Sunday Stamps - Y3 China, Yugoslavia, USA

I have had  to revert to a country name this week by choosing Yugoslavia for one of my stamps.

Yugoslavia - December 1951

The country broke up in 1992 and the area has had a turbulent history since.

Another country that has seen major changes in my lifetime is -

China - 6 January 1949

The gentleman on the stamp is Dr Sun Yat-sen, once leader of the Chinese National Party known as the father of modern China. He served as the first provisional president of the Republic of China in 1911/1912 and as defacto ruler 1923-1925.

I have never had the chance to visit any of the National Parks in the USA but here is one that is known worldwide.

USA - 24 February 2006
Yosemite National Park

For other Y related stamps check out the links at Seeitonapostcard-y.

Sunday Stamps II A-Z 'V' Canada, China, New Zealand

The first flying boat made for Canadian conditions was the Vickers Vedette commemorated in a transportation series issued in 1979.

Canada - 15 November 1979

First made in 1924 the Vedette gave improved access to lakes and rivers opened up by canoes. The three seater was designed for forest fire patrols and photographic work. It starred in mercy missions and saw some service with the RCAF until the beginning of WWII.

May 1949 saw China issue a stamp dedicated to victory in North Kiangsu. Today Jiangsu formerly Kiangsu, capital Nanjing, is an eastern central coastal province of the People's Republic of China. I presume that the victory refers to the war with Japan.

China - 7 May 1949

Victory stamps from New Zealand were issued in 1920 to celebrate the end of WWI.

New Zealand - 27 January 1920

The British Lion represents the British Empire with the allegorical figure of Peace.

For other 'V' stamps go over to Sunday-stamps-v.

Flying - Sunday Stamps II

I wondered when I would get the chance to post from both the DDR (East Germany) and West Germany at the same time. Today's the day with this 'Flying' theme.

DDR - Airmail -13 December 1957

And from the West a more colourful helicopter in an industry and technical series.

West Germany - 15 May 1975

For an earlier Airmail we have to fly over the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

China - 1 May 1951

The temple complex was constructed in the 1400s; it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. another one I will not get to see.

Now take off and get flying not forgetting to change planes at the links on Sunday-Stamps-II-119.

Out east - Sunday Stamps II

72% of all countries are in the eastern hemisphere;
82% of people live there.

20th March 1896 is regarded as the inaugural date of the modern Chinese postal service for which China issued a 50th anniversary commemorative stamp in 1947.

China - 16 December 1947

The globe and map of China surrounded by a train, a steamer and planes was to show how the world is linked by then modern means of communication.

Pongo pygmaeus is one of Malaysia's protected animals.

The Borneo orangutan belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia. 

Borneo, the third largest island in the world, is divided into three countries - Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

For other eastern hemisphere stamps visit Sunday-Stamps II

Hong Kong and China - Sunday Stamps

Hong  Kong became a British Colony after the First Opium War (1839-1842). It remained under British Control until 1997 before being handed over to China. I am able to show stamps when the island was British.

Hong Kong (British)

And from when it became part of China.

Hong Kong, China

This is an Asian bird I hadn't heard of before, I found one on You Tube which I thought I would include.

For other Chinese stamps you need to fly over to Viridian's Sunday-stamps-158.

China - Sunday Stamps

I only have a few stamps from China and none for Taiwan. To show you how old my album is Taiwan appears as Formosa.

I would appreciate some help in identifying the images on these stamps; so far I have been unable to identify them.

China -- 1950-1960

The stamp on the left has a denomination of 10,000 Yuang; the fourth one is 1 Fen. As 100 Fen = 1 Yuang. This makes the left hand stamp cost a million times more than the 1 Fen.

I suspect that others this week will show more modern stamps. Check them out by following the links at Sunday-stamps-121

Music and Dance - Sunday Stamps

The theme this week for Sunday Stamps is art, music, or dance.

After a lot of searching to avoid showing repeats I've settled on three stamps this time.

The first I know nothing about although it seems to depict a dance and possible some form of instrument as well.

China

 Then I found a composer on a stamp.

Germany

A stamp which commemorates Carl Maria Von Weber and if I've got it right this stamp is postmarked 1976, the 150th anniversary of his death in 1826. Weber (1786-1826) was the founder of the Romantic School of German Opera and a pioneer in modern piano composition. In 1813 he served as a conductor at Prague and later reorganised the Royal Opera at Dresden. In 1824 he accepted an invitation from the Royal Opera, London to compose and produce the opera Oberon. In 1826 , already suffering from TB, he went to England where he finished the work and conducted its premiere on 12th April. He died in London in June 1826.

I'm sure that one of you will be able to tell me about the instrument in my third stamp.

Greece

Is it a mandolin?

For further music and dance skip over to Sunday-stamps-86

Dragons - Sunday Stamps

Viridian has chosen to celebrate China and the year of the Dragon this week.

China’s first stamps appeared in 1878 and had dragons on them! They are known as “large dragon stamps” and are very rare. I wish I had one of them, but the nearest I can offer you is a an image of a stamp from 1897.

China - 1897, Dragon

In the year of the Dragon, many different countries issue dragon stamps. The year 2000 was a dragon year, and dragon stamps were issued in Macau, U.S.A, Canada, Christmas Islands, Hong Kong, Japan and China, of course. I'm told that the first Japanese stamps in 1871 also depicted dragons.

I looked hard for other dragon stamps and was disappointed to find I had very few. However I was pleased to find this dragon's head on a Norwegian stamp.

Norway - 1972

Viking longships had dragon heads like this on their prows. However I have not been able to confim whether these are dragons on these other stamps from Scandinavia. Perhaps someone can tell me whether they are.

Finland

I looked hard to find stamps with komodo dragons but had to give up as my stamps from Indonesia had pangolins.

I was on much safer ground closer to home as a dragon is always depicted on the regional issues from Wales.

Great Britain - Wales - pre 1971 - Wilding design

Wales - post 1971 - Machin design

1971 was the year Breat Britain changed from pounds, shillings and pence to decimal currency.

Wales - Commonwealth Games 1958

My favourite dragon stamp is one I don't possess - it's from the set of mythical creatures.

Great Britain

Food for thought - Sunday Stamps

I have been on a tour of ten countries looking for food to match Viridian's theme this week. Before the food however it's necessary to prepare the ground. This is what I found.

Ploughing in Bangladesh

With more beast being put to work.

Under the yoke in China

Modern ploughing in Scandinavia.

Ploughing a straight furrow in Sweden

While in Asia they tend the beast.

Cattle in Mongolia

Isn't there a saying "as you sow, so shall you reap?"

A reaper in Denmark

But do you need a reaper to gather this crop.

Maize from South Africa

You need to dig to retrieve a root crop like these.

Beetroot (?) from Russia

Presumably you just pick a favourite fruit of mine.

Mangoes in India

I'm not sure what they are preparing here, but it looks like food to me.

A big bowl of food in Togo

And finally two lovers share a meal.

The Lady and the Tramp - USA

That's its, folks. Time for you to tramp off for more food at Sunday Stamps 53

China - Sunday Stamps

These Chinese stamps date from 1962/1963. The centre stamp is postmarked PEK (Peking?) - when did we start calling it Beijing?




I have other Chinese stamps but I like these three in particular.

More at Viridian's Postcards