Switzerland 2019 - Traditional Swiss Costumes

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: 05 September 2019
Designer: Müller Lütolf, Berne
Printer: Cartor Security Printing, La Loupe, France
Process: Offset
Colours: 4 Colours
Size Stamps: 34.7 mm × 36.5 mm
Miniature Sheet: 149 mm × 45 mm

Swiss costumes have a long tradition and are known for their extraordinary variety. They are a valuable part of our national cultural heritage. This is illustrated by historical examples depicted on four stamps, produced as a se-tenant on the miniature sheet. A remarkable collection of traditional costumes can be found at the Swiss National Museum. Much of it was gifted by the costume researcher Julie Heierli. The Atelier Müller Lütolf in Berne, which is experienced in philately, has selected four examples from this collection to feature on the stamps. Left to right:

Lötschental: a costume as it was worn until well into the 19th century in Lötschental in Valais. The sleeves that extend only to the elbow are a distinctive feature of the outfit. A shirt was worn underneath the costume, while a garland typically adorned the head. The apron is made of printed cotton.

Fribourg: a procession costume from the 19th century. The large amulet (the “Ginge”) and the puffy sleeves are typical features. The costume is still seen in Düdingen, Tafers and Heitenried at the “Kränzlitöchter” tradition, where it is worn by unmarried women along with the “Schapel”, an ornately decorated headdress.

Valle Verzasca: a Sunday costume as worn in the Valle Maggia at the beginning of the 19th century. Like all traditional costumes, it reflected the fashion of the day. As such, the high empire cut worn below the breast is a typical aspect of the design.

Engadin: this costume dates from the late 18th century. As it is also influenced by the fashion of the period, it is called a Graubünden “rococo costume”. It is accompanied by the “Capadüsli” hat and is still made today. Costumes from this region are documented and looked after by the Graubünden costume association.

ASEAN Joint Issue 2019 - National Costumes Stamp Pack

(Click to view larger image)

Stamps from ASEAN Countries - National Costumes:

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

Croatia 2018 - Croatian Ethnographic Heritage

Technical Details:
Issue Date: 28 June 2018
Designer: Orsat Franković, designer from Zagreb
Printer: AKD d.o.o., Zagreb
Process: Multicolor Offset Printing
Size: 29.82 x 35.50 mm
Values: HRK 1.00, HRK 3.10, HRK 8.60, HRK 15.00

About Croatian Ethnographic Heritage

Šestine
Šestine is a village on the foothills of the Mount Medvednica. Today, it is a part of agglomeration of the City of Zagreb. It got its name after šestina,a type of a tax imposed during the time of feudalism. The settlement began developing in the 13th century.

The Šestine folk costume got its current form during the second half of the 19thcentury. Various historical layers are visible in it. The three-part women's costume consists of a rubača(skirt sewn onto the vest), opleća and fertuna(apron). The cloth for the attire was made by weavers so it was simple, made from flax or hemp yarn with sparse embellishments in the format of multi-coloured thin stripes. Similar folk costumes in the foothills of the Mount Medvednica got the Šestine type name after this costume. This type of costume has been preserved due to the proximity of Zagreb because the costume worn by the women in the foothills became a symbol of product quality (cheese and sour cream, fruits and vegetables), services (laundry washing) and flowers sold (especially spring flowers) offered on a daily basis on the markets of Zagreb, especially Dolac, the main market.

In the past, the people from the foothills wore cloaks, vests and coats made of fur and leather. In the 19thcentury they started making the same items using wool cloths, felt and stout peasant cloth. Men and women used large cloaks called čoheto cover themselves with appliques made of cloth, leather and wool embroidery made by specialised craftsmen called čohaši. Surke, short coats and vests, lajbeci, were made of felt or fabric embellished with embroidery appliques or by various embroidery techniques and multi-coloured threads made by craftsmen from Zagreb.

Slavonia
Slavonia is a historical and geographical area in the eastern part of Croatia and it mostly spreads out in the Pannonian lowlands. It consists of the land between the Sava River in the south and the Drava River in the north, the Ilova River in the west the Bosut River and Vuka River in the southeast. The name comes from S(c)lavonia, a name from the Middle Ages meaning“theland inhabited by the Slavs“. It is a diverse geographical area that features mountains, hills and flatlands and is known for its oak forests and high quality soil ideal for growing grains, grapevines and various fruit cultures, as well as farming domestic animals sold on the market.

The economic power of the Slavonian villages was evident in the traditional clothing that stood out with its diversity and richness of domestic cloths, jewellery and embellishments. During the second half of the 19thcentury, especially in the eastern Slavonia, the growth of the economy provided for procurement of expensive materials, such as silk cloths from the central Europe, France and Italy made of either real or artificial silk threads. This is the time when silk brocades with flower design were popular and were used to make visible parts of women's clothing: blouses, skirts and aprons.

Prior to the beginning of the 20thcentury, girls and women in Đakovština wore skirts made of multi-coloured brocade silk with flower motifs during the winter months that were called granare, granaši. At the start of the 20thcentury, in the Village of Gorjani there was a fashion trend of procuring and wearing large silk scarves with flower motifs women used to wrap themselves with during the procession of the spiritual custom entitled ljelja, giving the scarves the name ljeljare.

