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Monthly e-Stamp Bulletin edited and published by Jeevan Jyoti from Dehradun.

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Rainbow November 2021

 

Happy Diwali

 

Date of Issue : 19 October 2021


Dehradun November 2021  Vol. XIV  Issue No. 167

Readers are requested to send reports of philatelic activities in their area for publication. Short write ups by the readers about their journals, societies, publications and philatelic requirements can be sent for inclusion in this bulletin to the editor: j.jyoti9@gmail.com

Note- This bulletin is only for circulation among a limited group of philatelists without any commercial purpose. The bulletin will be sent to the readers only on request. Those who wish to receive it regularly please reply giving the name of your city / country with the subject SUBSCRIBE RAINBOW


Christmas 2021


Date of Issue : 20 October 2021


Dear Reader,

I am pleased to present November 2021 issue of Rainbow Stamp News. It is a great gesture of the Philatelic Congress of India, the national Philatelic federation to honour and recognize the contribution of the philatelists by giving them PCI Awards 2021. It has given impetus to the philatelists in keeping this this hobby alive. In this digital world people are losing their interest in physical hobbies and inclining towards virtual hobbies and games. The whole philatelic community expresses its gratitude for this excellent work done by the PCI. Heartiest congratulations to all who have been honoured with PCI 2021 Awards.

It is a festive season in India and Diwali celebration begins…. . Wishing you all a very Happy and Prosperous Deepawali !

This is all for this month. More in the next issue.

Happy Collecting!     


 

         Contents


§  From the Desk of Naresh Agrawal

§  Recent Indian Issues

§  In The News

 

§  Thematic Watch

 

§  Specialized Section

 

§  Beginners’ Section

 

§  Philatelic Tributes to First-line Warriors –COVID-19 Pandemic

§  New Issues from Other Countries

§  Philatelic Clubs and Society

§  Blogs & Websites on Philately

§  Current Philatelic Magazines & Newsletters



Physical Presentation of awards by PCI : An appreciable Act



Deepawali greetings to all the readers. Last year Deepawali lights were low but this year after the pandemic has almost gone, the joy and happiness of festivity could be seen on the faces of people, and markets and bazaars seemed to be lively.  Life now seems to have come back on the track.

Well, philatelists in India who are members of Philatelic Congress of India and its member associations also enjoyed the awards declared by PCI in four categories such as Certificate of appreciation, Fellow, Philatelic Ratna and Certification of appreciation for societies. The three categories of awards chose almost all the deserving members based on their merit in accordance with the criterion opted. The best coveted award was Philatelic Ratna which was awarded to six most  deserving philatelists who  spent almost all their lives in service of philately. Their dedication was honored. In fact, honoring them was an honor for the philatelic fraternity. The award ceremony was conducted on line and eminent personalities graced the occasion and spoke high of PCI.

Due to pandemic restrictions, physical ceremony could not be conducted and the awards in all the categories were announced on a virtual ceremony. And it was declared that the award certificates would be sent through surface mail later. But the celebrations seemed to be incomplete as physical interaction was being missed by many and also since PCI has its major activity location at Mumbai and there had always been a great support from Maharashtra Circle, it was found essential to appreciate and thank DOP also as without its support, it was never possible for PCI to conduct major events in the past.

And so, PCI took the initiative again to present these awards physically firstly to the awardees of Maharashtra looking in to their safety and travel convenience. It did this in an impressive function at Mumbai G.P.O.. Most of the awardees of Maharashtra Circle were presented their awards Sri Harish Agrawal CPMG Maharashtra and Smt. Swati Panda, PMG, Mumbai. Awarding certificate of appreciation to CPMG and PMG Maharashtra Circle started a new culture in philately which of course is highly appreciable. The concept of PCI awards was highly appreciated by Mrs. Panda. Historical moment for philately respect, honor and recognition of members .

By narrating this function details in brief, I want to express that this act of PCI has  put PCI  in the front of the world philately. Philatelists love appreciation, honor and recognition for his / her efforts which PCI has done very rightly and gracefully. I would appeal PCI to conduct such programmes in other circles   shortly.

For me such appreciation is more than getting a very high-level international award in FIP exhibition. In fact, these awards have given recognition to philatelists in their house which was lacking till date. PCI has learnt to appreciate itself means its members. This will certainly go a long way to strengthen the bond of friendship, brotherhood and unity amongst the philatelists/ stamp lovers.

Finally WELL DONE PCI.

 -Naresh Agrawal: email - nareshkumar1992@yahoo.co.in

    

Recent Indian Issues

 



17 September 2021 :  Rao Jaimal Rathore – Rs 5

2 October 2021 : 4 Martyrs of Solapur

6 October 2021 : Deccan College Bicentenary – Rs 5

 

New Special Covers


21 October 2021: 75 Years of Vadodara Jila Khadi Gramodyog Bhawan

15 October 2021 : Shimla Conference , Shimla

13 October 2021 : Allahabad Surkha Guava

13 October 2021 : Renowned philatelist- Dhanajay Desai- Vadodara

7 October 2021 : 100 Years celebration of Division Railway Manager’s Office, Vadodara Division, Western Railway





In the News


Obituary

 

Very sad and shocking to share this news with the Readers that Col. Jayant Dutta is no more...

Our deepest condolences ..... 

He was seriously ill and fighting with cancer for the last two years, passed away on 1st November 2021.He won many awards at National and International philatelic exhibitions. He was awarded the prestigious Roake Trophy along with his wife Dr Anjali Dutta by India Study Circle in 2015. He was President of Deccan Philatelic Society and editor of The journal of Army Philatelic Society and Deccan Philatelist. Recently he was also selected fellow by the PCI .He contributed many articles to Rainbow Stamp News. His great contribution to Indian Philately will always be remembered. May his soul Rest in Peace.....


 Technical innovations in postage stamp printing

Austria Post issues a special postage stamp on September 16, 2021on mask

Hämmerle & Vogel, the specialist for embroidery and also for textile postage stamps, made the stamps from original material produced in Europe for the mask production: Two layers of fleece were embroidered in the form of an FFP2 mask and then cut out with laser technology, the loose loops were also embroidered and attached to it in a complex process. The embroidery emphasizes the characteristic details of the mask such as the folds and the nose clip.




Original felt brand in the shape of a tennis ball in honor of Dominic Thiem



The portrait and signature of Austria's most successful tennis player adorn the circular yellow special stamp made of tennis ball felt.

Grand Slam winner at the US Open in September 2020, Austria's athlete of the year in the same year, world number 3 and numerous major tournament victories - these are just a few of the highlights in Dominic Thiem's ​​career so far. Swiss Post is now honoring the Lower Austrian, who was born in 1993, with a special round stamp block made from real tennis ball felt.

The original special stamp is largely handcrafted and requires a lot of technical know-how: The base material is cut manually to the appropriate sheet format and printed on a dye-sublimation film using screen printing. Then it is laminated to the felt and finally cut to the final format with a digital cutter.

The special stamp block appeared on October 25 with a circulation of 150,000. With a face value of EUR 7.00, the tennis ball blocks is  available in all post offices, at post.at/onlineshop and from the Austrian Post AG's collector service.

PCI Awards 2021


Philatelic Ratna

 

Sundar Bahirwani, Ashok Bayanwala,Vispi Dastur,

Damyanti M.Pittie, Sahdeva Sahoo, Ajeet Raj Singhee

 

Philatelic Congress of India (PCI), the apex body of Indian Philately has instituted PCI Awards for the first time in the history of Indian Philately, for the people and institutions who have significant contribution towards philately and its promotion. The awards were given in a virtual function on 09.10.2021 in presence of the President, FIP, President FIAP, Senior officers of Postal Department and President PCI . There awards were given in three different categories namely: PHILATELIC-RATNA, FELLOW-PCI and PCI-APPRECIATION.


Fellow PCI 2021


Certificate of Appreciation

Certificate of Appreciation - Societies

 


PCI Award 2021-

 Physical Presentations : 30th October, 2021



At an impressive function at the Conference Hall of Mumbai GPO, the awardees from Maharashtra circle were presented with the Certificate of Appreciation, Fellow and Philatelic Ratna Awards by Shri Harish Agrawal, CPMG, Maharashtra and Smt Swati Pandey, PMG, Mumbai.

