Oman in Outer Space

1971: Apollo 14

It is lift off for the moon and the Apollo 14 crew (Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell).  Shepard and Mitchell are shown on the moon's surface on the commemorative sheet unfortunately not with Shepard famously playing a couple of golf shots.  Stuart Roosa was the Command Module Pilot and the photographs he took while Shepard and Mitchell were on the surface would help with later moon landings.

This is a rather spaced out sheet for although the Sultanate of Oman exists, the State of Oman didn't.  These were issued by a government in exile when Sultan Said bin Taimur defeated the followers of Iman Ghalib bin al-Hinai in 1957-9, years later in 1970 the reclusive Sultan Said bin Taimur was overthrown by his son in a civil war but troops loyal to the former sultan kept on fighting until around 1976 and the stamps of the exiled government kept coming.  The presses must have been running hot in 1971 (the year of the sheet I show) as they issued a huge number of stamps on every subject one could imagine.  But let someone who knows what he is talking about take up the story -

"The stamps were the brainchild of Youssef Salim Tadros, once (in 1963) postmaster in Sharjah and later a partner in Middle East Stamps, Beirut. He got himself appointed as postal adviser to the exiled government. The latter obtained some status with the Arab Postal Union in 1966 and Tadros started issuing stamps in 1967. Since the rebels had long left Oman and did not have any postal services there, the letters with the stamps were dispatched from Baghdad (January 1968 only), then from Amman (until 1971) and later from Damascus (until June 1972). This means that the issues from 1967 to 1972 had postal validity in the above mentioned places. When the stamps could no longer be used postally after June 1972, Tadros ceased to issue State of Oman stamps.

One of Tadros' partners, the late Clive Feigenbaum in London, continued to print new stamps for State of Oman (and also for Dhufar, a province of today's Sultanate of Oman) until 1986. These "Feigenbaum issues", of course, did not see any postal use. They were done in sheetlets of 8 different se-tenant stamps, same as Feigenbaum did for Staffa, Nagaland, Eynhallow, ISO, etc" (Source - Stamporama Discussion)

Another imaginary world but a 'real' stamp - The Voyage of Sinbad

Sunday Stamps II prompt this week is the Letter O - for Oman and Outer Space - See It On A Postcard

Dr Who Birthday

2013: Classic TV - 50 Years of Dr Who

The first episode of Dr Who 'An Unearthly Child' aired on 23d November 1963 so today is its 55th birthday although of course there was a big gap from 1989 until it was revived in 2005 (if ignoring the one off TV film with Paul McGann which I don't count). I show the first five Doctors in these stamps because everyone has 'their' doctor and mine is Patrick Troughton, the second doctor, although in full disclosure I've watched the series from that very first episode and the TARDIS finding itself in a junk yard on Earth.  Here the TARDIS has landed on the postmark of its filming location, Cardiff.  But what would Dr Who be without his arch nemesis

the Daleks who will celebrate their birthday on 21st December when in 1963 and the second series they bookended Christmas.  This year a bit of tradition is gone as there is no Christmas Day Dr Who -  Exterminated - instead there is a New Year's Day special.  The perfect way to start 2019. 

Nautical Norway

1982: Exhibition Card Philex, Paris - (the Sailing Ship Christian Radich)

On the reverse of this card it says that the Christian Radich sailing ship is one of the last 3 masted square riggers that still crosses the oceans of the world. Once used as a merchant navy training vessel today it takes part in the tall ships races and also as an experience for anyone who wants to sail or learn to sail. It certainly looks tempting on a beautiful calm blue sky day like the card but possibly not rounding Cape Horn in a storm.

1981: Sailing Ships (Design - Sverre Morken)

I like this combination of compass cancel and the stamp "Setting the Sail".

1985: Exhibition Card for Stampex, London

Now we are inside the Arctic Circle in the Lofoten islands and in particular the fishing village of Reine.  This view, taken from one of the mountains, is one that is often used on tourist publicity and indeed Reine always comes up as one of the most scenic places in Norway.

