New Europa 2015 stamps – Old Toys

Date of Issue : 30 April 2015

The Iceland Post will issue stamps on Europa 2015 featuring  wooden duck and the Dúa cars. The issue is to be released on the 30^th of April. According to the decision of PostEurop, the association of European public postal operators, old toys are the common theme of 2015.

The wooden duck was first produced from 1931 to 1960 by Akureyri Toy Makers and Leifur Toys, both based in Akureyri. The production was initiated by Skarphéðinn Ásgeirsson and the toys enjoyed great domestic popularity. Leifur Toys took over the production in 1942 and continued producing wooden toys until 1960.

The business failed, however, due to increased import of foreign toys. Guðbjörg Ringsted is in charge of the toy museum located in Friðbjörn’s House in Akureyri. A variety of toys from the last century can be found there, including the wooden duck. The initial production of Dúa cars started in 1985 when several pioneers in the Westfjords founded a toy workshop called Aldan.

Their goal was to produce wooden toys. The workshop produced all kinds of sought-after toys, including the Dúa cars which became very popular. The Red Cross was for many years one of the workshop’s agents, with sales proceeds going to the Red Cross house in Reykjavik which served as a relief center for children and youth. Dúa cars can be seen among other places at the local museum of Hafnarfjörður.

Club News

STAMPEX 2015

A stamp exhibition and  workshop will be held at Shri Shyma Prasad Mukharjee Art Gallery, Rajkot  from 1-3rd May 2015.

From our Readers..

Aid to Nepal

Help Earthquake victims of Nepal !!!

An Appeal

India is doing so much to provide aid to Nepal. But, I do feel that we as citizens need to extend a helping hand too. It would be a great idea if the Dept of Posts could issue stamps and a minisheet highlighting the disaster. the money gained from the stamps could be exclusively sent to Nepal as a contribution from us Indians who feel and understand their pain and grief.

This will be a much quicker way of collecting money, rather than create a fund the credibility of which most people don't believe in anyway.

- Commodore  Vijay Kapre, New Delhi

Blog : http://letstalkstamps.blogspot.in/

New Special Covers

Rani Laxmibai – Jhansi 24 Mach 2015

India Post, U.P. Postal Circle, Jhansi Division released a Special Cover on Jhansi Ki Rani Lakshmibai on 24 March 20115 during JHANSIPEX 2015 (24-26 MARCH).  Cover approval No. UP/09/2015.

WORLD SOCIAL WORK DAY - 17TH MARCH 2015

WORLD SOCIAL WORK DAY - 17TH MARCH 2015
PROMOTING SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION For Sustainable Development

India Post, Punjab Postal circle released a Special cover – Approval No. 01/2015  on  World social work Day at Chandigarh on 17-03-2015. in  collaboration with UNESCO's 70th Anniversary Celebrations, IGNOU the
Peoples University, Union Bank of India. Association of Professional Social Workers & Development Practitioners (APSWDP) is commemorating First Foundation year  on the occasion of World Social work Day - 2015 and UNESCO'S 70th Anniversary celebrations.

- Sreejesh Krishnan - Trivandrum

Indian Winners at Taipei 2015 – 30th Asian International Stamp Exhibition

Taipei 2015 - 30th  Asian International stamp exhibition  

 

 Heartiest Congratulations to all the winners !!

Avinash Sharma (Youth class) from Kendriya Vidyalaya ( Class 12), Aliganj,  Lucknow won vermeil medal with special prize.

Shubrajyoti Behra  – Silver Bronze (Youth class)

Suyog Bora - Bronze (Youth Class)

 

Abhai Mishra, Dinesh Sharma, Jeevan Jyoti

Result of Indian Participants

Mast. Avinash Sharma........Vermeil + Sp. Prize (Youth)

Mr. Abhai Mishra......Large Silver (Literature)

Mr. Dinesh Sharma.....Silver (Literature)

Dr. K.S.Mohan...........Silver (Traditional)
Mast. Shubrajyoti Behra.....Silver Bronze (Youth)
Mast. Suyog Bora............Bronze (Youth)
Mr. C.D. Singh.............Bronze (Literature)
Ms. Jeevan Jyoti.....Bronze (Literature)

Mr. C.D. Singh...........Bronze (Thematic)

- Umesh Kakkeri

National Commissioner Taipei 2015

Website : Taipei 2015

All the Indian Winners at TAIPEI2015 are requested to send their photo for publication to email : j.jyoti9@gmail.com

Help Earthquake victims !!

 

Help Earthquake Victims !!

