thephilatelicblogger

The Taiwan Post Office issued on May 3, 2010 a NT2.50 Postal Card in honor of Mother’s Day. The card is part of their Personal Greetings Series. On the Front of the card in the indicia area one can see a multi-colored bouquet of flowers. This is just one of ten cards in the Personal Greetings Series that was produced for the Taiwan Post Office by he Jiuh Guan Security Printing Company in a quantity of 360,000 sets (3,600,000 individual cards. Turning the card over one can see in the lower left hand corner the phrase “Happy Mother’s Day” plus a golden heart and three roses.

The Story of Mother’s day is quite interesting. More that one person claims to have “invented” the holiday. The first claimant is Frank E. Hering who was President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and a faculty member at the University of Notre Dame. Mr Hering advocated for a special day for mothers in a speech he gave on February 7th, 1904 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He traveled about the country during the years 1909 and 1911 urging a national day for mothers. see this link for more information http://www.foe.com/about-us/mothers-day.aspx

Another claimant is Anna Jarvis. Anna was a tireless crusader for enacting legislation honoring all mothers. It is said she cared for her ailing mother for some 15 years. She was apt to say “I hope that someone sometime will found a memorial mother’s day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it”. It wasn’t until 1914 when President Wilson signed the proclamation which made Mother’s Day official
For more information click here /p>

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On March 8, 2010, Itella, the Finish Post Office Corporation, will issue a booklet of six stamps featuring key female figures in Finland. The stamps represent the following Finnish women: Professor Elina Haavio-Mannila, Professor Laila Hirvisaari, Maria-Liisa Nevala the Director of the Finnish National Theatre, Academician Leena Palotie, the designer Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen, and the artist Aira Samulin.  For the first time in Finland, an entire stamp set of today’s key female figures has now been issued. By their own merits, they all have acquired influential positions in their respective fields, many of them even on an international level, says Kari Kivikoski, Chair of the Itella Stamp Committee. The designer of the stamps, Paivi Vainionpaa, has combined a silhouette image and the signature of each woman on the stamps, and also added a unique feature of these women: red heels, a theatrical mask or a quill. With this stamp booklet, Itella wants to honor Finnish women and their expertise in various fields. – After long and thorough contemplation, these six women were the ones to choose, but there were plenty of candidates, says Kivikoski.  Stamp availability The stamps are sold at approximately 4,000 postal agency shops: postal outlets, kiosks, bookstores, grocery stores, and department stores. Stamp retailers can be identified by the sticker “stamps”. A convenient way to acquire the stamps and have them delivered to your doorstep is to purchase them from the Posti online store at http://www.posti.fi/english/current/2010/20100308_stamps.html

Background information on the women featured on the stamps 

  Anna Elina Haavio-Mannila

Anna is a Finnish sociologist and Doctor of Social Sciences, currently retired. Haavio-Mannila worked as Lecturer in Sociology from 1965-1971, Associate Professor of Sociology in 1971-1992, and Professor of Sociology in 1992-1998 at the University of Helsinki.  Haavio-Mannila still participates in several international, multidisciplinary research projects as a sociologist. Since 2004, she has been a member of a consortium including the University of Helsinki and the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare (Stakes), which consists of researchers from Russia and Estonia. The consortium is funded by the Academy of Finland and it studies reproductive health and different family models in Finland, Estonia and St. Petersburg, Russia. A new study was initiated in 2005, concentrating on the chain of generations. The study is closely related to the European SHARE project. The results of the study were published in 2009 as part of the Social Insurance Institution of Finland’s (Kela), studies in social security and health “A chain of generations. Baby boomers and cross-generational interaction in Finland” (“Sukupolvien ketju – Suuret ikaluokat ja sukupolvien valinen vuorovaikutus Suomessa”). Haavio-Mannila continues her work in examining intergenerational informal assistance on an international level. She has considerable experience of interaction between four different generations, being a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. Haavio-Mannila is renowned for her studies examining equality between men and women, and Finnish sex life. She attracted great attention with her book “Suomalainen nainen ja mies” (“The Finnish woman and man”) published in 1968 and the book co-written with Osmo Kontula “Suomalainen seksi” (“Finnish sex”), published in 1993. Over the years, Haavio-Mannila has given numerous interviews in the media, commenting on a variety of social issues. She has also written several books and articles that have been published in many languages. 

