Sunday Stamps - Large Animals: Malawi, UAE

 Malawi had stamps for each of the Big Five. The one I like best I've shown before.

Leopard - 11 March 2011

I found another leopard on an Ajmad stamp from the UAE.

Ajmad - UAE: 1 July 1972

I must admit that this looks more like a pussycat to me.

For more large animals just visit Sunday Stamps and follow the links.

Sunday Stamps O3 - Great Britain, Greece, Malawi, New Zealand

Back in 1675 Sir Christopher Wren chose a site at Greenwich to be where King Charles II commissioned 

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Great Britain - 23 April 1975

The prime meridian passes through it, thereby giving its name to Greenwich Mean Time. In 1998 it became part of the National Maritime Museum.

Maintaining an old theme I found these old toys in Greece.

Greece  - 22 December 2006
Old toys from the Benaki Museum in Athens

I've posted stamps from Malawi in previous weeks and perhaps should have shown one of my favourites under 'K'.

Klipspringer Antelope - 15 February 1971

However, its Latin name is Oreotragus oreotraus.

1948 saw the 100th anniversary of the settlement of the New Zealand Province of Otago.

New Zealand - 23 February 1948

Now I have to find out about the two ships shown on the stamp.

Sail across to Sunday-stamps-o. for more 'O' related stamps.

Sunday Stamps N3 - Malawi, Netherlands, Norway

When I worked in Norway (for nearly 10 years) I saw and travelled on a lot of their boats but none that matched or allowed me to name ships like this - 

Norway - 7 October 1893
North Norwegian Ships

I've found some birds again this week from the Netherlands and Malawi.

Netherlands - 2 February 1999
100 years of Nature Preservation

Platalea leucorodia is a spoonbill.

For the 'N' connection of the Malawi bird you have to know its Latin name.

Malawi - 13 November 1968
Netarinia senegalensis

For other 'N' related stamps check out the links at Sunday-stamps-n.

Sunday Stamps L3 - Mexico, Malawi, Germany

If you liked the kestrel in last week's post I'm sure that, like me, you will be pleased to see one of the Big Five from Malawi.

Malawi - 11 March 2011 - Leopard

However that is one stamp where I wish the country name was smaller.

If going to the theatre is your thing, how about visiting San Luis Potosi - 

Mexico -27 July 1945
Reconstruction of the Theatre of La Paz

In Germany I found an impressive castle, and no it didn't belong to Ludwig.

Germany - 2 January 2015
Ludwigslust Castle

In 2013 a joint issue between Germany and Australia commemorated the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Ludwig Leichhardt. Ludwig disappeared along with 7 men, 20 mules and 70 bullocks on an exploration expedition in Australia in 1848.

No trace of them has ever been found other than the burnt-out stock of a gun in a tree, despite searches  still being carried out. 

To search for more 'L' related stamps visit the links at Sunday-stamps-l.

Sunday Stamps II: A-Z 'K' Iceland Malawi Norway

50 years ago today Iceland issued a Europa stamp depicting a - 

CEPT Key

Conférence européenne des administrations des postes et des télécommunications.

No translation needed for a pastime in Malawi,

Kayak Riding - 25 April 2014

And finally a Norwegian geologist who I know nothing about.

TR Kjerulf - 4 September 1974

For more stamps under 'K' follow the links at Sunday-stamps-k.

Sunday Stamps II: A-Z - 'M'

I shall be posting on Wordpress also this week as there are continuing problems on Blogger. All  comments on posts since the letter 'D' until 23 October have disappeared into the ether and there are other ongoing errors also.

Last week comments on the Grace Kelly stamp mentioned a map in the background that was difficult to see.

It just so happens that a stamp from Macau in my collection has also maps hard to see - until I enhanced it to post here.

Macau - 7 May 1956

Formerly a Portuguese colony, the 1987 Sino-Portuguese Declaration made Macau one of the special administrative regions of China.

Macau consists of the Macau peninsular and the islands of Taipa and Coloane; the islands are connected by landfill to form Cotal.

The Kelly name also enables me to revert to that famous Australian bushranger (Ned Kelly) and the bush baby shown under 'K". Here's another from Malawi.

Malawi - 3 September 1975

Nyasaland was part of the British Central African Protectorate from 1889 until independence in 1964 when it became Malawi.

