India 2020 - Indian Fashion - Through The Ages (Series 1)

 

India 2019 - Indian Fashion - Sari in Myriad Form (Series 2)

 

India 2019 - Indian Fashion - Concept to Customer (Series 3)

 

India 2020 - Indian Fashion - Designers' Creations (Series 4)

China 2023 - The Knick-Knack Peddler

Technical Details:

Date of Issue: 18 June 2023
Denomination: 240 fen
Designer: Wang Huming
Size of Stamps: 55 * 42 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet Composition: 12
Size of Sheet: 203 * 200 mm
Size of S/S:
190 * 85 mm for S/S
138 * 50 mm for S/S stamp
Perforation of S/S: 13
Printing Process: Offset and Engraving
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

The artwork was done by Song Dynasty artist Li Song 李嵩 (1166–1243) and is currently held by the National Palace Museum. The painting translates roughly to Picture of the Merchant or Picture of the Shopkeeper. It is part of what is called the Li Song Lang Scroll. It is made of silk and is 25.5 cm long, 70.4 cm wide. This site has an interesting biography on Li Song 李嵩_百度百科 (baidu.com). You’ll need to use a translator to read it, but worth the effort.


… showing the merchant carrying the burden of groceries, bending over overwhelmed, and the joy of the cheering children running to tell each other. The cargo carries a wide range of items, from pots and plates and children’s toys to fruit and melon pastries. In the Southern Song Dynasty, when the circulation of goods was not yet developed, the merchants walked the streets and alleys, a pair of goods was a small department store, the merchants not only brought the goods needed for the remote countryside, but also brought a variety of novel news, the arrival of the merchants was often as lively as a festival, Li Song depicted such a scene in the picture. The painter used the theme of the goods … to express an aspect of the life of the Southern Song Dynasty, and those dazzling objects, although many of them have unknown uses today, but they truly record the lifestyle of the people of the Southern Song Dynasty and are rare and precious historical materials for folklorists. Li Song Lang Scroll – Palace Museum (dpm.org.cn) (translated from the original)

China 2024 - Yue Opera (Yue Ju)

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: May 20th, 2024
Denomination: 360 fen
Designer: Lu Jienan, Guo Xianlu
Size of stamps: 30 * 40 mm
Perforation: 13.5
Sheet composition: 12
Size of sheet: 150 * 190 mm
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

China 2023 - Tai Chi Quan, Chinese Martial Art

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: 08 August 2023
Denomination: 360 fen
Designer: Wang Yaping, Zhang Fan
Size of stamps: 40 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition: 12
Size of sheet: 150 * 60 mm
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Taiwan 1992 - Living in the Countryside

 

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 22 September 1992
Dimension of stamps(mm.) 30x49
Printer: China Engraving & Printing Works, R.O.C.
Designer: Li Chi-mao
Sheet Composition: 10×5
Process: Deep etch offset
Paper: Locally-made mat finished, watermarked stamp paper with gum
Perforation: 11 1/2

Many of the beliefs of our people are a combination of religion and ancient myths. The adoration of spirit and soul and to remember the endeavors of our ancestors through the activities of the temple fair have positive influences on daily life. Through the devoutness of religious duties, our people are able to readjust body and spirit. This set of stamps depicts the pure and simple characteristics of our religious culture through the prosperity of a temple fair of the countryside. It consists of five 5.00 stamps which are arranged in a se-tenant strip.

Taiwan 2021 - Hakka Festival

 
Technical Details:

Issue Date: 24 November 2021
Dimension of stamps: 50 mm × 30 mm
Printer: China Color Printing Co., Ltd.
Designer: KN Creative Design Co., Ltd.
Sheet Composition 20（4 × 5）
Print Color:  Colorful
Process: Offset
Paper: Phosphorescent stamp paper
Perforation: 13 × 12½


To introduce the customs of Taiwan’s Hakka people, Chunghwa Post has specially released a set of four stamps on Hakka festivals. The stamps are described below:

1. Miaoli Dragon Bombing Festival (NT$8): This refers to the lighting of firecrackers during dragon dances. The more firecrackers, the better the effect, as the smoke makes it appear as if the dragon spirits are weaving through the clouds. A Lantern Festival custom that is unique to Miaoli, dragon bombing has been performed since early days of Hakka settlements in the county. It comprises seven steps: making the dragon, inviting the dragon, dotting the eyes of the dragon, welcoming the dragon, lighting firecrackers around the dragon, following the dragon, and sending off the dragon for his return to heaven.