Haavio-Mannila’s view on her stamp

My stamp represents the direction in which the cooperation between men and women should be going. The status and income of men and women should be equal, thus resulting in a social circle game with equally alternating positions for men and women.

 Maria-Liisa Nevala Celebrated and experienced theatre maker 

Maria-Liisa Nevala has served as Director of the Finnish National Theatre since 1992. She finished her doctoral thesis and became Doctor of Philosophy in 1972 and worked as Associate Professor and Professor at the University of Helsinki during the years 1976-1991. She has studied and done research in Great Britain, France, Germany and the United States, and acted as Visiting Professor at the University of London. She has published several books on literature and culture as well as essays and reviews and translated many plays. She was also the person who chose the winner of the 1995 Finlandia Literary Prize. In 2009, she was awarded the Ida Aalberg medal for her excellent work in the Finnish theatre. She has been a member of the Theatre Academy Helsinki Board since 2006 and acted as Chairman of the Board since 2010. 

 Leena Palotie Renowned researcher deciphers the code of genes 

 Academician, Professor Leena Palotie is one of the most renowned and respected geneticists in the world. According to studies, she is probably the most well-known, among Finns, of today’s Finnish researchers. Palotie popularizes gene research in the media and encourages the young to seek a career in research. She studies human molecular genetics, and disease genes and disease aetiology in particular. In her international publications she uses her maiden name Leena Peltonen, and in other connections the name Palotie. Professor Palotie currently works for the Wellcome Trust Sanger institute in Great Britain as Head of Human Genetics, in the institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM as Director, and in the National institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in Helsinki.

 Laila Hirvisaari Dedicated author and a describer of Karelian culture 

 Laila Hirvisaari is a Finnish author known for her books portraying the region of Karelia. There are already over four million copies of her books printed. During the years 1958-2004 she wrote under the name Laila Hietamies. She was granted the title of Professor in 2002. The literary work of Hirvisaari began in 1972. Her first novel was “Lehmusten kaupunki” (City of Lindens) set in the City of Lappeenranta. The novel describes the life of a garrison town during peace and war from the 1930s onwards. Her literary production includes novel sequences, plays and television series often set in the Karelian isthmus and in Ladoga Karelia. Hirvisaari was born in Vyborg (then part of Finland) almost at the start of the Winter War in 1938. Early on, she did not pursue a career as a writer, although the chaos of war, losing her father and leaving home as an evacuee offered enough material for a lifetime of writing. According to Hirvisaari, she had something more valuable to foster besides the scribblings in her desk drawer three daughters. Hirvisaari notes that writing is about eternal excitement; it is not a mere profession, but has become a lifestyle. “You cannot cope with it unless you love it, appreciate your work, and devote yourself to writing.”

 Hirvisaari’s view on her stamp:

When I heard about this stamp idea, l felt great joy that literature was to be recognized in this way. There are many Finnish female writers who deserve to have their own stamp. As the jury chose me, l will proudly represent all of my female colleagues. l am especially delighted with the quill that originated my stamp. It symbolizes history, writing, a letter, also this day.

 Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen Advocate for Finnish arts-and-crafts and industrial know-how  Residing in the City of Kuopio in Eastern Finland, Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen is a designer who combines high-quality innovative artwork with industrial processability. Pohjalainen graduated as a clothing and textile designer from the School of Art and Design in 1974. She has been one of the leading fashion designers in Finland ever since. She has reformed the Finnish clothing industry by familiarizing herself with marketing and material production in different corners of the world.  Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen has actively shared her views on preserving and developing Finnish artsand-crafts and industrial know-how. She has taught fashion design in the School of Art and Design, had several exhibitions of her work in Finland as well as abroad, and she has received a variety of recognitions, such as the Kaj Franck Design Prize in 2004. 

here is a video:

http://www.youtube.com/v/tFCfu4A5XWY” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]

Aira Samulin Colorful and original mover and shaker 

  Aira Samulin is a Finnish dance instructor, entrepreneur and advocate of physical activity. Samulin has lead her own dance school, among others, and worked as a “Script girl” for Suomen Filmiteollisuus Oy (Finnish Film Industry). Samulin founded a fashion dance school called “Rytmikkaat mannekiinit” (“Rhythmical mannequins”). During the years 1989-1996, she was a member of the Espoo City Council for the Finnish Centre Party, and in 1997 a member of the Helsinki City Council for Kokoomus (National Coalition Party). Since 2001, Samulin has been a deputy member of the Helsinki City Council. For eight years, she was a member of the Helsinki Week Foundation Board. Currently Samulin is a member of the Psychiatric Board of The Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) and a deputy member of the Helsinki Theatre Foundation. She has also held a seat in the Environment Committee and Cultural Committee of Helsinki.  The lifework of Aira Samulin has been celebrated in many ways. She has been awarded the Knight’s Decoration of the Order of the Lion of Finland, National Mental Health Prize of the Finnish Association for Mental Health, and Viihteen elfiman tyopalkinto (Lifetime Achievement Award in Entertainment). She has promoted activities for the young and also been active in issues of national defense and the welfare of the aged. She was elected the Female Entrepreneur of the Year in 1998.Samulin is a great-grandmother and she has two great-grandchildren. [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/v-YU4zhAJ1w" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Samulin’s view on her stamp 

The stamp is unique. it is stylish and just perfect for me. I especially love the colors.  

Its syllabus covers virtually all fields of study, offering a broad spectrum of courses ranging from Archaeology to Zoology. The university devotes special attention to the cross-cutting subjects of “Life Sciences and “Culture” which makes it possible to combine expertise and targeted research. These focal points enable it to claim an international reputation, – especially in Life Sciences”, a scientific field of economic importance for the whole region.
The commitment to excellence which motivates all University of Basel staff and students, and its achievements at international level, has made this institution increasingly attractive and competitive.
The University of Basel generates knowledge of a high standard. In this anniversary year with its “Wissen bewegtuns” (Moved by Knowledge) motto, its professors, lecturers and students are seeking to establish more intensive dialogue with the general public. By bringing out the contribution of the sciences to a steadily growing pool of knowledge, they aim to stimulate debate about its relevance to the past, present and future, and a series of anniversary events spread over the year have been organized for this purpose.
The 550th anniversary will make the sciences a visible, tangible experience. In so doing, the university is highlighting its commitment to the fascinating task of gleaning fresh knowledge — not just to celebrate five-and-a-half centuries of the sciences, but also to consolidate the people of Basel’s identification with their university. All members of the university’s staff will be aiming to show how knowledge in the broadest sense is a driving force for each and every one of us, in line with the anniversary- year motto.
This special stamp is to be released on February 25th, 2010. The 3 color stamp was printed by the Bagel Security Printing firm of Dusseldorf, Germany in sheets of 20 (4 rows of 5 stamps). The designers were Urs Lieber and Enzo Granella of Zurich, Switzerland. The stamp has a denomination of .85 Swiss Francs. The stamp features the phrase 550 years University of Basel on what appears to be a classroom blackboard (That is in green) plus swirling chalk lines representing the many areas of study (Music, Chemistry, mathematics, ect). As well as the stamps specially designed First Day covers will also be available. For more information about this 500th anniversary celebration please go to: www.550.unibas.ch

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Her Majesty Queen Margreth II will celebrate her 70th birthday in 2010. To mark this occasion, Post Danmark has decided to replace the current portrait of the Queen used in the definitive stamp series, which was issued for the monarch 60th birthday.

