IT'S NOT JUST A HOBBY


Tuesday, March 12, 2024

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

Thursday, October 12, 2023

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)


Friday, October 6, 2023

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.

Monday, September 18, 2023

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"

Sunday, September 17, 2023

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.

Sunday, August 13, 2023

Zambia 1981 - Traditional Living, Definitive


Date of Issued: 02 June 1981
 

Thursday, August 10, 2023

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

Saturday, August 5, 2023

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.

Friday, August 4, 2023

Suriname 1994 - Musical Instruments, Folklore


 Date of Issued: 16 February 1994

Thursday, August 3, 2023

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.

Sunday, July 2, 2023

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.

Saturday, May 6, 2023

Saturday, April 29, 2023

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

Sunday, April 9, 2023

DDR, Germany 1986 - Postal Uniforms


Date of Issued: 04 February 1986
Design: Gottschall
Perforation: 14

Denmark 1976 - Danish Glass Production

Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 18 November 1976
Sheetsize: 50
Design: Helle Jessen
Engraving: Czeslaw Slania
Perforation: 12¾

Ghana 1988 - The 10th Anniversary of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)


Date of Issued: 14 April 1988
Perforation: 13

Thailand 2019 - Thai Traditional Festival, Lotus Receiving


Issue Name : Thai Traditional Festival Postage Stamps - Lotus Receiving
Issue Date: 07 October 2019
Denomination: 3 Baht (4 Designs)
Size: 48 x 30 mm. (Horizontal-measured from perforation to perforation)
Printer: TBSP Public Company Limited


Finland 1976 - The Prevention of Tuberculosis, Wedding Traditions


Date of Issued: 15 September 1976
Design: Paavo Huovinen
Perforation: 12¾ x 13

To the late 1800s continued wedding traditions; Wedding Traditions:
0.50 + 0.10mk: Wedding Procession
0.60 + 0.15mk: Wedding Dance
0.80 + 0.20mk: Wedding Dinner

Czechoslovakia 1975 - Czechoslovak Folk Costumes


Date of Issued: 26 March 1975
Design: K. Svolinský
Engraving: J. Schmidt
Perforation: 11¾

Ascension 1991 - Royal Marines Equipment, 1821-1844

Date of Issued: 01 August 1991
Perforation: 14¼

Royal Marines Equipment 1821-1844:
Officer: Shako, Epaulettes, Belt Plate, & Button
Officer: Cap, Sword, Epaulettes, Belt Plate
Drum Major: Shako with Cords, & Staff
Sergeant: SHako, Chevrons, Belt Plate, & Water Bottle
Drummer: Drum, Sticks, Shako

Friday, April 7, 2023

Taiwan 2012 - Traditional Festivals


Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 20 June 2012
Dimension of Stamp: 40mm × 32mm
Printer: China Color Printing Co., Ltd
Designer: Huang Li-jun
Sheet Composition: 20 (5×4)
Print Color: Colorful
Process: Offset
Paper: Phosphorescent Stamp Paper
Perforation 121/2

So as to introduce traditional Chinese festivals, Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps featuring the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The designs of the stamps follow:

1. The Chinese New Year (NT$5): Chinese New Year is characterized by auspicious celebrations that symbolize the idea of the old giving way to the new. The stamp features fireworks to convey a sense of joy and fruitfulness. It also shows traditional New Year’s calligraphic couplets, with chun (the character for spring) on one side of the door, and fu (the character for good fortune) on the other. These convey the idea that “with spring comes good fortune.”

2. The Lantern Festival (NT$5): The Lantern Festival is like a mini Chinese New Year. Every household celebrates and hangs decorative lanterns. The stamp features a traditionally styled lantern, glutinous rice balls, and wooden red flip-flops representing that everything comes in pairs. The design is meant to convey the idea of blessings coming as families gather to celebrate the holiday.

3. The Dragon Boat Festival (NT$10): Dragon boat races and eating zongzi are the two activities most representative of the Dragon Boat Festival. It is a folk tradition to hang sweet sedge and Asian mugwort over the door to one’s house so as to ward off insect infestations. It is also customary to wear sachets of fragrant herbs dangling from one’s waist and to drink realgar wine as a way of praying for peace and safety.

4. The Mid-Autumn Festival (NT$25): “The moon is full and the people united.” The Mid-Autumn Festival is a holiday that celebrates reunions. The stamp features a shiny, bright moon and the Jade Hare and Lady Chang’e accompanying each other in the Palace of the Moon. The moon cakes symbolize the beauty of the clan being whole and united.