Susak
Susak, in terms of its size, is one of the smallest inhabited islands of the north Adriatic and is a part of the Cres – Lošinj archipelago. The island is made of limestone covered with several meters of sandy layers so macchia and reeds grow abundantly. There is a settlement on the island with the same name where a few permanent residents live today. The island was mentioned in documents as early as the 9thcentury. Its residents were involved in seamanship, fishing and viticulture. Trojišćina, an old grape sort immune to phylloxera, was thriving in the vineyards on the main flatland on the island. The island reached its peak in terms of development during the 1930s. The people of Susak developed viticulture, wine-making, fishing and fish processing to a point where they opened processing facilities. Following World War II, many residents, as political and economic immigrants, moved to the United States of America. The community with the most members is, even now, in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Women's folk costumes were worn on the island until the middle of the 20thcentury. The newer clothing version named po losinjskuwas preserved as bridal attire after World War II. It is possibly the reflection of the 18thcentury fashion, and between the two world wars, the skirt was shortened to above the knee. The costume is lively because the pink colour dominates as the basic colour with plenty of embellishments. The costume consists of a silk pink blouse richly decorated with multi-coloured ribbons, lace, metal threads and glass beads on the chest, back and sleeves. The pink coloured skirt, named kamizot, has small folds and three strongly starched underskirts give it width. Apron, tarvijerslica, is made of pink silk and features the same embellishments as the blouse. The outfit is completed with pink coloured socks.

The women's folk costume, along with the specific čakavskiaccent, is the specific characteristic of the people of Susak who regularly visit their island during the summer months. On the last Saturday of each July, they celebrate the Emmigrants’ Day, and this is when their language can be heard and their folk costume can be seen.

Bratina (Pisarovina)
Bratina near Pisarovina is the centre of a cluster of villages south of Zagreb and today, it is the name of a town. It is mostly a lowland known for the remnants of former wooden architecture and houses covered by hay. Prior to 1848, the villagers from the Bratina area were peasants on the property owned by the noble Erdödy family. The customs and the material culture of this area are similar to those of the noble farmers in Posavina and Pokuplje. The folk costume belongs to the Kupinec-Bratina version of the Pannonian type.

The women's costume consists of three basic woven flax parts: rubača(skirts sewn onto the vests), blouse called oplećak and zastor(apron). During weaving, the cloth was embellished with distinctive stylised geometric colourful flower motifs. The basic colour of the embellishment, various shades of red colour, black and white, their combination or nonexistence symbolise the social, age and cast status of the woman wearing it. The women's headwear also indicated the cast and age status. In some areas of Pannonian Croatia, the girls' partaindicated their maturity until they got married. In Bratina the symbol of girlhood was hair braided into two braids and twisted around the head. At the front, the head was covered by a parta, a narrow and soft decorative ribbon placed on the hair from ear to ear.

The partain Bratina was embellished with sewn in multi-coloured glass beads skilfully arranged into flower motifs. The multi-layered headgear of married women was especially rich. The upper cap was tied low on the back of the head. It was richly embellished for special occasions with jewellery of various shapes and decorative ribbons with glass beads. In Bratina women were not buying finished jewellery. They would get glass beads of primarily central European production and they would skilfully embroider the motifs using glass beads on the ribbons for headgear and make necklace strings according to traditional samples.

Dr. Tihana Petrović Leš, PhD
Faculty of Humanities and Social Studies at the University of Zagreb

Croatia 2017 - Croatian Ethnographic Heritage

Technical Details: 
Issue Date: 16 March 2017
Designer: Orsat Franković, designer from Zagreb
Illustrator: Photographs of Zlarin, Konavle, Istria: Ivo Pervan, photographer from Split,
Photographs of Podravina: DIF archives, Koprivnički Ivanec
Printer: AKD d.o.o., Zagreb
Process: Multicolour Offset
Size: 29.82 x 35.50 mm
Values: 3.00 HRK; 4.60 HRK; 5.00 HRK; 6.50 HRK

About Croatian Ethnographic Heritage 2017

Zlarin
Zlarin is a small island in the Šibenik archipelago. It is also called the “coral island“ due to the development of harvesting and processing of white and red corals that began in the 15th century. Even though small in size, the island bears significance because of its historical monuments. One of the more important ones is the parish register of the brotherhood of people in the Church of Our Lady of Rašelj written in the Chakavian dialect in 1456. In the 70s, older women on Zlarin dressed as documented in photos from the beginning of the 20th century. The basic attire consisted of a long linen shirt, the garments worn on top were dark blue or black vests with a red trim and long pleated skirts made of a brown or black wool fabric often with red bands just above the hem. The skirts were tightened on the chest and lengthened into shoulder straps made of red ribbons turning them into typical bell-shaped Mediterranean skirts with straps. The pleats were secured around the waist with colourful wool belts where the women would tuck their handkerchiefs. Married women wore white scarfs on their heads, while girls wore braids wrapped around their heads with red ribbons. The life on the Croatian islands and in the Adriatic region was humble, but it has kept up with the fashion trends from the earliest times because of trading and maritime commerce. This has also been manifested in jewellery. Young women and girls adorned themselves with gold and silver jewellery with semi-precious and precious stones. The jewellery was made by skilled domestic and foreign craftsmen using the old techniques of casting, refining, filigreeing, granulating and inserting. Due to its value, jewellery has been passed from generation to generation within the immediate and extended family. The most popular pieces were earrings of various shapes, pieces worn on the neck and chest consisting of shorter or longer gold or coral necklaces with pendants, as well as embellished broches and pins typically used to close the shirts on the chest area.

