National Philatelic Exhibition, Pakistan 2010 Special Postage Stamp November 5, 2010

Child art is the drawing, paintings and other artistic works created by children. It is also referred to as “children’s art” or the “art of children”.

The term “child art” also has a parallel and different usage in the world of contemporary fine art, where a sub-genre of artists who depict children in their works, so did Pakistan Post by issuing a Postage stamp depicting painting by the children through a competition.

It started in 2008 when the Stamp Society of Pakistan organized a National Stamp Exhibition jointly sponsored by Dawn Group, Philatelic Federation of Pakistan and Pakistan Post Office based on FIAP Rules from 23 to 25 February, 2008. The Exhibition was titled “PAKISTAN 2008” celebrating “60 years of Stamp Issue of Pakistan”, at Expo Centre, Karachi. It was held within the “Life Style Exhibition” by Dawn Group.

The National Philatelic Exhibition coupled with Spot Youth Painting Competition which was divided in two age groups. Rup “A” for children fro6 t 10 years old and group “B” from 11 to 15 years.

This competition was announced in the news papers, and a large number of children from all major school of Karachi participated in the competition along with their teachers and parents in 2008.

The Jury found that in the paintings cultural influence was more important and the Children not only drew paintings related to life, but also copy images from their surroundings. They drew copies of cartoons. Children also become more aware of the political situation of the country as they depicted the same in their paintings.

On the occasion of National Stamp Exhibition Kurrachee June 25 to 27, 2010, Mr. Fazli Sattar Khan Additional Director General, Pakistan Post witnessed painting competition. As a Chief Guest he acknowledged the efforts of the Stamp Society and the Federation in its multiple role for disseminating the knowledge and awareness of philately in the Country, its representation in the international forum and simultaneously encouraging the younger generation in appreciating our cultural heritage. The Jury along with Pakistan Post and Stamp Society of Pakistan selected the Art Works of the children and decided that these paintings be preserved by depicting them in Special Postage Stamps Series of Pakistan.

Stamp Society of Pakistan among the pioneer Philatelic Society of Pakistan with over 250 members has been proactive in disseminating the knowledge and aw2areness through regular exhibitions for the last five exhibitions in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 in collaboration with Dawn Lifestyle and Philatelic Federation of Pakistan is getting popular. A number of new stamp collectors got rejuvenated as they have participated in the Asian and International Exhibition.

On the occasion of National Stamp Exhibition titled “PAKISTAN 2010” which is scheduled to be held from 7 – 9 November 2010, at the Expo Centre in Karachi, a stamp is being issued from the selected paintings.

This is second such event that the paintings selected from a live student Art Competition is being depicted on the stamps of Pakistan; the earlier event was 31 years ago on October 22, 1979, when a set of 4 stamps and a Miniature Sheet was issued from the selected art works of the children.

The combined team work of Pakistan Post and the member of the Stamp Society of Pakistan and the officials of Philatelic Federation of Pakistan who took keen interest in organizing the event are highly acknowledged.

Canada 2010 beneficial insects low value definitives

On October 19th, 2010, Canada Post began issuing a new series of low-value definitives featuring beneficial insects.

This is the second issue with such a theme. The new denominations on these defintives will certainly help when it comes to calculating the correct postage for letters and packages according to the new Canada Post rates.

The series of 5 stamps features the paper wasp, assassin bug, large milkweed bug, the dogbane beetle and the margined leatherwing. All of these friendly insects, despite the sound of some of their names, are appreciated by farmers and gardeners alike. Featuring bright, almost luminescent colours, these stamps will be sure to please collectors.

Come fire, flood or acts of God: the collection of stamps that never made it

Grosvenor Auctions is offering a selection of philatelic rarities including some interrupted mail

Early next month, Grosvenor is bringing a vast sale for rare stamps collectors and investors to savour. Over 1,500 lots are going under the hammer, from the collections of 87 owners.

It should prove to be just as interesting as their 'Victory' collection sale of the postal history of Malta, which offered many fascinating glimpses into the island's history, especially during the Napoleonic Wars.

It's impossible to cover all the themes involved in the sale, but one interesting example is the collection of Gennaro Anthony Santangelo.

Jerry Santangelo discovered philately at the age of 12 in 1941 when he took a sharp fall and was in traction for six months. During this time his mother bought him a stamp album, and this kindled an interest in philately that ended only with his death in 2009.

