International Volunteer Year 2026
The
United Nations Postal Administration commemorates the International Volunteer
Year 2026 with a special stamp issue celebrating the invaluable contribution of
volunteers to sustainable development worldwide.
Dehradun November 2026 Vol. XIX Issue No. 227
Readers are requested to send reports of
philatelic activities in their area for publication. Short write ups by the
readers about, 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
International
Volunteer Year 2026
Date
of Issue: 22 October 2026
Dehradun November 2026 Vol. XIX Issue No. 227
Readers are requested to send reports
of philatelic activities in their area for publication. Short write ups by the
readers about, 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
International
Volunteer Year 2026
Date
of Issue: 22 October 2026
Editorial
Dear Reader,
I am pleased to bring you the November 2026 issue of Rainbow
Stamp News. PCI Stamp Show 2026 is approaching fast, and I am sure
philatelists are busy giving final touches to their exhibits. My best wishes
to all participants and organizers. This year is special as PCI celebrates its
Golden Jubilee. Heartiest Congratulations to Philatelic Congress of India on this
special occasion. It is time to join hands in the Golden Jubilee celebrations
of the PCI. The Show is being organized in a new combo format - Part 1 as
Virtual Exhibition and Part 2 as Physical Exhibition. Exhibitors winning
Vermeil and above in the Virtual Exhibition will be eligible for the Physical
Exhibition to be held in Kolkata in February 2027. This new format is being
tried for the first time in India and I hope it will be a grand success. Festive season is here.
Wishing you and your family a very Happy and Prosperous
Deepawali.
This is all for this month… Happy Collecting!
Contents
.
Editorial
· From the Desk of Naresh Agrawal
· Recent Indian Issues
· In the News
.
From the Pen of Dipok Dey
.
Specialized Section
·
Beginners’ Section
.
Stories Behind Stamps
.
Remarkable Stamps of India
.
New Issues from Other Countries
. Stamp of the Month
· Philatelic Clubs and Societies
·
Blogs and Websites on Philately
·
Current Philatelic Magazines and Newsletters
MY HEARTFELT SALUTATION
TO PCI
Before 1975, organized philately was
driven by independent groups like the Philatelic Society of India (founded in
1897) and the Empire of India Philatelic Society (1941). The need for a
centralized national body led to the creation of the Philatelic Congress of
India (PCI) as the National Philatelic Federation.
While thinking of growth followed by prospered philately in India, guidance and support given during struggle of survival of philately in India during lean periods, the laurels brought by Indian philatelists by achieving high awards in FIP shows over the years; my head automatically bow down and heart get filled with all praises and full of thanks for Philatelic Congress of India (PCI), the parent body of philatelists in India. It serves as the critical bridge connecting Indian stamp enthusiasts to the global philatelic community through its formal affiliation with the Federation Internationale de Philatelie (FIP) and the Inter-Asian Philatelic Federation (FIAP). Being immense lover of philately, I feel very happy and proud to be a life member of such esteemed body of philatelists which has genuinely helped and guided Indian philatelists to prosper and paved way for their participation in FIP / FIAP events over the years. It is a matter of great pleasure to see that PCI is celebrating its Golden Jubilee as it has completed over 50 years of its valuable guidance and service to Indian philatelists after its formation and also organizing a National Level Virtual Cum Physical Stamp Show on this occasion named as PCI STAMP SHOW- 2026.
Well, many of stamp lovers might not be well aware of the history of PCI and on this occasion, I feel we should have a glance on its rich and inspiring history which is studded with the dedication and true spirit of brotherhood of many stalwarts of philately and would see what PCI means to a genuine philatelist in India. PCI, the national federation of philatelists and philatelic societies in India was formed on 29th December 1975 during the National Philatelic Exhibition (INPEX–1975) in Calcutta (Kolkata) and was registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860. It started working under the leadership of Mr. D.N.Jatia who served as its first president and played a vital role in the development and growth of Indian Philately. He was largely responsible for placing India prominently on the world philatelic map. It is important to mention his contribution and achievements. He remained President of Inter-Asia Philatelic Federation (FIAP) from 1981 to 1987. He was elevated to sign the Role of Distinguished Philately (RDP) in 1983 the highest honor bestowed upon a Philatelist in the world. He also became the president of International Philatelic Federation (FIP) in 1990 and remained as President till 1998. He played a dominant role in organizing international exhibitions in India, in the years 1977, 1980, 1989, and 1997 and as the Senior Advisor to INDEPEX-ASIANA 2000. The great work of shaping Indian philately to glory was carried forward by his successors such as Mr. G.B. Pai, Mr. G. C.Jain, Mr. V.N.S.Rau, Mr.P.Gupta, Mr. S.P.Chatterjee, Mr. Dhirubhai Mehta, Col. L.G.Shenoi, Brig. D.S.Virk, Mr. V.ispi Dastur , Mr. M. G. Pittie (served as President 1998–2000; earlier Secretary General 1982–1987), Mr. Sahadeva Sahoo, Mr. Dilip Shah (took over as President in August 2002; earlier served as Secretary General from 1987), Mr. Ajeet Singhee, Mrs. Damyanti Pittie, Mr. Sunder Bahirwani (Immediate Past President). Some of these also served as Secretaries also. Presently the torch of glory and service is in the hands of Mr. Madhukar Deogawanka (Acting Current President) and Mr. Rajesh Bagri (Secretary General). These names in fact not only served but being world class philatelists brought laurels to India also. It would be an honor for me to remember and give my heartfelt gratitude and respect to this lineage because it is only because of their hard work and dedication that we are witnessing and enjoying this commanding and glorious status of philately in India.
CHRONOLOGICAL
LOOK IN TO ITS HISTORY:
PCI has a rich history in terms of its progress, its affiliation with world philatelic bodies, holding different high level philatelic exhibitions in collaboration with Department of Posts, its membership drive, global leadership milestones, prolific international medal tallies, scholarly publications, nurturing grass root interests etc.
MAJOR
PHILATELIC SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS:
1977: The PCI organized its first major international milestone, the ASIANA-77 exhibition, putting Indian philately on the continental map.
1980: In collaboration with the Department of Posts (DOP), the PCI hosted INDIA-80, the first major International World Stamp Exhibition in New Delhi.
February 1986: The federation celebrated its 10th Anniversary. This milestone is marked during the 5th India National Philatelic Exhibition (INPEX-1986) held in Jaipur, Rajasthan, accompanied by the release of a commemorative special cover. The event successfully bridged the official operations of the Department of Posts with the growing community of private collectors and nationwide philatelic societies
Late 1980s–1990s: The PCI institutionalized its publication wing, launching vital bibliographies and research monographs. It established a system of biennial national exhibitions and decennial world exhibitions.
2000s – 2011: Continued hosting massive global events, culminating in the major INDIPEX-2011 world stamp exhibition.
2015–2016: The PCI transitioned its outreach into the digital space, launching updated archival resources and web directory listings managed by prominent Indian philatelists to document structural research on classic Indian lithographs and local state postal history.
2025–2026: The PCI is celebrating its Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years as the apex body for organized philately in India. It has updated its international guidelines to coordinate Indian delegations to major events like DUBAI 2026, BOSTON 2026, and PHILATAIPEI 2026
Recent Events: The federation continued to host and patronize national exhibitions, including the upcoming PCI Stamp Show 2026 (running a virtual phase starting 5 December 2026).