Podravina - Koprivnički Ivanec
Podravina is a geographical and historic Croatian region located in the lowlands and bounded by the river Drava, the hills of Bilogora and the extension of the Kalnik Mountain. Ethnologically, Podravina is known for its specific folklore (music and dance), national costumes and beliefs, as well as naive style paintings. In the village of Koprivnički Ivanec, not too far from Koprivnica, the local community nurtures the so-called Ivanec embroidery as its special identity characteristic. The embroidery adorns visible sections of national costumes worn by women, such as sleeves on shirts called “opleće” or “pleček”, and “poculica” hats. In the past, embroidery could be seen on handkerchiefs as well. This type of embroidery is created with a needle and a coloured thread using several techniques. Its characterised by various floral motifs from the nature (tulip, rose, daisy, lily of the valley, clover, oak leaf), and especially by motifs such as old clocks and hearts that are combined in various arrangements and colours of other elements of the embroidery. Dark to light shades of red colour dominate the embroidery, followed by green, blue, purple, white and black. The motif and the colour selection depend on the age of the person who wears it and the purpose of the item. Therefore, older women wear garments with humble dark colour embroidery, and younger women and girls wear garments with exuberant light colour embroidery. What makes the Ivanec embroidery special is the fact that it is directly stitched into the fabric without drawings. Since the Ivanec embroidery features a large number of decorative motifs, it is used to embellish table linens (tablecloths and napkins), but it has been also transferred onto ceramic dishes as a decorative pattern. Today, in addition to making replicas of national costumes, it is also used to embellish modern clothing and various other items. In light of its significance, in 2011 the art of Ivanec embroidery was listed in the register of intangible cultural heritage of the Republic of Croatia.

Konavle
The region of Konavle is located south-east of Dubrovnik in the most southern part of continental Croatia. Despite tourism and lifestyle changes in the 20th century, the women of Konavle have managed to preserve and continue to wear national costumes that speak of the extensive history, culture and economy of this region through their simplicity, beauty and elegance. The basic attire for women consists of long linen or cotton shirts in the shape of a simple tunic with sleeves. Embroidery is applied around the neck, on the chest and along the sleeve hem. The embroidery embellishment is the most exuberant and most visible on the bust area ending with yellow silk tufts. The beauty of the embroidery from Konavle was recognized at the end of the 19th century. Teachers, Ms. Paulina Bogdan Bijelić and Ms. Jelka Miš who managed an association and embroidery school in Cavtat during the period from 1922 to 1946, investigated and gathered patterns and taught women how to do embroidery. The women who do the Konavle type of embroidery show their skills and mathematical precision when counting surface threads in the process of creating embellishments that resemble weaving. The embroidery is made from the surface of the fabric by pulling a stitching needle with homemade wool, silk or factory-made cotton threads of various colours. This type of stitching produces geometric motif of numerous versions with various names. The women of Konavle used the embroidery to emphasize their social, wealth and marital status on their busts. For decades, the Konavle embroidery has been applied to modern items and souvenirs (tablecloths, purses, dresses, mats, pillowcases, shopping bags), and during the recent years, the embroidery motifs have been transferred to ceramics and glass. The Konavle embroidery has deep identity roots in the community and is made by women of Konavle of all generations, even by those who live in other parts of Croatia or in the diaspora. In light of its significance, the art of embroidery was listed in the register of intangible cultural heritage of the Republic of Croatia.

Istria
Istria is the largest peninsula on the Croatian side of the Adriatic Sea. It is positioned close to the heart of Europe and it represents a bridge that connects mid-European continental area with the Mediterranean. This has been manifested in its rich and diverse ethnographic heritage. Two-part singing and playing in the Istrian scale, a characteristic musical phenomenon, was added to UNESCO's representative list of intangible cultural heritage. Fabric handwork in Istria has inherited mid-European, Mediterranean and Slavic traditions. In Istria, women handled the tasks of processing and preparing raw fabric materials, while men were in charge of weaving. Weavers were greatly respected people who took up weaving alongside their primary agricultural tasks. The skill of weaving was passed from father to son or from weavers to their apprentices. Weavers from the area around Žminj, Kringa and Zrenj were renowned for the quality of their weaving. They worked on large horizontal looms and they weaved flax, hemp and wool fabrics of natural white and brown colour with the help of two or four heddles. The weaving production had begun to disappear at the end of the 19th century, and it almost completely disappeared during the 1960s. Today, weaving is done by older persons for the purpose of presentations and workshops. There are two basic types of outerwear patterns found on Istrian women’s garments where centuries have accumulated: dresses tailored using pegs (“modrne klinarice”) and dresses that consist of vests and pleated skirts (“modrne na skas”). Both types are made from domestic hemp, wool or purchased fabrics. Pleated skirts are adorned with simple embellishments above the hemline with narrow or broad trim stripes of various colours. They have many pleats giving the garments elegance and special effects in dance movements.

Tihana Petrović Leš, PhD

Croatia 2014 - Croatian Ethnographic Heritage

Technical Details:
Issue Date: 20 October 2014
Designer: Orsat Franković, designer, Zagreb
Printer: AKD d.o.o., Zagreb
Process: Multicolor Offset Printing
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 29,82 x 35,50 mm
Values: 0.41, 0.76, 0.99, 1.44