2. Liudui Defending the City Walls Festival (NT$8): The custom dates to the early years of the pioneering Hakka settlements in Pingtung’s Liudui, when local patrols would light firecrackers to alert the community about enemy incursions. With changing times, it became an activity used to pray to the Hakka Land God for good fortune in spring.

3. Taichung Dongshi Xin Ding Ban Festival (NT$12): In early Hakka agricultural society, villagers would offer rice cakes to the Land God and Goddess to pray for a baby. When their wishes were met, they would then offer thanks with even more rice cakes. These rice cake offerings are known as xin ding ban, or new child cakes. For baby boys, the cakes are molded into turtle shapes; for baby girls, peach shapes.

4. Guoxing Chenggong Festival (NT$12): The festival includes activities that capture the resolute reputation of the Hakka ethnic group, exemplified by the phrase: “Work fervently, ploughing field and slope.” The festival symbolizes the energy and solidarity of the people in Nantou’s Guoxing Township. Each team is composed of seven to eleven members. One is the flag capturer, and the rest push a “battleship” that carries the flag capturer and a statue of Zheng Chenggong. The first team that grabs the flag wins the blessings of Koxinga and thus claims a symbol of “success.”

Saudi Arabia 2024 - Saudi Ardah Dances

 

The Saudi Post Corporation (SPL), in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, has issued a commemorative postage stamp featuring the Saudi Ardah dance. This newly released Ardah postage stamp serves as a representation of the nation’s vibrant cultural heritage, thereby reinforcing its national legacy.

The Saudi Ardah is a collective dance performed by men, symbolizing unity between the leadership and the people. It evokes enthusiasm and reflects an emotional bond, demonstrating love for the land and loyalty to the nation's leaders. Characterized by joyful and energetic movements, the dance is accompanied by harmonious rhythmic unity. Elevated with prestige and solemnity, it incorporates the national flag and swords, creating a magnificent visual spectacle.

The SPL regularly issues postage stamps to commemorate significant national events, including religious, cultural, artistic, and sports occasions, as well as notable international events. Each stamp serves as a tribute to pivotal moments or immortalizes prominent scenes from Saudi Arabia's history. Consequently, it appeals not only to stamp collectors worldwide but also to historians interested in documenting history.

Mongolia 2024 - 50th anniversary of Diplomatic relations between Mongolia and The Federal Republic of Germany

Issue Date:  31 January 2024
Stamps size:  40x40mm
Sheetlet size:  135x85mm

Armenia 2024 - Armenian Coats of Arms (8th Definitive Issue)

8th Definitive Issue. Armenian Coats of Arms

Оn March , 2024 nine postage stamps dedicated to the theme “18th Definitive Issue. Armenian Coats of Arms” have been put into circulation. The postage stamps depict the Royal Coat of Arms (XIII-XIV cc.) of Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia.

The postage stamps also depict the inscriptions “ROYAL COAT OF ARMS”, “ARMENIAN KINGDOM OF CILICIA” in Armenian and English languages.


Date of issue: March, 2024
Designer: David Dovlatyan
Consultant on heraldic elements: Samvel Grigoryan (Doctor of History of the Paul-Valéry University of Montpellier, Institute of Medieval Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences)
Printing house: Cartor, France
Size: 20,0 x 24,0 mm
Stamps per sheet: 20 pcs
Print run: 

10 - 50 000 pcs
20 - 50 000 pcs
50 - 50 000 pcs
100 - 50 000 pcs
320 - 100 000 pcs
380 - 500 000 pcs
400 - 100 000 pcs
1000 - 50 000 pcs
1600 - 50 000 pcs

Vietnam 2020 - UNESCO, Worshipping of the Tam Phu Mothers

Technical Details:

Date of Issued: 06 December 2020
Design: Nguyen Du
Theme: Religions & beliefs (Buddhism)
Width: 43.00 mm
Height: 32.00 mm
Denomination: 4,000 VND
Format: Sheet of 25 of 1 design
Perforations: 13.00 x 13.00
Issuing Authority: Vietnam Post (VNPost) - Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC)
Printer: Post Stamp Printing Company, Vietnam

