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Stamps of Bruce Henderson

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Category: Cinderella Stamps
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Topic: Stamps of Bruce Henderson
Posted By: Steve
Subject: Stamps of Bruce Henderson
Date Posted: 18 September 2016 at 22:28
I was very pleased to get a nice batch of stamps and covers of Occussi-Ambeno (see below) as a bargain batch. These were produced by a guy called Bruce Henderson, who is responsible for a wide range of fictitious places for over 25 years. There is an ongoing series of articles in the Cinderella Philatelist currently by Geir Sǿr-Reime, a Norwegian who I had the pleasure to meet the other day.




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Replies:
Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 18 September 2016 at 22:39
Bruce has responsible for a number of different bogus territories, all with a history, and all interlinked. These include Kemp Land, Mevu and Port Maria - too many to list here. But I hope to add to the collection and post finds here with explanations. But those interested should read Geir's articles.

However I was surprised to discover, after the first article, that I already had some of Bruce's stamps in my colllection. These date back to 1968 and I obtained them while they were in production. They were a true hoax isue, claiming to be a Bicycle Post run by schoolkids in a New Zealand town. Below is the full set of Timaru Cycle Post stamps.



I recently saw just three of these for sale at £50! I hope adding to a collection of Bruce's material will be a fraction of these prices.

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Posted By: Post Box
Date Posted: 22 September 2016 at 23:54
Bargain, congratulations Steve!

Stamps produced over 25 years ago were so much harder to get printed and perforated.  No disrespect intended to the modern desk-top publishing era of stamp producers but in that time it was no small task to organise a small print run of stampsheets in colour, just for your own entertainment, a hoax, or simply your 'art'.

Funny how the same themes crop up over the years but among different stamp-makers..... penguins, roses, egypt, rockets, airships, hearts, trains and bikes!



Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 22 September 2016 at 23:57
Originally posted by Post Box Post Box wrote:

Bargain, congratulations Steve!

Stamps produced over 25 years ago were so much harder to get printed and perforated.  No disrespect intended to the modern desk-top publishing era of stamp producers but in that time it was no small task to organise a small print run of stampsheets in colour, just for your own entertainment, a hoax, or simply your 'art'.

Funny how the same themes crop up over the years but among different stamp-makers..... penguins, roses, egypt, rockets, airships, hearts, trains and bikes!



... and lighthouses and sprawling naked women...


Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 26 September 2016 at 12:19
Originally posted by Sprake Sprake wrote:

Originally posted by Post Box Post Box wrote:

Bargain, congratulations Steve!

Stamps produced over 25 years ago were so much harder to get printed and perforated.  No disrespect intended to the modern desk-top publishing era of stamp producers but in that time it was no small task to organise a small print run of stampsheets in colour, just for your own entertainment, a hoax, or simply your 'art'.

Funny how the same themes crop up over the years but among different stamp-makers..... penguins, roses, egypt, rockets, airships, hearts, trains and bikes!



... and lighthouses and sprawling naked women...


and which issuing authority hasn't been guilty of either?

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Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 11 November 2016 at 15:16
Bruce lives in Auckland now and trades as Imperial Stamp Co. I've had a few dealings with him in the past. Here's one cover he sent to me awhile back. It has a bike post and free Tibet Cinderella. 

This is my old address - I've moved since then


Bruce on his bike and of his photos of an orchid (2009)


The famous autograph, and the same stamp



Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 11 November 2016 at 15:20
I bought these Cinderellas from Bruce some time ago. I'm not sure if he made them for Qantas - Spirit of Australia




Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 11 November 2016 at 15:22
I think this is more of his handiwork




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 01 April 2017 at 15:47
Hello, I am Bruce Henderson, philatelist, of Auckland in New Zealand.

I became a philatelist at age 9, and a printer at age 13.

Fusing these two interests meant I needed a vehicle to hang my creations on, and so dreamed up the concept of an imaginary sultanate in tropical Asia: http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/kdpn1.htm" rel="nofollow - - Occussi-Ambeno began in 1968,and has issued stamps each year since.  In 2008, we celebrated our 40th anniversary of independence from Portugal, the former colonial overlord, which makes O-A among the oldest fantasy lands around.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/Waikoa-2014-picts-M_zpsqwt7ihth.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">

My first fantasy land was http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Waikoa-1.htm" rel="nofollow - Waikoa Island , in 1965.  It celebrated it's half-century in 2015.


As I’ve grown older, and technology has improved, I have always taken advantage of whatever is around to enhance the life and productions of my fantasy land.  For instance, I recently did a bookbinding course, and whilst there, produced passports for O-A.