For other stamps for 'M' checkout the links at Sunday-stamps-II 150.html

Christmas on Sunday Stamps II

Happy Christmas, everyone.

Today's stamps have a Madonna theme and I don't mean Madge.

Malawi, in 1972, had the Madonna and Child Enthroned from a painting of the Florentine school.

I have been unable, so far, to establish who painted it.

Vincenzo Foppa's wood panel from the Bottigella altarpiece now resides in the Musei Civice in Pavia. Malawi showed this on a Christmas stamp in 1977.

The first Madonna painting by Raphael to enter a North American collection sits in the Walters Museum in Baltimore and appeared on the USA's 2011 Christmas stamp.

Ireland's Christmas stamp of 1999 depicts children in a nativity scene and provides a less formal view in a clear cut design.

You may see another Irish stamp and what others have chosen by following the links at Sunday-Stamps-II-Christmas

Wild Animals - Sunday Stamps II

After struggling last week, this week couldn't have been more different with so many stamps to choose from.

Africa is a continent with many animals depicted on stamps, some of which I have included before. The King of them all for me is shown on a Malawi stamp from 2011, one of the Big Five.

Not quite as attractive is the animal on stamp from 1954 - head and shoulders only.

South Africa - Warthog

The Czech Republic has many wild animal shots; some smaller one are shown in these stamps from April 1996.

They are from left to right:

• Eliomys quercinus - Garden Dormouse
• Dryomys nitedula - Forest Dormouse
• Spermophilus citellus - European Ground Squirrel
• Sicista betulina - Northern Birch Mouse

For more wild animals visit Sunday-Stamps-II-103. to see what you can find.

Malawi Butterflies - Sunday Stamps

As I have just  acquired another two Malawi butterflies were a natural selection when we had a free choice for Viridian's Sunday Stamps this week.

Malawi - Protect Nature - Butterflies

Apparently there are 14 stamps in this set; one such set was recently sold on eBay - but I don't get involved there.

To see others' choices flit over to Sunday-stamps-127.

A Hemulen's Collection - Sunday Stamps

This week theme of hobbies proved difficult for me until I came across the Hemulens, a species of characters created by the Finnish author Tove Jansson.

Hemulens tend to be obsessive characters devoting themselves to one interest - skiing, stamp collecting, butterflies or whatever. Does anyone recognise themselves?

It may have been a coincidence but in Saturday's Daily Telegraph an article appeared about the author Vladimir Nabokov who wrote 'Lolita.' Apparently Nabokov was an accomplished lepidopterist.

Now I had something to work with. I wouldn't say I am a Hemulen, but I have a butterfly or two.

USA Common Buckeye

Of course a lepidopterist is also interested in moths.

Romania - Saturnia pyri

The Saturnia pyri is a native of Europe, but not Britain, and is also known as the Great Peacock Moth or Giant Emperor Moth.

Mexico - Helasus

Malaysia

Malawi - Parasa moth

If I wanted to be obsessive about butterflies the one set of stamps I'd like are these from much nearer home.

Great Britain - Butterflies 1981

Shame that I have had to scan them from a catalogue. Oh well, I guess I shall have to remember the Tortoiseshell and Peacock flying round my garden in the summer.

Peacock butterfly on knapweed.

 

But now it's time to explore the hobbies from others on Viridian's Sunday Stamps 94

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Sunday Stamps

First an apology. As I will be without internet access until next Saturday, I will be unable to comment on any more posts until then. I will check out all your posts next weekend.

I find my albums are inundated with planes. I don't have any commemorating the Wright brothers but I can cover the first non-stop Atlantic flight:

 

This first day cover for the Postal Union has planes, a ship and a PO van:

I like this next stamp in particular for its clarity and colour:

But my favourite plane has to be the supersonic Concorde, alas now defunct:

The plane may be British, but the colourful stamp is from Malawi:

I spent a number of years working in Norway and that accounts for my final plane(s):

For trains I have to start with Stephenson's Locomotion:

 

The meeting that established the world's first railway was held in my local town. Yarm Town Hall boasts this plaque:

Trains would not be complete for me without the Flying Scotsman (shame about the postmark):

From abroad there are trains from Mexico and New Zealand:

I was very disappointed when I looked for automobiles and only came up with this First Class stamp:

I had to resort to stamps combining the theme from USA:

And from Romania:

There's not even a car on here.

If I haven't put you off there are more on view at: Viridian's Sunday Stamps 18.