New Czech stamp - January 2009 - II.

Issued today, a new stamp in the ongoing stamp-on-stamp series called Traditions of the Czech Stamp Design, dedicated to rediscovering past masters of stamp design and engraving. The current stamp reproduces a stamp from 1960 made by Anna Podzemná (artist) and Jiří Švengsbír (engraver). It is issued in 840,000 copies, a part of which can also be found in booklets where 4 out of 8 stamps are accompanied by a coupon with a floral motif.

International Polar Year stamps from Russia

On 13 January 2009 I received another great letter from Astrakhan in Russia (sent on 6/1/09). This time the cover features a sheet with the last year's Russian International Polar Year stamps (issued on 28 August 2008, in 200,000 copies). The stamps, apart from the photos of ships, together make up a map of the North Way - a connection of the east and west of Russia by the sea (navigable only during summer).

The small fox definitive of 1 ruble was issued one day later (29 August 2008) along with 14 other stamps as part of the fifth issue of definitive stamps of the Russian Federation. The other definitive with the logo of the Federal Postal Service of the Russian Federation is from 1998 and part of the third issue of standard postage stamps of the Russian Federation (1/1/1998).

Alex, thank you again!

Postcard from India no. 2

On 30 December 2008 I received another nice Indian postcard sent from New Delhi (on 23/12/2008). It shows the world's largest camel fair held in the holy town of Pushkar, in the state of Rajasthan.

The stamp is part of the VIII Definitive Series of the Indian post from 2000, already mentioned in my previous post about the postcard showing the Red Fort in New Delhi. The Rs.15/- Tawny Coaster Butterfly was issued on 20 November 2000.

Thank you Abhishek for this interesting glimpse into the far-away India.

Postcard from Egypt

Today I received my first postcard from Egypt, showing the famous Temple of Isis at Philae (Unesco World Heritage site known as the Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae). The card was sent from the city of Dokki near Cairo earlier this year (the postmark is not legible).

The single stamp features a pharaonic design and was issued in 2002 in a series of traditional art definitives. Thank you, Salma!

Cover from Aland no. 2

Received on Friday 16 January 2009 (and sent two days earlier from Mariehamn). Another EUROPA stamps from this small archipelago, and another lovely gastronomy stamp for my collection (yes, in 2005 the theme was gastronomy). The stamp, issued on 29 April 2005, with a print-run of 300,000, shows smoked fish, which I imagine are traditional dish over there. Thank you Liisa:-)

New letter from France

On 13 January 2009 Thomas from Lyon sent me this nice cover with two current French stamps. The Louis Braille stamp was issued on 5 January 2009 in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of this French genius (see also the new Czech stamp in January 2009). Apart from the Brailles's portrait, the stamp features dots in Braille script of the facial value of the stamp (at least this is what I read in LeMonde.fr of 7/1/2009).

The other stamp is taken from the big 10-stamp souvenir sheet or booklet called Portraits de Regions 12, issued on 8 September 2008. It shows "les Feux d'artifice". However, I must confess that I don't know with which French region fireworks are associated...

Solar eclipse cover from Bulgaria

Another splendid cover received from Bulgaria. Sentfrom Sofia on 9 January 2009 and received on 13 January 2009.
The souvenir sheet commemorates the total solar eclipse which occurred on 11 August 1999. The stamp was issued a day before, with the nominal value of 0.20 lev (print-run 60,000), and features celestial symbols, an image of the globe and the trajectory of the eclipse focussing on Bulgaria.

The 0.80 lev stamp shows a women's traditional costume from Starozagorsko in a slightly stylised picture. It is part of a four-stamp series issued on 5 October 2005 (print-run 20,000)

Thank you, Lilia!

Postcard from Kazakhstan no. 2

On 30 December 2008 I received this nice postcard from Kazakhstan, showing the Charyn Canyon National Park and the Tamgaly Tas Nature Reserve (photos 2 and 3). The card bears the postmark of Almaty Post Office and the date 9/12/2008.

The great stamp issued on 24 September 1993 (in 500,000 copies) shows the first Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev, the map of the country and the state emblems. Thank you, Jo!

Airmail letter from Jamaica no. 2

Another cover from the past. Received on 8 February 1995 and sent on 24 January 1994 from Coleyville, Manchester, Jamaica. The 1.10 Jamaican dollar definitive stamp shows the Jamaican coat of arms.

Postcard from Romania

Received yesterday, 12 January 2009, sent on 6 January 2009. The postcard shows scenes from the historic centre of Bucharest, the capital of Romania.

The two orange definitive stamps of 80 bani are part of an ongoing series dedicated to Romanian pottery. Here we can see peasant dishes from Luncavita, Tulcea (the series Peasant Dishes III was issued on 3 August 2007). The larger stamp was issued on 1 July 2005, the date when the redenomination process of the Romanian currency begun. Then, 10,000 old lei were replaced by 1 new leu, and the Romanian post commemorated this event by issuing a huge series of 20 stamps showing old banknotes and coins, symbols of the National Bank and other monetary paraphernalia.

Thank you Violeta!