The event witnessed the presence of the highest number of Awardees from Maharashtra Circle alone. The Ratna Awardees were also presented with a glossy golden plaque and a lapel pin.


The concept of PCI Awards was highly appreciated by Smt Pandey. The programme started with an impressive start up address by Rajesh Kumar Bagri, Hon. Secretary General - PCI stating the message of harmony and unity behind the PCI Awards 2021. He quoted

"Vasudeva Kutumbukam", the world is one family from the Vedas. He remarked - "that the triveni confluence can be seen here with 3 Ratna Awardees out of 6 Ratna Awardees in total, it is indeed a historical moment for Philately and PCI.


 

Smt. Damyanti Pittie, President PCI, Shri Sunder Bahirwani, President Elect PCI and Shri Vispi Dastur, Past President PCI, graced the occasion and took active part in the deliberations, while accepting the Ratna Awards.

"Respect, honour and recognition of members by any organization is the best way forward, before we seek recognition by others" said Smt Pandey.

Mr. Agarwal appreciated the efforts put in by PCI and the nationwide Award programme launched. For the first time, both the officers were felicitated by PCI and a Certificate of Appreciation issued to them. The event witnessed joy and happiness amongst all present.


 

It was a great success and received appreciation from all quarters. The high quality of Certificates, Awards and citation plaque was appreciated by all. The effort put in for producing these articles was visible.

Announcements were made by Mr Kapil Gogri and Mr. Pratisad Neurgaonkar ; photographs and assistance by Mrs Plalak Gogri.

Mr Bagri informed that with the success of this pilot programme, PCI will launch similar programmes throughout the country. The programme ended with a vote of thanks proposed by Kapil Gogri.


Jubileepex 2021 : Awards

View : Complete Award list




The Jubileepex 2021, International Virtual Philatelic Exhibition concluded today. There were exhibits from 16 countries in different categories.  There were total 173 entries in competitive class .Out of this, 110 entries were from India. Six exhibits were displayed in the Invitation Class from Bangladesh, Germany, Australia, China and Portugal.

Five Indian Exhibitors were awarded Large vermeil medal :

1. Naresh Agrawal 

2. Jaya Prakash Rao 

3. M.R. Pavanje 

4. Varun Khanna 

5. Raunak Dutta

Others won vermeil, large silver silver and bronze medals. Heartiest congratulations to all the participants of this grand show.

Congratulations to all winners !

 Some Indian medal winners

 

1.Jaya Prakash Rao 2. Naresh Agrawal 3. Ajay Srivastav 4. Jeevan Jyoti 5. Capt Vijay Wadhwa 6. Major (Dr) Ritu Kalra 7.M. R. Pavanje 8. Ajit Kumar Raut 9 . Kishore Baglodi 10.Sahdev Sharma 11.Bhavna Baglodi12.Gurudath Kamath 13. Joy Jyoti Ghosh 14.Praveen shatry15. Jagaruthi N.Adka16. Moloy Sarkar 17. Aditya Singh 18. Soumen Chaudhary 19. Raunak Dutta


SESCAL Literature 2021

Stamp Exhibition of Southern California Los Angels




Mr M. Lokeswara Rao , noted philatelist from Bangalore got Bronze medal for his article ‘Orchid stamp collections’ which  appeared in Orchid Magazine published by American Orchid Society Florida USA

https://sescal.org/3d-flip-book/lokeswara-rao-m-orchid-stamp-collecting/


CAPEX 22, Toronto 

 


 June 9-12, 2022 : Toronto


CAPEX 22 is an international one frame stamp and philatelic literature exhibition is hosted by the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), Toronto, Ontario, Canada from June 9 to 12, 2022.

The participation is open in Traditional, Postal History, Postal Stationery, Aerophilately, Astrophilately, Thematic, Maximaphily, Revenue, Modern (21st Century in Traditional, Postal History, Postal Stationery or Revenue formats), Picture Postcard, Open, Youth, Other Non-FIP formats (First Day Covers, Charity Seals and other Cinderellas, Illustrated Mail, etc.), and Philatelic Literature.

Entries awarded at least 75-points at national exhibitions since Jan 1, 2015, at national virtual exhibitions since Jan 1, 2020, or which have been exhibited at exhibitions with FIP, FIAF, FEPA or FIAP patronage, will be eligible.

The participation fees for One-Frame Exhibit are US$125 per exhibit and for Philatelic Literature US$80 per exhibit. There is no fee for Youth Class entries.

Exhibit Application Forms duly filled along with a copy of the introductory page shall be submitted through the on-line application form not later than November 30, 2021.

Angeet Suri angeet86@hotmail.com,  +919891370070 has been appointed as National Commissioner for India of the CAPEX 22 who will personally carry the exhibits both ways and comply with official rules and regulation in this regard of both India and Canada collectively on behalf of the participants from India.

Prospective participants are requested to go through the detailed rules of exhibition (IREX) at : https://capex22.org/exhibitors/irex/


Commissioner for Bangabandhu 2021 Virtual International Stamp Exhibition

Mr. Umesh Kakkeri has been appointed National Commissioner for Bangabandhu 2021 Virtual International Stamp Exhibition to be held from 10 to 30 December, 2021 in Bangladesh.

Email: umesh_kakkeri@hotmail.com Mob : + 91-9969571767, 91-9481671767

Commissioner for HELVETIA 2022, Philatelic Exhibition

Mr. Anil Suri has been appointed National Commissioner for Helvetia 2022, FIP WSC Specialised Exhibition is to be held from 18 to 22 May 2022 at the Padiglione Conza in Lugano, Switzerland.

The exhibition will include WSC, Traditional, Postal History, Aero-Philately, Postal Stationery, Thematic, One Frame (TR, PH, PS, AE & TH) and Philatelic Literature Classes only. Details at : website www.helvetia2022.ch 

Email: anilksuri@email.com  Mob : +91 9811176908, 8130827029


 

Commissioner for HUNFILEX 2022, FIP Specialised Exhibition.

Mr Ajay Kumar Mittal has been appointed National Commissioner for Hunfilex 2022, FIP Specialised exhibition, to be held at Budapest, Hungary from 31st March to 3rd April, 2022. The exhibition will have the following classes :With WSC, Traditional, Postal History, Revenue, Thematic, Open, One Frame (Trad., P. H. and Thematic only) and Phil. Lit. only.
Email: ajaymittal1957@gmail.com  Mob : + 91 98110 32311

 

Forthcoming International Philatelic Exhibitions updates

LIBEREC 2022




European Stamp Exhibition and Polar Salon “LIBEREC 2022” is organized by Svaz českých filatelistů, z.s. (Union of Czech Philatelists) in cooperation with club “Evropská výstava poštovních známek LIBEREC 2022, z.s.”, established for this purpose under FEPA patronage and with FIP recognition.

Venue: Wellness Hotel Babylon https://www.hotelbabylon.cz/en/

 

Date: October 13th – 16th, 2022

Exhibition size: 1200 exhibition frames

European Stamp Exhibition and Polar Salon LIBEREC 2022 :  IREX

Visit : https://www.liberec2022.eu/en/aktuality-en/




CAPE TOWN 2021 Philatelic Exhibition  ( Update)

The Cape Town 2021 Exhibition has been postponed. The new dates will be 8th – 12th November 2022.

The date that Entry forms must be received by the National Commissioners will be no later than 15 May 2022.