When a teenager, I collected “the world”, but later, sold my collection and headed off for overseas experience.  I had a few years in amazing Australia, living in Bondi, NSW, Cairns, Far North Queensland, and Perth, WA for a while, but didn’t meet any philatelists while there (not that I was particularly looking).  After returning to NZ, I resumed philately in the 90s, and today, concentrate on the stamps of

Zanzibar, Katanga, South Kasai, Samoa, Lundy, Austria, Tuva, Bahamas, and Cayman Islands, and have managed to form great collections of all these lands.  And recently, I've started on Hungary.

When I was at high school, I was introduced to http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/kdpn1.htm" rel="nofollow - letterpress , a most wonderful print medium with which I have remained fascinated  (commonly called “typography” or “surface printing” by stamp catalogues.)  

Upon leaving school, I bought my first press, an English-made Adana 8 x 5, which I still have.  More recently, I was fortunate to be given a Heidelberg platen press: the Rolls-Royce of printing machines.

This press is fully automatic and produced most stamps of O-A and some other friendly lands for many years, until the modern digital era, when I got a laser-printer, and moved to full-colour stamps.  In 1986, I was offered an old 1896 treadle perforating machine, so bought that, making me self-sufficient in stamp production.

Today, I continue to design and print the odd few O-A stamps, but also print stamps for many other fantasy lands, as well as Cinderella issues for any clubs and people I can assist.  Like a stamp with you, your child, grandchild, or pet?  

Just email me details and photos, and I will be happy to help.  (Some mint recent commem sets of your country or minisheets are the preferred barter for such services.)



And of course, I am happy to correspond with anyone keen on the lands I collect.  Catch me on bh (at) graphic-designer . com

Some of you may have read my "biography" in the "Cinderella Philatelist" written by Geir Sor-Reime, but sadly, he condensed this article too much and missed a lot of important detail.   The full version is here as a pdf (but without the photos):
  https://deref-mail.com/mail/client/W6EMJV6dcAs/dereferrer/?redirectUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Fcountry%2Fmevu%2FGeir-article-on-BRH.pdf" rel="nofollow - http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Geir-article-on-BRH.pdf

regards, Bruce.



Great to see that 1968 set of Timaru Bike Post locals illustrated earlier in this thread! Those stamps now fetch high prices in New Zealand dealer auctions.  Sadly I no longer have a set myself.



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 01 April 2017 at 16:34
I am happy to print & perforate stamps for anyone.  The gauge is perf 12.

I prefer small runs, where you want only a few dozen or a few hundred.  If you want many thousands, go to http://www.delarue.com/" rel="nofollow - De la Rue in London .

It is best if you email me the photos you want used, and describe what values each should be and what colour frame around the edge.  If there are several in the set, they can go in a minisheet together, such as this one (which I have recently done for a client in Christchurch):

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/Marama-sht-2017SB-sized_zpsp50yc2ck.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Timaru 2017 centenary of the visit of the Hospital Ship "Marama" to Timaru. Set of two stamps, laser-printed, and perf 12.

In this example, the stamp dealer who ordered these emailed me some postcards showing the views of the ship, and I then composed them into the two stamps.  Quantity done = 300.  Sold at the Timaru Stamp Fair; a few extras possibly available from Shades Stamp Shop, P.O. Box 10-122, Christchurch 8145, New Zealand, at $6 per sheet, plus postage.

Like something similar yourself?  Happy to assist!  :D

regards, Bruce.

=================



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 01 April 2017 at 20:32
How about I display all my productions (bit by bit, as time permits) on this thread?

regards, Bruce.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/Waikoa-2014-proofs_zpsws658qm8.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 02 April 2017 at 13:18
I've had some feedback from folks saying that the pdf link in my intro does not work.

Sorry about that:  I am unsure why it won't work.  Best way I can suggest is to copy the link,
  https://deref-mail.com/mail/client/W6EMJV6dcAs/dereferrer/?redirectUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Fcountry%2Fmevu%2FGeir-article-on-BRH.pdf" rel="nofollow - http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Geir-article-on-BRH.pdf

and paste this into your browser.  It should then either open or automatically download on to your "downloads".

I was very cross with Geir for abridging the series so much, and also remonstrated with the http://www.cinderellastampclub.org.uk/" rel="nofollow - CSC committee for publishing such an inferior version.  This means that they have not got the most accurate version possible, which for a journal like the http://www.cinderellastampclub.org.uk/" rel="nofollow - Cinderella Philatelist should be the goal.  But they said they were constrained by the author-publisher relationship with Geir, which gave him final say over what was printed.

regards, Bruce.

=============


Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 04 April 2017 at 17:40
I received  a nice cover and contents from Bruce yesterday.
Thanks Bruce - I sent some Takangarika Island Post to your box.





Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 07 April 2017 at 11:01
Nice cover (with contents) this morning from Bruce - from Free Vinland Republic
Thanks Bruce - greatly appreciated.





Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 19 April 2017 at 03:28

HOW TO START YOUR OWN COUNTRY:

Some of you may have wondered about how to start a new nation.  Let me give an interesting case history: the saga of Bijzland.

