Inventions

 

1998: Millennium 1: 1900-1938 (Design - O Frankzen; Engraver - Martin Morck)

How would we cope without these inventions and who knew, not me, that these were thanks to Sweden. The zip, ball bearing, vacuum cleaner and refrigerator.

1946: Explorers and Inventors

The man behind the world's first commercially successful steamboat, Robert Fulton (1765-1815). It steamed along the Hudson River - the 'North River Steamboat'.  He also invented the first submarine 'Nautilus' but the stamp designer has gone with a more scenic view of a modern (at the time of the stamp) steam liner.

2015: Inventive Britain

As someone who has poor night vision here is something I like, cats eyes. Invented by Percy Shaw who when driving on a dark and winding road saw the eyes of a cat reflecting his headlights. In 1934 he patented his idea and created a company to manufacture them, the rest, as they say, is history.

The 2015 'Inventive Britain' set also featured carbon fibre and the development by William 'Bill' Watt (1912-1985).  I think the stamp set is quite inventive too. 

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Inventions and Discoveries - at See It On A Postcard

Summertime

 

2000: Stone and Soil

Its Summertime

2007: By the Seaside

relax and take it easy on the shore

2000: Mind and Matter

or on the water.

2009: Summer Nature (Design - Johan Persson)

Luxuriate in the warmth of summer.

Take a dip to cool off. 

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is -Summer - See It On A Postcard

Manx Cats

 

2017: Manx Cats (Design - Lesley Anne Ivory)

There are many stories of why the Manx cat has no tail. My favourite is that they were cut off when Noah closed the door of the Ark. They also have a double layer of fur, all the better for stroking. The artist, Lesley Anne Ivory, says the stamp commission allowed her "to bring together some of my favourite things, cats, flora, fauna and the designing and making of patchwork quilts". Left - Manx Tabby with Mugwort on a Mugwort quilt; Right - Ginger and Black and White Manx cats on Fushia Quilt

Left - Manx cat and kittens with Ragwort and Daisy quilt; Right - Manx cat with Harebells on Rabbit and Harebell quilt.

1991:Definitive (Celestino Piatti)

 

If I was a cat I think I would like a long tail to curl and swish like this one.

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Cats - See It On A Postcard

 

 

Monochrome

2000: Millennium Projects - Sight and Sound

For this week's monochrome theme I look at my home nation and start with a couple of Millennium stamps. This one is for the Year of the Artist which ran from June 2000 to May 2001 and had the slogan '1000 artists in a 1000 places'  This was the final set of the 12 millennium stamp issues

2000: Millennium Projects 5th Series - Art and Craft

A photographic collage of the People of Salford which celebrated the opening of the Lowry Arts Centre in 2000 on what was Salford Docks. It displays the paintings and is named after LS Lowry who is best known for his portrayal of the industrial north and his 'matchstick people'. The collage is a play on that. There is usually a dog somewhere in these paintings, I always look out it.

2002:World Cup (Design - Howard Brown)

In 2002 we were looking forward to the Football World Cup in Korea and Japan and a 1st class stamp and miniature sheet were issued. The team play in white and our second strip is red, hence the queens head colour. We won the world cup in red many decades ago so it is considered a lucky colour, however that may be a case of hope over experience. The Lion and the Saint George Shield on a white background was

2001: Country Definitive - England

a reworking of the country definitive, of which the new England design had been issued in 2001. It was not the obvious choice for the World Cup

 which would have been the three lions on the shirts. It is usually a fruitless quest to find any of the country definitives at post offices and the person behind the counter is often bemused by the request so one  has to go through the rigmarole of explaining what they are, key point being they are not self-adhesive. Occasionally if lucky the right post office might be found, one to be cherished, they will know their stamps.  I don't know if the situation is the same in the other nations of the UK..

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - Monochrome - See It On A Postcard