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.

U.S. Post Office UNITED STATES POST OFFICE FDR's "Four Freedoms"

UNITED STATES POST OFFICE on 12 February 1943 issued a green one cent stamp symbolising President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms". It featured an allegory of Liberty holding the lighted Torch of Enlightenment and highlighted his "Four Freedoms" in his 1941 State of the Union address: Freedom of Speech and Religion, and Freedom from Want and Fear. 

Additionally, see FDR

U.S. Post Office Formation of the United Nations Peace Conference

UNITED STATES POST OFFICE on 25 April 1945, in San Francisco, California, issued an ultramarine-coloured, 5-cent stamp commemorating the formation of the United Nations Peace Conference. 

Approximately 75,500,000 stamps were released by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, using a Rotary Press

When 46 nations gathered in San Francisco on 25 April 1945, they were exhausted from the extended war, disheartened by the inhumanity they seen, and determined to prevent future generations from experiencing what they had seen firsthand. Their ultimate goal was to form an international organisation that would have the power to maintain security and foster prosperity and give human rights an international legal status.

A group of non-governmental organisations lobbied vigorously for a strong commitment to human rights in the U.N. Charter. In particular, several small Latin American countries were committed to the inclusion of such a guarantee. A Pan-American conference held in Mexico City produced a group united in their determination to see such goals met. A number of American non-governmental groups also pushed for a type of bill of rights in the charter. Over 1,300 organisations placed ads in newspapers demanding that human rights be an integral part of the international organization.

When the member nations met in San Francisco in April of 1945, their proposal fell short of the clear and concise commitment to human rights that these groups sought. Forty-two American groups serving as consultants to the U.S. delegation convinced participating governments of the need to clearly state a policy of protection for individual human rights. They were persuasive, and the result was a legal commitment by governments around the world to promote and encourage respect for the inalienable human rights of every man, woman, and child.

U. S. Post Office American troops who served in World War II

UNITED STATES POST OFFICE on 28 September 1945, in Washington, D.C. issued a 3 cent postage stamp to honour the American troops who served in World War II. 

The central design showed American troops from the 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment of the famous 28th Infantry Division, while the extreme right portion of the stamp illustrated the 1st Battalion, 110th Infantry Regiment of the same division marching through the streets of Paris toward the Arc de Triomphe during the city's liberation in August 1944. Six bombers are depicted flying overhead. While the stamp appears to show soldiers marching through the Arch, in reality, they were routed around it to respect the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of France. 

Nearly 500 million khaki-coloured stamps, in a nod to the U.S. Army,  were released by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Japanese Occupation Stamps and Postcard Javanese Girls...South Seas Style"

This vintage Japanese postcard states, "人娘のマナダ (風南洋)", meaning "Javanese Girls - South Seas Style". 

This postcard was part of a collection compiled by Kano Kokichi (1865–1942), a Japanese anthropologist and educator. It captured the cultural "South Seas Customs" as viewed through a mid-20th-century Japanese lens. 

Shown here three women from Sumenep (East Java) wearing traditional  garments.

Kain Sarong: They wore vibrant, patterned sarongs (wraparound skirts) made of batik or similar traditional textiles. These are wrapped around the waist and reached to the ankles.

Breast Cloth (Kemben): Two of the women are shown wearing a kemben, a traditional torso wrap that covers the chest. In Javanese history, this was common everyday attire before more modest garments like the kebaya (blouse) became widespread due to Islamic and colonial influences.

Shoulder Cloth (Selendang): All three women use a selendang, a long piece of cloth draped over one shoulder. Historically, these were used both ornamentally and practically for carrying items or children. 

NETHERLAND INDIES (now Indonesia) in 1943 during World War II issued a set of local motifs and landmarks, with the top inscription 大日本帝國郵便 (Dainippon Teikoku Yūbin) translating to "GREAT JAPANESE EMPIRE POST".

Stamps shown:

- 5 Sen (Green) depicted a traditional Javanese dancer.

- 10 Sen (Blue) featured the Borobudur temple, a famous 9th-century Buddhist monument in Central Java.

- 20 Sen (Yellow-Green) displayed a decorative emblem incorporating a map of the Indonesian archipelago.

Imperial Japan Postcard with WWII-era Stamps

This IMPERIAL JAPAN postcard is obviously

a Japanese military propaganda postcard from the Showa era, likely issued during World War II to commemorate a specific military anniversary or event.

In this case, the red circular cancellation postmark is dated 18.12.8. In the Japanese imperial calendar (Showa era), "18" refers to Showa 18, which is 1943. The full date, 8 December 1943, is significant as it was the second anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor (which occurred on 8 Dec., Japanese date).

Postcards like this one were produced by organisations like the Army Art Association to boost domestic morale and spread propaganda, often depicting soldiers in idealized, peaceful, or heroic settings.  They were common during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. These "Gunji Yubin" (Military Mail) cards allowed soldiers to communicate with their families while serving in occupied territories like China or Southeast Asia.

The illustration depicted a Japanese soldier standing in a flowering wisteria tree, serving as a "lookout" or "observation post (tenbōshō). This specific artwork is signed by the artist Mori Shunchō (森春鳥).

The characters (中豐) inside the postmark likely referred to a specific field post office or military location where the card was processed, possibly in occupied territory like Central China.

The purple stamp (left) is a 1/2 sen definitive postage stamp from Japan's First Showa series, issued between 1937 and 1940. The stamp featured a  traditional Japanese cargo ship, known as a sengoku-bune.

The blue  1½ sen stamp (right) is from the Tazawa series (named after designer Tazawa Shogen). It was issued during the Taisho era, specifically starting around 1913 till 1931.

Both stamps contain the Imperial Chrysanthemum Crest at the top centre, flanked by decorative vine patterns.

U.S. Post Office 200th Anniversary of Washington and Lee University

UNITED STATES POST OFFICE on 12 April 1949, in Lexington, Virginia, issued a 3-cent postage stamp to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Washington and Lee University. 

The central image featured the university's historic colonnade. It was flanked by portraits of the school's namesakes: George Washington on the left and Robert E. Lee on the right.

Historically, George Washington saved the school from financial ruin with a $20,000 endowment in 1796, whereas Robert E. Lee served as the university's president from 1865 to 1870.

The stamp was printed in ultramarine blue using a rotary press. Over 104 million copies were released.