A good friend lives in a rural utopia an hour's drive north of Auckland, and works as a mail-order stamp dealer.  A few years ago, he decided to start a fantasy land: Japhyland, and I printed a stamp issue for him (which he designed), printed him some nice FDCs, and made him a rubber datestamp. He seldom sells these, as being a dealer, he prefers to offer his clients only "respectable" stamps. (But if you want some of these, send an inquiry letter with some mint recent commemorative sets in trade, and you could get lucky!)

A year later, to celebrate his birthday, another mutual friend sent me a dozen early photos of Japhyland's founder, going back to his youth days, and asked me to do a Japhyland set using these.  So the set was printed, perfed, and secretly brought along to the celebration party, then a big package of minisheets was presented to Japhyland's founder.  He fished out his datestamp, stuck the stamps on covers and postmarked them, and one was given to each guest.

The foregoing is an aside to the main story here.  At the birthday, I was chatting with my pal's young son, Brynn, then aged 11.  He said that he had contemplated starting a fantasy land himself, called Bijzland.  Intrigued, I asked him to write it down (as the spelling is tricky.)  I asked him the location, and he told me it is "an island off the coast of Russia."  I told him that was quite amazing, for Russian has a character in the alphabet that pronounces "zh" which can only be used in words such as "Bijzland".  I told him I'd see what I could do in the way of making him some stamps.

So after returning home, I went through my old photos and located a couple of Brynn from the time when his dad and I (with Brynn) attended the https://www.armageddonexpo.com/General-Info/Auckland/" rel="nofollow - Science-fiction convention in Auckland.  Brynn was especially enthusiastic to meet one of his heroes, the actor who plays https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DiMaggio" rel="nofollow - Bender the Robot , from the TV comedy series " http://https:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futurama" rel="nofollow - Futurama ."  He queued up to meet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DiMaggio" rel="nofollow - Bender and get his autograph, and I took a photo of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DiMaggio" rel="nofollow - Bender as he was signing the autograph for Brynn.


http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-11-2k-best_zpsuwfi5j7z.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Brynn, aged 11, on the first issue of Bijzland, 2011.


The other two stamps in the first issue showed a rather blurry sideface portrait of Brynn on the 1 kopeck, and " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DiMaggio" rel="nofollow - Bender " on the 12k.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-11-1k_zps6bzpgfvg.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Brynn again, on the 1k stamp of 2011.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-11-12k_zpsdthmkgbq.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
"Bender" signs his name, with other celebrities in the background. Although the stamp was issued in 2011, it shows "2010" on the stamp, as that was the year the convention where bender signed was held.


Brynn gave away minisheets of his stamps to his friends at school, and I also made him a rubber postmark:

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/cvr-17_zpseu6eigbb.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Bijzland 2017 cover to West Papua. Note the bilingual datestamp.


Finding a Russian font was tricky, but I got there in the end.  I have printed him some other commemoratives over the years since, but as he has grown older, his interests have moved more into "gadgets", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_game" rel="nofollow - “online games” , and "girls", as many teenage boys do.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-11-Gagarin_zpsbdncgqqh.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">

Bijzland 2011 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first voyage into Space.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-13-snakeYr_zps1wt9jqmr.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Bijzland 2013 Year of the Snake.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-14-Valentines_zpscs4hrtk6.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Bijzland 2014 Valentine's Day.


There was a similar Valentine's Day stamp in 2012: that one was a 12k value.  The Valentine stamps have been very popular with some of my friends for using on cards each February!

Like any Bijzland stamps and covers yourself?  Drop Brynn a line at

Bijzland Information Service,
P.O. Box 257,
Mangawhai,
New Zealand 0540.


I recommend enclose some stamps (attractive modern commemorative sets and minisheets of your country are best), and request some Bijzland in exchange.  If you feel inclined to make suggestions for new issues while writing, your favorite thematic topic may yet figure on a Bijzland stamp! Wink



Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 19 April 2017 at 11:38
Thanks for the info Bruce.

I'm currently working on Takangarika Island which is situated off the west coast of NZ.

You can clearly spot Takangarika Island on this 1d  NZ stamp from 1923 - its just off the west coast of the south island near Haast. 

This is currently the only known copy of this stamp still showing the island - all others were probably recalled and destroyed. Of course as usual a few slipped through the net! 

Interestingly the island does not appear on any modern maps - but as you see it is definitely there.

The mystery continues






Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 19 April 2017 at 12:08
It is interesting to find out the different perspectives that fantasy (in all shades of the spectrum) come from. We all have our own ideas on this, and all (well perhaps not quite all) are perfectly valid.

Do you need to create your own nation? Yes and no. A 'new' nation helps to define what the stamps are about, but this could be a ball and chain. A nation needs a map, a government and people. The more you do the more you need not to contradict what you have already said or done.