           Last date for receipt of Literature exhibits 1 October 2022

Mr. Shakil Ahmed is Indian National Commissioner for the Cape Town 2021, FIP Specialized World Stamp Exhibition to be held at Cape Town, South Africa from 8 to 12 November, 2022.Exhibition Classes: Traditional, Postal History, Aerophilately, Postal Stationery, Revenue, Thematic, Open, Modern Philately, One Frame, Philatelic Literature and Picture Postcards only)

Shakil Ahmed : Email: ahmedshakil99@gmail.com : (M) +91-9437225760 / +91-7008025663


INDIAPOST SHOULD CONSIDER TO ISSUE  

Postage Stamps on Living Personalities

 

-Dipok Dey

 

Since the introduction of postage stamp ‘Penny Black’ (1840, Great Britain), featuring Queen Victoria’s portrait upon it, it has become a universally accepted postal rule that except the portrait of living ruler of the respective country, no   portrait of any living personality should appear on the postage stamp. All the stamp-issuing countries followed the suit. Many countries began to issue postal stamps carrying images of their rulers or symbols representative of their nations, but no country ever considers a postage stamp can be used to honour or to commemorate any event or notable person.  

In 1860 Postmaster Charles Connell of New Brunswick, a province of Canada, under the British Monarch, issued a postage stamp featuring a Steam Train,relating to the European and North American Railway of which he was the director. In the same year he issued the stamp as a means of Honour: he issued a postage stamp featuring the portrait of Prince of Wales to commemorate his visit of the colony. This was the world’s first commemorative stamp. For the next issue Connell did an unprecedented job, he used his own portrait on the stamps instead of Queen Victoria. This was the first LIVING COMMON MAN featured on a postage stamp. But unfortunately, he had to resign as he dared to disobey the monarch. A common man cannot have the same status as the King or Queen. Moreover, the postage stamp is the King’s or Queen’s property. 

Connell’s idea of commemoration, though unacknowledged, was taken over by America. In 1893, America issued a long set of commemorative postage stamps honouring that year’s World Columbian Exposition in Chicago; the subject was Columbus’s voyage to the new world and the size of the stamps were “INNOVATIVE”. Even though, no country issues the postage stamp as a token of honour. The images of celebrities, dead or living, were never considered out of apprehension that these might dent the image of the person in authority. Such trend continued till the first half of the 20th century.   

Things began to change at the end of the Second World War (1939-1945), whereupon countries started to issue postage stamps featuring dead or living celebrities. It became a routine affair in them. A number of postage stamps of celebrities were issued in India after the Independence. In 1964, Great Britain. 

issued a set of postage stamps featuring the portrait of Shakespeare to mark the 400th birth anniversary of Shakespeare. So, Shakespeare becomes first ‘commoner’ on GB stamps. 

According to the postal rules in India, no postal stamps on living celebrities will be issued. The Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India published the guide lines for issue of Commemorative Postage Stamps wherein it was stated that, “No stamp will be issued on a living personality. The personalities on whom commemorative postage stamp may be issued should be of national or international importance. The occasion to be commemorated must be the birth centenary or 10th /25th /50th /100th death anniversary. Stamps can be issued no sooner than ten years after an individual’s death. Exception in this regard will however be considered to be made for personality from the field of Art, Culture and Music. A commemorative postage stamp shall be issued in honour of the Head of State on his/her first death anniversary.” However, the Department of Posts, India issued, exceptionally, as many as eight stamps on living personalities. 

Recently the world of communication has suffered massive changes: E-mail, SMS, WhatsApp and others have changed the way we communicate. This has affected the postal services, with the consequent fall in the issue of postage stamps all over the world. This necessitates changes in rules in postal policy, which many countries have already done, allowing for a wide field of themes to be incorporated in postage stamps. This has had significant fallout. More and more countries are issuing more and more postage stamps on living celebrities, particularly on special occasions involving them.  

In 2011, the U.S. Postal Service ended its longstanding rule that no living people would be eligible to be honored on U.S. postage stamps. “This change will enable us to pay tribute to individuals for their achievements while they are still alive to enjoy the honor,” Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said in a statement.  

It cannot be denied that the financially struggling Postal Service is hoping the change will boost stamp collecting—and bring in more money, because collected stamps aren’t used for postage. I shall end this vignette with a personal note. In 1993, I designed a set of four stamps featuring the stills of the films of Satyajit Ray: the stills were of Madhabi Mukherjee in 'Charulata' and Mamata Shankar in 'Agantuk'. But the designs were not accepted on the ground that Madhabi Mukherjee and Mamata Shankar were alive. The irony, here, is that the commemorative postage stamps were not designed on either Madhabi Mukherjee or Mamata Shankar, but the master film-maker Satyajit Ray. I myself and Chief Postmaster General P. K. Bagchi argued that they are not appeared in their personal names, but they were the characters of the stories. But the authority did not listen to. 

On the same argument, in 2020, the British Post issued a set of stamps to celebrate 60 years of the James Bond Film, all the stamps featuring heroes, most of them were living at that time. 

Here is my humble suggestion. India is no longer a Monarchy country. It is now peoples’ country, so there is no more a STATUS issue. India should issue featuring celebrities above 80 years old, such as LATA MANGESHKAR. If we cannot honour a person while he or she is living, then what is the fun of issuing a Postage stamp after his or her death? The Government of India honours living persons with Padma Shri. Padma Bhushan, etc., so where is the problem to introduce the same norms in Philately. 

Let all restrictions regarding the issue of postage stamps be lifted. Let all kinds of themes find their places in the postage stamps.





The judging of a thematic exhibit class is different from the other classes. While judging a thematic exhibit the jury looks for certain points in an exhibit. On this basis the scores are given to an exhibit in the competition class.They have a special judging worksheet. An exhibitor must know the points on which   his/her exhibit is judged. Just came across a Thematic Judging worksheet from New Zealand Philatelic Federation which I am sharing here. One can know the criteria in detail  which are considered while judging a thematic exhibit.

I am pleased to share here the expert comments of noted philatelist, Mr Dinesh Chandra Sharma. He has been jury member in several philatelic exhibitions His comments and suggestions would definitely help thematic collectors to score high in a competitve show.

 Thematics Judging Worksheet


Exhibit No: ____ Frame nos: ______ Exhibit Title:
 ________________________________________________

TREATMENT

 35

Title & Plan

15

Is the topic a meaningful entity?
Or if just a self-contained section, does it stand alone?
Is the title a suitable synthesis of the work?
Do the title and contents match?
Does the sequence of material develop the full details of the title?
Does the plan consist of just thematic divisions (no “conclusion” etc)
Do the chapter headings flow logically from one to the other?
Is there a good balance between chapters as suggested by the theme?
Is the plan more than just an introductory statement?
Does the plan mean it is easy to follow the exhibit development?
If there is a numerical classification, does it aid understanding?
If there is a separate title page, does it highlight the theme?
Does the plan cover the largest possible scope within the title?
The key is correct, logical and balanced

Development

15

Is philatelic knowledge sufficient to maximise thematic development?
Is thematic knowledge sufficient to maximise thematic development?
Does each item, and its positioning, as well as connecting description, show a proper understanding of the link between items and the theme?
Does the number of items used reflect more than just availability?
Does the text show logical development?
Is the text effective and concise, without unnecessary information?

The key is elaboration of the theme in depth

Innovation

5

Is there more than just straight duplication of existing material?
Is there evidence of personal study, research and imagination?
Is there evidence of using a wide range of information sources?
The key is “new” 


KNOWLEDGE, PERSONAL STUDY AND RESEARCH 30

30

Thematic

15

Is the use of material correct?
Is the thematic text appropriate and concise?
Is knowledge demonstrated by the selection of items, the linkages between items, and the degree of their appropriateness?
Is there material that requires the exhibitor to be a discoverer?
Is there material which is not directly related to the theme?
Is the study and research obvious compared with existing knowledge of literature, catalogues and documented research?
The key is does the exhibitor know the topic so well that the material links perfectly with the theme?

 

Philatelic

15

Does all material fit the rules for what can be exhibited?
Is there a wide range of philatelic material used?
Is there a good range of types of material on each page?
Are there items of philatelic significance?
Is there a balance of different types of material from all periods and a wide range of countries within the possibilities of the theme?
Are there any mini-philatelic studies that tie in with the theme?

The key is does the exhibitor understand the wide range of material that can be used, and is it with the theme?

