The Bahamas at a press conference in Pompey Square.

The Ministry was created in 1964 when the Promotion of Tourism Act gave birth to it and it replaced the organization known as the Development Board. In honor of the 50 years of the Ministry of Tourism and in recognition of the importance of the tourism industry, the Bahamas Postal Service has released 4 Commemorative Stamps; two represent hotels in the Outer Islands and two honor the two giants in the Bahamas’ hotel industry.

Tourism Director General Joy Jibrilu, announced that the four stamps, which also went on sale, will honour two hotels in the Outer Islands and two giants in The Bahamas’ hotel industry. They include the Peace N’ Plenty Resort in Exuma, the Kings Inn, which later became the Princess Resort and Casino in Grand Bahama, Atlantis Paradise Island and Baha Mar Resort on Cable Beach.

Bahamas Princess Resort and Casino

The King’s Inn was built in the 1960s when American shipping magnate Daniel K. Ludwig acquired the land.  The property later became the Bahamas Princess Resort and Casino.  It was comprised of the Princess Tower and the Bahamas Princess Country Club, which was set on 1,000 lush tropical acres with waterfalls and tennis courts.

The property was adjacent to the world famous shops at the International Bazaar.  It was known as the crowning jewel of Grand Bahama, and it helped to develop the tourism industry on the island.

A hot spot for both residents and visitors was the Sultan’s Tent nightclub, located in the Princess Tower.  The nightclub had the same fairy-like Arabian Nights décor.  It had plush scarlet draperies and an elaborate sunken bar which made the “tent” seem so authentic one almost expected a sultan to walk pass.

Stamp of Out Islands, Peace N’ Plenty Hotel

On January 14, 1958, Lawrence Lewis, heir to the Henry Flagler railroad fortune, opened the charming colonial style 24-room Club Peace & Plenty on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma. The main building was originally a sponge warehouse and the bar was a cookhouse dating back several hundred years to the Loyalist cotton plantation days.  Following success in offering a safe, relaxed Bahamian Out Island atmosphere, pristine waters on sheltered Elizabeth Harbour, white powder beaches, and world-class fishing, another wing of 12 rooms was added to the Club for a total of 32 rooms and suites.

Stan Benjamin, a Cleveland, Ohio industrialist purchased the hotel and has brought it along even further. Over the years, Benjamin, the Peace & Plenty, and its management have been singled out for Bahamian Tourism awards, including being honored with the 2004 Cacique Award for Hotelier of the Year. The hotel also received the Silver Jubilee Award in 1998 from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

Atlantis Hotel, Paradise Island

Since it opened in 1994, the Atlantis Paradise Island resort and waterpark has played an important part in the Bahamian economy. It was created by South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner, and is the second largest employer of Bahamians.

When Kerzner opened the resort, he had the intention of creating a never-before-imagined theme destination that would forever change the face of Paradise Island and Nassau.  The resort, now owned by Brookfield, is celebrating its 20^th anniversary as the Ministry of Tourism celebrates its 50^th anniversary.  Over the past 20 years, the resort has contributed significantly to The Bahamas’ gross domestic product, accepted over 200 prestigious travel awards, been featured in more than 5,000 television broadcasts and been the backdrop for countless print, online, and film productions.

Baha Mar

The Bahamas welcomes Baha Mar in 2014 – the 50^th anniversary year of the Ministry of Tourism.  The 1,000-acre, $3.5 billion resort, gaming and entertainment complex, boasts some of the world’s most luxurious hotel brands, including Rosewood, SLS Hotel, Grand Hyatt and the Baha Mar Casino and Hotel.

Within the hotels, Baha Mar will develop 300 exclusive, ultra-luxurious residential condominiums and villas, available for private ownership. Baha Mar’s stunning, new 9,000 square-meter casino will be the largest in the Caribbean, and one of the most compelling and exciting gaming experiences in North America.

The resort also features an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature course and 200,000 square feet of meeting and convention space – the largest in The Bahamas.

- Bahamas Post

Club News

New Special Cover

Special cover on Felicitation to Winners of Commonwealth Games & Asian Games, Bangalore - 6th November 2014

A Special Cover was issued by Karnataka Postal Circle to mark the felicitation to Winners of Commonwealth Games & Asian Games at Bangalore on 6th November 2014. (Special Cover approval no. KTK/31/2014)

Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, Government of Karnataka felicitated players of Karnataka who participated and won medals in Commonwealth Games 2014 held in Glasgow and Asian Games 2014 held at Incheon, South Korea.

Courtesy – Indian Philately Digest

Philately Mahaotasav Mahrajganj

                                               - Sandeep Chaurasia

One Day Philately Exhibition was held at Pandit Deendayal Inter College,Mahrajganj,UP on 16-11-14. Sri.Deo Brata Tripathi,(SSPOs,Gorkhpur),Sri.Sardar Singh Yadaw (Sr.Post Master,Gorakhpur),Sandeep Chaurasia,(President,Gorakhpur Philately Club),Sri.A.K.Singh (Philateliast),Sri.Raman Kumar Mandal (Philatelist),Anil Gupta (Philatelist),Sri.Ambrish Pandey (Philatelist) and many school students were present during Exhibition. My Stamp Counter was the main attraction of the Exhibition.