About Croatian Ethnographic Heritage 2014

Do they wear short skirts on Dugi otok (Long Island)? No, but on the island of Susak. Do golden flowers grow on Zlatni rat (Golden Cape) beach? No, but in Đakovo region. Are blue surkas (short coats) worn in Plavić (a toponym meaning “blue“)? No, but in Slavonia region. We could continue with a long sequence of such jokes. But even this is sufficient to remind us that the small Croatia is endless, that it has so many varieties on its surface which is a boundary and the bridge between the Middle Europe and the Mediterranean, between the Pannonia Plane and Dinaric mountains, between the basins of Sava and Danube rivers and the Adriatic coast. Even the smallest geographical units were once marked with their own, specific dialect, which differed from other dialects by the nature of its vocabulary, accents, by the role of gradual intermediation between more powerful milieus. That what counts for the verbal, expressive world, counts also for the world of visual arts. Each geographic area has “designed” human appearance in a different way, using different materials in accordance with what it demanded from the land and what the land gave in return. Somewhere in the foundations there is flax, somewhere sheep; somewhere silk fibre, skein of wool, pieces of glass, somewhere coral. When the industrial civilisation entered the world of manufacture, as the most precious decoration, just in the Vrlika region, there started a practice of sawing machine-produced buttons on garments. There are great differences also in the representation of human figure. Tall and upright young girls from Zagora region, like the caryatids, fluttering butterflies in broad, short skirts from the above mentioned island of Susak, gilded queens of the north-eastern Croatia, flower-covered women from Posavina region… Stylisation of human figure originated, however, from memorising style and thus the national costumes are a kind of herbarium of fashion of passed times. But, as the universal media even up the differences, as the machine extrudes hand and the unique becomes multipliable and moreover that multipliable presents itself as a virtue investing only in the creativity of template, the geographical nuances of dialects –those verbal equally as visual - fade away; the same happens with the traditional concepts of presentation of human figure and matter which are no more demanded from the land or returned by it. Thus, national costumes become exhibits; they are transferred from primary to secondary life, into museum showcases, into tourist attractions. Their strong, remained function is still the function of inspiration. And, as they managed to preserve the memory, now they become themselves its treasure. The treasure with which we still dispose to a high degree and by which we identify the talents of our past. Sending this treasure to the world for insight, Croatian Post has issued a series of stamps in several sets. In the last one details from garments from Slavonia, Vrlika, Gorski kotar and Lovas are presented. Marvellous, up-to-date framed details, however, do not have only artistic and differential value, but also some symbolic suggestions. Slavonic surka (short coat) is characterised by the warmth of tissue, proportioned with the chilliness of the north; autumn twigs – suggest year season when the purpose of Slavonic land is fulfilled; a considerable amount of blue colour – there is nowhere so much blue colour as there where the sky is immense above the plane; the three colours – red, white and blue – suggest a thought of flag - always and even in moments when that flag does not seen to imply a thought of you. On the piece of tissue from Vrlika visible is the speeded-up, uniform, abstract rhythm, resembling to the song and folk round dance of equal features; tiny and patient weave, sharing shapes with far away regions of eastern world. Black-and-white Gorski kotar, something like snow and woods, the imprint of oblivion and memory: this, so much neglected region, that it must keep its memory itself. And, in the end, Lovas where one gets goose bumps from associations: white flower on the bloody background sprinkled with gold flakes of honour. These are, however, our knowledges.

Croatia 2010 - Croatian Ethnographic Heritage

Technical Details: 
Issue Date: 15 March 2010
Designer: Orsat Franković and Ivana Vučić, designers, Zagreb
Printer: Zrinski
Process: Multicolor Offset Printing
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 29,82 x 35,50 mm
Values: 0.22, 0.43, 0.63, 0.98

About Croatian Ethnographic Heritage

What we call folk art is a result of longer, slowed-down time. The history was always created by individuals, and the same is with art. But the art was slowly depositing in consciousnesses, it was lying balled longer than the time needed for the events to pass, in mountains and valleys not connected one to another, over seven rivers and seventy seven mountains. Since our country is very diverse, we possess an immense treasure of this slowed-down history. Aware of its value, as well as its volatileness we make it a sign today – we confer to it the sign of identity. Indeed, we possess a lot of that treasure, but in the words of a poet „it is still there, it is still there thanks to some with pride“– and we shall possess it as long as we shall preserve that pride. This set of stamps by Croatian Post is a contribution to this purpose. By continuing its series „Croatian Ethnographic Heritage“, Croatian Post seizes into an immense treasury that is surely among the exquisite treasures of this world. Often unaware of what we possess, we let it decay in daylight or vegetate in darkness. The light however is needed for admiration: to these patterns, colours, petals of an imperishable garden which resists to dryness and rains, snows and centuries. National heritage has surely saved us much from that which faded in the changing of high styles. In that covert garden the tulips that were the subject of possessed desires in 17th century, still open. Baroque roses and small Biedermeier roses flourish, romantic forget-me-nots and art deco lilies intermingle. In the world history once there existed a coded language of flowers. Each flower, each colour had its exact sense and meaning. A seemingly innocent bunch of flowers contained a legible message. Today the nuances have vanished, but the task of mediating love and thankfulness remained preserved in flowers. How much love and thankfulness is there on these folk costumes from Draganić in Pokuplje, over Dubrovnik littoral and then again in Međimurje and Posavina! Almost white on white, tender flowers of Pokuplje combine with small branches of Dubrovnik, drawn precisely as hyssop. Succulent roses from Međimurje smell with maturity and fullness. To the Pokuplje whiteness in the end corresponds the black background of Posavina, on which the filigree contours of calyxes discern like when the eye closes against too strong light. The folk heritage comprises all forms and dimensions of life. Though, it is nice to offer it in the form of flowers: fragile and short-lived like the flowers, let us pick them by the glance, today, while we still exist, happy for existing.   Željka Čorak.

Croatia 2012 - Bobbin Lace, Joint Issue Croatia - Spain

Technical Details:
Issue Date: 31 March 2015
Designer: Ivana Vučić and Tomislav-Jurica Kaćunić, designers from Zagreb
Illustrator: Photograph of lace from Lepoglava by: Robert Leš
Printer: AKD d.o.o., Zagreb
Process: Multicolor Offset Printing
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 34.08 x 35.50 mm

About Bobbin Lace - Joint Issue Croatia - Spain

LEPOGLAVA LACE
The best known bobbin lace got its name by the municipality of Lepoglava, situated in the Varaždin County, in the north-west Croatia. In Lepoglava in the 19th and 20th century bobbin lace of various techniques and motifs was manufactured. Already at the end of the 19th century the lace craft in Lepoglava became part of the social politics i.e. organised home production, with the aim to ensure an income to village women. A new rise of the lace craft in Lepoglava began in the 1930-ies with Danica Brössler (1912 – 1993), who in a short period of time became an excellent designer and lace craft teacher. Having researched the market and the European lace craft, Danica Brössler changed the by then used technique and motifs and created the recognisable lace which by its technological features can be classified as the Croatian variant of the Duchesse lace. It is a kind of fine lace made of very thin thread and joined floral motifs which were created by various types of interweaving and leaves with low relief ribs. The lace created in this technique was used to make or decorate garments, underwear and home textiles. In Lepoglava, in the period between 1931 and 1942 Danica Brössler organised the work of lace women based on the principles of human work. This period was the „golden period“ of the lace craft in Lepoglava, because its author was awarded a diploma for drafts at the international exhibition in Paris in 1937 and the medal and diploma for the drafts of exhibited lace at the Belin International Crafts Exhibition in 1938.