Mother Goddesses of Three Realms Worship - Intangible cultural heritage of humanity:
4,000 VND - Three palaces for worshiping Mother Goddesses (Tam toa Thanh mau)
4,000 VND - Trance rituals (Hau bong)
15,000 VND - Five-deity worshiping (Kieu Nam quan)
15,000 VND (SS) - Procession of Mother Goddess (Ruoc mau)

South Korea 2020 - The Style of Hanbok (Men)

Spain 2023 - Nannies of Pasiegas

 

Date of Issued: 28 July 2023

About Nannies of Pasiegas

The Amas de Cría Pasiegas were young women of childbearing age, who left their children to go to different parts of the Spanish geography, and take care of the infants of other mothers, always from a good family, who could not or did not want to raise their children. their children.

The nannies came to achieve such fame that the name pasiega was taken as a synonym for wet nurse, and the typical pasiego costume was even adopted as the uniform of the nannies who arrived in the capital. Many returned to their homes years later, when they had managed to raise enough money to improve the family economy and offer a good future for their children and husband.

Lesotho 1989 - International Stamp Exhibition "PHILEXFRANCE '89" - Paris, France - The 200th Anniversary of the French Revolution - Walt Disney Figures in Uniforms

Date of Issue: 10 July 1989
 

Laos 2023 - Ethnic Wedding Dress

Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 19 June 2023
Denomination: 18,000 KIP, 18,000 KIP, 18,000 KIP
Quantity: 30,000 pieces (10,000 sets)
Size: 31 x 46 mm
Souvenir Sheet (Perforation): 60,000 KIP/ 1,000 Pieces
Souvenir Sheet (Non Perforation): 60,000 KIP/ 1,000 Pieces
Printing Process: Offset
Color: Multi-Color
Place of Printing: Vietnam Stamp Printing
Designer: Mr. Vongsavanh Damlongsouk

Sine ancient times, in each village, the people of Laos have self-made cloth blankets. When they do not have dyes, they take fruits from the mountains to create color. The woven in Laos like to wear cloth flowers, dark colored fabrics, and fresh as the color of the natural leaves of the forest. However the type of dress and the type of trousers also selected for convenience, suitable for the season with specific circumstance. Laotian traditional often wears an important occasion or ceremony and in many rural areas, you will easily catch a glimpse of children wearing "Tube Skirts" to school. Otherwise. "Sinh" and "Salong" are various in colors and depend on their occasions such as a wedding or funeral of the festival.
 

Laos 2023 - Living of Farmers

Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 16 June 2023
Denomination: 8,000 KIP, 8,000 KIP, 18,000 KIP
Quantity: 15,000 pieces (5,000 sets)
Size: 31 x 46 mm
Souvenir Sheet (Perforation): 40,000 KIP/ 1,000 Pieces
Souvenir Sheet (Non Perforation): 40,000 KIP/ 1,000 Pieces
Printing Process: Offset
Color: Multi-Color
Place of Printing: Vietnam Stamp Printing
Designer: Mr. Vongsavanh Damlongsouk

Laos is a country that rich in natural resources. In the past, the farmers used to plan rice using primitive tools using human and animal power, before planting rice, they had to use bufallo as plows. After that, they used human power to plant rice. It took 5 or 6 months to harvest the rice. The tools used to plant rice are: bufallo, hoe, plow and harrow. The year of harvest can be planted in two seasons as name "Nashan and Napi"

Albania 1977 - National Costumes and Folk Dances

Date of Issued: 20 August 1977
Perforation: 12

Uzbekistan 2016 - Uzbek National Costumes

Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 30 December 2016
Sheetsize: 4
Design: E. Kanevets
Engraving: Aucun
Perforation: 14 x 13¾
Size Stamp: 37 mm x 52 mm
Size Sheet: 100 mm x 200 mm
Circulation: 8,000 Sheets
Printing: Offset Printing

1,900 UZS - Groom's Suit (Tashkent. Early 19th century)
2,100 UZS - Bride's Costume (Tashkent. Early 20th century)
2,500 UZS - Boy’s Costume for Circumcision (Tashkent. Early 19th century)
2,500 UZS - Costume of a Young Woman (Tashkent. 30-40s of the XX century)

The series is printed in the form of a postal block. The postal block consists of 4 postage stamps. The postage stamps depict national costumes of the 19th and 20th centuries of the city of Tashkent. A special place in museum exhibitions is given to the national costumes of various regions of our Republic.

