Sunday, June 29, 2008

EURO 2008


Congratulations Spain !!!!




Spain becomes champion after 44 years beating Germany 1-0 in Euro2008.

VIENNA, June 29 (Reuters) - Fernando Torres described Spain's 1-0 victory over Germany in the Euro 2008 final on Sunday as a dream come true after scoring the winner.The 24-year-old striker set Spain on the way to their first major title in 44 years with a well-taken goal in the first half after a mix-up in the Germany defence. Summing up the achievement, Torres said: "This is the most important title after the World Cup. I am going to enjoy this...this victory is good for football. "It is a dream come true. It is our first title and we hope it is the first of many. We have to be ambitious as we still have the World Cup to come. "At last justice has been done and the team that played the best football won the tournament. "This has been a great victory for the whole team and all of Spain."

Euro Cup 2008


Today is the Final Match of Euro Cup 2008 -16 participating nations, 8 host cities, 1 champion. Austrian Post has issued a variety of special issue stamps to commemorate this large sports event. Now Austria is going to enter into Guiness Book of Records for the fastest stamp ever to be printed. let's see who is going to be Champion - Spain or Germany ? Today's post dedicated to Football lovers and EURO 2008. Enjoy the Final with these beautiful stamps and cancellations issued on one of the biggest football events EURO-2008.

It's round, self-adhesive and made of plastic: special-issue football stamp issued on 12 March. "UEFA EURO 2008™ - adidas Europass":
This stamp is a sensation in itself for many reasons. It is not only round and self-adhesive, but it is also made of an innovative material: polyurethane, which is exactly the same plastic compound that was used to manufacture the official football of the UEFA EURO 2008™, the so-called "Europass"!

World Record by Austrian Post

30 June, 2 o'clock in the morning: will there be an entry into the Guinness Book of Records for the fastest stamp ever to be printed? On 29 June 2008 at approximately 11:00 p.m.(Time in Europe, around 2.30 a.m. in India on June 30) . we will finally know for certain who has become the 2008 European Football Champion. Austrian Post is planning to set a new world record: the fastest stamp ever to make it to the shops! A mere 3 hours after the conclusion of the final, stamps featuring the winner are scheduled to be available for sale, including detailed information about the match action! If Austrian Post succeeds in setting this record, it will be entered into the "Guinness Book of Records". Printing machines at the Austrian State Printing House will be operating at full capacity long before midnight to deliver the stamp sheets to downtown Vienna on 30 June from 2 o'clock in the morning! The stamp sheet will include 5 stamps at 55 cents and 5 stamps at 65 stamps as well as 10 selvages with detailed information about the match action (goals, yellow and red cards, etc.).








Saturday, June 28, 2008

International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking


26 June was celebrated as International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. A special cover was issued on this day by Ministry Of Communication and Information Technology, Department Of Post, Delhi Circle. The special cover creates an awareness against drugs and illicit trafficking . Delhi Postal Circle must be appreciated for issuing this cover which will help in creating an awareness among general public regarding ill effects of drugs. I have some more images of Meghdoot Cards issued on National Tobacco Control Programme. I thank Mr. Vinod Kumar Sabharwal of New Delhi for this post.




International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking




National Tobacco Control Programme

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Philatelic Tribute to Sam Bahadur



Today we lost a great patriot of India Sam Manekshaw. We pay Philatelic Tributes to this great soldier. We have some recently issued Covers by Army Postal Service for Today's special Post which we dedicate to this great soldier. Our special thanks to Mr. Vinod Sabharwal for these covers.



Former Army Chief Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw passed away at Military Hospital in Wellington today. Manekshaw who had led India to victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war was 94 years old. The Padma Vibhushan and Military Cross awardee, Manekshaw assumed charge of the Indian Army, as the 8th Chief of Army Staff, on June 07, 1969. Born in Amritsar, Punjab in April 1914, he completed his schooling in Amritsar and Sherwood College, Nainital. He then joined the first batch of 40 cadets at Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehra Dun on 01 October 1932. He passed out of the IMA in December 1934 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Indian Army. He held several regimental assignments and was first attached to the Royal Scouts and later to the 12 Frontier Force Rifles. Manekshaw succeeded General Kumaramangalam as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in June 1969. For his selfless service to the nation, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1972 and was conferred with the honorary rank of Field Marshal in January 1973. He retired a fortnight later on 15 January 1973, after completing nearly four decades of military service.