CORE
WORKS AND FUNCTIONS :
Since its formation PCI has constantly played important role in development and growth of philately in India and the place the glory of Indian philately on world map. Following are its core works and functions :
Philatelic Advisory Committee: Established in
active consultation and association with the Department of Posts (DOP), paving
the way for the formation of the Philatelic Advisory Committee which ensures. that
national philatelic policies and stamp issuance are planned in consultation
with the federation. A policy decision is also enacted to hold state and
national-level exhibitions every alternate year
Global
Representation: As the national
federation, the PCI appoints National Commissioners and Jurors to international
exhibitions. It enables Indian collectors to safely transport, exhibit, and
compete with their collections on world stages. It has represented India in
many global philatelic seminars,
presentations, exhibition committees as advisors, jury and has over the years
helped re-defining philately and philatelic exhibiting in close association
with FIP and FIAP. Some revolutionary changes, formation of new exhibiting
classes, resetting judging parameters are some of the major achievements of
PCVI where it has played an important role. I must say PCI today has strong
position and representation globally.
Scholarly
Publications: The PCI has printed
specialized research to preserve India’s postal history. Notable historical
publications include:
From the Diary of
Stephen Smith (1980)
– Documenting early Rocket Mail experiments.
Bibliography – Indian
Philately (1988) – A
comprehensive master index of Indian philatelic literature.
India's Bi-Coloured
Four Annas 1854 (2000)
– Specialized research on India's classic first issues.
Regular Publication
: The quarterly journal and
publication which publishes well researched articles, information of PCI functioning
and latest updates in philatelic world. Presently issued in colored format. This is circulated
to the members.
Nurturing
Grassroots Interests: The federation
coordinates with regional clubs (e.g., Bombay, Karnataka, and Madras Philatelic
Societies) to host regular workshops, seminars, and state-level exhibitions.
Recent
Years: The federation introduces a dedicated PCI YouTube
Channel to broadcast educational seminars
detailing historical Indian postal artifacts—such as the 1854 watermarks,
rocket mails, and hand-struck postage stamps.
Philatelic Souvenirs
& Cancellations : It has also issued several special bulletins,
special covers, souvenirs issued during exhibitions and other philatelic events
such as to commemorate the dual milestones of the 5th
National Exhibition and the PCI anniversary, several special items were
released by India Post: PCI
Day Special Cover on 16 February 1986, featuring a distinct "PCI Day / 10th Anniversary (1976–1986)"
pictorial cancellation, Stamp Trade Day Cover on 17
February 1986 to acknowledge the role of
commercial dealers and traders in the hobby and thereafter
on regular basis.
National Apex Role: It coordinates philatelic activities, national and
international stamp exhibitions, seminars, workshops, and judge training
programs across India.
Membership:
It comprises affiliated regional/local philatelic societies (such as the Bombay
Philatelic Society, the Karnataka Philatelic Society, and the Madras Philatelic
Society and others) alongside individual life and associate members. Its well-designed
web site gives details of member ship. Website also gives information about
publications, or upcoming exhibition schedules.
Policy Engagement: Historically engaged with India Post on policy matters, including guidelines for national/regional stamp exhibitions and security/archival material displays.
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:
Hosting Mega
Global Exhibitions: The PCI has
successfully brought the international philatelic spotlight to India by
organizing landmark global events, including INDIA-80,
INDIA-89, INDEPEX-97, INDEPEX ASIANA-2000, and INDIPEX-2011.
Global
Leadership Milestones: Through the platform
built by the PCI, its first President, D.N. Jatia,
went on to achieve the highest honors in the
hobby, serving as the President of both FIAP and the FIP
(the first non-European to head the world body). Jatia and fellow Indian
philatelist Brig. D.S. Virk were both invited to sign the prestigious Roll of
Distinguished Philatelists (RDP).
Prolific
International Medal Tallies: Due to the
regulatory standardized framework established by the PCI, Indian philatelists
regularly compete at FIP world exhibitions, consistently securing Large Gold
and Gold medals in complex categories like Indian Feudatory States, Postal
History, and Fiscal stamps.
Preservation of Documentary Heritage: The PCI successfully curates the Golden Jubilee Issue of Signet, encapsulating half a century of research, archival records, and structural development of Indian postal history.
TRAINING
PROGRAMMES: The Philatelic Congress of India
(PCI) organizes several structured training programs, boot camps,
master classes, and educational academies for philatelists, jurors, and youth
such as
PCI Jury Training Academy: Offers in-depth, class-wise jury training programmes and boot camps (such as the boot camp held in Pune) for jurors, apprentice jurors, and senior philatelists. The curriculum includes practice judging exhibits, interactive critique sessions, FIP (Fédération Internationale de Philatélie) insights, and online certification exams
Masterclass
on Exhibiting Techniques: Multi-day virtual
training sessions hosted via Zoom featuring world-renowned international
philatelists. Topics cover disciplines such as Thematic Philately, Traditional
Philately, Postal History, Open Philately, Revenue Philately, Postal
Stationery, Aerophilately, and Astrophilately.
PCI Youth
Academy: Launched to foster the hobby among
younger collectors, this academy runs online activities, workshops, seminars,
and specialized talks.
Seminars and
Workshops: Regularly conducted in collaboration
with regional postal circles and local philatelic societies across India to
guide collectors on exhibit preparation, do's and don't's of collecting, postal
stationery, and cachets.
Jury and Commissioner Nominations: Periodic calls for nominations and evaluations to train and accredit official national commissioners and exhibition judges.
PCI RECOGNITION AWARDS & FELICITATIONS:
In 2021 PCI instituted the PCI Recognition Awards to honor exceptional contributions toward the promotion, research, and development of stamp collecting in India. It’s presented these recognitions to deserving philatelists virtually on October 9, 2021which were distributed across three distinct categories such as:
Philatelic-Ratna
The highest honor bestowed by the congress, awarded to
individuals or institutions who have demonstrated lifelong dedication and
pioneering contributions to the field of Indian philately. The PCI confers
honors, certificates of fellowship, and competitive medals (ranging from
Vermeil to higher honors) to recognize service, literature, and exhibits in
Indian philately.
Fellow-PCI (FPCI)
Conferred upon distinguished philatelists who have made
significant advancements in philatelic research, exhibited internationally at
high levels, or served the community as accredited international jurors and
commissioners
PCI Appreciation Awards
Given annually to individuals and local philatelic societies
for outstanding work in grass-roots promotion, youth academies, and organizing
state/national level exhibitions.
Recent Events: The PCI Awards Evening 2025 was celebrated on June 21, 2025, in Pune, where notable philatelists received recognition for their work. The 2025 appreciation list included prominent figures like Mr. Aditya Asthana, Mr. Aranya Dutta Choudhury, Dr. Ramesh Kumar, and Ms. Jaagruthi Adka, among others.
Well friends, I feel being a
philatelist and member of PCI, I am a part of this GOLDEN JUBILLEE CELEBRATION
and so I have tried to put before you the brief picture of PCI. Let’s join
hands to celebrate this event collectively and make it a great success so that our
coming generations may carry forward the work done by this great federation. I, on behalf of you all wish PCI a great success and thank it for what it has done
in past and is doing presently for us and for betterment of philately. My
special thanks to its present team of dedicated philatelists headed by Mr. Madhukar
Deogawanka and Sri Rajesh Bagri.
