Pochta Rossii Ballet Series with M.M. Fokin

POCHTA RUSSIA (Russia Post) on 18 January 1995 issued a set of four First Day Cover stamps honouring Russian ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher M.M. Fokin (1880-1942). Besides a stamp featuring Fokin, other stamps highlighted his chorography in "Firebird", "Petrushka" and "Scheherazade".

In 1909, Sergei Diaghilev invited Fokine to become the resident choreographer of the first season of the Ballets Russes in Paris. At Ballets Russes, he collaborated with other artists to create a ballet of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade", which premiered in 1910. The ballet was inspired by symphonic poems composed by Rimsky-Korsakov and the tale of the 1001 Nights. The sets designed by Léon Bakst matched the sexualized choreography. Despite the lack of historical accuracy, the ballet was successful due to its brilliant colors, exoticism, and sexual overtones. The 1910 production featured Nijinsky in the role of the Golden Slave.

"The Firebird" (1910), with music composed by Igor Stravinsky was also created by a "committee," a process inspired by the Wagnerian notion of Gesamtkunstwerk, which is the synthesis of elements such as music, drama, spectacle, and dance to create a more cohesive artwork.

"Petrushka" (1912), with music also composed by Stravinsky and set design by Alexandre Benois Petrouchka, was inspired by the Russian puppet which traditionally appeared at the Butter Week (Shrovetide) Fairs. In this ballet, Fokine included street dancers, peddlers, nursemaids, a performing bear, and a large ensemble of characters to complement the plot. The story was centered on the sinister Magician (Enrico Cecchetti) and his three puppets: Petrouchka (Nijinsky), the Ballerina (Tamara Karsavina) and the savage Moor (Alexander Orlov).

Source: Wikipedia

Royaume Du Laos Golden Jubilee of King Sisavang Von

ROYAUME DU LAOS on 4 March 1954 issued a set of three First Day Cover stamps commemorating the Golden Jubilee of King Sisavang Vong (1885-1959). The last king of the forerunner kingdom of Luang Prabang (palace depicted in the stamp), he was the founding monarch of the unified Kingdom of Laos.  The stamps depicted three different Lao temples, one from each former Lao Kingdoms: Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Champasak. The temples represented the unification of these three Lao Kingdoms to the Kingdom of Laos under King Sisavang Vong reign. Marc Leguay illustrated the set.

These air mail stamps included:

- 2P blue / violet

- 3P brown / maroon

- 50P black blue / blue-green (not shown)

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Laos was dominated in turn by Burma, China and Siam.

In 1893, France helped the Laotian kingdom drive out foreign invaders and incorporated it into the Indochinese colonial system. Vong worked closely with the French colonial authorities during his reign.

The most valuable of the set is the 50-piaster Laotian Temples airmail stamp . This stamp is in demand by royalty and religion topical collectors, as well as collectors of French colonies and Laos. 

Monaco John Huston

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) on 27 May 2006 issued a First Day Cover stamps honouring John Huston. The stamp shows a closeup of Houston and a scene of Marilyn Monroe and Clarke Gable from his film "The Misfits".

John Marcellus Huston (1906 -1987) was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote the screenplays for most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics. He received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 and the BAFTA Fellowship in 1980.

Huston directed acclaimed films such as "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948), "Key Largo" (1948), "The Asphalt Jungle" (1950), "The African Queen" (1951), "Moulin Rouge" (1952), "Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison" (1957), "The Misfits" (1961), "The Night of the Iguana" (1964), "Fat City" (1972), "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975), "Annie" (1982), "Prizzi's Honor" (1985) and "The Dead" (1987). During his 46-year career, Huston received 14 Academy Award nominations, winning twice. Huston acted in numerous films receiving nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for "The Cardinal" (1963), and "Chinatown" (1974) respectively. He also acted in "Casino Royale" (1967), "Myra Breckinridge" (1970) and "Battle for the Planet of the Apes" (1973). He voiced the wizard Gandalf in "The Hobbit" (1977).

Source: Wikipedia 

French Morocco Chasse A La Gazelle - 1949

FRENCH MOROCCO on 29 May 1949 issued a First Day Cover stamp that depicted the 50th anniversary of "Chasse A La Gazelle" (gazelle hunting), a painting originally issued by French Courier Brudo, Mazágan-Marrakech in 1899. The engraver of this stamp was Henri Cortot. The postmark cancellation originated from Rabat. The stamp was affixed to a maxim card (postal card) showing a similar theme that was printed by Gouache Schmitd Flandrin.