A workshop was organised for Students by Sandeep Chaurasia,Raman Kumar Mandal and Ambrish Pandey. Workshop kit given to students by Gorakhpur Philately Club.A quiz competition was also organised by the members of Gorakhpur Philately Club( Sandeep Chaurasia,Raman Kumar Mandal and Ambrish Pandey).The Result of Quiz Competition is as follows-

First Position- Km.Isha Pandey

Second        -Mr. Shivansh Tripathi

Third           - Mr. Yashwardhan

Consolation  - Km. Pallvi Singh

 

Read More

Winter Fun Stamps from USPS

 

Date of Issue : 23 October 2014

 

Winter Fun and Global Wreath Forever Stamps  from USPS Celebrate Holiday Mailings

The US Postal Service is helping customers prepare for the holiday season  by dedicating festive domestic and international Forever stamps. A first-day-of-issue ceremony for the Winter Fun domestic stamps and the Global Holiday: Silver Bells Wreath International stamp was held at the American Stamp Dealers Association National Postage Stamp Show 2014.

 

Celebrate the season with this Global Holiday: Silver Bells Wreath Digital Color Postmark First Day Cover. Part of the Global Holiday series, the stamp art features a classic wreath with a twist - a circle of densely packed silver bells topped with a bright red bow and set against a deep green background.

The color postmark features the words “Silver Bells Wreath” in red between the words “Global” and “First Day of Issue,” which form a circle to mirror the wreath’s shape. Red holly and green branches accent the design and accompany the date and location of stamp issuance: October 23, 2014, New York, NY 10199.

 

Celebrate snowy days spent outdoors with this new set of four Winter Fun Digital Color Postmark First Day Covers. The stamp art features four playful designs of the season’s most enjoyable activities -ice-skating, making snow angels, building snowmen, and bird-watching.

Club News

Philately exhibition on the theme "Karnataka"

On behalf of India Post Karnataka Circle and Karnataka Philately Society ,
I cordially invite you for the philately exhibition on the theme "Karnataka" organized at 'Vismaya' Hall of MG Road Metro Station. The inauguration ceremony will commence at 11.00 A.M. I invite all the philatelists for the inauguration ceremony.

The exhibition is being organized for a period from 1st November 2014 to 10th November 2014. from 11.00 AM to 07.00 PM . Tuesday will be holiday.

A special cover is proposed to be released  on the occasion at the Vismaya Hall, Rangoli Metro Art Center, MG Road Metro Station, Bangalore.

- Jagannath Mani, Bangalore

Read More

Clock Towers - Towers of Time

 

Clock towers are a common sight in many parts of the world with some being iconic buildings like the one in London commonly called 'Big Ben' (although it is correctly called the Elizabeth Tower as Big Ben is the bell inside the tower). Clock towers are a specific type of building which houses a turret clock and has one or more clock faces on the upper exterior walls. Many clock towers are freestanding structures but they can also be adjoining or on top of another building. The tallest clock tower in the world is the recently constructed Makkah Clock Royal Tower, standing 601 m or 1,971 feet high.

A turret clock or a public clock is a clock that is larger than a domestic clock and has a mechanism designed to drive a visual time indicator such as dials and or bells as a public amenity. Turret clocks specifically had mechanisms mounted high in a building often a purpose built tower such as churches town halls and other public buildings. Clocks were not referred to as turret clocks by clockmakers until recent times, often old clocks were recognised as turret clocks by their location.A true turret clock has mechanical and latterly electrical power and therefore sits late in the history of timekeeping.

Date of Issue : 3 October 2014

Famous Clock Towers of Romania on stamps

Romfilatelia issued a special set of stamps under the name Towers of Time, Clock Towers. This issue is dedicated to some of the most representative assemblies of this type built over time in Romania. The six stamps were released und put into circulation on the 3d of October.

Ever since Antiquity, the measuring of time has been a preoccupation for people, who first started measuring it by the apparent movement of the sun and stars, later on inventing the first mechanisms for a more precise measuring of the passing of time – the hour glasses with sand and the hydraulic devices.

The Tower of Oradea City Hall, illustrated on the stamp with the face value of lei 3.00, was built between 1902-1903, being 50 m tall, structured on 4 levels. At the first level we can find the tower clock mechanism. The clock from the third level plays at specific times “Iancu’s March”. The clock was built in 1904, having 4 dials, one on each side of the tower. It survived the two World Wars, the clock dials still bearing the marks of bullets from 1944, when the battles for the liberation of Transylvania took place.

On the stamp with the face value of lei 3.10 is illustrated The Trumpeters’ Tower of Medias. The tower was raised in two stages: first, the lower floors, built at the same time as St. Margaret Church, and after, the topmost floors, finalised in 1551. It is 68 m tall and at its top is tilted from the central axis of the tower by 2.28 m. The tilting has occurred because of the extra weight added to the tower later on, as the tower was further heightened with its top floors. The Trumpeters’ Tower is in fact among the world’s top 10 most tilted buildings.

