Cabo Verde Portuguese Nautical Chart - 1952

CABO VERDE (Cape Verde) issued in 1952 a series of stamps honouring Portuguese sailors and maritime history. This particular stamp, shown here, featured a reproduction of a fragment from an anonymous Portuguese nautical chart dated around 1471. This type of map, known as a portolan chart, was used for navigation during the Age of Discovery and is characterised by its distinct rhumb lines radiating from a central compass rose. it was printed by Litografia Nacional - Porto (National Lithography - Porto).

Republik Indonesia "Padi dan Kapas" - 1951

REPUBLIK INDONESIA, issued in 1951, as part of the Rice and Cotton ("Padi dan Kapas") series, stamps which highlighted the main export products of Indonesia at the time.

India "Woman Spinning" (Charkha)

INDIA issued on 26 January 1955 a stamp entitled "Woman Spinning" (Charkha) which was part of a Second Definitive Series   postage stamp from India. 

It was designed to promote India's Five Year Plan (1955–1960). The series focused on India's achievements in science, technology, agriculture, and socio-economic development following independence.

The woman using a charkha (spinning wheel) was a powerful nationalist symbol of self-reliance and the Khadi movement championed by Mahatma Gandh.

India Archaeological Monuments & Temples - 1949

INDIA issued on 15 August 1949 a stamp showing the Lingaraj Temple (referred to on the stamp as Bhuvanesvara) located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It was part of the Archaeological Monument series released after independence from Britain. This blue-coloured stamp carried a face value of 4 Annas (denoted as "4 As" on the left and "४ आना" in Hindi on the right).

Another stamp in the series was the Trimurti sculpture located in the Elephanta Caves. Trimurti (the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva). This yellow-green or green-coloured stamp had a face value of 9 Pies (abbreviated as "9 Ps").

Another definitive in this series was the Bodhisattva statue, specifically identified in some philatelic contexts as being from the Lucknow Museum. This stamp Greenish-blue or teal-coloured stamp had a value of 1 Anna (indicated by "1 A" and the corresponding Hindi numeral).

India's rich historical and architectural heritage.continued with a stamp featuring the deity Nataraja (the dancing form of Lord Shiva). The red-coloured stamp had a face value of 2 Annas (written as "2 AS" and "2 आना").

Also, in this series was the Konark War Horse, a 13th-century stone sculpture from the southern side of the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha. The sculpture depicted a powerful war horse trampling a warrior, representing strength and discipline. This specific horse design was adopted as the state emblem of Odisha in 1964. It carried a denomination of 6 pies (indicated by "6PS" and "६ पा").

ÉIRE (Ireland) An Claidheamh Soluis and Cross of Cong

ÉIRE (Ireland) definitive postage stamp from the Sword of Light series was originally issued in May 1923. The central image featured An Claidheamh Soluis (The Sword of Light) held by a hand, surrounded by intricate Celtic knotwork.

Face value was 5 pence (indicated by the "5" and "cúig pingine". This specific version was printed in violet or purple ink.

ÉIRE (Ireland) depicted the Cross of Cong. This stamp was part of the "Symbols" definitive series issued between 1922 and 1934.

The central motif was the Cross of Cong, an ornate 12th-century processional cross.  The corners of the design were decorated with four shamrocks.

Celtic Knotwork on the cross itself and the horizontal bar containing the word "Eire" were filled with intricate  Celtic knot and braid patterns.

It had a value of 3p (three pence), indicated by the numeral "3" and the Irish text "Trí Pingine" at the bottom.

Éire (Ireland) Commodore John Barry

ÉIRE (Ireland) issued on 11 September 1956 a postage stamp honouring Commodore John Barry (1745–1803), an Irish-born naval officer widely considered as the "Father of the American Navy".

The stamp depicted a statue of Barry in his naval uniform, standing with a sword and anchor. This specific issue was one of two stamps released that year to commemorate his life.

Who was John Barry? Born in County Wexford, Ireland, Barry immigrated to Philadelphia and served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War.  He was the first captain to command a commissioned American warship and the first to capture a British vessel on the high seas.

 In 1797, President George Washington issued him Commission Number 1, making him the first commissioned officer of the newly formed United States Navy at the rank of commodore.

Statues honouring him stand in Wexford, Ireland, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and Franklin Square in Washington, D.C..

ÉIRE (Ireland) Definitives - 1922

ÉIRE (Ireland) first issued in December 1922 and continued into 1923 this standard definitive design for several decades. It featured a map of the island of Ireland, which at the time of design did not include a border for Northern Ireland. This James Ingram design was the first Irish stamp printed,  following the overprinting of British stamps. It included zoomorphic ornamentation, shamrocks, and an arch over the map. "1 pingin and 2 pingin" (1 and 2 penny) is written in Gaelic script at the bottom.

Nederland "Nationale hulpzegels" - 1946

NEDERLAND postal set issued in 1946 officially known as the "Nationale hulpzegels" (National Relief Stamps) or welfare brands were issued specifically to raise funds for the victims of World War II. 

The central figure on each stamp is Fortuna, the goddess of luck and fortune. The design was created by the noted Dutch artist Jan van Krimpen.