The new portrait is the sixth in a row since 1974, when the first series of definitive stamps featuring a portrait of the Queen was issued. The portrait is the work of master photographer Casper Sejersen, and the stamp was designed bythe firm e-Type. The orignal photo is show on the left and the engraving is shown on the right.

On 10 Febuary 2010, Post Danmark will issue four different denominations of the new definitive stamps featuring Queen Margrethe, covering the most comon postage charges. This will be the first Danish series of definitive stamps to be issued on self-adhesive paper, which in the future will be used for all definitive stamps, including the Wavy Line and the Small National Coat of Arms. The old definitive stamps featuring Queen Margrethe will be removed from sale at post offices and sub-post offices at the end of January 2010, but will still be available from the Post Danmark  Philatelic sales department.

NEW DESIGN

When the E-Types design agency was commissioned to design a new series of definitive stamps, they began by studying the long tradition of definitive stamps featuring portraits of various monarchs. We quickly discovered that what we wanted to do was to create a modern stamp on the basis of the old traditions,” says Jonas Hecksher of E-Types. They finally found their inspiration in a number of old definitive stamps featuring King Christian X. In those days, definitive stamps were two-toned, in contrast to today’s stamps when the stamps began to be produced in one color only, using the intaglio method. The new design thus harks back to the old multicolored tradition, with part of the  stamp offset-printed in two colors (the vertical bar on the right-hand side of the portrait, and the faint background color). The stamp was created in a productive collaboration between e-Types, the photographer Casper Sejersen and the engraver Martin Morck. We made very good use of each others skills, says Jonas Hecksher. Through a combination of good craftsmanship and the best ideas of the photographer, engraver and designers, we arrived at an innovative result with which we are all pleased.

NINETY-MINUTE ROYAL PHOTO SESSION

E-Types has worked with Casper Sejersen for the past twelve years, so it was natural for them to ask him to be the photographer for the project. It was an exciting commission for Casper Sejersen, who has not previously photographed members of the royal family, especially as the photograph had to be suitable for reproduction in stamp size — in contrast to many of his other photos, which are designed to look their best in a large format.

The session took place in a quite different manner than I had imagined, but in a positive way,’ says the 41-year-old photographer, who lives in the district of Osterbro of Copenhagen. The Queen was on her own during the portrait session at Amalienborg Palace, which helped to create a calm atmosphere. I could clearly sense that the Queen was very interested in ensuring that the portrait turned out well, and she was glad to be able to see the photographs immediately after the session. Some days in advance of the session, Casper Sejersen and e-Types had taken some test photos of a woman of the same age as the Queen. This allowed them to adjust the lighting and try out various techniques, and thanks to these thorough preparations, the photo session with the Queen was completed in less than an hour and a half.

The original idea was for the Queen to be presented against a dark background, but a bright background turned out to give the stamp the right expression.

A FASCINATING CREATIVE PROCESS

The engraver Martin Morck was involved in the entire process — from the photo session with the Queen to the selection of the final portrait and the subsequent retouching. And just as Martin Morck contributed ideas to the photography, Casper Sejersen, Jonas Hecksher and Jens Kajus also made suggestions to Martin as he began to make his engraving drawing in advance of the final engraving. The 54-year-old engraver put the final touches to the engraving in the middle of September.

All in all, the process leading up to the printing of the stamp lasted just under six months. It has been a long, but creatively fascinating process,” says Martin Morck. Everyone was open to new ideas, and we worked very hard and contributed to each other’s work in order to create the best possible result.”

The Stamps are in the following denominations:  5.50, 6.50, 8.50, and 9.50 Danish Kronor. There are 77 stamps in a sheet.  Each stamp measures 23 by 20 mm. A first day cover with one of each value is available at 38.55 DKK.  A booklet containing 8 stamps (two of each value)  will be sold for 99.00 DKK. A deluxe individually numbered and singned (by the engraver Martin Morck)  persentation folder containing a 21 by 21 cm engraving of Queen Margrethe II is being produced in a limited quantity of 500 examples.  The price of this special item is 495.00 DKK.