For me a good backstory to the issues is paramount. You can weave a story linking issues, and take it steady. Just keep the ideas coming.

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Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 20 April 2017 at 16:45
More covers that Bruce has sent me (thanks again Bruce).

Waikoa Island





Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 20 April 2017 at 16:47
..........and one from Bijzland to The President, Takangarika Island






Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 22 April 2017 at 18:40
When printing stamps, I prefer to do them in small compact miniature sheets, so that they can easily fit on a standard album page.
(How would anybody ever display a big sheet of 100 or 240 stamps?  Those are totally unfriendly!)

Small sheets are also easy to post: an important consideration in an era where postage is charged by size of envelope.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-11-first-set-MS-forumsize_zpspzslx8qb.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Bijzland 2011 first issue: Brynn and Bender, and my first stamps with Russian inscriptions.

http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-11-Gagarin-MS-forumsize_zps7ljuqgv9.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Bijzland 2011 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first space flight.

Quote Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Russian https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Air_Forces" rel="nofollow - Soviet pilot and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmonaut" rel="nofollow - cosmonaut . He was the first human to journey into https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_space" rel="nofollow - outer space , when his https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostok_%28spacecraft%29" rel="nofollow - Vostok https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft" rel="nofollow - spacecraft completed an https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit" rel="nofollow - orbit of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth" rel="nofollow - Earth on 12 April 1961.

Gagarin became an international celebrity, and was awarded many medals and titles, including https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_of_the_Soviet_Union" rel="nofollow - Hero of the Soviet Union , the nation's highest honour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostok_1" rel="nofollow - Vostok 1 marked his only spaceflight, but he served as backup crew to the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_1" rel="nofollow - Soyuz 1 mission (which ended in a fatal crash). Gagarin later became deputy training director of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Gagarin_Cosmonaut_Training_Center" rel="nofollow - Cosmonaut Training Centre outside https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow" rel="nofollow - Moscow , which was later named after him. Gagarin died in 1968 when the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-15" rel="nofollow - MiG-15 training jet he was piloting crashed. The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration_A%C3%A9ronautique_Internationale" rel="nofollow - Fédération Aéronautique Internationale awards the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_A._Gagarin_Gold_Medal" rel="nofollow - Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal in his honor.


http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-12-titanic-MS-forumsize_zpsvrwfgwpv.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Bijzland 2012 Centenary of the "Titanic" launch and demise.

Quote RMS Titanic was a British https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_%28passenger_ship%29" rel="nofollow - passenger liner that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_RMS_Titanic" rel="nofollow - sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early morning of 15 April 1912, after colliding with an https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceberg" rel="nofollow - iceberg during her https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_voyage" rel="nofollow - maiden voyage from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southampton" rel="nofollow - Southampton to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" rel="nofollow - New York City . Of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_RMS_Titanic#Casualties_and_survivors" rel="nofollow - estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 died, making it one of the deadliest commercial https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_maritime_disasters#Peacetime_disasters" rel="nofollow - peacetime maritime disasters in modern history. The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_worlds_longest_ships" rel="nofollow - largest ship afloat at the time it entered service, the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Mail_Ship" rel="nofollow - RMS Titanic was the second of three https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic-class_ocean_liner" rel="nofollow - Olympic class ocean liners operated by the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Star_Line" rel="nofollow - White Star Line , and was built by the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harland_and_Wolff" rel="nofollow - Harland and Wolff shipyard in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast" rel="nofollow - Belfast . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Andrews_%28shipbuilder%29" rel="nofollow - Thomas Andrews , her architect, died in the disaster.

Under the command of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Smith_%28sea_captain%29" rel="nofollow - Edward Smith , who https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_captain_goes_down_with_the_ship" rel="nofollow - went down with the ship , Titanic carried some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as hundreds of emigrants from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland" rel="nofollow - Great Britain and Ireland , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavia" rel="nofollow - Scandinavia and elsewhere throughout Europe seeking a new life in North America. The first-class accommodation was designed to be the pinnacle of comfort and luxury, with an on-board gymnasium, swimming pool, libraries, high-class restaurants and opulent cabins. A high-power https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_telegraphy" rel="nofollow - radiotelegraph transmitter was available for sending passenger "marconigrams" and for the ship's operational use. Although Titanic had advanced safety features such as watertight compartments and remotely activated watertight doors, there were not enough https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboat_%28shipboard%29" rel="nofollow - lifeboats to accommodate all of those aboard, due to outdated maritime safety regulations. Titanic only carried enough lifeboats for 1,178 people—slightly more than half of the number on board, and one third of her total capacity. The Titanic had plenty of time to miss the iceberg but the helmsman panicked and turned the wrong way. Incompetence and blunder were the reasons for the disaster.