Deepest condolences to all those who lost their dear ones in the recent earthquake in Nepal and Northern India. May all get best possible assistance, relief and help in this hard time. Rainbow Stamp Club expresses heartfelt sympathies with all the victims of this disastrous earthquake.

World’s disastrous earthquakes on stamps

Assistance to Earthquake Victims

 

Pakistan Post issued stamp sheets of Rs 100 and Rs 25 on October 27, 2005 in order to help promote the cause of relief and rehabilitation activities in the earthquake affected areas. (This sheet issued without FDC's and Leaflet)

 

Earthquake Mail

San Francisco Earthquake Mail

San Francisco Earthquake cover postmarked on April 24, 1906. This emergency mail was sent without stamps affixed. The recipient paid the postage due fee.

At 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, an earthquake devastated San Francisco, California, and shook nearly the entire west coast of the United States. Ruptured gas lines ignited fires that burned for four days afterwards, destroying much of the city, including many post office sites. Since the quake and aftermath damaged wire communications connecting San Francisco with cities worldwide, news of the devastation did not spread until 10:05 a.m. U.S. Post Office telegraph operators transmitted messages until 2:20 p.m., when, with fires fast approaching, authorities ordered them to leave their posts. They transmitted their last message at 2:20 p.m. The earthquake and fires caused hundreds of deaths and millions of dollars in losses. Fortunately, the gorgeous United States post office at 7th and Mission, opened in 1905, survived. The natural catastrophe ranks among the worst in United States history.

Courtesy – Smithsonian Postal Museum

 

Iran earthquake   December 26, 2003

A powerful earthquake struck southeastern Iran on December 26, 2003, killing over 43,000 people, injured 20,000, left 60,000 homeless and destroyed much of the city of Bam. The USGS National Earthquake information center is reported a magnitude of 6.6 for the quake, which was located just southwest of the city. About 60 percent of the buildings in Bam were destroyed. The old quarter and a 2,000-year-old citadel (severely damaged by the earthquake) were built primarily of mud brick.

Help the wounded…

 

MaltaPost will release a philatelic miniature sheet bearing one stamp to commemorate the ANZAC Centenary on 25 April 2015. The stamp on the miniature sheet illustrates a Red Cross nurse attending to a wounded soldier together with two other soldiers on either side. The stamp within the miniature sheet bears a face value of €3.59.

The Gallipoli Campaign (Battle of Gallipoli) took place at the Gallipoli Peninsula between 1915 and 1916 and involved British and French troops as well as divisions of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). The battle was thought to put an early end to the Great War by creating a new front that the Ottoman-German alliance would not cope with.

Malta played a significant role in the Gallipoli battle, not just as a back-up base for the Royal Navy but also as one of the major hospitals in the Mediterranean. Around 800 Maltese volunteers went to Gallipoli as muleteers or to dig the trenches and some even fought within the Australian ranks or worked as stevedores unloading the ships. This effort is considered to be Malta’s greatest contribution to the Allies’ efforts during that terrible war.

 

Special Picture post cards set from Karnataka Postal Circle

 

' Wooden Carvings at Karanji Mansion' Postal training centre, Mysuru

  A set of 23 post cards was released recently by Karnataka postal circle. The cost of the set of these Postcards is Rs 100.

Karanji Mansion

The royal family of Mysore Maharajas constructed “Karanji Mansion", the construction of which was started in the year 1902 and completed in the year 1914. This palatial building was built for Krishnarajammanniyavaru, the second Maharajakumari, (second sister of the Maharaja);

The land was acquired by Chamaraja Wadiyar, the Maharaja of Mysore, and further handed over the possession of the land to Princess Krishnarajammnniyavaru. Thereafter Col. J. Desaraj Urs, the husband of the said princess Krishnarajammanni, constructed the property and building known as" Karanji Mansion". It was in his possession ever since till his death in 1923.

"Karanji Mansion" was purchased by the Postal Department on 20.8.1964 from Smt. Rajukumari L Desaraj Urs, widow of late Col. Rajkumar C. Desraj Urs. and Rajkumar Prithviraj Urs son of late Col. Rajkumar C Desaraj Urs. Postal Training Centre is functioning in this building since 20.4.1965.