1983: North Norwegian Boats (Design - KE Harr)

The stamps show a Nordland boat , a type of fishing vessel used for centuries in the Lofoten and Versteralen islands which is closely related to old Viking longships. Today they are used for pleasure.

2006: Tourist Stamp (Design - Enzo Finger)

For those who want relaxed time on the water and perhaps a meal then the paddle steamer Skibladner which travels Norway's largest lake, the vast Lake Mjøsa would tick that box. Built in 1856 it has sunk twice in winter storage (1937 and 1967) and today it winters in a specially constructed glass shelter.  Its name comes from Norse mythology as the ship of the god Freyr (which could be folded up like a cloth and put in his pocket when not needed.

1999: Norway 2000 II - 'Pictures of Everyday Life' (Design - A. Horne)

For mere mortals then what better way to transport ones horse and trap than this. A horse ferry circa 1900 in Amli.  But what lies beneath?

2007: Norwegian Marine Life III (Design - Enzo Finger)

Perhaps a Nakensnegle which is a name that sounds as though it comes from the Lord of the Rings however I think it translates as a naked snail or a nudibrach. They live in shallow waters near the shore or in kelp forests.  The easiest time to see these colourful little creatures is in winter when they mate and come to the surface.  The Latin name of this particular naked snail is Polycara quadrilineata and sometimes referred to in general terms as a Sea Slug but these nudibrachs are not closely related and they come in all sorts of shapes and colours. The colours can  indicate that some naked snails are highly poisonous and some who are colourful just masquerade as poisonous for protection.

Flag of Nordland county

See It on A Postcard's prompt this week is the Letter N - for Norway, Nautical, Nordland, Nakensnegle and Nudibrachs.     

Mongolian Marionettes

1988: Puppets

Time to watch a marionette show.  I couldn't find anything to explain the folk stories told in these stamps but can imagine the stories are told with great gusto at the many traditional gatherings held across the country and at the Puppet Theatre in Ulaanbaatar. On my internet journey I did discover there are an amazing number of puppet theatre festivals held on every continent, the biggest is the 10 day 'Festival Mondial des Theatres de Marionettes' held every two years in France and described as "bonkers and brilliant", yes I think that does sum up a puppet show.

High on a hill are two goats

1988: Goats

The wonderfully stylised clouds on both sets of stamps make me wonder if these two sets were drawn by the same stamp designer.

State Emblem of Mongolia

Sunday Stamps II prompt this week is the Letter M - for Mongolia, Marionettes and Mammals - more M on See It On A Postcard

Letters from Liechtenstein

2017: 200 Years k.k. Briefsammelstelle, Balzers (Design - Christine Bohmwalder)

A mail coach in 1895 poses for a photograph outside the Balzers post office and collection station in Liechtenstein. The stagecoach on the stamp

is rather more flashy.  A miniature sheet of three stamps was issued to celebrate the opening of Balzers mail collection station in September 1817 which at the time was part of the Austrian postal administration. The early stamps of the country (first issued in 1912) bear the words 'Imperial and Royal Austrian Post in the Principality of Liechtenstein' until 1921 with the signing of the treaty of post, telephone and telegraph with Switzerland they became part of the Swiss postal system but with their own distinct stamps. A close postal relationship with Switzerland has existed ever since.

2017: SEPAC - Trades and Crafts (Design - René Wolfinger)

From letters to lettering which perhaps this stonemason is chiselling.

The set of stamps issued for three trades all include a hand and graphic symbols of tools of the trade seen here, a hammer, pointed chisels and drove chisel.

1982: Liba 82 Stamp Exhibition

One might have picked up some nice stamped letters at the Liba 82 Stamp Exhibition (a national stamp exhibition first held in 1934 and since 1962 LIBA happens every 10 years). The view on the card is of the castle above Liechtenstein's capital Vaduz, home to

Prince Hans-Adam II and Princess Marie of Liechtenstein who celebrated their golden wedding last year.  Prince Hans-Adam is the richest monarch in Europe and appears on the world's 500 richest people list , it helps if you own your own bank.

Sunday Stamps II prompt this week is the letter L - for Letters, LIBA and Liechtenstein - See It On A Postcard.