The Swedish Post Office has chosen a selection of castles and palaces as the illustration for theire new international rate postage stamps whose first day of issue is Jan. 28, 2010.Lacko Castle, Sofiero Palace, Ulriksdal Palace, Tjoloholm Castle and Vadstena Castle are all unique and beautiful snapshots of Sweden,” says Stina Olofsdotter, head oldesign at Sweden Post Stamps. The castles and palaces each represent their own era, ranging from the 1500s to the 1900s.

The oldest of the group is  Vodstena Castle, architecturally Sweden’s most famous renaissance castle. The construction  started in the 1550s. The main building and its strong central tower are surrounded by a moat.

The history of  Lackö Castle reaches back into the Middle Ages. The most well-known owner, Count Magnus Gabriel De Ia Gaidie  was one of Queen Kristina’s favorites. It was rebuilt in the middle of the 1600s in a modern baroque style.

Ulriksdals Palace was also owned by the De a Gardie family. It was bought in1669 by Queen Hedvig Eleonora. Towards the end of the century, the palace was rebuilt and expanded under the guidance of the architects Nicodemos Tessin the Elder and the Younger.

Up until 1973, Sofiero Palace was a royal out-of- town residence, constructed in the 1860s and expanded with an additional story ten years later. In 1905 the palace was presented to the royal couple Prince Gustaf Adolf — future King Gustaf VI Adolf, grandfather to King Carl XVI Gustaf and Princess Margareta who reconstructed the gardens, adding the famous rhododendrons.

The youngest of the castles in the booklet isTjoloholm Castle, which was built during the years 1898—1904 in the English Tudor style by business man James F. Dickson and his wife, Blanche, based on drawings by architect Lars Israel Wahlman.  Tjoloholni Castle was one of the last large castles to be built in Sweden

One new feature of the Swedish Castles & Palaces booklet is that the five stamps are engraved and printed on self-adhesive paper. It is also the premier of an international rate denomination on self- adhesive stamps, a combination that has been sought after by both agents and customers.

All five  famous castles from different eras form the motif of the stamps in the new booklet. The castles are well-visited by tourists from both near and far. The stamps were designed by Eva Wilsson and engraved by Nartin Morck. Each stamp has a denominations of 12 Swedish  kronor.  The cost of the entire booklet is 60 SEK. First day covers are 77 SEk and Collector Sheet’s are 93 SEK.Special souvenir sheet has also been produced.  It contains four of the Lacko Castle Stamp and shows and aerial photo taken of the castle by Tore Hangman. The souvenir sheet measures 148mm by 187.5 mm.  The cost of the souvenir sheet is 53 SEK. 

Jersey Petrology on Stamps

On 9th March 2010, Jersey Post will issue a set of five postage stamps featuring Petrology specimens found in Jersey. The oldest rocks in Jersey are the Shales which are over 700 million years old. However, the best known rocks in the Island are the pink and grey Granites and Diorites. They make up a third of the Island and were formed between 550 and 450 million years ago by molten rock cooling and solidifying deep between the Earth’s surface. The specimens featured may all be seen at the MP Shah Gallery at Jersey La Heritage  Hougue Bie Museum, Grouville,
Jersey.

Jersey Post’s Petrology stamps are shown above at proof stage and feature:

37p      Brecciated Pegniatite with Orihaclase Feldspar crystals

42p      Diorite with incipient orbicular structure

45p      Granite

61p      Jasper in Andesite

80p      Pebbles of Granite, Andesite and Shale in Rozel Conglomerate

technical Details:- Stamps, First Day Cover envelope and Presentation Pack painted by Jennifer Toombs using reference photographs supplied by Guy and Denise Cangelosi. Stamps printed by Cartor Security Printing, France in four color process offset lithography in sheets of ten (2 across x 5 down). Stamp die size 40mm x 30mm. Stamp product designs t Jersey Post Ltd 2010. Set value £2.65.