In the last two decades the care for the by then almost dead lace craft in Lepoglava was intensified and encouraged by a number of projects and in 1997 in Lepoglava also the International Lace Festival was founded. The lace craft is of great importance for the local community and thus the bobbin with the wound thread is also represented together with the Pauline Father’s symbol - black raven, in the town's coat of arms. For its importance and role at the local and national level the lace craft of Lepoglava, together with the lace craft of Pag and Hvar was entered in 2009 in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the mankind.

Tihana Petrović Leš, D.Sc.

SEVILLE LACE
In recognition of the artistic and cultural values shared by Spain and Croatia, the postal services of both countries will circulate a joint issue dedicated to bobbin lace. The Croatian stamp will show lace from Lepoglava, and the Spanish stamp lace from Seville, both from the early 20th century. One special feature of this issue is that both stamps have perforations in the design, like real lace.

Made with silk, linen, cotton, gold or silver thread, lace was created and developed in Europe, spreading throughout the continent. Although its age is impossible to determine, lace became popular in the early 16th century when this delicate fabric became an essential part of European royal court attire. Italy and Flanders specialised in manufacturing, selling and distributing the latest lace fashions that were soon copied by other countries.

As one of the decorative arts, lace evolved in line with the artistic styles of each era, and we can identify Venetian, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Art Nouveau, Art Deco or contemporary lace. Bobbin lace requires a pillow to support the pattern, pins to set in the places marked by the patterns, and wooden bobbins, used to wind the threads.

Croatia has a rich history of needle lace and bobbin lace making. The tradition is particularly strong in the town of Lepoglava, in the north-west, where an international lace fair is held each year. The piece shown on the stamp was produced by Danica Brösles, who is famous in her country.

There is evidence of Spanish lace dating back to the late 15th-early 16th century, when skilled hands created a native style known as "punto español". The lace from Seville depicted on the stamp was made by Cándida García, a teacher who created new models based on those produced in Andalusia since the 17th century, known as twelve-bobbin lace. Patterns were produced for each customer, used only once and signed by the creator.

Yolanda Estefanía
Postal and Telegraph Museum Library

Croatia 2012 - About Rab - San Marino

Technical Details:
Issue Date: 16 October 2012
Designer: Ivana Vučić, graphic designer from Zagreb
Printer: Zrinski - Čakovec
Process: Multicolor Offset Printing
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 96.50 x 79.50 mm (29.82 x 35.50 mm)
Values: 1.91

About Rab – San Marino

Modern concept of town twinning implies connecting of two or more local communities by means of various activities. The twinning charter between the town of San Marino and the community of Rab was signed on 22 June 1968.

The founder of the Republic of San Marino, the patron of stonecutters and faulty accused people and the lasting connection between the island of Rab and San Marino – all that is St. Marino, a stonecutter from Rab, who lived in the 3rd and 4thcentury. The story about St. Marino is a combination of real history and myth. Marino was a stonecutter born in Lopar on the island of Rab and he remained remembered in history as the saint founder (Il santo fondatore) of the Republic of San Marino in 301. His day is celebrated on September, 3rd, the day of his death, which is also state holiday in San Marino. San Marino is the oldest republic in Europe and the reason can probably be found in the legend that says that St. Marino before his death said to his followers: “Sons, I liberate you from any kind of reign, civil as well as ecclesiastical“.

Croatia 2015 - Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage

Technical Details:
Issue Date: 27 July 2015
Designer: Orsat Franković, designer from Zagreb
Illustrator: Photographers: Mario Romulić (Traditional singing and playing in Eastern Croatia –Slavonia, Carnival bell ringers from Kastav), Ivo Pervan (The Alka of Sinj), Archives Aklapela festival (Dalmatian a cappella choir singing)
Printer: AKD d.o.o., Zagreb
Process: Multicoloured Offsetprint
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 35.50 x 35.50 mm
Values: 3.10 HRK x 4

About Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Alka of Sinj (Sinjska alka)
The Alka of Sinj is a chivalric game symbolically connected with the liberation of Sinj – a small town in the hinterland of Split and in the surrounding area known as Sinjska Krajina - from Turkish rule in 1715. Alka is a name for the tournament and the target. The alkars (competitors) on horses, riding in gallop must hit the target (alka) – a ring of wrought iron hanging above the racetrack, with a kind of spear. Alka is composed of two concentric circles interconnected so that they divide the outer ring space in three parts; the space one hits brings different scores. All competitors have two tries while the third race is reserved only for the best. In the competition there are minimum eleven and maximum seventeen alkars. The organiser of the activities and in charge for passing down the alka tradition is the Chivalric Society of the Alka of Sinj. The alkars are differentiated by function and honour which determines also their place in the festive procession of alkars which takes the precisely determined route to arrive to the racetrack: the commander called duke (vojvoda), competitors led by the commander called alaj-čauš, alkar- squires headed by harambaša, the escort composed of alkars who do not participate in the competition but have honour distinctions of barjaktar (the bearer of the flag), duke's assistant, squire etc. Alkars wear old and richly decorated clothing differentiated by colours and decoration and have ancient weapons; it is considered that such kind of clothing was worn by members of higher class. Alkar squires wear clothes as was typical for the peasants from Cetina Region, complemented with ancient weapons.

