Dancers

 

1959-1965: The Copenhagen Festivals

Here Margrethe Shanne (1921-2014) dances in the ballet "La Sylphide", which she performed over 100 times, loved because of the ethereal and supernatural feeling she brought to the role.  The first Danish ballet dancer to appear on a stamp it was issued for three of  the Music and Ballet Festivals in May 1959, 1962 and 1965.

1976: 5th International Ballet Festival, Havana

Canto Vital (Vital Song), not one I am familiar with but apparently it is danced to the rondo of Mahler's 5th symphony and choreographed for male dancers. From one ballet dancer

1989: Ballet - The Art of Dance

to two

and four.

1979: Birth Centenary of Jacob Gade

For non professional ballet dancers but mere mortals this may be one of the ways to dance.  The stamp celebrates the  music of Jacob Gade (1879-1963) famous for his tango 'Jealousy', originally an instrumental but the lyrics we know today were created at a later date.

Sunday Stamps A-Z - here for Denmark and dance - See It On A Postcard 

Animals Illustrated

See It On A Postcard's  Thursday Postcard Hunt - Illustrated Animals

One of Dick Bruna's alphabet cards and of course M is for Miffy

Frog by Matsumoto Hoji

Matsumoto Hoji was active in the late 18th Century. Little is known about him but must have been well known in the past as his frogs appeared in the 'Meika Gafu', a compendium of famous artworks and artists published in 1814.

Illustration - Jackie Morris from The Lost Words book

A frog almost hidden by a Lady Fern on what looks like a misty morning by the pond. From frog

to a dog in summertime. 

C is for Cattle

 

1955-56: Five Year Plan

A dairy herd 

2000: Shangri-La

Grazing in green pastures somewhere below the Meri Snow Mountains, Yunnan

1946: Local Motives (Design and Engraving - Gabriel-Antoine Barlangue)

The Zebu and herdsman. A breed that will be well adapted for global warming as they were bred to be productive in hot, humid climates. Smaller than other domestic cattle they have a low metabolic rate and efficient sweat glands.

1979: Definitive - Coins 

Cow on a coin, and what better one than a chunky old 'thruppenny bit'.

Sunday Stamp's A-Z - C is for cattle, coins, China and Cameroun - See It On A Postcard 

Illustrated

See It On A Postcard's  Thursday Postcard Hunt - Art Illustration

Professor Mumakata Examines the Rosetta Stone (2009)

The British Museum invited the Manga  artist Hashino Yukinobu to take part in a exhibition of his original drawings and manga magazines. His popular character Professor Mumakata is an anthropologist and folklore expert and has had many adventures and mysteries to solve since he was created in 1990. Hashino Yukinobu visited the museum and imagined a story which would take place in the museum and feature some of its famous objects (such as the Rosetta Stone on the card). The professor tries to solve the mystery of the disappearance of the Stonehenge monoliths which happens as he arrives in London.

I and the Village (1911)

Marc Chagall weaves various elements of Eastern European folklore and culture into his memories of his childhood village Vitebsk in Russia (today in Belarus).

Portsmouth Point (1811)

Thomas Rawlinson poking fun at the activities at Portsmouth Point, an area of the harbour famous for its bawdy activity. In 1784 it boasted 53 drinking houses as well as cook shops, clothing sellers, moneylenders, pawnbrokers and trinket sellers. Anything the sailor ashore required was here.. A lot has changed since then as now it is a desirable place of residence.

B is for Birds

 

1985-89: Birds definitive (1st series) - Nuthatch

 

Andre Buzan first birds stamps for Belgium appeared in 1985.

Goldfinch

They would not be his last

1997-1999: Birds (3rd Series) - Fieldfare

He went on to create many more series, I'm guessing about 11

2002-2005 Birds definitive - Cirl Bunting 

which included the change to the Euro.  In 2010 Belgium post issued a mini sheet and stamps celebrating 25 years of 'Birds with Buzin' which featured raptors. Time marches on and this year another anniversary came along another mini sheet issue - 40 Years of Buzin Birds 'From Pen to Brush' featuring waterbirds.

1978: Birds (Illustrator - Michael F Bryan)

Another prolific stamp designer, Michael Bryan, who covered all manner of subjects for Botswana post including lots of birds. Unfortunately I know nothing about him except that from 1972 to c1988 he had created 194 Botswana stamps. Interestingly his first stamps in 1972 were on the subject of the Mafeking-Gubulawayo Runner Post which would be reissued for its centenary in 1988  (A celebration of the 500 mile relay runner route across what was then the Bechuanaland Protectorate).    

Sunday Stamps's A-Z - The Letter B - at  See It On A Postcard 

Map the World

 See It On A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt on this month's theme - Illustrations;  Week 1 - Maps

Moominland Midwinter

Sensibly the Moomins sleep through the winter but one year Moomintroll wakes up and cannot get back to sleep, goes outside, and does not recognise this world of white which seems empty and feels lonely and frightening, but it is not long before someone appears. The Moominland Midwinter book, was published in 1957 with map and illustrations. Tove Jansen dedicated it to her mother. The perfect book for the winter season.

Welcome to Andalusia

Time to head for the sun and sea of Spain for a map one could use for exploring the real world.

Australia Day

 A is for Australia Day -

1990: Australia Day (Illustrator - Celia Rosser)

The Golden Wattle acacia was pronounced Australia's floral emblem in 1988. The adoption of the wattle dates back to 1899 and indeed there is a National Wattle Day on the 1st September when acacia of all species are in flower. Australia Day on the other hand is celebrated on the 17th January.

1982: Australia Day (Design and Engraving - Brian Clinton)

Brian Clinton has been a prolific designer of Australian stamps since 1977 but has a passion for portrait painting so he would have enjoyed this postage stamp commission.

1966: Famous Navigators (Design - Walter Jardine)

Adventurers - Two famous seafarers exploring the southern oceans, Captain James Cook and Abel Tasman. The cancel extols the virtues of  Australian food products - "Australian Food Produces Champions".

1953: Food Production (Design - George Lissenden)

Agriculture - Australia's biggest grain crop is Wheat.

1982: Reptiles and Frogs (Design - Beverley Bruen)

Amphibians - Corroboree Frog found in New South Wales. Pretty but poisonous. The poison is secreted from their skin to protect against predators, useful as they are ground dwelling

2003: Nature of Australia - Rainforests (Design - Wayne Rankin)

 

Sometimes it is safer in a tree. The orange-thighed tree frog in the wet tropical rainforest of North Queensland - Daintree National Park

1982: Tourism - Surf Boat

Aerogrammes -  One can fit a lot of correspondence, indeed a whole life, in this inexpensive, thin, lightweight folded piece of postal paper. The UK discontinued their use in 2012 but having checked on the Australia Post site they still issue them. The current one features flora and fauna of Australia.

Sunday Stamps is starting on a journey through the alphabet - See It On A Postcard