The error on the ship's maiden voyage from Southampton to New York happened because there were two different steering systems, with different commands attached to each. This was because of the upheaval involving conversion from sail to steam-powered ships. Some of the crew were used to the archaic Tiller Orders (associated with sailing ships) while others to the more modern Rudder Orders. Crucially, the two systems were the complete opposite of one another: a command to turn "Hard a-starboard" meant turn right under the Tiller system, but left under the Rudder.

When First Officer William Murdoch spotted the iceberg two miles away, his "Hard a-starboard" order was misinterpreted by the Quartermaster, Robert Hitchins. He turned the ship right instead of left, and though he was quickly told to correct it, it was too late, and the side of the starboard bow was ripped out by the iceberg. The Chairman of the Board of the ship owner White Star Line, J.B. Ismay, who was on the ship, persuaded the captain to continue steaming ahead, and this added enormously to water pressure flooding through the damaged hull. Had the ship stopped, it would not have sunk for many more hours, allowing everyone to be rescued by other ships. Because of Ismay's arrogant stupidity, the sinking of Titanic caused the deaths of 1,514 people in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.

Ismay made sure he was among those who got on a lifeboat, leaving 1,514 to perish in the icy sea. He was widely castigated as a coward thereafter, and resigned his chairmanship of the shipping line in 1913. He died in 1937.


http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/bijz-14-Valentine-MS-forumsize_zpsuy2qwlpj.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Bijzland 2014 Valentine's Day.

Quote Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is an annual https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday" rel="nofollow - holiday celebrated on February 14. It originated as a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity" rel="nofollow - Western https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity" rel="nofollow - Christian https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_liturgy" rel="nofollow - liturgical feast day honoring one or more early https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint" rel="nofollow - saints named https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine" rel="nofollow - Valentinus , and is recognized as a significant cultural and commercial celebration in many regions around the world, although it is not a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holiday" rel="nofollow - public holiday in any country.

Several https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_martyr" rel="nofollow - martyrdom stories associated with the various Valentines that were connected to February 14 were added to later https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrology" rel="nofollow - martyrologies , including a popular https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiographical" rel="nofollow - hagiographical account of Saint Valentine of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome" rel="nofollow - Rome which indicated he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire" rel="nofollow - persecuted under the Roman Empire . According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legendary_material_in_Christian_hagiography" rel="nofollow - legend , during his imprisonment, Saint Valentine healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius, and before his execution, he wrote her a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell.

The day first became associated with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_%28love%29" rel="nofollow - romantic love within the circle of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer" rel="nofollow - Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, when the tradition of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtly_love" rel="nofollow - courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intimate_relationship" rel="nofollow - lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confectionery" rel="nofollow - confectionery , and sending https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeting_card" rel="nofollow - greeting cards (known as "valentines").


Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 23 April 2017 at 03:39
I have always gone for A5 sized sheets, but for the same reasons.

-------------
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Discworld-Stamp-Collector/809424215750892" rel="nofollow - The Discworld Stamp Collector on FaceBook Have a look!


Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 28 April 2017 at 04:46
Originally posted by Steve Steve wrote:

Bruce has responsible for a number of different bogus territories, all with a history, and all interlinked. These include Kemp Land, Mevu and Port Maria - too many to list here. But I hope to add to the collection and post finds here with explanations. But those interested should read Geir's articles.

However I was surprised to discover, after the first article, that I already had some of Bruce's stamps in my colllection. These date back to 1968 and I obtained them while they were in production. They were a true hoax isue, claiming to be a Bicycle Post run by schoolkids in a New Zealand town. Below is the full set of Timaru Cycle Post stamps.



I recently saw just three of these for sale at £50! I hope adding to a collection of Bruce's material will be a fraction of these prices.


Bruce tells me that a full set of these went for $1,500 by auction recently. Why on earth didn't I splash out on 2 or 3 sets way back then?

-------------
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Discworld-Stamp-Collector/809424215750892" rel="nofollow - The Discworld Stamp Collector on FaceBook Have a look!


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 28 April 2017 at 04:55
Collectors down through the ages have always regretted not buying "more" of stamps that later shoot up in value. Confused

But the main reason why some stamps DO shoot up in value is because few people did buy them. On the other hand, most collectors I know have piles of random stamps they have bought, which will never achieve any decent re-sale.  Sic transit philatelia! Wink




Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 28 April 2017 at 07:48
Good fun to see the re-enactment of the post acted out in true fashion.



-------------
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Discworld-Stamp-Collector/809424215750892" rel="nofollow - The Discworld Stamp Collector on FaceBook Have a look!