Throughout his distinguished academic career and more so in his retirement he collected philatelic items.

His collection was displayed in Milan, Japan, Israel and numerous other international shows, attracting several national and international gold medals and regularly revised as he acquired fresh material and changed focus in his research.

The theme was interrupted mail: those (relatively) rare postmasters' failures which fail to reach their destination, or at least take a long detour, especially as the result of a catastrophe. Generally, the lots have a somewhat modest set of estimates given their stories.

One source of interrupted mail is air crashes. Santangelo depleted his collection of these to fund other parts of this collection, but nevertheless there is a set dating from 1928 to 1974, with items from a Catapult plane forced down in the Scilly Isles with small two line cachet "Mail rescued at Sea from Plane/Abandoned 400 miles from Paris" from the former.

Other examples include a flying boat Courtier envelope sent from Jerusalem to Poland and even a diplomatic envelope from Ecuador to Washington with the type "Received August 5, 1937 in airmail pouch from American Legation at Montevideo, Uruguay."

The whole group is expected to sell for £1,500-1,700 which seems very cheap - they would make an excellent investment at that price.

The pick of the ship wrecks section may be an 1899 (July 30) envelope from Frankfort, U.S.A. to Manila, bearing the three line cachet "DAMAGED MAIL/off S.S. Morgan City/Manila P.I, 9-19-99".

Morgan City interrupted mail

The Morgan City, a troopship, went down of the south east coast of Japan at Innosimo. The mail could not be removed at the time of sinking but was later salvaged by divers. Water damaged and with the stamp washed off, it is thought to be one of only five examples known, and tamely priced at £2,000-3,000.

Finally, there is an 1879 (Dec. 28) Tay Bridge Disaster envelope from Forres (Dec. 27) to Aberdeen (Dec. 29). The train fell into the River Tay when the railway bridge collapsed on the evening of December 28th with the loss of all seventy-five people on board.

Two mailbags were washed ashore and were taken to Dundee to be dried, which included thecover on offer here. An extremely rare and interesting item from the most infamous railway disaster in British history and one of only eight examples which have been recorded it is offered at £1,800-2,000.

Grosvenor's sale takes place on December 9-10 in London. Alternatively, collectors may look here for a series of rare stamps

Christmas 2010 – Estonia

Estonia post will issue a set of stamps to celebrate the Christmas this year.

Fluffy snowflakes are playfully swirling up and down. „The evening has somehow become very quiet,“ I tell them and put two small gingerbreads into my mouth.

On that day there is something extraordinary taking place everywhere. It is a mixture of pumpkin jam and black pudding, spruce needles and brisk air, candles and presents packed into colourful paper. I sit on the sledge, holding my bag in front of me and merrily slide down the hillock. „There seem to be more of you than usual,“ I tell the stars and eat another gingerbread. Santa’s helpers march across the icebound lake, I pat them on their shoulders and run home. The others are waiting for me already. Happy Christmas!


Title: Christmas 2010 – Estonia
Date of Issue: 25 November 2010
Country: Estonia
Denominations: 5.50, 9.00

US Postal Service reveals designs for 2011 space stamps

Alan Shepard will be depicted on a 2011 U.S. postage stamp wearing the silver spacesuit in which he made history as the first American astronaut to fly into space.

The stamp's design, which was quietly released last week by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), shows Shepard from his shoulders up centered between images of his rocket lifting off and his capsule above the Earth.

Opposite the astronaut's portrait on an adjoining stamp, an artist's rendering shows NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft orbiting the planet Mercury.

The pair - or "se-tenant" - of space-themed stamps was revealed in the USPS's annual report for 2010, which was posted to the postal service's website Nov. 15. The two stamps are displayed with other commemoratives planned for next year as a lead in to the report's financial section.

As first announced by the USPS in August, the stamps - titled "Alan Shepard: First American in Space" and "First Spacecraft to Orbit Mercury" - were designed by science fiction artist Donato Giancola, who worked with former Air & Space magazine art director Phil Jordan.

Timed to coincide with MESSENGER becoming the first spacecraft to enter orbit about Mercury on March 18, 2011 and the 50th anniversary of Shepard's Mercury-Redstone 3 flight on May 5, the stamps are the first space-themed releases by the USPS in more than a decade.

In addition, the Shepard stamp will mark the first time the U.S. has honored an astronaut with his own postage.