Royal Mail The Who

 

ROYAL MAIL on 17 October 2024 issued a set of eight First Day Cover stamps to commemorate  The Who's 60 years as a thrilling, trailblazing band whose albums are recognised as some of the most important in the history of rock music. All eight The Who stamps were handstamped and depicted their roundel, or 'target', with the date of issue and the postcode location of London W3, where the band was formed.

The stamps featured their iconic covers from landmark albums:

- First Class My Generation, 1965

- First Class Tommy, 1969  

- First Class Who's Next, 1971  

- First Class Quadrophenia, 1973  

- £2.00 Who Are You, 1978

- £2.00 Face Dances, 1981

- £2.00 Endless Wire, 2006

- £2.00 WHO, 2019

Inserted inside the FDC was an information card containing an overview of The Who and the issue's specifications.

Stamp format: Landscape

Stamp size: 38mm x 31mm

Design: Royal Mail Group Ltd, based on an original design by Studio Dempsey

Stamps per Sheet: 24/48

Printer: Cartor Security Printers

Print process: Lithography

Perforations: 14.5 x 14

Phosphor: Bars as appropriate

Gum: PVA

Deutsche Post President Barack Obama's Visit to Germany - 2013

DEUTSCHE POST on June 18, 2013 issued a First Day Cover stamp to mark the visit ("Deutschland Besuch") of US President Barack Obama to Germany. His visit corresponded with the 50th anniversary of US President John F. Kennedy's visit to West Germany and West Berlin on June 18, 1963. This stamp depicted Barack Obama with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The special cancellation postmark from Berlin featured the Brandenburg Gate with the flags of Germany and the United States. The postcard was gold-foil embossed, including Obama's signature and the Brandenburg Gate. The serial number on this card indicated it was No. 232,214,999 in the print run.

United States Postal Service JFK Birth Anniversary and Assassinated Presidents

UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE on 29 May 1964 issued a First Day Cover birthday anniversary stamp in memoriam of John F. Kennedy who was one of four assassinated U.S. presidents, the others being Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield and William McKinley. This rather unique cover featured all four presidents and were cancelled with a Boston postmark in 1964. The 6¢ James Garfield and 7¢ William McKinley were printed initially from 1922-1925, Regular Issue Series; whereas the 4¢ Lincoln – Liberty Series was issued in 1954.

Pos Malaysia ‘Malaysia MADANI: Jiwa Merdeka’ 2024

POS MALAYSIA on 17 September 2024 issued a First Day Cover stamp commemorating Malaysia Day (Hari Malaysia), which embraced the theme ‘Malaysia MADANI: Jiwa Merdeka’. 

This theme highlighted Malaysia MADANI as the foundation of national prosperity and progress through its six core values. Jiwa Merdeka symbolises the freedom of Malaysians from any negative elements and fostering patriotism and the love for the country through thinking, social and economic  integration, and subsequently forming a strong, harmonious, and progressive unity among the people, reflecting cohesion in an advanced and united nation.

The theme was brought to life in the collection designed by Malaysian creative brand Loka Made. The design captured Malaysia's rich multicultural identity through beautiful illustrations of its diverse communities, all set against the backdrop of the nation's iconic landmarks. Additionally, the theme further emphasised  the inclusion of the Malay proverb "Seikat bagai sirih, serumpun bagai serai" on the stamps.

A standout feature of the Hari Malaysia 2024 collection was the use of invisible ink on the stamps, revealing hidden designs under UV light.

Source: Pos Malaysia 

Pos Malaysia Traditional Malay Weapons - Series II Minature Sheet

POS MALAYSIA issued on 19 March 1994 a Minature Sheet entitled "Traditional Malay Weapons - Series II"

Postes Republique Francaise "Metiers D'Art"

POSTES REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE on 6 May 1954 issued a set of five First Day Cover stamps entitled "Metiers D'Art" which was dedicated to the luxury items made in France, e.g. tapestry, publishing and bookbinding, porcelain and crystal, jewelry and goldsmithing, flowers and perfumes. Pierre Gandon designed the stamps, whereas Jules Piel engraved this commemorative set.

Pierre Gandon won the Grand Prix de l'Art philatélique four times during his career, which included:

« Haute couture parisienne » (Paris high sewing), drawn by Gandon, engraved by Jules Piel, France, 1953.

« La jeune fille de Bora Bora » (The Girl of Bora Bora), Drawn and Engraved by Gandon, French Polynesia, 1955.