 

 

CONDITION AND RARITY 30

30


Condition

10

Is the quality what you would expect considering what is available?
Ditto the most important material?
If any material is repaired, has it been identified? Is it necessary to use?
How difficult would it be to upgrade poorer material?
Is all modern material in perfect condition?
Are booklets complete (rather than just a cover, for instance)?
Are cancellations clear?
Do the cancels allow stamps to show their thematic relevance?
The key is how good is the material shown compared with that available?

 

 

Rarity

20

What is the quality of the prime material in the exhibit?
Is there a high level of difficulty with acquisition?
How easy would it be to duplicate the main material?
Are varieties, proofs, essays etc scarcer than the issue itself?
Do rare items relate to the theme?
The key is absolute scarcity and difficulty of acquisition


PRESENTATION

5


Is the clarity of the display good?
Is the clarity of the text good?
Does the exhibit have an overall aesthetic balance?
Is the method of displaying material neat and clean?
Is the text easy to read?
Are headings suitable without detracting from the material?
The key is balance

 Source : New Zealand Philatelic Federation

 Thematic Judging Worksheet



-Dinesh Chandra Sharma

The above worksheet is given for thematic judging in philately. It gives an overview of the rules of competitive thematic exhibits. According to Dr. Giancarlo Morolli of Italy (a Great name in thematic Philately) the rules for judging thematic exhibits are – GREV, SREV, and Guidelines. The above worksheet is based on these only. It is important to know what judges expect from thematic exhibitors. Therefore, exhibitors must go through the three rules as thoroughly as possible.

Title and Plan are the most important part of treatment as the Title sets the scope of exhibit while the plan sets the story for the development of a thematic exhibit. I have come across a few exhibits on Gandhi theme with a title “ Gandhi ji & Freedom Struggle”, but hardly there is anything related to freedom struggle. The Plan as well as the whole exhibit tells about the Gandhiji’s life, his movements and so on. (Do this Title & content match?).

Next thing what this work sheet suggests is that the judges want to see a logical and scientifically developed plan rather than just the listing or sub divisions of the theme. They expect to see that the chapters flow from one to another rather than just the chapters. Balance of chapters means that every chapter has approximately same number of pages (in an 80 pages exhibit having 6 chapters, it is expected that each chapter has 12 to 16 pages). One page chapters are highly undesirable even in a quality exhibit.

Although the Thematic and Philatelic Knowledge are evaluated separately but a good development is where Thematic as well as Philatelic knowledge go hand in hand. Here it is expected that the theme is elaborated in depth with the proper selection and use of material supported by good thematic and philatelic knowledge.

The Thematic knowledge is evaluated by the use of appropriate use of material with correct and logical thematic text. The most important aspect is considered here is whether the exhibitor knows his subject well to enable him to position the material perfectly with his theme.

Philatelic knowledge is reflected by a wide variety of philatelic material used to describe the exhibit.  To what extent the border line material is used. Many exhibitors are fascinated by the word “CINDERELLA” and they use it as a rare material in their exhibit. These don’t impress the judges as they are not philatelic material. May be at the most one may be used to better describe your exhibit.

For conditions I would emphasise that exhibitor must use the items in the best possible condition. Damaged material is unacceptable at all except in case of crash cover. Modern items must be in pristine condition. Many times rare items are used without any relation to the theme of exhibit (never use such items). The items which are difficult to get attracts the attention of judges, so describe them correctly.

Finally Presentation – aesthetically developed pages throughout the exhibit definitely impress the judges. Now a days overlapping of items is discouraged as there are bigger size pages can be used as given below.

I would add that your exhibit is judged as per the points allocated for particular term. For example for “Condition” you will get marks out of 10 only and for “Rarity” you will get marks out of 20. If you get 9 out 10 marks for “Condition” while you may get only 10 marks out of rarity. The same principle applies to all the terms used in the evaluation sheet.

-Dinesh Chandra Sharma email : olymp_sharma@rediffmail.com

 

Specialized Section


SOCIAL PHILATELY    

 (A NEW FAST GROWING CLASS OF  PHILATELY)


 


 

Social philately is one of the fastest growing new field of philately which relates itself  to  the social history and development of any social system  purely, fully or partially due to the existence and assistance of the postal system. In other words, it can be said that it represents a study of the development of social systems and products derived from and through the full or partial operation of postal systems. The name Social Philately has been derived from two words “Social and Philately” and it suggests the importance and significance of development of social systems & the role of philately in that cause. 

DEFINITIONS  : 

When linking social philately with postal history, it depicts social history with postal materials But if it is linked with thematic philately…it can be said that it is liberalized form of thematic philately where in inclusion of postal linked material is also allowed. But  …….it may now be defined as postal history exhibit displayed thematically  or a thematic exhibit displayed as postal history exhibit telling the history and development of  social system allowing usage / inclusion of various ephemera, Cinderella and other postal linked material allowing a little percentage of even non – philatelic material too.

It may also be defined as a way to present a historical story or social history or to illustrate the relevance or impact of the postal system with in society; with the help of mail, ephemera and other materials 

The other simplified definition of the social philately in philatelic terms may be  defined in this way that social history  and development shown through various philatelic, postal, ephemera, fiscals, documents, whether  postal linked or non-linked materials or any material developed by

 


                                                   

commerce to use or reflect post office services and products. etc.  Some times people define it as collection of mainly postal articles including philatelic and non-philatelic but related material to tell social history . Hence, its exhibit may include material currently accepted in other philatelic categories, other material linked to the postal system being studied and collateral material relevant to the chosen social theme.  



            An exhibit on Insurance in India displays payment receipts issued by insurance company sent to the payee by post. Also depicts insurance revenue stamps

Social philately offers scope and imagination to the collector whilst preserving the basic philatelic disciplines. An exhibit should show and explain the development of a social need and illustrate the main theme. It should not have more than 50% ephemera included in the overall context.

It is the exhibiting of materials and artifacts that illustrate either the social reaction to the presence of a universal and rapidly developing postal system, or the development and diversification of a social activity or enterprise.

In an attractive leaflet published by The British Philatelic Trust, according to Pat Grimwood-Taylor under the title ‘What is Social Philately?’ It is defined as new concept in collecting which aims  “To present a historical story or to illustrate the relevance or impact of the postal system within society’

THE CONCEPT AND DEVELOPMENT :

The concept of social philately originated and developed in Australia and New Zealand in late 1980’s as it has been a regular class included in Australian and New Zealand National Exhibitions since 1988. But the real recognition and acceptance to this class firstly came from Australia in 1990’s. when one of the Dr. Edric Druce, an ardent philatelist and FIP accredited jury thought of this concept of using ephemera  and other related items and material which are collected both buy thematic and postal history collectors simultaneously with their collections  for search and study of their respective subjects. Of course, this was a great thought. Until the early 1990's exhibitors with social type material had difficulty fitting into any of the established exhibition classes.  Their options were Postal History or Thematic. By the efforts of Dr. Druce, in 1993, it was introduced in Australia. 

Dr. Ed Druce persuaded FIP strongly to introduce this new Social Philately  and was successful in his endeavors as  FIP agreed to introduce this class on trial/ experimental basis in 1999 in an International Stamp Exhibition in Melbourne ('Australia 99').It was officially introduced as anexperimental competitive class of exhibiting when there were very limited classes. But surprisingly the number of entries was quite substantial. It was highly appreciated and so it became quite popular after that. 

 However, the FIP did not adopt the new class fully and subsequently introduced the Open Class, which allowed even more flexibility in the type and quantities of material shown than did Social, thus attracting many existing Social exhibitors. In November 2000, it was also included in a British Exhibition for the first time and has since spread like wildfire. The same year in New Zealand, in a National Stamp Show it was introduced in competitive class. There after in 2003 in a show named “Exhibits 2003” organized by  The Caledonian Philatelic Society, some social exhibits were on display e.g Stobs Prisoner-of-War Camp 1914-1919. Translated outgoing, incoming and internal mail to and from German prisoners (Iain T Boyle Vase). 

“Basildon 2004”  ABPS National Philatelic Exhibition Basildon, allowed this class. In 2005, The STAMPAX 2005 UK has National Social Class entries In the same year on 01.12.2005, the Royal Philatelic Society, London, organized by The Great Philatelic Society 1955 – 2005 had Social Philatelic Display on frame no. 52 titling “Art Through The Post” by J. Bohn. An exhibit of Hand-Painted envelopes which talented Victorian.