Alka takes place every year on Sunday in the first third of August. However, the preparation of alkars and their families and the people from the whole Cetina Region start months earlier. They are preceded by competitions aimed to local community: two days before the main competition – bara and a day before – čoja. Alka is an event aimed primarily at guests and friends and is connected with showing hospitality and preparation and eating of traditional dishes. A long tradition of competitions and the infiltration of the values of alka in everyday life resulted some decades ago in the establishment of a new tradition - alka competitions for children. Because of its great importance for the local and national community the Alka of Sinj was included into the UNESCO- Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

A yearly carnival procession of Bell Ringers from Kastav
The Bell Ringers of Kastav Region were entered into the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2010. Kastav is a smaller territorial, historical, cultural and administrative region encompassing the hinterland of Opatija and today's municipalities Kastav, Matulji and Viškovo. The bell ringers are in costumes dressed or masked participants of carnival processions which take place in winter period until the last carnival day - a Tuesday before the Ash Wednesday. In the processions only men take part, wearing masks on their heads, dressed in white-blue t-shirts, white trousers and caped with sheep-skin with fur turned outside and fixed round the waist with the belt on which one to three tied bells hang. Moving in special and various ways which demand physical strength and endurance, they produce deafening noise with their bells, wherefrom the name for these carnival characters was derived: bell ringers. According to their look and way they move there are three types of bell ringers: bell ringers with zoomorphic mask and one big bell, bell ringers with flower masks on their heads and three bells and bell ringers with head masks made of paper tapes in various colours and with three bells. They have differently shaped and decorated wooden bats in their hands which they use in movement and dance. About ten groups of bell ringers in the Kastav Region have their traditional routes with the goal to pass through their own and neighbouring villages where they are welcomed with food and drink by their hosts. In these carnival customs of bell ringers evident is the old magical fertility ritual, preserved until our days, which still today has an important social function and meaning. The bell ringers’ processions imply various forms of social behaviour in connection with special relationships between the hosts and the bell ringers, preparation, serving and consuming of ritual food, dancing and giving toasts. Also, in history and in modern life the bell ringers play special cohesive roles within community but also in the whole Kastav Region. Tradition is passed down and kept alive by including children, future tradition bearers, into the bell ringers’ processions.

Traditional singing and playing (bećarac) in regions of Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem
Bećarac is the best known and most widespread traditional, vocal and instrumental musical form in the region of Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem which serves to establish communication, express one's thoughts and feelings which cannot be expressed in everyday, decent conversation. It is rarely performed without instrumental accompaniment. It is assumed that this way of singing originates from the so called “nightly singing of men” which was noted at the end of the 19th century. The name of this musical form became customary around the middle of the 20th century and originates from the word bećar, of Turkish origin, referring to a merry person, young boy, single person, usually a bachelor, inclined to life without obligations and with lot of fun. On a melody pattern ten-syllable double verses are sung, often with love and lascivious, erotic themes, but also themes that describe everyday life and events; in these songs the accent is on one’s own virtues, capabilities, beauty, wealthiness in contrast to other persons or communities, on which occasion quite often the mocking, defiance and spite are expressed. It is often performed by oversinging of two or more singers accompanied by instruments – in older times by pipes and tamburitzas and recently by tamburitsa bands or even mixed violin, accordion and tamburitza bands. The singer usually sings the first verse or part of the verse which presents a kind of meaningful thesis and then the second verse - which is often a humorous antithesis to the first verse, is sung by all singers. Appreciated singers are those with strong, enduring voice who are familiar with the old repertoire of ten-syllable double verses, who are creative and can quickly improvise, combine and invent new verses during the performance, who can create a theme by referring to persons which are present or the context of the performance on the spot. This kind of singing (bećarac) is very popular also today and performed on various merry occasions, especially on wedding celebrations. It is an indispensable repertoire part of many folklore and musical associations which perform it often and with pleasure on various occasions. Bećarac is performed also by many stage artists and because of its popularity the word bećarac is also used to name various dishes and cakes of the manifestation. Croatian artist Zlatko Bourek it used it in 1966 as the theme for an animation movie. Bećarac from the region of Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem was entered into the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2011.

Dalmatian a cappella choir singing (Klape)
A cappella choir singing is a specific way of singing in a group (klapa), characteristic for Dalmatia and Croatia. It is considered that this kind of singing developed about the middle of the 19th century in Dalmatian towns. It was influenced by Gregorian choral, church folk and Glagolitic singing Mediterranean – particularly Italian music and singing and other factors. Klapa singing is singing in three or four voices without instrumental accompaniment and with recognisable movement of melody lines, harmony and text content. The texts of the songs cover a wide variety of themes from everyday life such as love, nature and family. The authors of texts and melodies are unknown. Modern composers often take verses of renowned Croatian poets. There is a difference between traditional (folk), festival and modern singing groups (klape). Traditional folk klapa is a non-formal group of singers which gathers spontaneously and sings on various occasions: before and during work and after work in evening hours in taverns or in front of houses. The appearance of a large number of singing groups and the spreading of klapa-singing throughout the region was influenced by the Dalmatian Klapa Festival in Omiš which was founded in 1967. Along with political, social and cultural changes in the 90-ies of the 20th century the klapa singing has changed considerably. This kind of singing became very popular and many groups were formed so that it resulted in a real “klapa movement”. Next to Dalmatia the centres of klapa singing become also Zagreb and Rijeka. Women vocal groups also joined the klapa singing - their tradition arising from the women’s folk singing. The large number of klapa choirs has led to a recognisable style, genre, repertoire and performance nourished in fourteen centres of klapa singing. From the 1960-ies the klapa singing becomes one of the symbols of Dalmatian and Mediterranean and then also Croatian identity. Because of the importance klapa singing has for Croatian culture, it was entered into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012.