The building commands a vast setting and a view of Karanji Lake. The elevation is remarkable for highly ornate features and painstakingly executed embellishments - a variety of cusped arches and sun-shades, stone-hewn balconies, each resting on a lotus base, intricately carved stone columns, brackets and parapet merlons. A rich mix of Saracenic and Hindu elements, each somewhat overdone but all of them combining to produce a balanced and quaintly pleasing elevation. A Section of the Mansion show subtly varying stylistic features. The wing on the left is predominantly Rajasthani, with its lotus-based and curvilinear-chhajjaed balconies, while the entrance-porch block has dominant shades of the Saracenic - the slender- pillared twin arches, domicals and the Moorish lancet-windows. "Karanji Mansion" building has completed 100 years of it construction in the year 2014.

- Suresh .R – Bengaluru email : suresh.hobbies@gmail.com

New special Covers

 

AL Jerry Braganza, father of Konkani Cinema – 24th April 2015

24th April is commemorated as Konkani Cinema Day in Goa. On this occasion a special cover was released in honour of the father of Konkani Cinema Shri AL Jerry Braganza at a function organized by the Dalgado Konkani Akademi (DKA), held at Hanuman Theatre, Mapusa, Goa on 24th April 2015. Special cover was released jointly by Dy. Chief Minister of Goa Shri Fr/ancis D'Souza and Postmaster General, Goa Region, Shri Charles Lobo. (Special Cover approval no. MH/18/2015). The special cover is sponsored by Dalgado Konkani Akademi to commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the first Konkani film.

Courtesy – Indian Philately Digest

SPECIAL COVER ON JAIN PILGRIMAGE CENTRE RELEASED ON 23rd APRIL 2015

- Sudhir Jain

On the occasion of Grand Celebration of 10th anniversary of re-establishment of Shri Ahichhatra Tirth, a special cover and special cancellation has been released by India Post on 23rd April 2015 at Ramnagar Kila (U.P.). Senior Jainism Philately Group member Shri Lalit Kumar Nahata (Delhi) was instrumental in release of this cover.

- Sudhir Jain – Satna (MP)

Tercentenary Celebration of St George's Anglo-Indian School & Orphanage – 23rd April 2015

To mark the Tercentenary Celebration of St George's Anglo-Indian School & Orphanage a Special Cover was released on 23rd April 2015 at a function held at the St. George's School Campus, Chennai by Shri Mervin Alexander, Postmaster General, Chennai City Region. (Special Cover approval no. TN/09/2015).

– Mahesh Parekh – Chennai : email : maheshparekhb@gmail.com

New Special Covers

 

Celebration of Civil Services Day – 20 April 2015

A Special Cover was released to mark celebration of Civil Service Day on 20th April 2015 at Mumbai. (Special Cover approval no. MH/16/2015)

Every year, on the 21st of April, the "Civil Service Day" is observed by all Civil Services to re-dedicate and re-commit themselves to the cause of the people. It provides a unique opportunity for introspection as also chalking out future strategies to deal with the challenges being posed by the changing times. On this occasion, all officers of Central and State Governments are honoured for excellence in public administration by the Prime Minister of India. The 'Prime Minister Award for Excellence in Public Administration' is presented in three categories. Under this scheme of awards instituted in 2006, all the officers individually or as group or as organization are eligible

100th Birth Centenary of Dr. Jack de Sequeira – 20 April 2015

A special cover was released on the occasion of 100th Birth Centenary of Dr. Jack de Sequeira on 20th April 2015 at Santa Cruz, Goa (Special Cover approval no. MH/17/2015). The special cover was sponsored by Konkani Kala Kendra, Merces-Goa.

Joao Hugo Eduardo de Sequeira (b. 20 April 1915 – d. 17 October 1989), popularly known as Dr. Jack de Sequeira; also known as Jak Siker according to local naming conventions, was a prominent Goan politician and is popularly known in Goa as the Father of the Opinion Poll. Dr. Sequeira born in Burma – now Myanmar, was the founder president of the United Goans Party established after the Liberation of Goa from the Portuguese colonial regime. He played a pivotal role in both, the assembly of the then Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu as the leader of the opposition, and in convincing the government of India to hold an Opinion Poll for deciding the issue of the merger of Goa into the state of Maharashtra.

Courtesy – Indian Philately Digest

 

175th Anniversary of St. Paul's Church, Bangalore - 19 April 2015

 

 

To commemorate 175th anniversary of St. Paul's Church, Bangalore, a Special Cover was released on 19th April 2015. (Special Cover approval no. KTK/38/2015)

St. Paul's Church located next to the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, Bangalore Cantonment has the distinction of being the very first Tamil Anglican Church in the erstwhile Mysore State. The church was consecrated on 31st March 1840 by the Lord Bishop of Madras, the Rev. George Trevor Spencer, with Rev. S. J. Joshua (SPG) as its first parish priest. Since then the Church is rendering service to the people and imparting knowledge through education to poor masses.