Col. Suresh Bagga has sent following information from Panckula paying his tributes to Field Marshal Manekshaw......

Indian Military Academy, Dehradun


The credo inscribed in the famous Chetwode Building of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun reads:

“The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, Always and every time.”

Sam Hormusji Framji "Sam Bahadur" Jamshedji Manekshaw passed out from the IMA in December 1934 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Indian Army.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Club News



Today's Post is dedicated to the Silver Jubilee Celebration of India's 1983 World Cup Victory at Lords.Here is a special news from Mr. Pradip Jain about the special cover going to be issued to make this moment memorable.



Special Cover on India's World Cup victory at Lords

25th June is the most historical day when India won the world Cricket Cup at the Lord's Ground just 25 years before. All the same Indian Cricket team will be at Lord's on this day. To commemorate this occasion there is going to be special cachet postmark cover on 25th June at Lords. This Special commemorative cover is for the 2008 reunion of India's 1983 Cricket World Cup team at Lord's. On 25th June 1983 Indian cricket came to the attention of the world. They beat the mighty West Indian team at Lord's Cricket Ground. It is also the subject of special news programme filmed at Lord's. For the 40-1 outsiders this was an historic moment. It was a turning point for India to become a cricket superpower.Images from 1983 have been used to create this cover. On the stamp Srikkanth drives Roberts for four on his way to score 38, the highest of the world cup final. The limited edition stamp has been cacheted for reunion day 25th June 2008. 25 years to the day of this historic victory.Very limited quantity printed only 250. Interested people can contact me.

PRADIP JAIN
POST BOX 128,
MITHAPUR,
PATNA 800 001 (INDIA)
PH: 0091-612-2215929 FAX: 0091-612-2238010
Mobile : 0091-93341 32162/ 0091-94310 03191
New E-MAIL:
philapradip@gmail.com
MB's Stamps of India Blog
I am pleased to inform my readers that Mr. Monsoor B. was awarded a Bronze medal at Inpex-2008, Chnnai for his website www.geocities.com/manbol1 . I wish I could have written about it earlier but I just came to know about it . So don't miss to visit this beautiful Blog created by our distinguished member who is a an ardent philatelist from Mangalore, working in a Shipping Company.


ITS Instant Auction Sale – June 2008
Last Date: 7 July 2008
INDIAN THEMATIC SOCIETY
MIG # 3464, PHASE TWO, DUGRI ROAD, LUDHIANA – 141 013. INDIA
Telfax: + 91 - 161 - 2521244 Mobile: +91 98728 51244
See scans of these lots at http://www.flickr.com/photos/its_offers

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Men of substance


I have selected the subject of personalities for today's post. Here are two great personalities related with the field of Geology and Photography.The first stamp issued by Czech Reublic on 18 June 2008 depicts the great czech Geologist Ferdinand Stolička and the other set is on Photography issued by Poland on 29 February 2008. On one of the stamps issued by Poland is pictured 'Father of Polish Photography' Karol Beyer. The all four stamps of the set depict the reproductions of his photographs from the National Museum in Warsaw collection. The FDCs for these issues are so beautiful in black & white and giving a classic look of great art of photography. The cancellation is in the form of very simple antique camera. What an idea ? Superb ! I have noticed that the design of the stamps issued by Poland are always excellent having a great sense of art. I must appreciate the great stamp designers of Poland who make such magnificent stamp designs. In my earlier post I appreciated designs of Polish Stamps issued on Europa Theme 'Letter writing' & Meterological Phenomenon. I am sure this post will be liked by philatelists and those interested in photography.