-Naresh Agrawal, Bilaspur (C.G.) email nareshkumar1992@yahoo.co.in
Mob / WhatsApp: 09425530514
Recent Indian Issues
1
October 2026 :100 Years of Unionpublic Service Commission-Rs 5
8
October 2026 : Mig -21 : Indian Air Force-Rs 5
17
October : Birth Anniversary of Ghanshyam Dass Jain-Rs 5
22
october 2026: Puja Mata sahib Hasi Devi -Rs 5
20
October 2026 : Breast Cancer awareness- 2 x Rs 25 +MS
31
October 2026 : Birth Centenary of Mata Bhagwati Devi – Rs 5
New Special /
Permanent Cancellations
8October
2026: World Octopus Day: Junagaon
9
October World Post Day: Mangalore
10
October 2026 : River Rafting Kaudiyala PO 249192 Uttrakhand (Permanent)
21
October 2026: International Print Day : Nagpur
30
July 2026 : Laxmanjhula : Laxmanjhula SO 249302 (Permanent)
5
& 6 October 2026: Patanpex 2026: Siddhpur, Patan
9
October 2026 : Durgapuja Intangible Heritage:Kolkata
9
October 2026: Devprayag : Tehri
12
October 2026: Durga Puja (Chinmmoyi Maa Rupe) : Kokata
12
October 2026 :Gold Medal Winning team of Indian Men’s and Women’s Hockey at
Asian Games
2026
: Lucknow
12
October 2026: ICMR -Centre of High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research:
Keylong (HP)
23
October 2026: Ladakh Pashmina Textile: Leh
In The News
PCI
National Stamp Show
National Virtual & Physical
Philatelic Exhibition PCI National Stamp Show - 2026, National Virtual &
Physical Philatelic Exhibition. National Virtual exhibition will be held from
5th to 15th December 2026. The exhibition is being organized by Philatelic
Congress of India celebrating its Goden Jubilee for promotion of philately. The
exhibition will be held in combo format i.e. Virtual and Physical. First all
the exhibits will be displayed at the Virtual Exhibition. Exhibits winning
Vermeil Medal and above will be displayed at the Physical Exhibition.
Eligible exhibits for the physical
exhibition will be judged again. Award function will be held during the
Physical Exhibition only for the participating exhibitors in the same. All the
other medals will be sent by Post. The participants of the Physical Exhibition
will be eligible to participate at the International Exhibitions as per the
rules and regulations of the FIP and FIAP. It will provide an opportunity for
philatelists to participate in the National Exhibition featuring exhibits
exclusively on all aspects of India and Indian states philately and thematic
exhibits on any them including Indian theme. PCI National Stamp Show - 2026
will be open to four categories of exhibits (Competitive Class, Championship
Class, Invitee Class and Court of Honour). The exhibition will be judged based
on the rules and regulations of FIP.
Any query regarding the exhibition. please
send mail to info@philateliccongressofindia.com
PHILATAIPEI 2026
PHILATAIPEI 2026 World Stamp
Championship Exhibition. (FIP) The exhibition is scheduled to be held from
November 20 to 25, 2026, at Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall 1, Areas
B and C. It will be organized under the Patronage of the Fédération
Internationale de Philatélie (FIP)
National Commissioner for India,
Pratisad Neurgaonkar, 884, Bhandarkar Road, 14 Patil Terraces, Pune 411004
Email pratisadn@gmail.com.com / WhatsApp +91-9766310553 the Apprentice
National Commissioner for India : Sunil Joshi Phone: 9822026422
AUSVIPEX
2026
The Australian Virtual Philatelic
Exhibition 2026 is an online National Philatelic Exhibition organised by the
Australian Philatelic Federation (APF).
Exhibits available online for Judges:
From Sunday 01 November 2026
Judging concluded: Sunday 22 November
2026
Results available: Monday 30 November
2026
Feedback to Exhibitors: Week commencing
Mon 7 December 2026. On Line until 28 February 2027 Frames Available: 500
Exhibition Website : https://apfvirtual.com
AMSIPEX-27
3rd International Virtual Aero- &
Astrophilatelic Exhibition 14-21 February 2027
For details Visit : www.amsipex.com
SLOVPHILEX
2027
SLOVPHILEX 2027, a specialised World
Philatelic Exhibition to be held at Bratislava, Slovakia from June 30th to July
4th 3027. The Classes of Exhibits are: Traditional Philately, Postal History,
Revenues, Thematic Philately, Picture postcards, Open Philately, Non-Standard
Frames (1-3 Frames) exhibit and Philatelic Literature.
The last date for acceptance of
application forms is October 15th 2026. -G. Anil Kumar Reddy, Commissioner
Ph.98410 22884: email: anilreddy.stamps@gmail.com
EROPEX 2026: 25 &26 November 2026: Erode
GUJPEX 2026 :5-7 December 2026:Vadodara
News from Philatelists and Philatelic Societies
PCI
Official
Mascot: PCI National Stamp Show 2026-27
Bagha
- The Fishing Cat Philatelist
Uttar Pradesh
A special
private postage stamp exhibition was organized at Meerapur, Prayagraj on the
occasion of birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. This
exhibition was dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi's life, ideas and his invaluable
contribution to the freedom struggle. The exhibition was organized on 28
September 2026 and 30 October 2026. the Exhibition featured various types of rare postage stamps, special
covers and first day covers of the country and abroad released on Mahatma
Gandhi. The exhibition was attended by
students, teachers and local residents.
-Anil
Gupta, Prayagraj
Jammu & Kashmir
September
18, 2026: The Department of Posts, Jammu & Kashmir Circle, released a
Special Cover on “Ladakh Pashmina Textile”, a GI-tagged product of the Union
Territory of Ladakh, to commemorate the Pashmina Conclave 2026. This special
cover has been sponsored by Industries and Commerce Department Ladakh UT.
The
cover was formally released by Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, Hon’ble Lieutenant
Governor of Ladakh. The Special Cover celebrates Ladakh’s rich Pashmina
heritage and acknowledges the efforts of local herders, artisans and producers
in promoting and developing GI-tagged Pashmina products. Its release will
preserve the commemoration of the Pashmina Conclave 2026 in the philatelic
archives of the Department of Posts.
-Neelam
Chandel, Shimla
IN QUEST OF POSTAL HISTORY AND COMMUNICATIONS
PART
TWO
LETTERPRESS PRINTING, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND HALFTONE SCREENS IN INDIAN PRINCELY STATE STAMPS
Letterpress
(typographic) printing was the most widely employed method for the local
production of postage stamps by the Indian princely states, particularly from
the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. Constrained by limited
financial resources and the absence of sophisticated printing machinery, many
states relied on simple hand-fed presses using raised metal type or relief
printing blocks.
Stamp designs were frequently assembled from movable type, state emblems, or roughly engraved dies, producing bold impressions marked by uneven inking, irregular spacing, and visible pressure marks on the reverse of the paper.
This technique enabled even the smallest states to manufacture stamps rapidly and economically for internal postal use, albeit at the expense of refinement and uniformity. Variations in alignment, ink density, and typographic spacing are therefore characteristic features of these locally printed issues. Despite their technical simplicity, letterpress stamps of the princely states represent a significant phase in Indian postal history, reflecting both administrative autonomy and the technological limitations that prevailed prior to postal integration in 1947.
While letterpress printing generally restricted stamp design to strong line work and flat tonal areas, a few princely states achieved a remarkable technical advance by incorporating photographic imagery through the use of halftone screen technology. This innovation stands out as an exceptional development within the context of locally produced typographic stamps.
PHOTOGRAPHY was first invented in the world in 1839 in France. In 1840, the world’s first commercial photography studio, BOURNE AND SHEPHERD CO., was established in Calcutta. In those early days, photography was largely a pastime; kings and princes had their photographs taken. For the common people, photography was beyond reach.
