The joint issue between France and Sweden honors the Opera Garnier in Paris and the Opera House of Stockholm as well as a French opera composer and a dramatic historic event in Stochholm. The background of the French block shows the staircase of the Opera Garnier. The Sweden block’s background illustrates the hall of the Opera House.
The first joint stamp features a portrait of Daniel Francois Esprit Auber, French composer, born in Caen January 29, 1782 and died in Paris May 12, 1871. He composed the opera "Gustav III, or The Masked Ball".
The second stamp evokes Olof Westring, principal dancer at the Royal Swedish Ballet, in the role of Gustav III in a ballet with the same name from 2008.
"Masked Ball" is a historic opera in five acts retracing and depicting the last hours of Gustave III and his murder. The opera had its premier in the theater of the Royal Academy of Music, Paris on February 27, 1833.
Club News
Niyogi Books Unfurls National Flag through Philately
New Delhi 20th December, 2012
Jawhar Sircar, Chief Executive Officer, Prasar Bharati released Niyogi Books’s latest publication, ‘The Indian National Flag Unfurled through Philately’ on 20th December 2012 in New Delhi. Lt Cdr. K V Singh, CEO, Flags Federation of India was the Guest of Honour on the occasion. The Book tells a fascinating history of the National Flag through the medium of flags and stamps.
Written by Sekhar Chakrabarti, an acclaimed philatelist, the book on Indian stamps is a fine blend of painstaking research of philately and lucid pictures of flags, which led to the Indian National Flag’s birth. The pictures trace an account of the early Indian rulers; the European colonizers; the struggle for independence etc. to arrive at the tricolor. Interestingly, the book also focuses on flags’ role in the field of sports and other disciplines.
The author has discussed etiquettes and protocols concerning flags. The publication contains 348 visuals of different flags. There are pictures of rare first day covers, Cinderella Labels, miniature sheets, sheer watermarks, autographed commemorative stamps and other postal stationery.
The history of flags in India may be traced even before the time of the Mahabharata, says the author. The word ketu mentioned in the Rig Veda is taken by scholars to stand for ‘flag’. He has researched to reconstruct the history of flags in India. Chakrabarti weaves the colourful history of Indian flags gathering date primarily from philatelic material.
The history of India’s national flag is the history of India’s trials and tribulations, sorrows and sacrifices, and the vision to build a better nation and, therefore, the publication can safely be called a maiden attempt to present accurately and completely the various aspects of India’s national flag—its link with the ancient past, and its direct relation with the thought processes that it had presented during various stages of nation-building. The book brings alive the history of India’s national flag, flag related events and personalities through stamps and other collectibles. A must read for stamp collectors and philatelists’ prize possession.
The publication is another feather in the cap of Sekhar Chakrabarti, who began collecting stamps in the early 1960s. His collection, ‘Flags on Stamps’ has been highly appreciated and has brought laurels to the country from several international stamps exhibitions. He has curated philatelic exhibitions on Rabindra Nath Tagore in Kolkata and Cairo. Chakrabarti has also served as a jury member at several philatelic exhibitions organized by Post & other philatelic organizations.
The Indian National Flag Unfurled Through Philately
By Sekhar Chakrabarti
Publisher: Niyogi Books
172 Pages, 348 Visuals
Price: Rs. 495/-
For additional information please contact:
Virendra Kumar, 9810068317,niyogibooks@gmail.com
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