 

 


        Ephemera H200: Buildings insurance certificate issued by West of Scotland Fire Insurance Co.(detail)

The buildings insured in course of erection in St Vincent Street were to be the site of the shop of John Smith (Glasgow) Limited, booksellers, for over 150 years. The firm stopped trading as general booksellers in 2000.

In 2006, Kiwipex 2006  a New Zealand National Stamp Exhibition  was held with FIAP support,  that under the patronage of the New Zealand Philatelic Federation Inc. from November 2 – 5,  2006.   Its major sponsor is the New Zealand Post. This exhibition encouraged this class and was well appreciated.

 

Thereafter in 2007, SYDNEY  STAMP EXPO 2007  included all exhibition classes then available within Australia, including the new Open Class along with Social Class. Following this, in the same year EUROTHEMA 2007  The British Thematic Association in addition the thematic exhibits in the National thematic competitions also allowed display of Christine Earle’s social philatelic exhibit, “Extracts from a War Diary” along with others. 

 

 

An exhibit on Insurance in India displays payment receipts issued by insurance company sent to the payee by post. Also depicts insurance revenue stamps

 

Further, in 2008,Canberra National Stamp Exhibition 2008 allowed Social Philately Class along with other regular classes like History (including Marcophily), Aerophilately, Astrophilately, Revenues, Open , Maximaphily, Polar Philately, First Day Covers and Literature in addition to  Postcards . 

And then, in 2009, International Stamp Show in Melbourne “ Australia ‘09” held between 23rd to 26th July became the first exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere which  featured and judged in competition for the first time that FIP Postal History class 2C(Social Philately). This did create some problems.  As Australasia and the UK were the only countries that had used the old Social Class, these problems were very likely peculiar to those regions.  However, the UK did not have any entries in the new class but the philatelists were benefited from Australasia's experience. The other two occasions that year were at IBRA 2009 in Germany and at Bulgaria 2009, both using FIP rules. 

The same year, in India during Stampmania 2009, National Level One Frame Stamp Exhibition, Social Philately was introduced. And also The Birmingham Philatelic Society founded in 1884 during its 125 anniversary celebration organized exhibition  to give award as  “The  Lacey Cup” for Social Philately. 

During this course, various recognized and reputed auctioneers too have joined hands with societies for conducting exhibitions and displays of social philately exhibits. Like Charles Leski Auctions (CLA) joined hands with the Australian Philatelic Federation (APF). CLA and organized series of exhibitions. The first of which  focused on “Australia's participation in the Olympics” followed by “1956 Melbourne Olympic Games”, “The Victorian Philatelic Council”, “ The Victorian arm of the APF”  and thereafter different on regular basis. The Manchester Postage Stamp Exhibition and Philatelic Congress 1909 Trafford Philatelic Society    introduced Open Class as expansion of the previously known Social Philately

 


 

These insurance policies and postal cover have postal link  that these all passed through postal transmission process. Further these items can be very nicely fit in topic any title on Insurance. These belong to different insurance cos. And further the policies highlights different insurance coverage

 

There after throughout the world  this class had been introduced in different level of exhibitions  either in competitive or experimental class. In some of the exhibitions it had been introduced as OPEN CLASS and in some  along with the open class . 

Of late, social philately in its modified and liberalized form as OPEN CLASS on experimental basis has been included in JOBURG 2010 still looking for entries world over in this class. The exhibits in this Class can include material from any other competition class plus non-philatelic material. The exhibit must contain at least 50% philatelic material. The non-philatelic material should not overwhelm the philatelic material.

The main reason for development and appreciation of this class is that it allows the display of material other than that allowed in thematic and postal history which opened new avenues for the philatelists who had been collecting other materials along with their specific collection material for the established and recognized classes. 

WIDENING  THE SCOPE  :  ( INTRODUCTION OF THE OPEN CLASS ) : 

The Manchester Postage Stamp Exhibition and Philatelic Congress 1909 Trafford Philatelic Society introduced Open Class as an expansion of the previously known as Social Philately and embraced a marking scheme close to (but not exactly) that anticipated for a UK National Open Class (as of January 2006). As per that an Open Class Philately exhibit, by analysis of the philatelic and social objects within it, should study,  show and explain the development, or operation, of a social need dependent on the postal systems or derived from its operation. It should show the practical application of postal systems to a social need and the study and classification of the use of such social and postal objects (including all aspects of philatelic material) to illustrate the main subject of the exhibit. 

An Open Class exhibit may contain a wide range of material linked to the postal system. Some material may be included which is not directly related to the postal system but which is an integral part of a social system (for example medals awarded to trade fair participants where the medal was often posted but where the connection is more with the social story ). Non-philatelic material should be linked to a postal system but some percentage (maximum 10%) of material not linked to the postal system can also be included provided it is directly linked and of importance to the theme to/for the social aspects of the exhibit. Due to practical limitations, non-philatelic material should not be  thicker than 5 mm to fit into the standard exhibition frames.

And also such an exhibit should consist of material which can be included in other classes of philately as well as non philatelic items having an intimate connection with the operation or the objective of a postal system and are directly related to the operations and products of a postal system either as post office equipment or as material developed by commerce to use or reflect post office services and products. But it should not comprise of more than 50% of the exhibited material. The social information should provide the main thread of the story. Philatelic information should be included where appropriate so that philatelic knowledge and personal study can be demonstrated.

Reference for  the above details has been made to a Social Philately article Background to Social Philately prepared by the late Dr. Edric Druce, and to guidance by Christine Earle, based on the judging of UK National Social Class entries at STAMPEX 2005.

 CLOSE  RELATION  WITH OTHER CLASSES :

WITH  POSTAL HISTORY    : 

Social Philately is a relatively new class of competition which has grown out of the more familiar and long-established class of Postal History and to some extent thematic philately. For many years collectors of postal history have held, and often shown in non-competitive displays, a whole range of material such as picture postcards, photos, maps, newspaper clippings etc., which have helped to provide a background to the particular postal history ‘story’ that they have been trying to relate.  Social Philately allows such material to become an integral part of the competition entry in order to develop the ‘story’ in a chronological and coherent manner. Thus entrants may wish to relate the history of a town, biography of a famous person or impact of an event through postal and philatelic items, and within Social Philately they may do so using up to 70% non-philatelic items.  While there will still be a core of postal items in the display, a range of other items may also be included such as, in addition to those already mentioned above, prints or engravings, greetings cards, coins, tickets, seals, bills, headed notepaper and even textiles etc..  

The only limitation is that anything included must be able to be mounted on the display boards though imagination of the exhibitor/collector has no boundaries.

    

  Big and bulky artifacts and items can be part of social philately exhibits but subject to its rules, acceptability and display arrangement.

 WITH THEMATIC PHILATELY   :

As said social philately has strong relation with thematic philately as it  is comprised of a theme at first stage and then a storyline to develop that theme at there in thematic philately. Philatelic material, of course is the main  component of the exhibit too. It is said that social philately is liberalized form of thematic philately with liberalization to use some other material too and the themes so chosen should be of social importance and history unlike wide scope that is there  in thematic philately .

 WITH OPEN CLASS    :

                                                                                                                                                         Undoubtedly open class out come and  again a  liberalized form of social philately  where in even a good percentage of  non philatelic material is allowed. In other words, open class allows display of any thing used in any class of  philately and required for the completion of the story line. As much as up to 70% of non philatelic material can be allowed  to be used in this class. Though it allowed usage of any physical material (such letter boxes, Mail Bags) required but now a days, it has been limited to the material displayable on display boards professing thickness up to 5mm. This class also  calls for themes of social importance and history of  say any town, event like any revolution, system of the society, any ritual, any constructional activity which has any importance etc…..like in social philately.

 To be contd….