However, this article is not about photography itself, but about printing—specifically, when photography became integrated into the printing press. As far as is known, experiments in this direction began in CALCUTTA.
By the 1880s, photographic and lithographic facilities had become significant, and experiments were carried out in Calcutta. In this respect, Calcutta may be regarded as one of the pioneers in the world.
By the 1880s, the SURVEYOR -GENERAL’S OFFICE had established a dedicated Photographic and Lithographic Office in Calcutta, equipped with darkrooms, cameras, and printing presses. These facilities supported both administrative and artistic reproduction work.
The
decisive breakthrough came with the halftone process, which converts
continuous-tone photographs into patterns of dots that can be printed alongside
text.
Although the first halftone image appeared in a New York newspaper in 1873, the technique became widely adopted in India and elsewhere during the 1880s and 1890s for commercial, educational, and journalistic printing. Halftone screening made it possible for photographic images to be reproduced even by relief printing processes such as letterpress, fundamentally transforming visual communication.
Within this broader Indian printing and photographic culture, KISHANGARH occupies a special place among the princely states for its experimental use of halftone screen centres in stamps printed locally by typography. In these issues, photographic portraits or vignettes were reproduced from halftone relief blocks, while inscriptions and frames were printed using conventional letterpress type. This hybrid technique represents a rare and sophisticated fusion of photography and typography in Indian stamp production.
Such
innovation closely parallels contemporary Indian research into halfton…
reproduction, notably by UPENDRAKISHORE ROY CHOWDHURY, a pioneering figure in halftone printing and the grandfather of filmmaker SATYAJIT RAY. The appearance of halftone imagery on Indian princely state stamps thus signifies more than administrative independence; it reveals an active engagement with advanced visual reproduction technologies. These modest local issues therefore occupy an important place not only in Indian philately but also within the global history of photography and printing.
LIST
OF INDIAN PRINCELY STATES THAT PRODUCED POSTAGE STAMPS BY LETTERPRESS PRINTING
BARWANI
1921–1948
Printer:
State Printing Press, Barwani
Method:
Letterpress (Typography)
Material:
Relief metal type and blocks
Significance:
*
Entire stamp output of Barwani was typographed
*
Bold raised impressions typical of local letterpress work
*
One of the longest uninterrupted uses of typography among Indian States
Note: All known stamp printing blocks of the Barwani State, now preserved in the Postal Museum and Philatelic Library, Calcutta GPO, through the generous donation of the late Santosh Rungta.
JHALAWAR
1887–1900
Printer:
Local State Press, Jhalawar
Method:
Letterpress (Typography)
Material:
Relief metal type
Significance:
*
Early narrow-format stamps printed in strips
*
Crude but historically important local typographic production
*
Represents early adoption of letterpress for state postal needs
BUNDI
1894–1920
Printer:
Local State Press, Bundi
Method:
Letterpress (Typography)
Material:
Relief metal type and ornamental blocks
Significance:
*
Early issues typographed before later lithographic printings
*
Strong impression and uneven inking typical of hand-fed presses
*
Illustrates transition from typography to lithography in Indian States
COCHIN
1892–1933 (early issues)
Printer:
Cochin Government Press
Method:
Letterpress (Typography)
Material:
Metal type and relief blocks
Significance:
*
Early definitive issues typographed
*
Later replaced gradually by lithography and recess printing
*
Important South Indian example of government letterpress work
TRAVANCORE
1888–1908 (early issues)
Printer:
Government Press, Trivandrum
Method:
Letterpress (Typography)
Material:
Metal type
Significance:
*
Early stamps printed typographically with native scripts
*
Clear evidence of raised ink and pressure marks
*
Reflects early administrative printing capabilities
KISHANGARH
1899–1900 (First Issue)
Printer:
Local State Press, Kishangarh
Method:
Letterpress (Typography) with HALFTONE SCREEN CENTRE
Material:
*
Relief metal type for text and frame
*
HALFTONE PHOTOGRAPHIC BLOCK FOR CENTRAL VIGNETTE
Significance:
*
One of the very few Indian States to use halftone screening
*
EARLY COMBINATION OF TYPOGRAPHY AND PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTION
*
Central image printed using dot-screen technique
KISHANGARH
1912–1913 (Halftone Block Issues)
Printer:
Local State Press, Kishangarh
Method:
Letterpress using Halftone Blocks
Material:
Zinc or copper halftone relief blocks
Significance:
*
ADVANCED TECHNICAL EXPERIMENT FOR A SMALL PRINCELY STATE
*
Photographic tonal effects achieved through relief printing
*
Unique among Indian Feudatory States
JAIPUR
1904–1911 (early issues)
Printer:
Jaipur State Press
Method:
Letterpress (Typography)
Material:
Metal relief type
Significance:
*
Early locally printed stamps before engraved issues
*
Clean typographic layouts with state emblems
*
Demonstrates growing sophistication in state printing
PHILATELIC NOTE
In Indian philatelic terminology, “Typography” is synonymous with Letterpress. Raised ink, pressure marks on the reverse, uneven inking, and solid line work are the key diagnostics. Kishangarh remains exceptional for introducing halftone photographic imagery within a letterpress framework, decades before such methods became common in Indian stamp production.
HOW TO IDENTIFY LETTERPRESS PRINTING (TYPOGRAPHY)
Identifying Letterpress (Typographic) printing is a very important skill in philately, especially for classic stamps and Indian Princely State issues. Below is a clear, practical guide, written especially for stamp collectors.
1. RAISED IMPRESSION – Inked areas feel slightly raised to the touch; you may sense relief with a fingertip or oblique light.
2. SHARP OUTER EDGES – LINES AND LETTERS have crisp, clean boundaries, often with slight ink spread at corners.
3. INK SPREAD AND UNEVEN EDGES– Ink may appear heavier at the edges of letters or design due to pressure from raised type.
4. UNEVEN INKING – Colour intensity may vary within the same design, showing light and dark patches.
5. NO SCREEN DOTS – Under magnification, solid ink areas, not composed of halftone dots (unless a photo block was later introduced)
6. INDENTED PAPER BACK – On unmounted stamps, a reverse impression may be visible on the back.
7. SIMPLE LINE DESIGNS – Commonly used for text, frames, numerals, coats of arms, and geometric motifs.
8. REGISTRATION VARIATIONS – Slight misalignment may be seen in multi-colour letterpress printings.
9. PAPER PENETRATION – Ink often sinks into the paper fibres, not sitting flat on the surface.
10. HAND-FED PRESS CHARACTERISTICS – Minor irregularities between copies indicate manual or semi-manual printing.
11. SOLID, FLAT COLOUR AREAS
Letterpress
excels at solid blocks of colour.
Large
areas often show:
Slight
ink texture • Minor irregularities
No
tonal gradation like photography
12. THICK LINES AND SIMPLE DESIGNS
Designs
usually consist of:
Bold
lettering •Thick frames •Simple ornaments • Fine hairlines are rare and often
inconsistent.
Indian States such as Bundi, Alwar, Jaipur,
Soruth, Cochin, Travancore commonly used this style.
NOTE:
Today,
LETTERPRESS printing has largely faded into oblivion, eclipsed by the rapid
advancement of offset, photogravure, and, ultimately, digital printing
technologies.
Yet
in embracing speed and convenience, the world of printing quietly bade farewell
to JOHANNES GUTENBERG —the visionary who revolutionized the transmission of
knowledge.
Civilization
may have moved on, but history will remember him forever, for his invention
laid the very foundation of mass communication and the modern world.
