Regarded as the “mother of the modern environmental movement”, Rachel Carson was born on 27 May 1907, in Springdale, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the Pennsylvania College for Women, she worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. There she wrote for radio and various publications.
As a marine biologist in the 1940s, Carson became aware of pesticides developed through government funds. After years of research, she became concerned with their effects on the environment. She left her job in 1952 to devote herself to writing.
On 27 September 1962, Carson published her most famous book, "Silent Spring", about the harmful effects of pesticides. "Silent Spring" called attention to the overuse and misuse of pesticides, which were poisoning the food chain, and threatening life itself. Her work received strong opposition from the companies who manufactured the pesticides, but in time her thorough research resulted in winning over public opinion.
The following year, Carson appeared before President Kennedy’s Science Advisory Committee, which agreed with her findings on the dangers of pesticides. The same year, she received the Audubon Medal, the Cullum Medal (from the American Geographical Society), and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
"Silent Spring" and Carson’s other writings helped begin the environmental movement in America. This led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the eventual ban of the pesticide DDT. Decades later, Silent Spring was named one of the 25 greatest science books of all time.
UK ROYAL MAIL issued in 1997 a series of commemorative stamps entitled "Architects of the Air" , including the De Havilland Mosquito, a versatile combat aircraft designed by Ronald Eric Bishop.
UK ROYAL MAIL issued in 1998 a commemorative postage stamp honouring the Bell Rock Lighthouse, the world's oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse, is located off the coast of Angus, Scotland. It was built between 1807 and 1810 by Robert Stevenson. The stamp was designed by Dick Davis and printed using offset lithography by The House of Questa.
The 14 basic denominations included:
- 2c Tapping Rubber (Black & Carmine)
- 3c Adam's Peak (Black & Light Blue)
- 5c Coconut Palms (Black & Green)
- 6c and 3c overwrite Colombo Harbour (Black & Blue)
- 10c Plucking Tea (Sage-Green & Orange)
- 15c Sigiriya / Lion Rock (Green & Red-Brown)
- 20c River Scene (Black & Blue)
- 25c Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
- 30c Ancient Irrigation Tank
- 50c Wild Elephants (Black & Mauve)
- 1r Trincomalee
- 2r Ancient Guard-Stone, Anuradhapura
- 5r Ancient Guard-Stone, Anuradhapura
The image depicted was a popular medium for distributing reproductions of famous art exhibition entries during the early 20th century.
This particular piece was submitted to the 7th Ministry of Education Art Exhibition (Bunten). It reflected Nakazawa's training in Western techniques, illustrating a figure in a soft, painterly style that blends traditional Japanese subjects with Western realism.
Nakazawa Hiromitsu (1874–1964) was a prominent Western-style (yōga) painter and illustrator who graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1900.
- 1975 stamp portraits of Italian Baroque composer Alessandro Scarlatti and Gaspare Spontini, a prominent Italian opera composer. These stamps were printed by I.P.Z.S. Roma as part of an Italian Artists series.
- Agusta A.109 helicopters and the G.222 Aeritalia transport aircraft used for military and humanitarian roles.
- 1983 stamp of Villa Fidelia in Spello complex, constructed on the ruins of a Roman site. It was part of the "Villas of Italy" (4th series) stamp set.
- 1983 stamp featuring a religious painting by Raphael Sanzio that commemorated the 500th anniversary of Raphael's birth (1483-1520).
- "Giornata della Filatelia" (Stamp Day) commemorative stamp, issued in 1986, depicted hands using a magnifying glass and stylus to inspect an 1862 engraving of an Italian stamp.
The stamp depicted European settlers negotiating with Native Americans, along with a map of New Sweden and the ships Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip.
This stamp became obsolete after just five days because the international airmail rate increased from 44 cents to 45 cents.
US Postal Service also issued a 3 cent stamp in 1938.
THE CONQUEST OF ADRIANOPLE (MODERN-DAY EDIRNE) was a crucial milestone in the Ottoman expansion into the Balkans during the 14th century. This period was characterised by rapid Turkish territorial gains following the seizure of Gallipoli in 1354. The capture of Gallipoli provided the Ottomans with a strategic foothold in Europe, facilitating their advance into Thrace and beyond.