-Naresh Agrawal email : nareshkumar1992@yahoo.co.in


          Jewellery - the impulse to adorn






Jewellery is an adornment, worn with pride by any person or divinity. It may be a necklace, a ring, a brooch or a bracelet. It is a prized possession. It may be made up of precious metals or gemstones, or may be from any other material like wood, bone, seeds, shells, thread etc. It is appreciated because of its intricate craftsmanship, its beauty, geometric patterns, or meaningful symbols. Any piece of jewellery is truly a treat for the eyes.

 

 

The Department of Post, India issued a set of six stamps on “Gems and Jewellery” to mark the inauguration of INDEPEX ASIANA -2000; XIV Asian International Exhibition, organized a tribute to 50 years of Republic of India and the New Millennium.

 

 Being a woman myself, I am obsessed with jewellery like any other women on earth. But there is certainly a difference. Being a philatelist, I thought, why not collect postage stamps on jewellery. That would give me a double satisfaction. In 2005, when I participated in Stamp Show, Kolkata, I bought my first stamp on Jewellery and the journey began. Here are some of the postage stamps and other philatelic items from my collection. Hope you all will enjoy it.

 

The first pieces of jewellery were made from natural materials, such as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood and carved stone.

The stamps issued in 1995, from NAMIBIA shows some pieces of jewellery -    adornments; made from shells. The stamps are designed by H.Pulon.                                                                                                                                                                                    

The first signs of jewellery came from Africa. Perforated beads made from snail shells have been found many years ago at Blombos Cave, South Africa. In Kenya, at Enkapune Ya Muto, also known as Twilight Cave, where beads made from perforated ostrich egg shells have been found which are believed to be very old.

 


The first day cover from SWA:  SOUTH WEST AFRICA issued on 1984.05.25 and designed by A. H. Barrett shows some of the primitive tribes of Africa - Kwambi, Bushman / Boesman, Kwaluudhi  and  Mbukushu   decked in their beaded ornaments.

In Ancient Egypt, jewellery making was around 3,000-5,000 years ago. The Egyptians preferred gold over other metals. Jewellery soon began to symbolize both social and religious power in the community. Although it was worn by wealthy Egyptians in life, it was also worn by them in death, as jewellery was commonly placed, among other things, in the grave.

 


         A registered cover of ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT with special and stamped on 20.08.2000 is on Cleopetra   

 

The Greeks started using gold and gems in jewellery in 1,400 BC, although beads shaped as shells and animals were produced widely in earlier times. By 300 BC, the Greeks had mastered making coloured jewellery using amethysts, pearl and emeralds. Greek jewellery was often simpler than in other cultures, with simple designs and workmanship. However, as time progressed the designs grew in complexity and different materials were soon utilized.


 
Jewellery plays an important role in African life, their culture and the way of dressing.  They have always loved jewellery made of beads. Such was the craze that they were traded for gold, palm oil, ivory and slaves. These beads were made mostly in Venice. Large amounts of these beads are still found in the Gold Coast (now known as Ghana) and have become highly prized pieces of African jewellery. Bida in Northern Nigeria is known to produce unique African jewellery pieces.        


The jewellery worn by the various tribes of Africa shows the importance of the “crescent –shape”. All throughout the continent of Africa, tribal jewellery was not only used as a social indicator for the powerful and wealthy, it also showcased the diversity of the people and the skills of the various craftsmen,0goldsmiths,0carvers0and0jewellery0makers0of0Africa.   

   


 DIE PROOF from   REPUBLIQUE    DU   DAHOMEY

            India's tribes are India's heritage. For it is the tribal people that have preserved ancient arts and crafts in their indigenous forms, while the rest of the country was being taken over by globalization. Ethnic tribal jewellery is one such preserved craft. Jewellery made by India's tribes is attractive in its rustic and earthy way. The appeal of tribal jewellery lies in its chunky, unrefined appearance. Bone, wood, clay, shells, crude metal are some of the common raw materials used in tribal jewellery. The shapes are basic. Each tribe in India has its unique style of crafting jewellery.

 



Nepal is celebrated for its rich array of jewels, precious and semi-precious stones and has a breathtaking fusion of diverse art, culture and a rich art form. The various tribes of Nepal have the rarest and exquisite jewelry. Nepalese silver jewelry is famous for its craftsmanship all over the world. Jewellery maker or silversmith in Nepal work with the finest gemstones creating beauty that symbolizes aesthetic ideals of Nepalese culture.  

A sheetlet from NEPAL showing tribal jewellery of the Sherpa , Newar , Limbu ,and Tharu  tribes . 


All that glitters is not gold” : A Meghdoot postcard

Sri Lanka is famous for its precious and semi-precious gemstones including Blue Sapphires, Red Rubies, and Cat’s Eyes, Alexandrites, Tourmalines, Zircons, Garnets, Amethysts and Topaz. The town of Ratnapura is the home to a thriving gem and jewellery industry that dates back to ancient times.



Colombo has the best choice of reputed jewellery shops. National Gems and Jewellery Authority has outlets located in Colombo and Ratnapura to check the authenticity of gems. Jewellery set in gold, white gold or platinum and studded with exquisite gems are available in jewellery shops of Colombo, Galle, Kandy and Ratnapura.


The miniature sheet shows Traditional Jewellery and crafts from SRI LANKA - Chunam Box, Necklace of Agate, Bangle and Hairpin, and Sigiri Ear-rings

A set of stamps on traditional women's jewellery, in association with the Sharjah Museums Administration was issued by Emirates Post. The stamps have been issued in six denominations (Dh1, Dh1.50, Dh2, Dh3, Dh3.50 and Dh4), along with limited First Day Covers (Dh16) and a stamp booklet (Dh15).  Date of issue: 31/12/2006



The jewellery depicted include : Mariya Um Al Nairat - a gold necklace worn by women, 
 Mortasha - a thick gold necklace with round gold discs hanging from it, 
 Shaghab Bu Shouk - gold earrings characterized by magnificent embellishments, 
 Bushuq- a gold bracelet characterized by conical designs and projections,
Tassah - jewellery worn on the forehead

Beautiful exclusive design, and nicely crafted Women’s Traditional Jewellery from  The United Arab Emirates 





                                                                                                                                             
Jewellery has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings and many more types of jewellery. While high-quality jewellery is made with gemstones and precious metals, such as silver or gold, there is also a growing demand for art jewellery where design and creativity is prized above material value. 



 
The modern jewellery movement began in the late 1940s at the end of World War II with a renewed interest in artistic and leisurely pursuits. The movement is most noted with works by Georg Jensen and other jewellery designers who advanced the concept of wearable art. The advent of new materials, such as plastics, Precious Metal Clay (PMC) and colouring techniques, has led to increased variety in styles.



Harvesting of pearl and the development of improved quality artificial gemstones has placed jewellery within the economic grasp of a much larger segment of the population.

A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes of pearls (baroque pearls) occur. The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones .

Pearl is the Ethereal Seed; the most extensively used gem 


Circular stamps on different types of Oysters issued by KINGDOM OF TONGA


According to gem specialists, the pearl has a tendency to shrink in size over a period of time, as the moisture evaporates. So, a very few ancient pearls are found today.

Ruby is called as “The gem of Summer”. Rubies are known for their intense red colour, and are among the most highly valued precious gemstones. Rubies have been treasured for millennia. In Sanskrit, the word for ruby is “ratnaraj”, meaning “king of precious stones”. It is also referred to as “manikya”.




Sapphire is “The gem of Autumn”.  The most popular form of sapphire is blue sapphire, which is known for its medium to deep blue colour and strong saturation. Fancy coloured sapphires in various colours are also available. In the United States, the blue sapphire tends to be the most popular and most affordable of the three major precious gemstones (emerald, ruby, and sapphire).

 


Gold is the most malleable and ductile of all metals. Pure gold is too soft for day-to-day monetary use and was typically hardened by alloying with copper, silver or other base metals prior to the advent of paper money. The gold content of gold alloys is measured in carats (k), pure gold being designated as 24k. Many holders of gold in storage (as bullion coin or bullion) hold it as a hedge against inflation or other economic disruptions. (The ISO currency code of gold bullion is XAU).