- Dipok Dey: email: dipokdey38@gmail.com
Specialized Section
Picture Postcard Rules and 2026 Scoring Practice
FIP Boston 2026 & Macao 2026 Exhibitions, and the FIP Congress at
Macao in 2026.
- Piyush Khaitan FRPSL, FPCI
This report brings together the published FIP Picture Postcard rules, Birthe King’s account of judging at Boston and Macao, the official material currently available on the FIP website, and proceedings at the FIP Congress at Macao. [11] The central finding is that the public rules still support a 30-35-30-5 allocation and a picture centred assessment. Boston and Macao reportedly applied a different interpretation that was not stated in the published class rules. This creates a dichotomy that will continue until FIP amends the GREV and the uncertainty for exhibitors will continue. This is further explained towards the end of this note. [1–4]
Published FIP Framework
The FIP’s 2018 Special Regulations evaluate a Picture Postcard exhibit out of 100 points. The accompanying Guidelines say that the emphasis is on the picture rather than postal use or philatelic peculiarities. Knowledge and research concern the exhibit’s subject and the postcards themselves, including photographers, artists, publishers, production methods, distribution, dating, rarity and historical context. [3–4]
FIP
seminars in 2019 and 2023 sometimes divided the 35 points informally into 15
for knowledge of the subject and 20 for knowledge of the postcards. This was
not a division between philatelic knowledge and research. The Picture Postcards
Commission’s proposed 2024 Guidelines retained the same 35 point category and
the same picture centred approach. [5–7]
Boston and Macao 2026
Birthe King reports that the Boston jurors
received a different judging schedule during the exhibition. The 35 Knowledge
and Research points were split, with 20 assigned to a new Philatelic Knowledge
component. This potentially shifted the assessment toward routes, rates,
markings and other postal history matters that do not appear prominently in the
Picture Postcard Guidelines. According to King, exhibitors had prepared their
entries under the published criteria and were not notified in advance. Most lost
points and dropped by at least one medal level, while some dropped by two. She
reports that the same procedure was used at Macao. [1]
The official results confirm modest awards but
cannot establish their cause. Boston listed fourteen entries, including two
withdrawals. Of the twelve judged exhibits, two received Gold and one received
Large Vermeil. Macao judged fourteen multi frame exhibits; none received Gold
and two received Large Vermeil. [9–10]
Findings from the FIP
Website
The FIP website still publishes the 2018 Picture
Postcard Special Regulations and Guidelines and says they are to be updated in
accordance with the General Regulations for Evaluation. The general regulations
use the broader expression Philatelic and related Knowledge Personal Study and
Research for the 35-point category, but they neither require a 20/15 division
nor displace the class specific definition of Picture Postcards. [2–4, 8]
No public FIP Board decision, amended Picture
Postcard regulation, notice to exhibitors or post exhibition explanation was
found authorizing the method reported at Boston and Macao. An internal
interpretation may have existed, but it is not reflected in the public
regulatory record. The available material therefore supports King’s central
concern that the 2026 method was not transparently stated in the published
Picture Postcard rules.
Proceedings of the FIP
Congress in Macao, 1 July 2026.
The 78th FIP Congress in Macao was
fully seized of the problem. I could not find the report on the FIP website but
found a link to the full 70-page document by searching on the FIAF website,
which is appended at the end of this note. The Postcard working Party December
2025 report is on pages 46-47 clearly explains the need to amend the FIP GREV
to exempt Picture Postcards and some other classes from the constrains of
Philatelic Knowledge in order for the SREV to be valid with 35 marks for
Knowledge and Research to not include Philatelic Knowledge or Research, but
could include other deltiological (technical) aspects such as type of
manufacture, printing method and printer, and possible date of issue. [my short
summary]. [11]
The motion from the Philatelic Federation of
Finland (pg. 55), the attached proposal to change the GREV (pg. 56–58), and the
FIP Board’s proposed amendments (pg. 59–68) clearly bring out the changes being
considered. [11]
The recent FIP Journal (Flash #141 August 2026) contains highlights of the 78th
FIP Congress held in Macao on 1 July 2026. The President’s page (Pg. 3) states
that the Board withdrew the proposed GREV motion after receiving feedback and
would revise it in simpler form; the Congress separately ratified a GREX
Article 30.4 amendment concerning jury selection. [12]
Conclusion
Basis the documents presently available, Picture
Postcard exhibits in future exhibitions governed by FIP regulations must
reconcile to the reality of continued ambiguity on scoring based on Philatelic
Knowledge vs. deltiological (technical) aspects: a question of how these 20
marks will be awarded. The debate is on what will prevail – GREV or SREV. The
best course of action is for individual event organizers of events to clarify
well in advance to participants which approach the jury will be instructed to follow
for Picture Postcards.
Author’s
note:
1. This article was developed with assistance
from ChatGPT by OpenAI for research support, organization, initial drafting and
document preparation. The author guided the search process, reviewed the cited
sources, revised the text and accepts responsibility for the final article.
2. The author was an exhibitor in the Macao 2026
FIP Patronage Specialized WSC Exhibition in the Picture Post Card class.
Annotated Sources
1 Birthe King
Picture Postcards The Future
FEPA News 49 pages 31 to 33. Source of the account of the Boston and Macao
judging changes and their reported effect on exhibitors.
URL: https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/FN49-king.pdf
2 FIP Regulations and Guidelines Official index of current FIP regulations. It
continues to list the 2018 Picture Postcard documents and notes that they are
to be updated.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/regulations/
3 FIP Picture Postcard
Special Regulations 2018
Official scoring framework establishing the 30-35-30-5 allocation and medal
thresholds.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/FIP-PP-Special-Regulations-2018.pdf
4 FIP Guidelines for
Judging Picture Postcard Exhibits 2018 Official class guidance stating that the
emphasis is on the picture and describing the relevant forms of postcard
knowledge and research.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/FIP-PP-Guidelines-2018.pdf
5 FIP Picture Postcards
Commission Proposed Guidelines 2024 Commission working party proposal. It retained
the 35 point Knowledge and Research category and the picture centred approach.
URL: https://picturepostcards.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/PPC-Draft-Guidelines-2024.docx
6 FIP Flash 128 China
2019 Picture Postcard Report
Early FIP report describing an internal division of the 35 points between
knowledge of the story and knowledge of the cards.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/FLASH-128-web-updated.pdf
7 FIP Picture Postcard
Qualifying Seminar 2023
Training presentation describing an informal 15 point subject knowledge and 20
point postcard knowledge division.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/PPC-FIP-Qualifying-2023-Taipei-FIAP.pdf
8 FIP General Regulations
for Evaluation 2022
General evaluation framework using broader philatelic terminology while leaving
each class’s scope to its Special Regulations.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/GREV-22-May-2022.pdf
9 Boston 2026 Results by
Class Official FIP
results used to verify the number of Picture Postcard entries and the awards
recorded at Boston.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/Results-by-Class-1.pdf
10 Macao 2026 Results by
Class Official FIP
results used to verify the Picture Postcard awards recorded at Macao.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/Palmares-Exhibit-Results-by-class.pdf
11 78th FIP Congress
Papers Macao 2026
Seventy-page Congress dossier containing the Picture Postcard Working Party
report and proposed GREV amendments from the Philatelic Federation of Finland
and the FIP Board. It documents the regulatory conflict over philatelic and
non-philatelic material in Picture Postcard exhibits.