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 28 April 2017 at 21:08
Funny story behind that photo. You will notice that the Mayor and the postie are both smiling at the camera, while I am gritting my teeth and worried. We were all riding on the footpath in front of the ornate City Council palace, and the photographer was perched right on the edge of the path. So I had to avoid smiling at the camera and concentrate on not crashing into the photographer nor steering the bike into the gutter!  Hence no smile from me.

But I can smile now, as the exhibition went really well.  And the "re-enactment bike-ride" got lots of covereage in the local newspaper over 2 days, which probably helped steer visitors to the exhibition. Smile

For New Zealand's big national stamp exhibition the following year (at Palmerston North), I wrote to the organisers offering to do a similar bike-ride at the opening (and print special cinderella stamps for it), for the media.  But they responded saying no thanks, as they had already arranged with a Chinese member of parliament, Pansy Wong, to liase with the media and do all the necessary public relations.

But a week or so before that show opened, Pansy was implicated in some scandal involving her husband and some corrupt deals in China, so had to resign from parliament, so the exhibition ended up getting absolutely NO media coverage at all! Ouch

Moral of the story: If you are involved with a public show, ALWAYS have some interesting event for the media! Tongue


Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 29 April 2017 at 22:25
Thanks Bruce for the Waikoa Cover and contents - greatly appreciated.




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 13 May 2017 at 14:07
http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/inzander33/media/Japhyland-11-FDC_zpsvu4cdto8.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
Japhyland 2011 40th birthday of Grant, the Japhyland head honcho, on a signed FDC.  The silver text at the left of the cover is thermography, a heat-embossing process, which makes it look like cast metal.

I mentioned Japhyland stamps earlier, and here are some of the set showing Japhyland's founder.  His son runs Bijzland, which has been slightly more stampiferous. 

This set was a "surprise" birthday present for Grant: one of his friends sourced the photos, sent them to me, and I printed the stamps and FDCs in secret, and presented them to Grant at the party.  He then affixed stamps to the covers, and fetched his postmark out and cancelled them, then each guest was presented with a signed autographed cover.

I think there were ten (or maybe 12) stamps in the set, so after tearing up the sheets, each FDC got 5 random stamps affixed, as the small envelopes could not fit the full set.

Any collectors seeking these could write to the Bijzland Agency address mentioned earlier, but address it to Japhyland Information Service. I'm sure he would be amenable to trading some. Wink


Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 14 May 2017 at 17:24
.......here's and interesting cover from Berenku. 
(NZ Post missed postmarking the local stamps)




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 July 2017 at 05:05
Hello, I am Bruce Henderson, philatelist, of Auckland in New Zealand.

I became a philatelist at age 9, and a printer at age 13.

Fusing these two interests meant I needed a vehicle to hang my creations on, and so dreamed up the concept of an imaginary sultanate in tropical Asia: http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/kdpn1.htm" rel="nofollow - - Occussi-Ambeno began in 1968,and has issued stamps each year since.  In 2008, we celebrated our 40th anniversary of independence from Portugal, the former colonial overlord, which makes O-A among the oldest fantasy lands around.



My first fantasy land was http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Waikoa-1.htm" rel="nofollow - Waikoa Island , in 1965.  It celebrated it's half-century in 2015.



As I’ve grown older, and technology has improved, I have always taken advantage of whatever is around to enhance the life and productions of my fantasy land.  For instance, I recently did a bookbinding course, and whilst there, produced passports for O-A.



When a teenager, I collected “the world”, but later, sold my collection and headed off for overseas experience.  I had a few years in amazing Australia, living in Bondi, NSW, Cairns, Far North Queensland, and Perth, WA for a while, but didn’t meet any philatelists while there (not that I was particularly looking).  After returning to NZ, I resumed philately in the 90s, and today, concentrate on the stamps of

Zanzibar, Katanga, South Kasai, Samoa, Lundy, Austria, Tuva, Bahamas, and Cayman Islands, and have managed to form great collections of all these lands.  And recently, I've started on Hungary.

When I was at high school, I was introduced to http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/kdpn1.htm" rel="nofollow - letterpress , a most wonderful print medium with which I have remained fascinated  (commonly called “typography” or “surface printing” by stamp catalogues.)  

Upon leaving school, I bought my first press, an English-made Adana 8 x 5, which I still have.  More recently, I was fortunate to be given a Heidelberg platen press: the Rolls-Royce of printing machines.

This press is fully automatic and produced most stamps of O-A and some other friendly lands for many years, until the modern digital era, when I got a laser-printer, and moved to full-colour stamps.  In 1986, I was offered an old 1896 treadle perforating machine, so bought that, making me self-sufficient in stamp production.

Today, I continue to design and print the odd few O-A stamps, but also print stamps for many other fantasy lands, as well as Cinderella issues for any clubs and people I can assist.  Like a stamp with you, your child, grandchild, or pet?  

Just email me details and photos, and I will be happy to help.  (Some mint recent commem sets of your country or minisheets are the preferred barter for such services.)