Gold Rush

Gold is a glamorous feature on this miniature sheet. If the 45c stamp is rubbed, three small gold pieces on the pan is visible. New Zealand Post, for the first time, used an innovative printing technology to produce this stamp with thermographic ink – so that when the pan in the stamp is touched or rubbed, the heat from the finger would dissolve the ink to reveal the gold nuggets. Date of issue: 6th September 2006. It’s a limited-edition issue and truly a stamp collector’s treasure.


 

Silver has also become very fashionable, and is used frequently in more artistic jewellery pieces.

Silver is cheaper than gold, but is still valuable, and so is very popular with jewellers. Sterling silver is harder than pure silver, and has a lower melting point (893 °C) than pure silver. Sterling silver jewellery is often plated with a thin coat of .999 fine silver to give it a shiny finish. This process is called "flashing". Silver jewellery can also be plated with rhodium (for a bright, shiny look) or gold.


Diamond is known as the ‘Gem of Winter’. Its colour is that of ice, and as the dew drop of water from a mountain stream sparkles in the light of the sun, as the icicle sparkles in the winter, and the stars on a cold winter night, so the diamond sparkles, and it combines and contrasts with all known gems.

The Diamond Emerald cut stamps from SIERRA LEONE: Land of Iron and Diamonds



  Sewa Diadem,38.73 carats Green 10c                Sewa Diadem38.73 carats Yellow 40c   

Self-Adhesive Postage stamps: 1970 - Sewa Diadem in Jewellery Box & Treasure of Sierra Leone Diamonds


Odd Shaped Diamond Die Cut, Self-Adhesive Stamp from Sierra Leone 1969

Diamond Jubilee of Scouting 2C, 4½C, 75C

 



Some famous diamonds: their name and meaning – Kohinoor - mountain of light : Dariya -I- Noor - sea of light :  Nur - Ul -Ain - light of the eye : Taj - I – Mah - crown of the moon

 

 



Happy Diwali

 

 


-Eeshita Basu Roy : email : eeshita2015@gmail.com

For Contributors : Guidelines for the articles

1. The article should be a maximum of 10 pages (A4 size) including images in MS word only. Long articles, if accepted, will be published in parts.

2. Do not Format your article. Like no text wrapping, no caption on the images. Simply insert the images where required.

4. There should be No Hyperlinks in the text. Use only wherever it is quite necessary.

5. Images should be clear and sharp. Blurred images will be deleted. Kindly strictly avoid non -philatelic images.

6. The article will be published as per availability of the required space.

7. Regarding the selection and size of the images, the editor's decision will be final.

8. New, good and selective articles will be entertained for publication but strictly subject to acceptance by the editor ". Articles already published somewhere will not be accepted for publication.

Beginners’ Section


National Parks on stamps : Great Basin National Park

Stamps : Great Basin National Park



On October 27, 1986, Great Basin National Park was established in Nevada.  The Park protects ancient bristlecone pines, Wheeler Peak Glacier, and more.


Some of the earliest-known Paleo-Indians in the Great Basin arrived as early as 10,000 BC.  Archaeological evidence shows the area had regular inhabitants for several thousand years that included the Shoshone, Ute, Mono, and Northern Paiute.

The Fremont Indians, who lived in the Great Basin from about 1000 to 1300 AD, left behind a legacy of rock art in Upper Pictograph Cave.  Within the cave’s walls are several drawings picturing humans, animals, and abstract designs.  Evidence of the Fremont in the region disappeared around 1500 AD, with their departure likely due to the arrival of other tribes.  Among these new tribes were the Shoshone, whose descendants still live in the area today.



Trappers such as Jedediah Smith and Captain John Fremont, leading a military expedition, were among the first to travel across Nevada in the early 1800s.  By the 1850s, mail and pony express stations began to enter the area as well as immigrants traveling to California.  The Great Basin’s first white settler arrived around 1855 to establish a ranch.  As gold, silver, and other valuable minerals were discovered, more and more people flocked to the area.

 

 


1.The park protects bristlecone pines, the oldest non-clonal organisms (they don’t grow from multiple plants).

2. The park contains America’s only cold desert.  Most of its precipitation falls as snow, though precipitation is limited due to a “rain shadow effect” created by the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

The movement to protect America’s natural resources began in the mid-1800s.  By 1905, the United States Forest Service was established and its chief, Gifford Pinchot, turned his attention to central eastern Nevada.  He grew concerned over the remaining timber supply and wanted to protect it from fire and exploitation.  Pinchot also recognized the need to conserve the local watersheds and avoid overgrazing of the fields. 

The following year, Pinchot sent a surveyor to the area who concluded that four national forests be established (two of which later became part of Great Basin National Park).  The surveyor also reported that most of the settlers were in favor of the national forest, as it would protect their timber and water, while the shepherds opposed it.

On February 10, 1909, President William Howard Taft created the Nevada National Forest (with roughly the same boundaries as the proposed forest reserve).  A new highway opened near the Lehman Caves in July 1920, bringing new interest to the area.  On a visit to the caves the following year, Cada C. Boak, who had been influential in building the new road, was one of the first people to suggest establishing a National Monument to protect the caves.  After lengthy correspondence with the National Park Service, Boak’s suggestion was approved.  On January 24, 1922, President Warren G. Harding officially established the Lehman Caves National Monument.

 The first talks of making the area a National Park came in 1955.  County officials supported the idea, believing it would increase publicity and tourism, creating a new source of income as the local mining industry was unpredictable.  Another driving force behind establishing a park was the discovery of the Wheeler Ice Field.  Despite having the support of the National Park Service, the movement was hindered by the National Forest Service, which formed the Wheeler Peak Scenic Area in 1959, comprising much of the land planned for the national park.  After several years of tension, debates, and court proceedings, the 76,000-acre Great Basin National Park was established when President Ronald Reagan signed it into law on October 27, 1986.

Source : The Mystic Stamp Co.


Philatelic Tributes to the First Line Warriors - Corona virus COVID-19 Pandemic

VATICAN - Aerogramme

Martyrs and the heroes of the corona virus (10th September 2020)

Aerogramme dedicated to the victims and heroes of the fight against the corona virus COVID-19 pandemic with the text: "Martiri e gli eroi del coronavirus" (= Martyrs and the heroes of the corona virus)






THAILAND - Postage stamps


Together we fight against COVID-19 (14th August 2020)

Pair of se-tenant stamps dedicated to activities in the fight against the corona virus COVID-19 pandemic with the text: "Together we fight against COVID-19"






THAILAND - Postal cards with cachet



Stay safe and care / Fighting COVID-19 (14th August 2020)


Two standard postal cards with an official hand-stamped cachet by the Thailand Post calling for action to combat the COVID-19 corona virus pandemic with the text: "Stay safe and care / Fighting COVID-19"



Source : Tributes to the first line warriors COVID-19


New Issues from other countries

Aland

20 October 2021 : Tiger Cat



A miniature sheet with 1 stamp. Domestic cats illustrate Åland Post’s interpretation of the Year of the Tiger in Chinese astrology. The motif shows some tiger cats enjoying a cozy day on a traditional Åland porch. The original porch can be found in the Västernäs district of southern Mariehamn. The miniature sheet is part of a series featuring Chinese zodiac signs with an Åland twist.

Estonia


19 October 2021 : 100th Anniversary of the Estonian Federation of the Blind




Finland

8 September 2021 : Glimmer of Fall

The Glimmer of Fall stamps, which are a good fit for the season, feature beautiful rural and forest landscapes in the fall. The photographs taken by Jukka Risikko all show light in the early morning or late in the evening, which brings out the colors of nature beautifully. Jukka Risikko actively posts his nature photographs on social media, where they have drawn attention from around the world.

“Right now, my photography is followed by over 190,000 people on Instagram and Facebook. My Instagram followers are a more international group, whereas most of my followers on Facebook are from Finland.” Risikko takes photos in Southern Ostrobothnia, mostly in the countryside and forests of his hometown Lapua. “I hope that, through my photos, people’s appreciation for the environment and the nature near their home could increase. Hopefully my photos will also be able to convey the calming effect of nature.” The Glimmer of Fall miniature sheet contains five different domestic non-value indicator stamp designs.