URL: https://filatelia-interamericana.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/78th-FIP-Congress-paper.pdf
12 FIP Flash 141 August
2026 Official FIP
journal reporting the 78th Congress. It records that the Board withdrew the
proposed GREV motion after feedback and would revise it in simpler form;
Congress separately ratified a GREX Article 30.4 change concerning jury
selection.
URL: https://www.f-i-p.ch/wp-content/uploads/F1100_001_F141-final.pdf
-Piyush Khaitan :email: pk@khaitan.in
Creation of the Universal Postal Union
On October 9, 1874, some 22 nations met in Bern,
Switzerland to form the General Postal Union (later renamed the Universal
Postal Union or UPU).
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln’s Postmaster General
Montgomery Blair suggested an international conference be held to discuss
common postal problems. A conference was held in Paris, and fifteen nations
attempted to establish guidelines for an international postal service. Until
this time, mail had been regulated by a number of different agreements that
were binding only to signing members.
Stamp honors the 1863
conference Blair organized that eventually led to the creation of the UPU.
Although Blair did not intend
to create a permanent organization, another conference was held 11 years later
in Bern, Switzerland. On October 9, 1874, twenty-two nations, comprising the
International Postal congress, drafted and signed the Bern Treaty, which
established the General Postal Union. The basic ideals were that there should
be a uniform rate to mail a letter anywhere in the world, that domestic and
international mail should be treated equally, and that each country should keep
all money collected for international postage. It also made sending
international mail easier in another important way. Previously, people had to
attach a stamp from each country their mail would pass through. This no longer
was necessary.
Under this treaty, member
nations, including parts of Europe, Britain, and the United States,
standardized postal rates and units of weight. They also set forth procedures
for transporting ordinary mail. Ordinary mail included letters, postcards, and
small packages. Separate rules govern the transportation of items, such as
parcel post, newspapers, magazines, and money orders.
Under this agreement, known
as the International Postal Convention, a simpler accounting system was devised
as well. Previously, countries could vary the international rate. Any mail
traveling across a country’s border was charged this rate. In addition, many
countries charged a one-cent surtax for mail being transported by sea for more
than 300 miles.
Using
the basic idea that every letter generates a reply, the Convention allowed each
country to keep the postage it collected on international mail. However, that
country would then reimburse other members for transporting mail across their
borders. The benefits to member nations included lower postal rates, better
service, and a more efficient accounting system.
At
the 1878 conference, the name was changed to the Universal Postal Union. It
wasn’t until the 1880s that the organization became truly universal. By the
1890s, nearly every nation had become a member.
US
#279-84 were issued in 1898 to meet the new stamp color
standards set by the UPU.
In
1898, the Universal Postal Union standardized the colors of certain stamps in
order to make international mailing easier and more efficient. They proposed
that member nations use the same colors for stamps of the same value. In order
to conform to the UPU’s regulations, the 1¢, 2¢, and 5¢ stamps underwent color
changes. Later that same year, the 4¢, 6¢, 10¢, and 15¢ stamps were changed to
avoid confusion with current issues printed in similar colors.
In
1947, the UPU became a specialized agency of the United Nations with its
headquarters is located in Berne, the capital of Switzerland. The UPU holds
conventions every five years. Today, it continues to organize and improve
postal service throughout the world with 190 member states. It’s the oldest
international organization existing and claims to be the only one that really
works.
Beginners’ Section
Day of the Dead
The
Day of the Dead is a chance to celebrate, rather than mourn, the deceased.
Celebrated annually on November 1, the Day of
the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is a time to celebrate lost loved ones. While the
holiday is a relatively modern tradition, its origins date back thousands of
years.
According to tradition, on
November 1 and 2, the spirits of the deceased can return to visit their
families. Day of the Dead celebrations are held to help guide those spirits to
their families. In preparation, families clean and decorate gravesites with ofrendas
(altars). Families also build altars in their homes to draw spirits there.
These altars include food, such as tamales, candied pumpkin, pan de muerto
(bread of the dead), and beverages. It’s believed that deceased spirits consume
the essence of the food and their families eat the food itself. Families
construct these colorful and elaborate displays at their homes and gravesites
to guide the spirits of the deceased to their celebrations.
Most altars consist of three
levels. The upper level includes photos of the deceased as well as images of
saints, statues of the Virgin Mary, and crucifixes. The second level consists
of items to help the dead feel welcome. This usually includes their favorite
foods. The bottom level contains several lit candles. It also has soap, a
towel, and a basin of water, for the deceased to wash and refresh themselves.
They also leave out pillows and blankets for deceased to rest after their long
journey.
Traditional
foods such as those on these stamps are common at Day of the Dead celebrations.
Often
featured on altars, marigolds are known as the “flower of the dead.”
Altars
also include bright orange marigolds, which Mexicans call the “flower of the
dead.” The flowers’ bright color and strong scent help the souls find their way
to their altars and symbolize both the beauty and fragility of life. Papel
picado (perforated paper) are also included in these altars as well as monarch
butterflies. Monarchs usually arrive in Mexico around November 1, so they have
long been associated with the Day of the Dead. People share happy memories and
write short poems known as calaveras literarias (literary skulls). These
light-hearted speeches can be about the dead or living.
One of the most recognizable
elements of Day of the Dead celebrations, the calavera (skull), represents the
cycle of life and is usually colorful and full of joy. Altars are also
decorated with embellished candy skulls made of compressed sugar and decorated
with inedible items such as foil, feathers, and beads. The rise in popularity
of skull imagery is often credited to artist José Guadalupe Posada. In the
early 1900s, he produced political caricatures of skeletons dressed in the
elaborate clothes of the wealthy. The most famous of these was Catrina, a
female skeleton wearing a large, feathery hat. At Day of the Dead celebrations,
artisans sell skulls made of clay and wood as well as edible candies made of
chocolate. Ornate skull designs are also carved into layers of tissue paper to
produce papel picado (cut paper banners). Skulls and skeletons are shown happy
and dancing, symbolizing a joyous afterlife.
Modern celebrations include
large parades with people wearing calacas (skull masks) or painted faces to
resemble skeletons. Wearing colorful clothes and a variety of flowers, they
sing and dance, reminding us of the joy and celebration Day of the Dead is
meant to represent. In recent years, these celebrations have spread from Mexico
to many US cities.
International Red Cross
On
October 29, 1863, representatives from around the world joined together to
establish the International Red Cross.
While
on a business trip to Italy in 1859, Swiss humanitarian Jean Henri Dunant
witnessed the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino (part of the Second Italian
War of Independence) in which nearly 40,000 soldiers were killed or wounded.
Shocked by the lack of medical care, Dunant put his business aside and began
tending to the wounded. He convinced locals to help without discrimination.
Pictures the freighter SS Morning Light, which was one of the mercy ships that returned refugees from Cuba during the Cuban prisoner exchange in 1963.
Dunant proposed that all
civilized countries establish “…permanent societies of volunteers who in time
of war would give help to the wounded without regard to their nationality.” In
February 1863, Dunant and four other Geneva leaders founded the Committee of
Five to see if his idea was possible. They renamed their organization the
International Committee for Relief to the Wounded and began preparing for a
meeting with other nations.
The
meeting was held from October 26th to 29th in 1863. There were 36 people in
attendance – 18 delegates from national governments, six from non-governmental
organizations, seven unofficial foreign delegates, and the five members from
the Geneva meeting. They discussed the goals of this new organization and
adopted a set of resolutions on October 29th. These included the creation of
national relief groups for wounded soldiers, protection for the wounded and
their rescuers on the battlefield, and the adoption of the red cross on white
background as their flag and armlet. The group continued to meet and expand on
their goals, changing their name to the International Committee of the Red
Cross in 1876.