Macau 2002 - Tou Tei Festival (God of Earth Festival)


Date of Issued: 15 March 2002
Perforation: 14½ x 14

Belief and Customs of Tou Tei:
Tou Tei, a folk deity, is thought to protect the life and health of residents. In Macao, Tou Tei is honoured with altars, temples and a festival on the second day of the second lunar month, roughly February or March each year.

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Taiwan 2004 - Yijhen: Taiwanese Folk Art Performance



Technical Details:
Date of Issued: 11 May 2004
Dimension of Stamps: 40mm x 30mm
Printer: China Color Printing Co., Ltd., R. O. C.
Drawer: Hung-tu Ko
Sheet Composition: 20 ( 5 x 4 )
Print Color: Colorful
Process: Deep etch offset
Paper: Phosphorescent Stamp Paper
Perforation: 11 1/2 x 11

Yijhen: Taiwanese Folk Art Performance:

A staple of temple fairs and religious festivals, yijhen, a general category of various traditional Taiwanese folk art performances, is gradually fading from view due to the industrialization and modernization of society. Yet the sight of yijhen never fails to evoke warm memories of childhood. In order to give ROC nationals a deeper understanding about the island of Taiwan, Chunghwa Post is issuing a set of four stamps entitled “Yijhen: Taiwanese Folk Art Performance.”

In traditional Taiwanese society yijhen folk art performance played an important role in the cultural life of the common people. In the agricultural society of yesteryear, it was used in rituals to express people’s gratitude to the gods during temple fairs and religious processions and was also used as entertainment for the common folk. During the Ming and the Ching Dynasties, the early Han Chinese settlers brought yijhen with them

when they made the journey from mainland China across the strait to Taiwan. In the 400 years since, yijhen has developed into something that has both preserved its traditional Chinese spirit and yet also taken on the flavor of its locale. During the period of early settlement, Taiwan was a dangerous place, and some yijhen troupes had become self-defense organizations for their locales. The prevalence of religious activities fueled the development of folk dramas and yijhen. Apart from being entertaining, yijhen also functioned as a tool of education and as a defense mechanism that fostered solidarity among the people. Traditionally, a procession is held symbolizing a god or gods making an inspection tour of his or her territory on the eve of the god’s birthday or an important temple ceremony. During this kind of procession, local temples and businesses invite yijhen folk art performance troupes to join the parade. Most of these yijhen performers are amateurs and composed of people from the local communities.

The designs of the stamps follow:

(1) The Eight Generals: the “Eight Generals” can actually be performed by four, six, eight or more than ten persons. An eight-person troupe is the most common—hence the name. The “Eight Generals” is a solemn and mysterious troupe, employing the Four Gate, Seven Star or Eight Trigram battle arrays to capture goblins and monsters, so as to protect the people and keep the area safe.

(2) The Song Jiang Battle Array: the “Song Jiang Battle Array” is the largest and most impressive religious martial art troupe in Taiwan and it is very popular in Southern Taiwan. It is typically composed of 36 members, but some have 42, 56 or 72 members. In recent years, the Tourism Bureau has especially designated the “Song Jiang Battle Array” performed by troupes from Neimen Rural Township, Kaohsiung County as a unique local travel attraction. And troupes from Neimen have represented Taiwan several times in performance art exchanges in mainland China.

(3) The Drum Dance: the “Drum Dance” is the most energetic and rhythmic of all Taiwanese folk art performances. All about drumming and jumping, it is also called the Drum Flower Dance, Big Drum Flower or Playing the Big Drum. A troupe is normally composed of eight people, although there are also larger troupes of several dozen people. The performance is divided into the flags, the drums, the parasols and the gongs. It is mostly performed in a square-like formation, with the drums in the middle, the parasols in the front and back, and the gongs at the four corners. Movements are rhythmic and exacting. These are popular performances during temple fairs.

(4) Stilt Walking: also called stilt stepping, stilt walking takes real skill and a lot of practice. It is generally divided into the categories of theatrical stilt walking, which emphasizes singing and facial expressions, and martial arts stilt walking, which features all sorts of stunts and martial art movements. Most of these stilts are under three feet high, and these are called short stilts. Stilts over three feet high are called tall stilts.

French Polynesia 1989 - Polynesian Folklore, July Festivals


Date of Issued: 28 June 1989
Perforation: 12½