D.Sc. Tihana Petrović Leš

Myanmar 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: 08 August 2019
Denomination: 100 K (16 Designs)
Stamp Size & Format: 30 mm x 42 mm (Vertical)
Perforation: 14
Quantity: 100,000 Pieces Each Design
Sheet Contents: 2 x 8 Stamps per Sheet (16 Designs)
Colour: 4
Stamp Designer: Thiha Lwin (MPS)
Printer: Security Printing Works (Myanmar)
Printing Process: Off Set

Picture Descriptions:
100 Kyat - Costumes of the Kachin
100 Kyat - Costumes of Kayah
100 Kyat - Costumes of Karen
100 Kyat - Costumes of Chin
100 Kyat - Costumes of Mon
100 Kyat - Costumes of the Bamar
100 Kyat - Costumes of the Rakhine
100 Kyat - Costumes of the Shan

100 Kyat - Dances of the Kachin
100 Kyat - Dances of Kayah
100 Kyat - Dances of Karen
100 Kyat - Dances of Chin
100 Kyat - Dances of Mon
100 Kyat - Dances of the Bamar
100 Kyat - Dances of the Rakhine
100 Kyat - Dances of the Shan

Malaysia 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: 08 August 2019
Stamp Value: 60 Cent
Stamp Size: 30mm x 50mm
Perforation: 14
Sheet Content: 20 stamps
Printing Process: Lithography
Printer: Southern Colour Print, New Zealand
Stamp Designer: World Communications Network Resources (M) Sdn Bhd
Miniature Sheet Value: RM5
Miniature Sheet Size: 100mm x 100mm
Stamp Size In Miniature Sheet: 80mm x 60mm
Miniature Sheet Perforation: 14
Stamp Paper: Tullis Russell High Reading Yellow/ Green Phosphor Gummed Stamp Paper

Brunei Darussalam 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: 08 August 2019
Denomination: 0.20 Cents
Illustrator: Muhammad Abdul Wafi bin Hj Mat Salleh
Designer: Digital Impressions
Printer: Southern Colour Print, New Zealand
Size of Stamps: 30 mm x 50 mm
Sheet Serial Number: From 0001 - 8000
Perforation: 13 per 2mm
Text By: Kementerian Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, Brunei Darussalam.
Paper: Tullis Russell Gummed Stamp Paper 103gsm, Unwatermarked (Postal Logo with Colourless Invisible Phosphorescent Ink)

Cambodia 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Technical Details: 
Date of Issue: 08 August 2019
Sheet": 5x2 with Gutter
Denomination: 3000 R
Quantity: 10,000 pieces
Printer: Vietnam Printing
Designer: Cambodia Post

Laos 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: 08 August 2019
Denomination: Lao Kip 8000
Denomination: Lao Kip 20,000 (SS Perforation & SS Non Perforation)
Stamp Size: 31 mm x 46 mm
Design: Mr. Vongsavanh Damlongsouk 
Quantity: 15,000 Pieces
Quantity: 1,500 (SS Perforation)
Quantity: 1,500 (SS Non-Perforation)
Color: Multi Color
Printing Process: Offset
Printing: Vietnam Stamps Printing

Lao Costume wear is the unique attire and style of Lao tradition as:

Men are dressed in silk, dressed in gingerbread and mantle wrapped in silk dresses for women to wear silk and flip flops to the left and nine hair are beautifully written.

Dressing up for the Lao traditional costume is the yard dresses in festival event, the wedding and other important day.

This issued is comprised of one special ASEAN stamp joy issue as "Lao Costume" of Laos, two souvenir sheets (Perforate and Non Perforate) and one first day cover (FDC).

Philippines 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Technial Details:
Date of Issue: 08 August 2019
Designer: Eunice Beatrix U. Dabu
Stamp Denomination: P12.00 (Single Design)
Stamp Size: 35mm x 50mm
Stamps per Sheet: 40 (8x5)
Printer: Amstar Company Inc
Process: Offset Lithography
Perforation: 14
Quantity: 20,000 pieces

One’s National Costume defines who we are as a Filipino. It is a representation of our traditions and history.

The stamp features a man and a woman wearing the national costume of the Philippines, the barong tagalong and the baro’tsaya. The inspiration of this project is the luxurious lines of fashion illustration and the warm romantic ambiance of our Kundiman songs.

PHLPost has printed 20,000 copies of the stamps designed by PHLPost In-house graphic designer Eunice Beatrix Dabu, sold for Php 12.00 each.

Meanwhile, each year, representatives from every ASEAN Postal Administration meet to share experiences and ideas to transform and integrate Posts in the ASEAN region to further build and strengthen the excellent relationships among members.

Thailand 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Vietnam 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Technical Details: 
Date of Issue: 08 August 2019 
Stamp Size: 46 mm x 31 mm 
FDC Size: 180 mm x 110 mm 
Stamp Designer: Mr. Pham Trung Ha

Vietnam is a country that has a long history with a unique culture and imbued with national identity. This is clearly reflected in the richness and the diversity of the traditional costumes. In which, Ao Dai is considered as Vietnamese national dress. Ao Dai is made for both men and women which is often worn on format festivals, fashion shows or as school uniforms. According to the flow of history, Ao Dai has been changed suit each stage of society. Even so, Ao Dai is always a symbol of the beauty, culture and also the pride of Vietnamese people.