The complete set included these five denominations:

(1-1/2 + 3-1/2) cents (Grey/Black)

(2-1/2 + 5) cents (Green)

(5 + 10) cents (Purple/Violet)

(7-1/2+ 15) cents (Red)

(12-2/2 + 37-1/2) cents (Blue)

Hyderabad State "Victory Commemoration" 1945-46

HYDERABAD STATE "VICTORY COMMEMORATION" stamp issued in 1945 or 1946 celebrated the Allied victory in World War II. 

Face value was a 1 Anna revenue or postage stamp depicting a soldier returning home to a rural setting. 

The text featured English ("VICTORY COMMEMORATION", "POST & RECEIPT") alongside Urdu script indicating it was for the Nizam of Hyderabad's government ("Sarkar-e-Aasifia"). 

It was issued by the Princely State of Hyderabad, which maintained its own postal system during the British Raj.

Cuban Stamps 1931-1945

REPUBLICA DE  CUBA CORREO AEREO NACIONAL (National Air Mail) issued on 5 August  1931 a 10 Cuban centavos (10¢) stamp for their domestic air mail series. It was the first in a series and featured a Ford 4-AT Trimotor airplane flying over a mountain landscape with palm trees.

REPUBLICA DE CUBA CORREOS  issued in the late 1940s (around 1948) a 2-centavo postage stamp from part of a series promoting the Tobacco Industry (Industria del Tabaco Habano). It was based on similar designs that were also used in earlier issues from the 1930s. The design depicted an allegorical figure representing "Liberty" or "Cuba" holding a Cuban flag and a box of cigars.

REPUBLICA DE CUBA CORREOS issued around 1937–1939 a green engraved design depicting a Ciboney (Siboney) indigenous person seated on a rock, smoking a cigar, alongside a large Habano cigar and a palm tree in the background. It was designed to honour the Cuban tobacco industry (Tabaco Habano) and the Ciboney indigenous people.

REPUBLICA DE CUBA CORREOS issued on 8 February 1952 a 1 centavo stamp showing the Palacio de Comunicaciones, an architectural landmark that served as a centre for telecommunications. It was issued as a postal tax or semipostal stamp, often used to raise funds for specific projects, such as the construction of the building itself.

REPUBLICA DE CUBA CORREOS AÉREO" (airmail) postage stamp issued  in 1955 commemorated the 50th anniversary of Rotary International, featuring a portrait of Paul P. Harris (1868–1947), the founder of Rotary International. In addition to Harris's portrait framed by a large cogwheel—the Rotary emblem— the design was set against a background of a sugar mill (left) and palm trees with a Cuban farmhouse (right). It was printed in Cuba by the Compañía P. Fernández S.A., as indicated by the "IMPRESO EN CUBA" text at the bottom.

REPUBLICA DE CUBA CORREOS issued on 3 November 1953 a  commemorative airmail stamp highlighting the First International Congress of Court of Accounts (Primer Congreso Internacional de Tribunales de Cuentas). It honoured a major international financial and legal meeting held in Havana, Cuba, from 2–9 November 1953. It featured the then-modern Tribunal de Cuentas building (Court of Accounts) alongside a stylised classical profile.

Colombian postage 1935-1941

 

COLOMBIAN postage stamp issued in 1935 depicts a gold miner ("Minas de Oro" (Gold Mines), featuring a seated man pan-mining for gold). It was part of a definitive series showcasing the "Natural Riches" (Richesas Naturales) of the country. American Bank Note Company printed the stamps.

COLOMBIAN AIRMAIL stamps from the "Tourism Promotion" series, featuring historical landmarks.

- (Red/Pink): A 15-centavo stamp depicting the Spanish Fortification in Cartagena. It was originally issued around 1941.

- (Blue): Another 15-centavo stamp from the same series, also showing the Spanish Fortification in Cartagena. While the design is identical to the red version, it was issued in different colors over various years, including 1941 and 1948.

- (Gray/Black): A 60-centavo stamp titled "Bogota Colonial," which depicts a historic colonial street scene in Bogotá. This specific value and design were part of issues around 1947–1951.

All three stamps were printed by the American Bank Note Company, as noted at the bottom of each.

In 1945 COLOMBIA issued a 15 centavos airmail stamp, featuring a landscape of the Bay of Santa Marta.

U.S. Post Office 75th Anniversary of the American Bankers Association

This green 3-cent U.S. POSTAGE stamp was issued on 3 January 1950, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the American Bankers Association (ABA). 

The design featured a collection of motifs representing fields served by banking: a home, a farm, a train, and a factory. These symbols were enclosed in an arch with a milled edge designed to resemble a coin.

The stamp was designed by Charles R. Chickering and printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using a Rotary Process.

Batavia & Nederland Queen Wilhelmina 1914, 1927 and1946

NEDERL-INDIË (Batavia / Dutch Indonesia) Queen Wilhelmina in 1914.

NEDERLANDSCH-INDIË (Batavia / Dutch Indonesia)  Queen Wilhelmina in 1945-46.

NEDERLAND POSTZEGE definitives of Queen Wilhelmina from 1927-1934.