Date of Issue : 18 June 2008

Ferdinand Stolička
Ferdinand Stolička (1838–1874) The Czech geologist, paleontologist and natural scientist of a world significance F. Stolička graduated in geology from the Faculty of Arts in Vienna. He did mapping in the Eastern Alps, in Hungary and Dalmatia. As a paleontologist of the Indian Geological Institute he researched mainly the Himalaya and the Karakoram. He set for his first journey to the Himalaya in 1864. During the four-month expedition he created geological maps of extensive areas of the mountains; in particular, he made it an exact fact that the core of the Himalaya consists of gneiss layers covered with high primary and secondary sediments. He contributed also to other disciplines, mainly to ornithology. On his return from the third expedition to the Himalaya he died, probably of high mountain disease. The extent of Stolička's scientific work is admirable

On the occasion of the 190th anniversary of Karol Beyer's birth Poland has issued 4 stamps with reproductions of his photographs from the National Museum in Warsaw collection. The stamps present the Author's self-portrait (1858), portraits of peasants from Wilanów (1866), the Holy Cross church in Warsaw (1858) and Russian army at the Castle Square in Warsaw (1861).

Date of Issue: 29 February 2008

Karol Beyer
Karol Beyer (1818-1877) was the "father of Polish photography". As a young man he studied painting and worked in the artistic cast factory. In 1844 he left to Paris to learn there the daguerrotype technology. Soon he had opened his own workshop in Warsaw, producing the daguerrotype portraits, which after a few years transformed into a real photo atelier. At the peak of his career Beyer employed as many as 30 photographers, some of them being talented artists. In this way he had educated many renowned professional photographers. The photography in Beyer's atelier was recognized as an art, what had been attested by numerous awards won at the international exhibitions, but also as a mean of documentation. One of Beyer's partners had won great popularity for his posthumous portraits of the victims of 1861 patriotic manifestation and the photographs from the period of the January Uprising. For his patriotic engagement Beyer had been sentenced for two year's banishment in the remote region of Russia.Beyer participated also in establishing the "Tygodnik Ilustrowany" ( "Illustrated Weekly") magazine and developed for it his own technology of transferring the photographs (by mediation of the negative) onto the wooden printing blocks; he worked on the modern collotype technology as well. He was much interested in numismatics and archaeology. At the age of 54 however he retired from photography.

The daguerrotypy
The photography's "elder sister" consists in producing pictures on the silver-coated plates, covered with a photosensitive material. Its name comes from its inventor, Louis Daguerre. This technology had been in use for some 10 years only and required high precision as well as technical and chemical skills. Since its beginnings it proved also to be dangerous for health and life for the use of mercury vapours in developing process. Unlike photographs, the daguerrotypes could not be reproduced.


The early photography
Officially the photography was born on 1839. The glass negatives could be copied on specially prepared paper. The collodion process so called "wet plate", in use universally in the 2nd half of the 19th century, required from the photographer to carry with him a kind of a portable dark room in order to avoid drying out the photosensitive material. As the photos were not yet blown up, and the copies were made by direct contact, it was necessary to use cameras of different sizes. The portraits were made most frequently in the so called visiting (6.5x10 cm) and cabinet (10x15 cm) sizes. The static appearance of early photographs is due mainly to their long exposure times - up to even almost twenty minutes.


The design of FDC envelopes
The accompanying 4 FDC envelopes feature the photos of the "Tygodnik Ilustrowany" magazine staff (1864), a pair of peasants from Wilanów (1866), the Kierbedź bridge under construction (May 22, 1861) and the monument of the king Jan III Sobieski (1858). A picture of the bridge is, in a sense, one of the first report's photos, as Beyer documented that enterprise over all the time of its realization (1859-1864). The special postmark is in a form of the simple photo camera.




Monday, June 23, 2008

Fun Stamps



Today I have some very beautiful stamps and Souvenir Sheet on games and circus. This post is specially dedicated to children. But these are so colourful and lovely that collectors of all ages would like them. Take a look and try to add them in your collection. Have a nice day full of joy and fun !