According to general rule, every 2 years, ASEAN countries will issue a common stamp on the same topic.

On August 8th, 2019, The Ministry of Information and Communications decided to issue a stamp set "Vietnamese Traditional Costumes", with stamp value with the face price of 4,000.- VND, to honor the beauty of Ao Dai and preserve the humanity values of Vietnamese traditional costumes.

Indonesia 2019 - ASEAN, National Costumes

Technical Details:
Date of Issue: 08 August 2019
Size Stamp: 41.60 mm x 25.31 mm
Composition: 20 pieces (20 sets)
Price per Sheet: IDR 60,000.-
Colours: 4 Separation + 1 Invisible Ink
Paper: Postage Stamps Paper
Gum: PVA
Printing Process: Offset
Printing Quantity: 1,400,000 sets
Designer: KoezDiana
Printer: Perum PERURI

National Costumes

The costumes or uniforms commonly worn at official and national events consist of Complete Civil Uniform (PSL - Pakaian Sipil Lengkap).  Service Dress Uniform, and National Uniform.  These national costumes of uniforms are traditional attire and dress from various regions in Indonesia that are used at official and national events under the regulations determined by the committee of an institution or the secretariat of a national institution.  The Unitary State of The Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) is a multi-diverse country having 34 provinces with distinctive ethnic groups and culture.  Each province has its own representation of traditional attire and dress with its own unique and distinguished designs. Ethnic diversity in Indonesia signifies a diversity of National Costume choices of the people of Indonesia.

Even though, there are various traditional attire and dress coming from various provinces in Indonesia, the national costume that represents NKRI is derived from Indonesian culture and traditional textile traditions.  The most popular national costume of Indonesia is Batik and Kebaya within Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese culture.  Since Java has been the political and population center of Indonesia, folk costumes from the island has become elevated into national status and has been widely used by the people of Indonesia.  The use of National Costumes in some regions are also immensely influenced by the unique local ethnic designs, for example, batik cloth with various motifs, materials and Kebaya, baju kurung, baju bodo, and traditional unique fabrics, such as batik, songket or tenun.

One of the national headdress, especially for men is a cap named Kopiah or also called Songkok or Peci.  In any part of the world, when someone wears a kopiah, he will immediately by identified as Indonesian people.  In addition to being a national identity, kopiah also indicates a characteristics of one's religious culture.  This ancestral cultural heritage continues to be used as an identity as well as aesthetics in dress.  In addition to being a complement to the costume, or protecting the head from the sun, Peci or Kopiah is also worn to show the identity of a Muslim, and signify a religious lifestyle.

The dress code is generally determined by the event organizers with the aim of harmonizing with the concept of event held.  In addition to respecting the host who has invited, the dress code is also considered important to avoid costume errors in attending the event.  If the required dress code is national costume, in addition to aesthetics, there are some standards that should be followed and adjusted to the type of event to be attended.

There are several dresscodes to be followed when wearing national costume in attending the event.  For women, the costumes that should be worn are kebaya with long regional cloth covering the ankles (can be batik, songket, or tenun).  For men, they should wear long-sleeved shirts with matching dark pants.  Formal kebaya should be long sleeves without details, such as wrinkles or cuffs, and shoulder pads.  If you choose a kebaya kutu buku to be worn, you should match it with the batik cloth that has been decorated.  The hair styling should be an Indonesian bun style, or gelung tekut bun.  Shawl accecories can be draped over the shoulders, both for kebaya and baju kurung.  Slippers or sandals with open heels, or dark-colored leather shoes for men can be worn as the footwear.

National costume taken as an Indonesia stamp design (also used for a special First Day Cover stamp) uses batik cloth with the main motif of Garuda or Gurda, a bird that is considered a sacred animal.  In the viewpoint of the Javanese people, Garuda bird has a very important position.  The form a Gurda motifs consists of two wings (Lar) and a body and tail in the middle.  Gurda batik motifs are also inseparable from stories and beliefs in the past.  Garuda is the ride of Vishnu Batara known as the Sun God.  It is also considered as a symbol of the sun by the Javanese people.  Thus Garuda is seen as the main source of life and a symbol of manhood, which illuminates the life of mankind.  Therefore, this motivates the people of Yogyakarta and Java to embody this sacred bird into the batik motif.

In Its application, Garuda's motives are usually combined with other batik motifs, such as Semen motifs derived from the words "semi", or "grow".  Semen motifs are non-geometric patterns inspired by the nature.  However, Garuda also often blends with geometric and repetitive pattern motifs.  Although there are also other birds like Peafowl, Ayam Babon, and Phoenix.  Garuda has got a special place as the Indonesian national symbol, and the Javanese philosophy of life in the past.  The use of Garuda's motifs is also considered as a very interesting innovation in the world of batik.  In addition to Garuda's deep philosophy, the beauty of Garuda has its own perspective for most batik lovers.

Garuda is often combined with the Ceplok motif known as batik Ceplokan.  The very ancient from of the ceplok pattern is Kawung.  The pattern of Ceplok motifs is inspired by the shape of the Kawung fruit (kaong or areng), which is split in four.  The core and four parts of the symbolize the four main directions of the wind.  Basically, ceplok is a decoration category based on repetition of geometric shapes, such as rectangles, oval, stars, and other variants.

Batik with Sidoluhur motifs has a noble meaning.  Every Javanese thinks that the main purpose of life is to achieve nobility both matrial and non-material.  This batik with Sidoluhur motif has also meaning that people do not only live fot themselves, but they also have to live for family, environment, society, and God.  In addition, Garuda also often looks harmonious with the Sidomukti motif, which represents the level of the life that is always coveted by many Javanese people.  The word of 'mukti' means prosperous life in the world and in the hereafter.