And of course, I am happy to correspond with anyone keen on the lands I collect.  Catch me on bh (at) graphic-designer . com

Some of you may have read my "biography" in the "Cinderella Philatelist" written by Geir Sor-Reime, but sadly, he condensed this article too much and missed a lot of important detail.   The full version is here as a pdf (but without the photos):
  https://deref-mail.com/mail/client/W6EMJV6dcAs/dereferrer/?redirectUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Fcountry%2Fmevu%2FGeir-article-on-BRH.pdf" rel="nofollow - http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Geir-article-on-BRH.pdf

regards, Bruce.



Great to see that 1968 set of Timaru Bike Post locals illustrated earlier in this thread! Those stamps now fetch high prices in New Zealand dealer auctions.  Sadly I no longer have a set myself.




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 July 2017 at 05:07
I am happy to print & perforate stamps for anyone.  The gauge is perf 12.

I prefer small runs, where you want only a few dozen or a few hundred.  If you want many thousands, go to http://www.delarue.com/" rel="nofollow - De la Rue in London .

It is best if you email me the photos you want used, and describe what values each should be and what colour frame around the edge.  If there are several in the set, they can go in a minisheet together, such as this one (which I have recently done for a client in Christchurch):


Timaru 2017 centenary of the visit of the Hospital Ship "Marama" to Timaru. Set of two stamps, laser-printed, and perf 12.

In this example, the stamp dealer who ordered these emailed me some postcards showing the views of the ship, and I then composed them into the two stamps.  Quantity done = 300.  Sold at the Timaru Stamp Fair; a few extras possibly available from Shades Stamp Shop, P.O. Box 10-122, Christchurch 8145, New Zealand, at $6 per sheet, plus postage.

Like something similar yourself?  Happy to assist!  :D

regards, Bruce.

=================



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 July 2017 at 05:09
How about I display all my productions (bit by bit, as time permits) on this thread?

regards, Bruce.





Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 July 2017 at 05:17

HOW TO START YOUR OWN COUNTRY:

Some of you may have wondered about how to start a new nation.  Let me give an interesting case history: the saga of Bijzland.

A good friend lives in a rural utopia an hour's drive north of Auckland, and works as a mail-order stamp dealer.  A few years ago, he decided to start a fantasy land: Japhyland, and I printed a stamp issue for him (which he designed), printed him some nice FDCs, and made him a rubber datestamp. He seldom sells these, as being a dealer, he prefers to offer his clients only "respectable" stamps. (But if you want some of these, send an inquiry letter with some mint recent commemorative sets in trade, and you could get lucky!)

A year later, to celebrate his birthday, another mutual friend sent me a dozen early photos of Japhyland's founder, going back to his youth days, and asked me to do a Japhyland set using these.  So the set was printed, perfed, and secretly brought along to the celebration party, then a big package of minisheets was presented to Japhyland's founder.  He fished out his datestamp, stuck the stamps on covers and postmarked them, and one was given to each guest.

The foregoing is an aside to the main story here.  At the birthday, I was chatting with my pal's young son, Brynn, then aged 11.  He said that he had contemplated starting a fantasy land himself, called Bijzland.  Intrigued, I asked him to write it down (as the spelling is tricky.)  I asked him the location, and he told me it is "an island off the coast of Russia."  I told him that was quite amazing, for Russian has a character in the alphabet that pronounces "zh" which can only be used in words such as "Bijzland".  I told him I'd see what I could do in the way of making him some stamps.

So after returning home, I went through my old photos and located a couple of Brynn from the time when his dad and I (with Brynn) attended the https://www.armageddonexpo.com/General-Info/Auckland/" rel="nofollow - Science-fiction convention in Auckland.  Brynn was especially enthusiastic to meet one of his heroes, the actor who plays https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DiMaggio" rel="nofollow - Bender the Robot , from the TV comedy series " http://https:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futurama" rel="nofollow - Futurama ."  He queued up to meet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DiMaggio" rel="nofollow - Bender and get his autograph, and I took a photo of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DiMaggio" rel="nofollow - Bender as he was signing the autograph for Brynn.



Brynn, aged 11, on the first issue of Bijzland, 2011.


The other two stamps in the first issue showed a rather blurry sideface portrait of Brynn on the 1 kopeck, and " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_DiMaggio" rel="nofollow - Bender " on the 12k.


Brynn again, on the 1k stamp of 2011.


"Bender" signs his name, with other celebrities in the background. Although the stamp was issued in 2011, it shows "2010" on the stamp, as that was the year the convention where bender signed was held.


Brynn gave away minisheets of his stamps to his friends at school, and I also made him a rubber postmark:


Bijzland 2017 cover to West Papua. Note the bilingual datestamp.