Clara
Barton, the “Angel of the Battlefield,” served as a nurse during the American
Civil War. She founded the American Red Cross in 1881 after assisting the
International Red Cross in Europe during the Franco-Prussian War. Today, the
International Red Cross is an organization of over 135 nations. These nations
provide various forms of assistance to victims of wars and other disasters.
Most also provide various medical and health programs as well as youth
activities and junior divisions.
There are over 600 Red Cross
chapters in the United States alone, run by around a half a million volunteers.
Many have just one paid worker. To date, the International Red Cross has earned
three Nobel Peace Prizes – in 1917, 1944, and 1963.
Stories Behind Stamps
Canada
- 6 pence HRH Prince Albert Stamp, 1855
Price:
USD 42,500
HRH
Prince Albert 6 pence was issued in March 1855 and is an imperforate stamp
featuring the portrait of (HRH) His Royal Highness Prince Albert. This stamp
was produced on woven paper. About 250,000 stamps were ordered. They were
printed in colors of slate grey, brownish grey, and greenish grey. The 6d was a
portrait of Prince Albert based on a sketch by William Drummond Esq. On January
30, 2014, Spink New York sold a reddish-purple HRH Prince Albert 6 cent printed
on soft woven paper that was in outstanding condition for $42,500.
Reference
: https://findyourstampsvalue.com/rarest-stamps/most-valuable-canadian-stamps
-Nisarg
Sutaria : email : nisargsutaria78@gmail.com
Remarkable Stamps of India
𝐋𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢
(2 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 1904 – 11 𝑱𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚 1966)
𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒏; 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂
𝐌𝐞𝐠𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐡𝐚
(6 𝑂𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑟 1893 – 16 𝐹𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑦 1956)
𝘈𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘳, 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯
𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐤 𝐊𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐫
(𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒏: 𝑲𝒖𝒎𝒖𝒅𝒍𝒂𝒍 𝑮𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒚)
(13 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 1911 – 10 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 2001)
𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘳, 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳
𝑫𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒊 — 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑎’𝑠 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟, 𝑎 𝑝𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖-ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑜 𝑢𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐴 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑖𝑐𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝐻𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖 𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑎’𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑛 𝑒𝑟𝑎, 𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑎 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑡𝑙𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛.
𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐲𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢, '𝑵𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒂'
(21 𝑭𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒚 1899 – 15 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 1961)
(31 𝑶𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓 1875 – 15 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 1950)
𝐿𝑎𝑤𝑦𝑒𝑟, 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑜𝑚 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟, 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑚𝑎𝑛
𝑺𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒓 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍 — 𝐺𝑢𝑗𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑔𝑖𝑓𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑰𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏—𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐾ℎ𝑒𝑑𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑜𝑙𝑖 𝑆𝑎𝑡𝑦𝑎𝑔𝑟𝑎ℎ𝑎𝑠, 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 560 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐻𝑦𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒐. 𝐴𝑠 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑎’𝑠 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 𝐷𝑒𝑝𝑢𝑡𝑦 𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐻𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟, ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔, 𝑠𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑖𝑔𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑐. 𝐻𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑫𝒂𝒚, 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝐼𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑎—ℎ𝑒 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕.
New Issues from other countries
Aland
23 October 2026: Winter
Dreams
Winter Dreams
The stamps celebrate the beauty of winter and is
ideal for Christmas and winter greetings.
Bullfinch
The
stamp features a bullfinch on a rowan sprig.The artist Juta Policja found
inspiration for the stamp issue Winter dreams on her winter walks in the
countryside around her home in Sund, Åland. There, she often encounters the
animals that feature in the issue: the deer, the fox, and the bullfinch.
The
stamp designation Julpost (i.e Christmas mail) indicates a specific monetary
value when used as postage when sending a Christmas card or letter up to 20
grams to addressees on Åland and in Finland for a limited period in November
and December. If you use a Julpost- stamp during other times, before or after
Christmas, the value is based upon the most recent Christmas postage tariff.
Fox
The
stamp features a fox next to a frozen pond.The artist Juta Policja found
inspiration for the stamp issue Winter dreams on her winter walks in the
countryside around her home in Sund, Åland. There, she often encounters the
animals that feature in the issue: the deer, the fox, and the bullfinch.
The
stamp denomination Världen (i.e. the world) indicates a specific monetary value
when used as postage to send a card or letter. The value corresponds to the
current postage tariff for a Priority mail item up to 20 grams from Åland to
any destination in the world.
Alderney
2
November 2026: The Christmas Angels
29 October 2026: The
17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
(COP17)
The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17)
On October 29th, 2026, a souvenir sheet with one
postage stamp dedicated to the theme “The 17th Conference of the Parties to the
UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17)” has been put into circulation.
The postage stamp of the souvenir sheet with the
nominal value of 950 AMD depicts the logotype of the 17th Conference of the
Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17). The postage stamp
also depicts the slogan of COP17 “TAKING ACTION FOR NATURE” in Armenian and
English languages.
The souvenir sheet depicts butterfly wings,
reflecting the flora and fauna of Armenia. The upper part of the souvenir sheet
depicts the inscription “The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN
Convention on Biological Diversity” in Armenian and English languages.
Austria
29 October 2026 : Day of the Stamp - The World
of Minerals
Day of the Stamp - The World of Minerals
Since
1949 Austrian Post has been issuing an annual stamp to celebrate the Day of the
Stamp. The supplement charged on the stamp is used to support philately in
Austria.
Stamps
are not the only things that get collected: minerals do too. That is why the
topic “Minerals Austria’s natural resources” was chosen as the new theme for
the Day of the Stamp.
Muscovite
mica is depicted on the stamp. It comes from Ambach in the Dunkelsteinerwald in
Lower Austria. There is a place, known among collectors as the “Glitzergrube”
(glitter pit), where interesting minerals from a pegmatite mine can be found.
Pegmatite is a coarse- grained igneous rock that can contain not only muscovite
but also other minerals such as feldspar, rock crystal, tourmaline and biotite.
Muscovite is a commonly occurring mineral in the mica family. It is
light-coloured and shimmers with a flaky structure. The table-like crystals can
be split into very thin transparent sheets. In the past, huge sheets of
muscovite were used as a substitute for fireproof glass, including in Moscow,
hence its name, which is derived from “Muscovite glass”. Nowadays, due to its
good electrical and thermal insulation properties, muscovite is used in
electrical engineering and as an additive in heat-resistant construction
materials. When finely ground, it is used as a pearlescent pigment in cosmetics
and in automotive paints. The muscovite depicted in gouache on the stamp is
part of a stratum that also contains feldspar and quartz, with the typical
shape of the crystal and the schematic crystal lattice also shown.
29
October 2026: 300th Anniversary of the Death of Jakob Prandtauer
300th
Anniversary of the Death of Jakob Prandtauer
The
Baroque master
Jakob
Prandtauer is considered the most significant builder of monasteries of his
time. On the occasion of the 300th anniversary of his death, he is being
celebrated with a commemorative stamp featuring Melk Abbey.
Jakob
Prandtauer was born in 1660 in Stanz bei Landeck in Tyrol as the son of a
mountain farmer. He trained as a mason and also worked as a sculptor. After his
marriage in 1692, he moved to St. Pölten. He was first commissioned with
renovation work in the 1690s. His main work is seen as the building of the
abbey church and the entire monastery complex in Melk, which he worked on from
1702 until his death. He died in 1726 in St. Pölten.