PHILAVILLAGE I




In order to boost stamp collecting among young people The postal service of Hungary Magyar Posta has started the release of a new series of regular postage stamps entitled PHILAVILLAGE.The complete series contains a total of 12 stamps, which will be issued on 6 occasions each with 2 denominations. The special feature of the issue is that the stamps can be bought as part of a six-part board game. The six playing sheets make up a fun game for children to playfully learn about stamp collecting as the name itself, PHILAVILLAGE, refers to philately. The first part of this series was issued on 6 June 2008 Intended dates of issue are 20 June for part 2; 4 July for part 3; and the autumn for parts 4-6.The stamps show the busy lives of the inhabitants of PHILAVILLAGE. On the first two denominations the children can meet the PHILAVILLAGE hairdresser and baker. The first day cover for the series introduces the friendly villagers, while the main motif of the postmark is a stylized bear’s head.

Date of Issue- 6 June 2008.


Circus on Stamps

Here is a very beautiful souvenir sheet issued by France today.The souvenir sheet depicts actors of the circus : the trapeze artist, the juggler, the tamer, the circus rider and the ever smiling giggling clowns. The stamps of this souvenir sheets are also available seperately. This is a very attractive and colorful s/s. It will certainly be liked by chidren and elders as well.



Date of Issue- 23 June 2008

Sunday, June 22, 2008

News from India Post





I have some special news for you from India Post. I have just received a beautiful Desk Calendar from Jharkhand Postal Circle, Ranchi . Its so beautifully designed that I highly appreciate the effort done by this Postal Circle to bring out this souvenir as a Philatelic Tribute to Mahatama Gandhi. This Calendar contains quotations, stamps and special covers issued on Gandhi as well as photos from the life of Mahatama Gandhi. If you come across it dont miss it ! It will be liked and well appreciated by all the philatelists and general public. I would request the authorities of Jharkhand Postal Circle to make it available at various Philatelic Bureaus of India for the philatelists at reasonable price. Have a look to this magnificent souvenir. I have also some images to show you of recently issued Meghdoot Cards on Anti Tobacco Campaign and Untouchability. My special thanks to our most distinguished readers Mr. Vinod Kumar Sabharwal of New Delhi and Pradip Jain of Patna who are regularly sending us updates. I would request the readers to send news for inclusion in this blog and help us to make it more interesting for you.




Gandhi Philatelic Souvenir


"Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a One as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth." - Einstein



New Meghdoot Cards





Anti-Tobacco Campaign

Untouchability


New Inland Letter Card



Hall Mark Jewellery (Gujarati)


Media Post


India Post offers a unique media concept to help the Indian corporate and the Government organizations to reach potential customers through Media Post. Creative, cost-effective and personalized , Media Post - an innovative & effective vehicle for Brand and Marketing managers to communicate their corporate messages across the nation. Now, your brand could take the fast track and reach the masses at a low cost with Media Post. You can use the following for your branding exercise.

  • Advertisement on postcards, letters, aerogrammes postal stationary etc.
  • Space sponsorship options on letter boxes.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

World News


After Israel-2008 we have another biggest international philatelic event Efiro-2008 in Romania. Today's post is dedicated to the news from the world. Please go through it. We want to pay special thanks for this Post to our distinguished reader Mr. Pradip Jain of Patna.


EFIRO-2008

This month's major international stamp event is in Central Europe, in Romania, where the EFIRO-2008 exhibition is being held in the capital Bucharest from June 20 to 28, 2008. Mr. Sahdeva Sahoo is the National Commissioner from India. On this occasion 150th anniversary of

the first stamp issued for Moldavia, the classic, 'Bulls Heads' is also being celebrated. Here the stamp appears on Romania's issue for Efiro-08.In the lists of the ' Rarest stamps of the World' the Maldivian Bulls Heads have been ever present in high position for more than a century. For those who might never own an original of these rarities, they are often reproduced on modern Romanian issues.