INDIAN ORIGIN TAMILS (IOT) of Sri Lanka are Tamil people of Indian origin, also known as Malayaga Tamilar, who predominantly descended from workers sent from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka in the 19th & 20th centuries to work in coffee, tea and rubber plantations. They were instrumental in the development of the plantation sector. These Tamil-speaking people mostly lived in the central highlands, also known as the Malayagam or Hill country.
The first group of Indian Origin Tamils (IOT) arrived in Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon, in 1823 as labourers to work in coffee and then tea, rubber, and cocoa plantations in the hilly regions of Sri Lanka. Later in the 1900s, substantial numbers of Tamils from India also came to settle in Ceylon as financial entrepreneurs and grocers. They were the trading community of IOT, which was not part of the plantation economy and who had come to Ceylon since then.
After the British takeover of the administration of Sri Lanka (then known as Ceylon) in the early 19th Century, they involved themselves in various activities, including economic enterprises such as plantation and agriculture.
The Indian Origin Tamils were put through immense hardship during the British rule in India and Sri Lanka. During the 1830s, Indian Origin Tamils working in coffee estates were not provided with wages. Instead, they were asked to trade coffee beans gathered by them for commodities from shops. Only after 100 years of immigration to Sri Lanka did the Indian Origin Tamils’ hardships become known to the international community.
Source: Philately Sri Lanka -- https://philately.lk/bulletin-200-years-of-indian-origin-tamils-in-sri-lanka/
The cover featured Falkland Islands Dependencies stamps overprinted for the expedition, depicting historic polar exploration ships:
1d: Trepassey (1945–47)
2½d: Penola (1934–37)
3d: Discovery II (1929–31)
6d: Discovery (1925–27)
The stamps were cancelled with two circular "International Geophysical Year Expedition" marks dated 3 JAN 1958. This is a significant date, as it was during the height of the expedition. It also marks the historic date New Zealand, led by (Sir) Edmund Hillary, reached the South Pole.
A large circular cachet at the bottom reads "Royal Society Base ★ Halley Bay ★", indicating the mail originated from the research station established for the International Geophysical Year.
THE TRANS ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION (TAE) aimed to complete the first crossing of Antarctica and carry out science work. It was also known as the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. This expedition aimed to finish the first overland crossing of the Antarctic Continent. This crossing was a freezing 3,473 km journey from the Weddell Sea, via the South Pole, to McMurdo Sound.
It was timed to take place at the same time as the International Geophysical Year (IGY), which was a science programme where scientists from many countries worked together on science projects between 1957 and 1958.
Edmund Hillary was asked to join this British expedition. Hillary’s job was to set up a series of food and fuel stashes from the Ross Sea to the South Pole, to help the expedition’s crossing from the other side.
The TAE was made up of two teams:
- The Crossing Party, led by British explorer, Dr Vivian Fuchs;
- The Ross Sea Party, led by New Zealand explorer, Edmund Hillary.
The Ross Sea Party was to support the Crossing Party’s expedition by: building a base on Ross Island; placing food and fuel along the route; and finding a vehicle route from the Polar Plateau through the western mountains and back to Ross Island.
Hillary was not supposed to travel as far as the South Pole, but when he had finished placing fuel and food he saw the chance to beat the British and he and four of his team carried on, reaching the Pole 16 days before the Crossing Party.
- 1989 design entitled "Soierie de Lyon" (Lyon Silk) highlights the historic silk industry of Lyon during the 18th century (XVIIIe SIÈCLE).
- 1990 French Red Cross postage stamp features "Faïences de Quimper" to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the traditional pottery from Quimper, France.
- 1987 French "Liberty" design stamp set alongside a vignette for the Philexfrance '89 world philatelic exhibition.It was designed and engraved by Pierre Gandon and features a logo for the Paris exhibition held in July 1989.
- 1987 French postage stamp showing the town hall and Saint-Sauveur Abbey in Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine.
