Automobiles

 

1999: Centenary of the German Automobile Club (Design - Heike Ullman)

The imposing Maybach Cabriolet of 1936, a luxury car brand, and still is, but now owned by Mercedes Benz.

2002: Cars (Design - Ernst and Lorli Jünger)

In contrast the a car built for the masses, the Volkswagen Beetle 

2009: Famous Cars (Design - Viggo Morck)

Here being given a wash and brush up.  Looks like the rugged Volvo PV444 might be going on a ski trip

Who can resist the iconic Cadillac Coupé de Ville from the 1950s  here paired with a less flamboyant, but instantly recognisable Citroen.

A romantic summer drive to watch the sunset in a Ford Mustang

from where perhaps life's journey may continue in a Volvo Amazon towing a caravan.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Automobiles - take a drive to See It On A Postcard

Save the Forest

 

1984: Centenary International Order of Good Templars

Trees were once abundant in Iceland before the Vikings arrived and felled them to build houses and other structures.   After a few hundred years most of the trees had been cut down which gives us its landscape today. Despite this some native trees can be found in certain areas and there also have been reforestation efforts in recent times.  There are certainly trees on this stamp.  I think the subject of the stamp - the Order of Good Templars is a temperance organisation and features one of their lodges.

1985: Protection of Nature - Save the Forest

I don't know about 1985 but German forests today are threatened by a changing climate of drought and heat not to mention the highly publicised forest that is going to be cut down to expand a coal mine.

1988: Survival of the Forest

In 1988 the United Nations issued stamps to raise awareness of the dangers of forest destruction

and the Vienna Headquarters chose this autumnal view.

1983: British Gardens (Design - Liz Butler)

Relax and go forest bathing at Blenheim Palace home to one of the oldest woodlands in Europe with oaks dating back to the 12th Century.  The United Nations theme for the International Day of Forests  in March is 'Forest Restoration; a path to recovery and well-being'.

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

Music Makers

 

1998: 450th Anniversary of Saxony State Orchestra

The music is about to begin

1972: Anniversaries - Ralph Vaughan Williams (Design - A Abbott)

and quite special if you get both the composer and conductor

1996: 50th Death Anniversary of Paul Lincke

Paul Lincke, conductor and composer of light operetta who taught himself to play the violin, he also continued that with learning the bassoon and piano.

1961: 150th Anniversary and 75th Death Anniversary Franz Liszt

Franz Liszt, virtuoso pianist and composer, the  rock star of his day, who provided some technically difficult piano compositions for those who came after him

1985: European Year of Music

Something a bit different - the Langspil, an old Icelandic string instrument

1985: International Year of Music

Mezzatin, a comic character from the Italian commedia dell'arte, who is interfering and devious but in this painting by Antoine Watteau he is lovelorn so no doubt playing a melancholy tune.  Difficult to see on the stamp but the female statue in the background symbolically has her back to him.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Music Makers - See It On A Postcard

Geology

 

1969: East German Minerals

A piece of calcite

1996: Minerals

and the amber of this fluorite, sometimes called the most colourful mineral in the world for the variety of its shades and colours

1961: Definitive - Finger Rock

 

Once a big tourist attraction here is Mukurob - Finger of God, a sandstone example of a  magnificent balancing act, alas in 1988 it collapsed.  That is our planet, always on the move...

1975: The Volcanic Eruption on Heimaey

The volcanic island of Heimaey. In the 1970s it had a population of 5,200 who were woken up at 2.00 am on 23 January 1973 when the volcano erupted for the first time in recorded history.  Fortunately the entire fishing fleet was in the harbour for the night and was able to carry everyone to mainland safety, most of them would eventually return.

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

Archeological Finds

 

One of the most famous archeological finds and the discovery of a lifetime happened in November 100 years ago - the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Possibly  the most well known of Harry Burton's photographs is the image of the jumble left by grave robbers in Tutankhamun's tomb. The Egyptologist Howard Carter's  decade long excavation would result in Burton taking over 3,400 photographs of the objects.

and also work at the site.  He used many inventive techniques to photograph the treasure.

The modern photographer has it a whole lot easier .  Araldo De Luca has produced some striking images of the golden treasures for this stamp set.

In the future the King Tut objects (5,459) will be seen in the new Grand Egyptian Museum which has been built on the Giza plateau just 2k from the pyramids. It is projected to open in 2023 but there have been many delays from 2021 onward and a doubling of the cost to build but then it is a huge project and will eventually house 100,000 artifacts (not all on display).

1977: Archaeological Heritage

Want some wearable golden treasure?  Four of these European Bronze Age Golden Hats have been found, this is the Golden Hat of Schifferstadt discovered in 1835 and is the oldest of the four.  Dated from the objects found with it to circa 1,400-1,300 BC

1992: PHQ Card - The National Museum

Something more practical but beautiful, an earthenware bowl.  The Skarkpsalling Pot found in a stone age barrow is dated to 3200 BC.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - Archaeology - discover more at See It On A Postcard