JSC “Uzbekistan Pochtasi” was prepared, the Ministry for Development of Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan put into circulation on December 30, 2016 a series of postage stamps “Uzbek National Costumes”. Postage stamps are multi-colored. The margins of the postal block depict a national ornament.

Zambia 1981 - Traditional Living, Definitive

Date of Issued: 02 June 1981
 

United Nation 2023 - Body, Mind and Soul

 

On 10 August 2023, UNPA issues three stamps and three souvenir sheets on the theme “Body, Mind and Soul”. When body, mind and soul are in harmony, one experiences good health, inner peace, and happiness. The stamps represent three UNESCO intangible cultural heritage from China that contribute to reaching such harmony – the practices of Taijiquan, Calligraphy and Guqin and its music.

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: 10 August 2023
Artist: Yun Zhang (P.R. China)
Designer: Rorie Katz (United Nations)
Stamp denominations: US$ 0.66, CHF 1,10, € 1,00
Stamp size: 40 mm x 30 mm
Sheet size: 180 mm x 170 mm
Stamps per sheet: 20
Souvenir sheet denominations: US$ 1.50, CHF 2,30, € 1,90
Souvenir sheet size: 40 mm x 140 mm with a 30 mm x 40 mm stamp
Printer: Royal Joh Enschedé (The Netherlands)
Process: Offset lithography
Perforation: 14 x 13 ¼

Quantities Stamps:
US$ 0.66 = 12,000 sheets
CHF 1,10 = 12,000 sheets
€ 1,00 = 12,000 sheets
Souvenir sheets:
US$ 1.50 = 37,000
CHF 2,30 = 27,000
€ 1,90 = 29,000

The Designs
US$ 0.66 stamp and US$ 1.50 souvenir sheet – Taijiquan
CHF 1,10 stamp and CHF 2,30 souvenir sheet – Chinese Calligraphy
€ 1,00 stamp and € 1,90 souvenir sheet – Guqin and its music

Andorra Spanish - Dance of The Bear

Technical Details:
Issue Date: 22 February 2022

About Dance of the Bear

The ball de l'ossa d'Encamp is a popular theatrical and dance performance around a bear hunt that takes place on Carnival Monday in the parish of Encamp, Andorra. In the first half of the twentieth century the tradition was lost and the dances of the bear were disappearing from the Principality. In Encamp, the dance of the bear revived in the fifties by the journalist and writer Rossend Marsol Clua (Sícoris), who formalized its representation. The dance of the bear of Encamp together with the Last Bear of Ordino that is celebrated in the first week of December in this other parish, are the only manifestations that survive of this ancestral Andorran tradition. These two festivals are included in the General Inventory of the Cultural Heritage of the Government of Andorra as Intangible Assets, and their inclusion in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO is also being processed.

The Andorra Bear Festival is considered a theatrical farce, in other words, a one-act comedy performance. This festival features a variety of characters typical of Andorran rural life of the last century and the hunting of the animal is presented as a pretext to stage the trifles in which they are immersed. At the end of the performance, garlic and quince oil are distributed to all attendees.

Suriname 1994 - Musical Instruments, Folklore

 Date of Issued: 16 February 1994

Greece 2023 - Costumes of The Greek Theater

 

Singapore 1986 - World Fair "EXPO '86" - Vancouver, Canada

Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 02 may 1986
Denomination: 50c, 75c, SGD1
Stamp Size: 40mm x 28mm
Perforation: 14.5
Paper: Unwatermarked
Printing Process: Offset Lithography
Printer: Leigh Mardon Pty Ltd
Sheet Content: 30 Stamps per Sheet
Designer: Chua Ban Har

SGD 0.50 - Calligrapher
SGD 0.75 - Garland Marker
SGD 1.00 - Batik Printer

COMMEMORATIVE STAMPS EXPO '86 will be one of the greatest attractions the world is likely to see in this decade and millions of people of every age and interest are expected to visit the grounds in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada between 2 May and 13 October 1986.

EXPO '86 will also be the largest special category World Exposition ever staged in North America and the first to focus on the latest innovations in transportation and communications. It will attempt to seek new ways to overcome the barriers of time and space, new methods of people, goods and ideas.

With the theme of "World in World in Touch", EXPO'86 will offer a glimpse of both the marvels of modern technology and the re-enactments of past travels.