« Les joueurs de cartes » (Card Players), painting by Paul Cézanne, France, 1961. This stamp was part of the first series of paintings that the French Post issued.

« La Dame à la licorne » (The Lady and the Unicorn), medieval tapestry, France, 1964.

Postes Republique Française 900th birth anniversary of Pierre Abélard

POSTES REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE on 25 June 1979 issued a First Day Cover stamp commemorating the 900th birth  anniversary of theologian, philosopher poet and composer Pierre Abélard. The stamp was rendered in a Middle Age style and featured Abelard and his wife Héloïse d'Argenteuil. It was drawn and engraved by Cécile Guillame. Three million stamps were printed.

In philosophy, Pierre Abélard (1079-1142) is celebrated for his logical solution to the problem of universals via nominalism and conceptualism and his pioneering of intent in ethics. Often referred to as the "Descartes of the twelfth century", he is considered a forerunner of Rousseau, Kant, and Spinoza. He is sometimes credited as a chief forerunner of modern empiricism.

In history and popular culture, he is best known for his passionate and tragic love affair, and intense philosophical exchange, with his brilliant student and eventual wife, Héloïse d'Argenteuil. He was a defender of women and of their education. After having sent Héloïse to a convent in Brittany to protect her from her abusive uncle who did not want her to pursue this forbidden love, he was castrated by men sent by the uncle. Still considering herself as his spouse even though both retired to monasteries after this event, Héloïse publicly defended him when his doctrine was condemned by Pope Innocent II and Abelard considered a heretic. Among these opinions, Abelard professed the innocence of a woman who commits a sin out of love. Today Abelard and Heloise's bodies are interred at Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

In Catholic theology, he is best known for his development of the concept of limbo, and his introduction of the moral influence theory of atonement. He is considered (alongside Augustine of Hippo) to be the most significant forerunner of the modern self-reflective autobiographer. He paved the way and set the tone for later epistolary novels and celebrity tell-alls with his publicly distributed letter, "The History of My Calamities", and public correspondence.

In law, Abelard stressed that, because the subjective intention determines the moral value of human action, the legal consequence of an action is related to the person who commits it and not merely to the action. With this doctrine, Abelard created in the Middle Ages the idea of the individual subject central to modern law. This eventually gave to School of Notre-Dame de Paris (later the University of Paris) a recognition for its expertise in the area of Law (and later led to the creation of a Faculty of Law of Paris).

Source: Wikipedia 

USPS Maya Angelou

USPS on 7 April 2016 issued a First Day Cover stamping honouring Maya Angelou (1928-2014). This 49¢ 1-ounce first-class letter rate was first released at Warner Theater, Washington, D.C. Banknote Corporation of America for Sennett Security Products printed it using  an Offset method with microprinting in sheets of 96 in 8 panes of 12. Perforation was Serpentine Die Cut 11 Self-Adhesive. A total of 40,000,004 stamps were printed.

Maya Angelou's portrait for the stamp was taken from Atlanta artist Ross Rossin’s large 48” x 48” oil on canvas painting, which is part of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery’s collection.  Upon seeing the 2013 portrait, Angelou exclaimed, “This is exactly how I see myself and exactly how I wish to be remembered.”  The stamp pane has a popular Angelou quote: “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.

Shortly before its issue, the stamp stirred some controversy as the quote it includes was originally published in a book of poetry by Joan Walsh Anglund.  Angelou was widely credited for the quote, and while she may not have originally wrote it, she did say it in an interview. 

By her mid-twenties, Angelou was performing in touring musicals and plays and had released her first music album, "Miss Calypso'.  She spent much of her 30s abroad, learning the languages of the countries she visited, teaching, and writing. 

In 1969, Angelou made literary history.  The initial installment of her memoirs, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", became the first best-selling nonfiction work by an African-American woman.  From there, Angelou went on to author numerous inspirational books, poems, and essays.  She never attended college but was awarded more than 50 honorary doctoral degrees and taught as a professor at Wake Forest University for 25 years.  In 2010 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Poet, actor, author, teacher, and activist, Angelou became an influential voice of the 20th century.  She was known for her timeless wisdom and is remembered for her numerous contributions to American culture.  Despite her many talents and accomplishments, Maya Angelou wished to be remembered simply as a “good human being.”

Source: Mystic Stamps

USPS Cover Stamps

USPS cover stamps affixed to this envelope include Women's Soccer, XX Olympics in Munich 1972, Peace Bridge, Navajo jewelry, Apollo 8 earth view from the moon and yachting.