Quills

Umm Al-Qiwain became part of the United Arab Emirates in 1973 and at that time the UAE stamps replaced their own. The smallest of the emirates its main economic activities are fishing and dates according to the Stamp World History site.  It also seems in the 1970s the other economic activity was producing lots of stamps not many of which were meant for postage.  I'm guessing these two birds are long eared owls.  I try to link a theme to a country but with only one stamp to choose from I discovered no owl names begin with Q, grrr.  Happily moulted flight feathers of owls were used for quills

1981: 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Albert Anker

although this one being gripped by teeth looks like the more familiar goose feather.  The painting created in 1875 is called 'Der Germeindeschreiber' or The Secretary of the Commune (a person whose job would include control of finances and keeping the civil register). What a busy desk it portrays although it looks as though he may like to contemplate with a smoke of his pipe.  The artist Albert Anker painted 19th Century Swiss village life and for that reason is called Switzerland's national painter (a few of his paintings can be seen here). This painting is in the Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts, Lausanne but don't go there because its closed until 2019 when it will open in flash new premises (a converted locomotive shed) but more than 200 of  its paintings (including this one) have been put on their website. The cancel on the card is from the Swiss village of Ins located in the Bernese Lakeland where he was born and spent most of his life although he liked to travel to Paris for the winter. His studio is preserved as a museum.

1973: Centenary of Swiss Association of Commercial Employees (Design - Gebrüder Lenz)

I think this organisation is a trade union. I always enjoy seeing what symbols stamp designers come up with for a rather abstract concept.

1987: Russian Postal History (Design - Yury Artsimenov)

Nothing abstract about the post for here we have a 17-19th Century horse drawn sledge with a 17th Century Postman and the pen of choice for the period at the bottom - a quill. 

Sunday Stamps II prompt this week is the Letter Q - for Qiwain and Quills - move quickly to  See It On A Postcard