In over 500 years since its building, the tower was damaged numerous times due to lighting and storms, which have destroyed its roof and sometimes the interior as well. From the very beginning, the tower had clock dials, one on each of its 4 sides, while in 1880 the current clock was installed, indicating the phases of the moon.

The stamp with the face value of lei 3.30 depicts the Tower of the Palace of Culture from Iasi. The raising of the palace was interrupted during Wold War I, lasting from 1906 to 1925. The Palace of Justice in Paris was the inspiration source for architect Ion D. Berindei in choosing the flamboyant Neo-Gothic architectural style of the building. On the night of the inauguration of the Palace of Culture tower clock, architect Berindei, together with his two sons, set the clock to ring continuously, for several hours, with the tune of the Dance of Unity (“Hora Unirii”), which could be heard throughout the town.

The Tower of the Communal Palace of Buzau is illustrated on the stamp with the face value of lei 3.60. The building, which also incorporates the tower, was raised between 1899-1903 after the project of architect Alexandru Savulescu, and was inaugurated in the presence of King Carol I, in 1904. The architectural style is a harmonious mix of Gothic, Byzantine, Baroque and Brancovenesc style elements. The capitals of the columns at the street level are Corinthian, while the columns themselves are Ionian by their massiveness. The columns of the upper floor are reminiscent of the great Venetian palaces. The tower is 20 m tall, the clock being installed in 1903.

The Tower of the Brasov City Council is illustrated on the stamp with the face value of lei 4.70. Initially, the Council House from Brasov had been a mere surveillance tower; however, in 1420, the Furriers’ Guild allowed the 9 communes making up Burzenland to build the Council building, to house the meetings of the city council. Over time, new rooms were added to the building, as well as the tower equiped with clock dials on all of its four sides. Starting with 1690, the mechanism of the clock strikes the bell of the tower every hour. The architecture of the City Council building combines the Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance styles.

The Peles Castle, built between 1875-1883, was the official summer residence of the Royal House of Romania. Considered as being among the most beautiful castles in Europe, this was the first castle to have electric lighting on the continent. The Central Tower of the Peles Castle is illustrated on the stamp with the face value of lei 14.50. The mechanical main clock of the tower has 3 dials, being decorated with the main astronomical symbols and oriented towards South, East and West.

Read More

New Picture Postcards from India Post

 

Western Tragopan, Himachal Pradesh

India Post has introduced a set of four picture postcards having following designs. Picture Postcards are priced at Rs. 10 each and available at philatelic bureaux. Photographs on Picture Postcards are taken by Gautam Pandey and Mike Pandey.

 

 

2. Chandra Tal, Himachal Pradesh

 

  3. Langza Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh

 

4. Tiger Cubs, Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

 

Courtesy :   Prashant  Pandya

Read More

New Stamp from India - Gaiety Theatre, Shimla

 

 

Date of Issue : 20 August 2014

India Post issued a commemorative stamp on Gaiety Theatre Complex on 20th August 2014. No any stamp release function  was organized on the occasion.

The Gaiety Theatre Complex, Shimla, a hub of theatre and landmark heritage structure, which continues to stand tall after 125 glorious years of its existence. Gaiety Theater is located on the Mall, was opened on the 30th May, 1887. Many popular film personalities have performed on its stage. Today, the Gaiety theatre is primarily known for its social club. Schools in Shimla use this theater for performing arts. The theater has been renovated with the original structure untouched to keep its heritage preserved while making it more attractive.

Courtesy - Prashant Pandya :  http://www.indianphilately.net/news.html

 

A special Cover on Gaiety Theater Complex, Shimla  was also released by HP Postal Circle on 6 June 20111.

Read More….

New Stamp Booklet by India Post

India Post – Tamil Nadu Circle - Chennai - issued  a booklet today, approved by PMG. Brihadeeswara Temple - MRP Rs. 100 (contains 4 x Rs. 5 stamp of Brihadeeswara Temple issued in 2010)sponsored by SIPA (South Indian Philatelists Association), Chennai and Bombay Sweets, Thanjavur.

Courtesy : Kasinath R. - Thanjavur

 

Club News

New Pictorial postmarks from Poland

1. Mushroom

2. Stork

On August 29th 2014 a new pictorial cancellation will be available in Warszawa 1.The pictorial cancellation is featuring two king boletes (Boletus edulis).

Courtesy: Wolfgang Beyer,Vice Chairman of the German Philatelic Collector Group ARGE ZOOLOGIE.E.Mail: Wolfgang.beyer1@aol.de  & Wolfgang Hoelzl.

On October 17th 2014 a new pictorial cancellation will be available in Jarocin Poznanski 1.
The pictorial cancellation is featuring a flying Black Stork (Ciconia nigra).
Courtesy : Wolfgang Beyer & Heike Peschel

Read More