Singapore is participating with a Singapore Pavilion and an overall theme of "Sur- prising Singapore”.

In conjunction with the World Exposition, a set of three stamps will be issued on 2 May 1986.

Interwoven into the fabric of Singapore's modern city life and highly sophisticated industries is a surprising myriad of traditional trades and handicrafts which have thrived in the little cor- ners of Singapore for a few decades.

Depicted on the 50¢ stamp is calligra- phy, which is the skill of Chinese hand- writing. Using the supple Chinese writing brush and paper, the calligrapher trans- poses the ideographic Chinese character into pieces of art, each in its distinctive beauty, grace and style. Calligraphy is a traditional art, coming from a time when a good hand is equated with good education. Lines and strokes cannot be corrected once they are written.

In Singapore, calligraphers can be found in Chinatown. Their history started from those early days when letter writers were needed as links of family communi- cation for young men who come to make their homes in Singapore. Today, they write poems, couplets, names and even greetings as souvenirs for both tourists and locals alike.

Garland makers (as depicted on the 75¢ stamp) are found along the stretch of Serangoon Road, affectionately known as the "Little India" of Singapore.

The art originated from India, and has evolved somewhat to meet the needs of other ethnic communities in Singapore. Originally using the jasmine blossom, garland makers in Singapore today make use of red and pink roses and orchids to string their garlands together.

As with the traditional crafts, the trade of garland making goes back a few decades. The skill is a relatively simple one using strips of banana fibre to tie the stems of flowers together, forming an attractive floral string. A variety of flowers is used, the most com- mon being the jasmine blossom, chosen for its sweet scent and used in Hindu religious cere- monies. Garlands are also made for use as women's hair pieces, in ritual baths and at wedding
and engagement ceremonies.

Batik printing (on the $1 stamp) in Singapore had its ori- gin from the neigh- bouring countries of Indonesia and Malaysia. There are three methods of making batik- hand-painted, hand-stamped and machine printed. In its original form, batik printing is an ornate skill, using a tedious wax and dye process to work out rich patterns and designs on cloth, producing unique master- pieces, often without duplicate.

Batik in Singapore is produced largely for exports. The designs in Singapore batiks tend to centre on the floral theme and are intricate and fine. They are prin- ted on a variety of fabric materials such as cotton, silk and rayon, and are fashion- ed into wrap-around skirts, sundresses, shirts, blouses and, of course, the striking traditional sarong worn by ladies.

Egypt 2023 - EUROMED, Festivals of the Mediterranean

 

Ireland 2023 - Junk Kouture

Techinal Details:

Date of Issued: 04 May 2023
Design: Unthink
Value and Quantity: 4 x N (50k booklets)
Make-up: Booklet of 4
Size: 30mm x 51mm
Paper: TR 246gsm self-adhesive Colour Multicolour with phosphor tagging
Printing Process: Lithography
Printer: Royal Joh. Enschedé

On May 4, we issue a set of four stamps to acknowledge the spectacular success of the Irish fashion movement that is Junk Kouture.

We are delighted to mark the achievements of the Junk Kouture movement with multicoloured stamps that feature attractive highend fashion from junk materials designed by Irish students. Based on an ethos of sustainability and innovation, students aged 13-18 are challenged to envision, design, create and model high-end haute couture styled by using only recycled materials and everyday junk. The movement’s core principles of sustainability and innovation are in response to climate change and the need to achieve a more sustainable future through education and youth creativity.

The designs created by Irish students featured on our attractive stamps are:

‘It’s All About The Package’ by Londiwe Ndlovu of Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School, Co. Westmeath.

‘The New Different’ by Georgie Barry, Leona Purcell and Ally Griffin of Coláiste Nano Nagle, Co. Limerick.

‘Steam Punk’ by Angel Agheria, Sam Walsh and Edward Mullaly of De La Salle College, Waterford.

‘Iconoclastic Fantastic’ by Alicia Rostermundt of Coláiste Bríde, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.

Indonesia 2022 - The Surakarta Kraton Guards

 

Wallis & Futuna 2023 - Traditional Dance, Bamboo Dance

Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 29 April 2023
Designer: J.-J. MAHUTEAU
Printing: Offset
Stamp Size: 52 x 40 mm
Presentation: 10 Stamps per-Sheet
Face Value: 175 FCFP (1,47 €)
Circulation: 20 000 copies