LONDON-2010

The London 2010 exhibition will run from May 8 to 15, 2010 and will have some 2460 competitive frames. Mr.Yogesh Kumar of Bareilly is the National Commissioner from India. A special feature will be an invited exhibition of 32 frames relating to King George V. There will be about 200 trade and postal administration stands. As part of LONDON 2010, Festival of Stamps will be held. It will be year long programme of exhibition events and actvities marking the centenary of the accession of the Georgre V, the Philatelist King.The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) and Royal Philatelic Collection are working in partnership with the Guildhall Art Gallery to produce the exhibition 'Empire mail : George V & The GPO'. This unique exhibition will explore the reign of King George V and will be open from May 7 to July 25, 2010 at the Guildhall Art Gallery.
An era of conflict and great change, the reign of George V spanned from 1910-1936 and saw the development of a number of communication methods , which brought the world closer. The exhibition will explore themes from king's reign such as innovations in mail transportation, the first Atlantic Air Crossing, the rise of graphic design in the 1920 and 1930s and wartime memories.

24th Universal Postal Congress

The 24th Universal Postal Congress will be held in Geneva from 23 July to August 12, 2008. The Universal Postal Union has 191 member countries which are gearing up for this Congress. The UPU, created in Berne in 1874, became a UN specialized agency on July 1, 1948. To highlight its role in the UN System the UPU recently added the UN Olive branches to its logo. The UPU is the second oldest international organization, after the Inernational Telecommunications Union.

Friday, June 20, 2008

New Stamps on Sports



The year 2008 is going to be very active in sports. Euro-2008 is the latest passion for the soccer lovers and after that olympics will be the biggest attraction for all. Today I have special Post on sports for you. My sincere thanks to Mr. Pradip Jain of Patna who has sent me the detailed report on EURO-2008 by Peter Jennings which helped me to prepare this news for you. Please go through this special news and enjoy the rest of the stamps on Sports.

EURO-2008


The matches of Euro-2008 have become the heart throb for football lovers all over the world and its special stamp issued by Austria on may 5, 2008 has created a sensation among stamp lovers. I have already written about this stamp in in one of my earlier posts. To remind you it is the world's first stamp which has been made by the latest and most sophisticated, motion stamp technology at the imposing House of Sport Vienna. The state of the art technology for this amazing self adhesive E 5.45 was developed by Outer Aspect, the World leader in motionstamp production. The film incorporated into the actual stamp shows the wonder goal scored by Andreas Herzog, the Austrian No. 10, on September 6, 1997 that helped Austria to qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup Finals played in France. the Andreas Herzog stamp is the largest single motion stamp that has ever been produced. the stamp uses 3 seconds of video Footage which is the highest number of images ever incorporated within a motion stamp. The number of stamps printed was 3,50,000. A special motion stamp postcard was also produced at a price of E 4.99.



Special FDC autographed by Andreas Herzog, pictured with Euro-2008 mascots and scarf.


2008 European Football Championship (4.3.2008)



Date of Issue - 18 June 2008

The XXIXth Summer Olympic Games will be held in China on August 8-24, 2008. Most competitions will be held directly at Beijing. Yachting competitions will be held in Qingdao, equestrian competitions in Hong Kong, football matches in Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao. Ready for the winners are 302 sets of medals in 28 sports. New disciplines include, e.g. BMX bike discipline or the so-called swimming marathon. The postage stamp features the athletic discipline Discus Throw Women.


Date of Issue- 18 June 2008


Handicapped sportsmen in the Czech Republic are registered in sport clubs including more than 17,500 members. The best of them will participate in the XIIIth Summer Paralympic Games which will be held in Beijing on September 6-17, 2008. Paralympic games are the top competition for top sportsmen with different handicaps. The key philosophy behind the paralympic movement is that these world sportsmen have abilities and experience equal to their healthy counterparts and that like them, the handicapped ones have to undergo strict qualifications and selection to get into national teams. The First Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960, only several weeks after the XVIIth Olympic Games in Rome. They were attended by 400 athletes from 23 countries. The initial actors of the paralympiad were only wheelchair sportsmen. As the paralympic movement developed they were joined by sportsmen with other handicaps. The last paralympiad was held in Athens in 2004 where the Czech representatives won altogether 31 medals (16-8-7). The postage stamp features archery. The competitors, including blind archers, are divided into categories according to the degree and type of handicap.


International Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic Games in Beijing (8 May2008)


Olympic Games in Beijing -Mountainbike (8 May 2008)

"Go Switzerland" (8 May 2008)


Active Football (4 March 2008)