- Sushil Mehra, Bangalore - email  : showroom@panfurniture.com

World Book Day

 

 

World Book Day or World Book and Copyright Day is a yearly event on April 23, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to promote reading, publishing and copyright.

 

The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Catalonia as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes, who died on this date.

 

In 1995 UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on 23 April, as the date is also the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, as well as that of the birth or death of several other prominent authors.

Best of Shakespeare

View : Literary stamps

Missing Post Office..

 

Hi !

Through Net surfing I just came across  an interesting article  about “ Missing Post Office “ of Japan. I am sharing here  it with the Readers…

 

There might be something waiting for you at Japan’s Missing Post Office

- Master Blaster

Many countries’ postal systems have a type of “dead letter office” which handles mail that has been inappropriately addressed and could not be sent. In most cases, if the sender cannot be found the messages are destroyed in order to maintain privacy.

The Missing Post Office, on the other hand, welcomes unaddressed post cards and keeps them for eternity if need be until they end up with the rightful owner even if they aren’t alive. The unusual post office opened on the island of Awashima on 5th  October 2013 and welcome all to come and read their discarded messages of humanity.

■ A work of art

The Missing Post Office was created by artist Saya Kubota as a part of the Setouchi Art Festival around the Islands of the Seto Inland Sea in Kagawa Prefecture. It’s actually a renovated post office which closed down in 1991.

Much of the office remains intact aside from the addition of some art pieces and changes to the sign. The standard 〒 symbol which identifies post offices was stylized into a wavy version symbolizing the ocean which carries messages in a bottle – a central theme to the Missing Post Office. The symbol can be seen all around the place including the uniforms of its staff.

■ Meet the staff

Director – Katsuhisa Nakata

Mr. Nakata was the director of the Awashima Post Office for 45 years until retiring. After serving his community for most of his life he was asked to return as acting director of the Missing Post Office, a post which he accepted with pride.

Clerk – Saya Kubota

The creator of the Missing Post Office, Ms. Kubota wanted a place where human thoughts and emotions could accumulate like flotsam on a beach. Only instead of tossing a message in a bottle and possibly losing it to the depths of the ocean (an act which she compares to posting on the internet), the Missing Post Office will protect it and allow it to be found by its rightful owner and anyone else who needs to share that same feeling.

■ Inside the office

The main piece of the Missing Post Office is the Drifting P.O. Box. Tin boxes are suspended on standing piano wire all atop a revolving wooden table. Visitors are encouraged to reach into a box and pull out a message. The messages are anonymous but 100% real. They might be written to deceased relatives, unborn children, or even a traffic light. Whatever people were motivated to write down or needed to get off their chest can be found in these boxes.

The following are some sample messages from the Drifting P.O. Box:

“Mother,
When you died last summer I didn’t cry. When you were alive it was like we only said horrible and spiteful things to each other… If we met now I think we still would… But a year has passed and I have only loving memories from childhood left.
I have when we made pudding together.
I have when we read books.
I have when you bought me my piano. That was the happiest.”

_________________________________________________________________

“To my future grandchild,
When will you arrive? The sooner the better, come on and be born! I can’t wait to finally do for you everything I couldn’t do for my own kids.”

_________________________________________________________________

“Actually, I was hoping to do the folk dance at school with you. My heart was pounding with excitement as our turn together was coming around soon but… just before it happened, the song cut off.
Since then several autumns have gone by. What might have happened to you by now?”

■ How to send to the Missing Post Office

If you’d like to send a message to the Missing Post Office, just write it on a post card and send it to the address listed below without including the name of the recipient, your own name or address. Only post cards though. They will not open envelopes since the message is not meant for them.

In the case that your message is too long to fit on a post card, then they encourage you to use several. Whoever it’s meant for should be able to piece it together. Also, in the event that the person who the message is intended for appears at the Missing Post Office, they will be able to leave with it.

Although the Setouchi Art Festival will come to an end on 4 November, it looks as if the Missing Post Office will live on. The 79-year-old Mr. Nakata said he will continue to serve as its acting director.

The autumn is a very nice time to visit the islands of Kagawa Prefecture, and even if conceptual art is not your thing, it’s hard to ignore the raw humanity that can be felt in the Missing Post Office.

Information

Missing Post Office (Hyoryu Yubinkyoku)
〒769-1108
Hyoryu Yubinkyoku Dome
Awashima 1317-2, Takuma Town, Miyoto City, Kagawa Prefecture

Missing Post Office: Website

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