- 1983 French postage stamp commemorates the writer Marie-Henri Beyle, known as Stendhal(1783-1842).
- 1982 "Marionnettes" (Puppets) depicts various types of puppets, including string, rod, and sheath puppets, representing Charleville-Mézières as a puppet arts hub.
- 1983 commemorative issue honouring Pierre Mendès France (1907-1982), a prominent 20th-century French politician who served as President of the Council of Ministers. It was designed and engraved by Marie Noëlle Goffin.
Raden Adjeng Kartini was a prominent Indonesian advocate for women's rights and education in the early 20th century.
She was declared a National Hero of Indonesia in 1964, and her birthday is celebrated as Kartini Day.
- 1971 stamp celebrating the automation of the telephone network.
- 1990 stamp of a soldier from the Royal Guard of Gerpinnes created by artists Désiré Roegiest, Roger Wittewrongel, and Paul Huybrechts.
- Belgian 100 Franc banknote from the 1978–1996 series.
- 1992 stamp featuring a Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is titled "Hirondelle de cheminée" in French and "Boerenzwaluw" in Dutch.
- 1990 stamp features the Iris florentina to commemorate the Ghent Flower Festival.
- 1967 Nature Conservation series, feature the "Hautes Fagnes" (High Fens) and Westhoek Nature Reserves.The stamps depicted woodland scenes and native flora, specifically referencing Lysimachia europaea (Wood Loosestrife) and the downy birch (Betula pubescens).
- Portrait of Belgian King Baudouin
The illustrations on the stamps are adapted from the famous woodcuts and engravings by French artist Gustave Doré, who famously illustrated Dante's epic poem, The Divine Comedy.
The stamps:
- 30 Lira (Brown) - An eagle soaring above rocky landscape was inspired by purgatorial allegories.
- 40 Lira (Green-Grey) - Profile portrait of a laureate Dante Alighieri portrays the classical Italian poet iconography.
- 90 Lira (Red-Orange) - Dante being guided along a stormy boat passage represents a scene from the Inferno.
- 140 Lira (Blue) - A group of souls or figures draped in white gowns depicts a scene from the Paradiso.
Four denominations were issued (L. 10, L. 20, L. 70, and L. 200) depicting Nubian temples and religious art.
The cachet on the left side shows a Christian painting of St. Peter from the Temple of Wadi es-Sebua, alongside Egyptian hieroglyphics and figures, representing the blending of cultures. The bottom center features a map of the Nile river, highlighting the Aswan Dam, Shellal, and Abu Simbel.
Interestingly, the stamp of the Sultan and Sultana is very similar to some British colonial stamps that featured King George VI and Queen Mary in the 1930s. It is also, to my knowledge, the only Malaya/Straits Settlements stamps to show both Sultan and Sultana.
The individual stamps:
-10 Drachmai (ΔΡΧ. 10) Red Apeliotes (ΑΦΗΛΙΩΤΗΣ) East Wind
- 25 Drachmai (ΔΡΧ. 25) Green Zephyrus (ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ) West Wind
- 50 Drachmai (ΔΡΧ. 50) Purple Kaikias (ΚΑΙΚΙΑΣ) Northeast Wind
- 100 Drachmai (ΔΡΧ. 100) Grey/Green Boreas (ΒΟΡΕΑΣ) North Wind
- 200 Drachmai (ΔΡΧ. 200) Brown/Red Eurus (ΕΥΡΟΣ) Southeast Wind
- 400 Drachmai (ΔΡΧ. 400) Blue/Grey - Skiron (ΣΚΙΡΩΝ) Northwest Wind
US Postal Service stamps from the 1995 Great Lakes Lighthouses series.The strip features five different lighthouses, each with a denomination of 32 cents.Identified lighthouses in the pane include Split Rock (Lake Superior), St. Joseph (Lake Michigan), Spectacle Reef (Lake Huron), Marblehead (Lake Erie), and Thirty Mile Point (Lake Ontario). The stamps were painted by artist Howard Koslow.