Hungary



25 September 2021 :One With Nature - World Of Hunting And Nature Exhibition

The last time Hungary organised a world exhibition on the theme of hunting was in 1971. 50 years later, under the motto “One with Nature”, a world exhibition will again be staged in the Hungarian capital between 25 September and 14 October 2021. The venue of the large-scale central event is the HUNGEXPO Budapest Convention and Exhibition Centre, where various hunting, forestry and fishing themes combined with the long-term sustainability of nature will be presented to visitors in a modern environment in an area totalling over 70,000 square metres. The aim of the series of programmes is to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the environment, the concept and meaning of the sustainable utilisation of nature, and the use and necessity of hunting, game management, angling, fishing, fish management, forestry and forest management.

United Nations



11 October 2021 : UN Biodiversity Conference 2021/2022 Kumming, China

On 11 October 2021, UNPA  issued a special event three-stamp mini-sheet in the denominations of US$ 1.30, CHF 2,00 and € 1,80, to commemorate the United Nations Biodiversity Conference. The first part of the conference was held online from 11 to 15 October 2021, while the second part will take place in-person from 25 April to 8 May 2022 in Kunming, China. The event was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biological diversity is about more than plants, animals, fungi, micro-organisms and their ecosystems – it is about people and our need for food security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter – and a clean and healthy environment in which to live.

1 October 2021 : EXPO 2020 Dubai UAE



On October 1st UNPA launched the philatelic block that marked the inauguration of the "EXPO DUBAI" World Exhibition, which will be open to the public until 31 March 2022. The block's background image shows an aerial view of the enclosure, and the stamps show three one of the most emblematic pavilions, which includes the Pavilion of Opportunity, which is the UN space where the International Days ceremonies will take place, and show the Sustainable Development Goals.

UAE


5 September 2021 UAE National Birds : Houbara & Stone Curlew

1 October 2021 : EXPO 2020 : Connecting Minds : Creating the future 

 



Blogs & Websites

Philatelic Congress of India

Indian Philately Digest

       Stamps of India

Rainbow Stamp News

Se-tenant Stamps of India

Flags & Stamps

Europa stamps

        Phila Mirror

       International Stamp News

       Welcome to Indian Philately

    Blogs by Kumar Biswas


Philatelic Clubs & Societies


Ananthapuri Philatelic Association, Thiruvanthapuram

Baroda Philatelic Society -  http://www.vadophil.org/

Chandigarh Philatelic Club

Deccan Philatelic Society – Pune, Maharashtra

Eastern India Philatelists’ Association -http://www.filacapsule.blogspot.com/

The Hyderabad  Philatelic and Hobbies Society

India Study Circle -  http://www.indiastudycircle.org/

Indian Thematic Society, Ludhiana -http://indianthematicstamps.webs.com/

Ludhiana Philatelic Club

Numismatic & Philatelic Association of Vellore Fort 

http://numismaticphilavellore.site40.net/index.htm

Philatelic Congress of India - http://www.philateliccongressofindia.com/

Philatelic Society of Rajasthan, Jaipur

Philatelic Society of India , Mumbai : http://www.psi1897.com/

Orissa Philatelic Association, Mail id-: orissaphilatelic@gmail.com

Rainbow Stamp Club -http://rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com/

Rajkot Philatelic Society – Rajkot, Gujarat

Gujarat Philatelic Association - Ahmedabad

South India Philatelists Association -http://www.sipa.org.in/

The Army Philatelic Society, Pune

Stamps of India – http://www.stampsofindia.com

RAINBOW STAMP CLUB

This is a blog of e-Stamp Club www.rainbowstampclub.blogspot.com . The idea of this blog is to extend the philatelic fraternity in all corners of the world. Readers may write about themselves with their collecting interests and share new ideas with other philatelists.  New Posts on recent issues, news on stamp activities, and Contributions by members are published every day on this blog. Readers may also express their views on any philatelic matter which will be published under Club News at Rainbow Stamp Cub Blog. Philatelic Clubs and Societies may also send brief write ups. Readers may send reports on new issues, special covers, cancellations & philatelic activities of their area for inclusion in this Blog. - Editor

Current Philatelic Magazines – Newsletters


-VADOPHIL, Editor - Prashant Pandya &TimirShah and published by Baroda Philatelic Society, Vadodara. Website -http://www.vadophil.org/ 

-ITS Stamp News - Quarterly - Editor: Suraj Jaitly Publisher: Indian Thematic Society website - 
http://itsstampnews.blogspot.com/ 

-Ananthpuri Stamp Bulletin - Monthly e -stamp bulletin of Anathapuri Philatelic Association, Thiruvanthapuram 

-Journal of the Army Philatelic Society : Editor – Col Jayanta Dutta 

-India Post – Quarterly Journal of the India Study Circle publishes original articles submitted by members of ISC. 

-Deccan Philatelist from Deccan Philatelic Society, Pune. edited by Col Jayanta Dutta 

-The Hyderabad Philatelist from Hyderabad Philatelic and Hobbies Society Editor – Prakash Agrawal 

-SIPA Bulletin issued by South India Philatelists’ Association 

Acknowledgment

- Ananthapuri Stamp Bulletin November 2021 issue edited by Mohanachandran Nair

- Judaica Thematic Society (UK)  November 2021 Newsletter edited by Gary Goodman email :  judaicathematicsociety@talktalk.net

Courtesy - News and Image Resource to this issue:   EIPA, Prayag Philatelic Society, Orissa Philatelic Association, EIPA, Philately Promoters Whatsapp groups; The Philatelist ; Praveen Shastry – Bangalore; Pradip Jain -Patna; Suresh R.- Bangalore, Timir Shah- Vadodara

 Jeevan Jyoti, c/o Mr. Ajay Srivastav, PCCF Wildlife, HP Forest Deptt., Talland Shimla-171002, India . E-mail –    j.jyoti9@gmail.com

A Request to Readers & Contributors –

·       Please do not send the text in scan form or PDF. Send your write ups in MS Word only.

 

·       Last date for receiving articles/ News /write ups – 25th of every month. 

 

·        For articles :  Kindly send images in jpg compressed form and  text in MS Word only  Please do not use  any formatting and  text wrapping in the article.  Simply put the images under text where required.  

 

·       If you like this issue please forward it to your friends and help in promoting philately.

·       Please do not send forwarded messages for promotional section if you want to give any information for promotion please write personally with brief write up. As this newsletter is not used for any commercial purpose in any manner.


Attention – Please do not send text or image for publication in PDF. 

Any material from this newsletter may be reproduced only with the written permission from the editor. 

Happy Collecting ……….                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Rainbow Stamp News is edited and published monthly by Jeevan Jyoti from Dehradun    (Uttarakhand ) India for free circulation among philatelists.

 



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Recent Awards

AMRITPEX 2023 - Silver

CAPE TOWN 2022 - Silver

LONDON 2022 - Silver


INPEX 2019, Mumbai - Silver

CHINA-2019, World Stamp Exhibition, Wuhan - Bronze

INPEX 2017, Mumbai - Large Silver

CHINA 2016 - Bronze

TAIPEI 2015 - Bronze

CG International Philatelic Promotion Award 2014, Germany - ( 4th Position)

INPEX 2013, Mumbai - Vermeil

SHARJAH 2012, Sharjah ( UAE ) - Silver Bronze

IPHLA 2012, Mainz - Germany : Bronze

I
NDIPEX 2011 - World Stamp Exhibition, New Delhi - Bronze

JOBURG 2010 - 26th Asian International Stamp Exhibition, Johannesburg - Silver Bronze

PORTUGAL 2010 - World Stamp Exhibition, Lisbon - Bronze

Hong Kong 2009 -23rd Asian International Stamp Exhibition, Hong Kong - Silver Bronze

About Me

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Participated in different philatelic exhibitions Wrote for philately column in The Pioneer and worked as sub-editor for U-Phil Times published from United Philatelists, Kanpur.Did Schooling from Kanpur Vidya Mandir and Post Graduation in Botany from A.N.D. College Kanpur.

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