Alongside
Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, Jakob
Prandtauer is considered one of the most important architects and master
builders of the Baroque period in Austria. Prandtauer was mainly involved in
the building of monasteries, but also built village churches, palaces, bridges
and garden and pleasure houses, many of them in the St. Pölten area. His
best-known works include newbuilds and renovations, especially in Melk,
Herzogenburg, Seitenstetten, St. Florian, Garsten, Klosterneuburg and
Dürnstein abbeys as well as the Christkindl and Sonntagberg pilgrimage
churches, sometimes also working with other builders such as his nephew and
pupil Joseph Munggenast. In contrast to many of his colleagues, Prandtauer was
able not only to design artistically challenging buildings in his own
unmistakeable style but also to carry out and supervise the building work
himself with all its technical challenges.
Great Britain
11
November 2026 : Remembrance
On Armistice Day 2026, Royal
Mail is issuing a set of six commemorative stamps to honour the service and
sacrifices made by the nation’s armed forces. This year will mark 110 years
since the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Armistice Day the national day of remembrance
is observed annually to honour the service and sacrifice of those who have lost
their lives in conflict and military operations. Marked by acts of reflection
across the United Kingdom, including the National Service of Remembrance at the
Cenotaph in London, Armistice Day is one of the country's most significant
occasions of collective remembrance.
Guernsey
2
November 2026: Christmas
Mongolia
23
October 2026 : 120th
Anniversary of the Birth of Natsagdorj Dashdorj
120th Anniversary of the Birth of Natsagdorj
Dashdorj - The Founder of Modern Mongolian Literature
Stamp Description: The year 2026 marks the 120th
anniversary of the birth of Natsagdorj Dashdorj, the great Mongolian writer,
enlightener, and founder of modern Mongolian literature. This year also marks
the centenary of the beginning of Mongolian students' journeys to Germany and
France to pursue their education in distant lands, as expressed in the famous
phrase "to places beyond the reach of the wild geese”.
To commemorate these historic anniversaries,
Mongol Post JSC is issuing a postage stamp dedicated to the "120th
Anniversary of the Birth of Natsagdorj Dashdorj, Founder of Modern Mongolian
Literature”.
The eight sheetlet stamps inspired by the life
and literary works of D. Natsagdorj feature excerpts of two lines each from his
works, including the poems The Star, Four Seasons (Autumn), Let Us Study,
Parting from My Wife and Children, and A Traveller Departing to Study in a
Distant Land, the narrative poem from Ulaanbaatar to Berlin, the musical drama
The Three Fatefull Hills, and the philosophical short story The Dark Rock.
Journalist and researcher Ch. Bold, along with
senior diplomat and philatelic consultant O. Batsaikhan, provided professional
advice and contributed to the creation of these stamps.
Norway
16 October 2026 : Rikshospitalet Bicentenary
Rikshospitalet Bicentenary
Since 1826, Rikshospitalet has been a key
institution in Norwegian healthcare and has symbolised medical progress and
national care. Established as a national hospital and teaching centre, it
evolved into a modern facility with specialised departments. In 2000, it
relocated to Gaustad, equipped with advanced technology and a focus on research
and education. After merging with Ullevål and Aker hospitals in 2009, it now
serves as a national reference hospital for transplants, paediatrics, and
neurology. Treating patients from across Norway, often with rare conditions, it
is also a vital training centre. In its anniversary year, plans are underway
for the future Rikshospitalet, set to open in 2031. The new building will house
national and regional functions, including an emergency department and
children’s hospital, and be adapted to modern preparedness and technology.
Stamp of the Month
World’s
First Christmas Stamps
After
the Imperial Penny Postage was established in Canada, new stamps were needed
for the new rates. It was Postmaster General William Mullock’s job to present
the design to Queen Victoria for approval. She approved Christmas for the stamp
subject, and it was issued December 7, 1898. It was also the first Canada stamp
to feature multiple colors.
The
initial printing had a lavender background with the highlighted sections in
carmine. A later printing changed the background color to blue, though several
shades between the two colors are known to exist. Small differences make
collecting these stamps even more fun and interesting.
Philatelic Clubs and Societies
Air Mail Society India Foundation - https://www.airmailsocietyindia.org/
Karnataka
Philatelic Society - https://www.karphil.in/index.html
Prayag
Philatelic Society - http://www.prayagphilatelicsociety.org
Ananthapuri
Philatelic Association, Thiruvanthapuram
Baroda
Philatelic Society - http://www.vadophil.org/
Chandigarh
Philatelic Club
Deccan
Philatelic Society – Pune, Maharashtra
Eastern
India Philatelists’ Association - https://eipa.in/home
The
Hyderabad Philatelic and Hobbies Society
India
Study Circle - http://www.indiastudycircle.org/
Indian
Thematic Society, Ludhiana
Ludhiana
Philatelic Club
Numismatic
& Philatelic Association of Vellore Fort
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.net.in/
The
Army Philatelic Society, Pune
Stamps
of India – http://www.stampsofindia.com
Durgapur
Philatelic & Numismatic Society – https://www.facebook.com/share/1B3TasUbyR/
Philatelic
Society of Bhopal
Madurai Philatelist & Numismatist Association (MAPNA) - https://madurai-mapna.blogspot.com/
Blogs & Websites
Jusqu’a Markings and other Route
Indicators
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 to 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 in their area for inclusion in this
Blog. - Editor
Current Philatelic Magazines –
Newsletters
-VADOPHIL, Editor - Prashant Pandya
&Timir Shah and published by Baroda Philatelic
Society, Vadodara. Website
-http://www.vadophil.org/
-Ananthapuri Stamp Bulletin - Monthly e
-stamp bulletin of Anathapuri Philatelic
Association, Thiruvananthapuram. Editor –
Mohanachandran Nair
-Journal of the Army Philatelic Society
-India Post – Quarterly Journal of the India
Study Circle publishes original articles
submitted by members of ISC.
-Deccan Philatelist edited by Dr Anjali Dutta
email : dranjalidutta0303@gmail.com from Deccan Philatelic Society, Pune.
-SIPA Bulletin issued by South India
Philatelists’ Association
-The Fila Capsule issued by Eastern India
Philatelists' Association, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Editor - Dr Bibhudutta Mishra
- Philatelic Society of Delhi Newsletter
edited by Tarun Jain
Gibbons Stamp Monthly edited by Dean Shepherd
– Stanley Gibbons
Acknowledgment
-Air Mail Society India Foundation :
Newsletter
-Fila Capsule September 2026 issue : e-
magazine of Eastern India Philatelists' Association,
Bhubaneshwar Odisha; Chief Editor: Dr
Bibhudutta Mishra-email :bhanubibhu68@gmail.com
-Anathapuri Stamp Bulletin November 2026 :
Editor : Mohanachandran Nair : Anathapuri Philatelic Association : email apa.tvpm@gmail.com
- Judaica News November 2026 : Editor : Garry
Goodman
Courtesy - News and Image Resource to this issue :
SIPA, Philately Promoters, EIPA ,
Indian Philately, Prayag Philatelic Society
Group, Philatelic Exhibitions,
WhatsApp WOPA ; Pan India Pictorial Place
Cancellations ; Mystic Stamp Co,.Dr
Ritu Kalra,
Shimla, Neelam Chandel, Shimla. Timir Shah,
Vadodara, MB’s Stamps of India
Address for communication:
Jeevan Jyoti, 509, Design Arcade, Chandrabani, Wildlife Institute Road, Dehradun-
248002. India. e-mail – j.jyoti9@gmail.com
A Request to
Readers & Contributors –
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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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