All items will be available from the Jersey Philatelic Bureau, Postal Headquarters, JERSEY JE lAB,
United Kingdom or the shop at the  Broad Street post office or on Internet at:

www.jerseystamps.com

Olga Finch, Curator of Archaeology at Jersey Heritage, provided Jersey Post with the following observations regarding the petrology of
Jersey.

The oldest rocks in Jersey are the Shales which are over 700 million years old. They were formed by muddy currents flowing down a sloping  seabed which deposited layer after layer of fine sand and clay which over time was compressed and cemented into shales.The second generation of rocks are andesites and rhyolites. These were produced by volcanoes as ash-falls and lava flows some 650 to 550 million years ago.The best known rocks in Jersey are the pink and grey granites and diorites. They make up a third of the Island and were formed between 560 and 480 million yearn ago by molten rock cooling and solidifying deep between the Earths surface.The Rozel Conglomerates are the youngest rock formation on the Island, formed around 400 million years ago. The accumulation of pebbles formed when mountain ranges made up by the granite and older rock units were uplifted and eroded. Streams and torrents carried the pebbles and sand down valleys to deposit them on alluvial fans building onto a desert plain.”

For more information onf La Hougue Bie:

  http://www.megalithics.com/europe/jersey/bie/biemain.htm

The Jersey Rocks Videos

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Anti-Corruption Postage Stamps

To demonstrate Taiwan’s support for international anti-corruption efforts and its desire to march in step with international anti-corruption campaigns, the Chunghwa Post (Taiwan’s Official Postal Agency)   issued a set of two stamps on the themes of anti-corruption and clean government. One stamp has a denomination of NT$5.00 and the other has a denomination of NT$25.00. These stamps were printed by Central Engraving and Printing Plant and were released on December 9, 2009.

The stamps feature a globe with a world map, as well as latitude and longitude lines. These lines, along with the map of Taiwan, form the Chinese character han, which means “clean and honest.”, “1209 International Anti-Corruption Day,” along with the Chinese characters with the same meaning, are printed, respectively, below and above the globe. The image conveys the idea that Taiwan is taking the lead in promoting clean and competent government and is determined on implementing anti-corruption efforts. At the same time, the stamps express the idea that Taiwan is taking active steps to march in step with international society and is firmly behind international anti-corruption efforts.

The two stamps share the same design, differing only in their colors and denominations. The NT$5.00 stamp has a green globe with a blue world map, set against a light blue background; the NT$25.00 stamp has a bluish-purple globe with a green world map, set against a lavender background.

A first day cover, first day folders and a loose-leaf album page  will be released along with the stamps.

The latest of the French Post Offices European Cities Miniature Sheets was release on Novmber 9th, 2009. This years sheet features the city of Lisbon, Portugal.  The sheet contains 4 stamps each with a denomination of .56 Euros. The sheet was created by Noelle Le Guillouzic. The multi-colored Heliogravure printed sheet has a size of 143 X 135 MM each of the 4 perforated stamps have a size of 40 X 30 MM. The printing total was 1,800,000 sheets.

Located on the right bank of the northern estuary of the Tage river the city of Lisbon is situated on 7 hills.  Over the years and centurys it has been inhabited by various groups including the Greeks, Romans Visigoths, Moors and Christians.  Lisbon came to be an important city durring the XV century because of its good location and fine harbour as well as being a, at the time, world commercial port and maritime center.  The souvenir sheet shows various views of historic parts of this well-know European city.  In the upper left of the sheet one can see the Monastery of the Heironymites. Below this is a picture of the Belem Tower.  At the bottom of the sheet we are shown the Monument to Discoveries. Finally on the right side of the sheet one can see a depiction of Bairro Alto district of Lisbon.  Between the stamps are drawings of the Chateau St Georges, Elevador Santa Justa and two other non discript items.

 Selected Videos on this stamp issue

 Elevador Santa Justa

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The Monastery

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Belem Tower

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Discoveries Monument

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