The set included the following denominations and designs:
- 50F - Red/Brown - Airplane over palm trees and a village
- 100F - Greenish/Grey - Airplane over a baobab tree and coastal huts
- 200F - Blue - Airplane over a dense tropical forest with local figures
- 500F - Dark Green - Anhingas (water birds) near a riverbank
Many stamps in this era, including the 50F and 100F versions for other French colonies like Guadeloupe, were designed and engraved by the renowned French artist Albert Decaris.
They featured identical artwork by designers Công Độ and Trần Lương, depicting a group of people and soldiers in a revolutionary scene.
The stamps:
6 xu (blue/grey design).
12 xu (red/brown design).
These stamps were designed by the artist Nguyễn Hiệp and used as propaganda to boost morale and highlight successes during the Vietnam War.
Red stamp - 18 xu denomination - depicts a woman guerrilla fighter with a rifle, set against a background of ongoing battle or military preparation.
Purple/Pink stamp - 12 xu denomination - is from the same series.
This postcard is dated 1935. The picture, however, was likely taken in the 1910s or 1920s.This specific postcard was part of a series often published by companies like Curt Teich.
These images were popular souvenirs from Florida tourist attractions like Musa Isle or Ross Allen’s in Silver Springs, where the tribe found new sources of income as their traditional hunting grounds in the Everglades were drained.
As shown here, the clothing featured horizontal stripes, a hallmark of Seminole style that emerged more fully by 1920.
Women typically wore floor-length ruffled skirts and long-sleeved blouses with short capes that covered the shoulders.
Men wore "long shirts" or tunics, which were standard attire. Some include "built-in" belts that would later evolve into the iconic "Seminole jacket".
The green UNITED STATES 1-cent postage stamp of Benjamin Franklin on this postcard was issued from 1922 till 1929.
These stamps were primarily printed by the Dah Yeh Printing Press in Shanghai. During the transition period in 1949, "Air Mail" was overprinted on revenue stamps, and non-denominated green plane stamps.These featured either horizontal overprints (Peiping/Hong Kong prints) or vertical overprints (Shanghai prints).
Shown here:
- Green and blue stamps feature a Junker F-13 aircraft flying over the Great Wall of China. They were surcharged with $50,000 over original value.
- Blue stamp depicting an airplane flying over the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing. It was overprinted with a value of $10,000.
Each stamp has a different colour and denomination (face value in Satang):
- 2 Satang - Orange-brown
- 3 Satang - Red-brown or purple
- 5 Satang - Green
- 15 Satang - Rose-carmine or dark red
- 25 Satang - Dark blue
- 50 Satang - Orange and black
The series was released during the reign of King Rama VI. Some stamps from this era may feature overprints for special occasions, such as the "Siam Kingdom Exhibition" (Siam Rath Museum) in 1926.
The stamps depicted King Naresuan riding a war elephant, celebrating his historical role in Thai history.
Denominations shown here:
- 25 satang
- 2 baht
- 3 baht
Denominations Shown:
1c: Black/Grey-olive
3c: Red
4c: Black and red
5c: Green and red on yellow paper
10c: Black and mauve
Before 1909, Kelantan was under Siamese (Thai) suzerainty and used Thai stamps. After the Anglo-Siamese Treaty, it became a British protectorate. Until these dedicated stamps were printed in 1911, stamps from the Federated Malay States were used in the territory.
The collection included several distinct designs and denominations:
- 1/2 Anna (Olive Green) Kadhimiya Mosque
- 1 Anna (Brown) Guffas (traditional braided round boats) on the Tigris River
- 1 ½ Annas (Red) Assyrian winged figure, often described as a winged cherub holding a situla
- 2 Annas (Orange) "Winged Bull" from a Babylonian wall sculpture (a Lamassu)
- 3 Annas (Blue) Arch of Ctesiphon (Taq-i Kisra), a famous ancient ruin in Iraq
- 4 Annas (Grey) A member of the Dulaim Camel Corps carrying a tribal standard
- 6 Annas (Green/Blue) Kadhimain Mosque (the Golden Shia Mosque) in Baghdad.