Finding a Russian font was tricky, but I got there in the end.  I have printed him some other commemoratives over the years since, but as he has grown older, his interests have moved more into "gadgets", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_game" rel="nofollow - “online games” , and "girls", as many teenage boys do.


Bijzland 2011 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first voyage into Space.


Bijzland 2013 Year of the Snake.


Bijzland 2014 Valentine's Day.


There was a similar Valentine's Day stamp in 2012: that one was a 12k value.  The Valentine stamps have been very popular with some of my friends for using on cards each February!

Like any Bijzland stamps and covers yourself?  Drop Brynn a line at

Bijzland Information Service,
P.O. Box 257,
Mangawhai,
New Zealand 0540.


I recommend enclose some stamps (attractive modern commemorative sets and minisheets of your country are best), and request some Bijzland in exchange.  If you feel inclined to make suggestions for new issues while writing, your favorite thematic topic may yet figure on a Bijzland stamp! Wink




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 July 2017 at 05:24
When printing stamps, I prefer to do them in small compact miniature sheets, so that they can easily fit on a standard album page.
(How would anybody ever display a big sheet of 100 or 240 stamps?  Those are totally unfriendly!)

Small sheets are also easy to post: an important consideration in an era where postage is charged by size of envelope.


Bijzland 2011 first issue: Brynn and Bender, and my first stamps with Russian inscriptions.


Bijzland 2011 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first space flight.

Quote Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin (9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Russian https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Air_Forces" rel="nofollow - Soviet pilot and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmonaut" rel="nofollow - cosmonaut . He was the first human to journey into https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_space" rel="nofollow - outer space , when his https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostok_%28spacecraft%29" rel="nofollow - Vostok https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft" rel="nofollow - spacecraft completed an https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit" rel="nofollow - orbit of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth" rel="nofollow - Earth on 12 April 1961.

Gagarin became an international celebrity, and was awarded many medals and titles, including https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_of_the_Soviet_Union" rel="nofollow - Hero of the Soviet Union , the nation's highest honour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostok_1" rel="nofollow - Vostok 1 marked his only spaceflight, but he served as backup crew to the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soyuz_1" rel="nofollow - Soyuz 1 mission (which ended in a fatal crash). Gagarin later became deputy training director of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Gagarin_Cosmonaut_Training_Center" rel="nofollow - Cosmonaut Training Centre outside https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow" rel="nofollow - Moscow , which was later named after him. Gagarin died in 1968 when the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-15" rel="nofollow - MiG-15 training jet he was piloting crashed. The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9d%C3%A9ration_A%C3%A9ronautique_Internationale" rel="nofollow - Fédération Aéronautique Internationale awards the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_A._Gagarin_Gold_Medal" rel="nofollow - Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal in his honor.



Bijzland 2012 Centenary of the "Titanic" launch and demise.

Quote RMS Titanic was a British https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_%28passenger_ship%29" rel="nofollow - passenger liner that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_RMS_Titanic" rel="nofollow - sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early morning of 15 April 1912, after colliding with an https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceberg" rel="nofollow - iceberg during her https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_voyage" rel="nofollow - maiden voyage from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southampton" rel="nofollow - Southampton to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" rel="nofollow - New York City . Of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_RMS_Titanic#Casualties_and_survivors" rel="nofollow - estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard, more than 1,500 died, making it one of the deadliest commercial https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_maritime_disasters#Peacetime_disasters" rel="nofollow - peacetime maritime disasters in modern history. The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_worlds_longest_ships" rel="nofollow - largest ship afloat at the time it entered service, the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Mail_Ship" rel="nofollow - RMS Titanic was the second of three https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic-class_ocean_liner" rel="nofollow - Olympic class ocean liners operated by the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Star_Line" rel="nofollow - White Star Line , and was built by the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harland_and_Wolff" rel="nofollow - Harland and Wolff shipyard in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast" rel="nofollow - Belfast . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Andrews_%28shipbuilder%29" rel="nofollow - Thomas Andrews , her architect, died in the disaster.

Under the command of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Smith_%28sea_captain%29" rel="nofollow - Edward Smith , who https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_captain_goes_down_with_the_ship" rel="nofollow - went down with the ship , Titanic carried some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as hundreds of emigrants from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_of_Great_Britain_and_Ireland" rel="nofollow - Great Britain and Ireland , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scandinavia" rel="nofollow - Scandinavia and elsewhere throughout Europe seeking a new life in North America. The first-class accommodation was designed to be the pinnacle of comfort and luxury, with an on-board gymnasium, swimming pool, libraries, high-class restaurants and opulent cabins. A high-power https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_telegraphy" rel="nofollow - radiotelegraph transmitter was available for sending passenger "marconigrams" and for the ship's operational use. Although Titanic had advanced safety features such as watertight compartments and remotely activated watertight doors, there were not enough https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeboat_%28shipboard%29" rel="nofollow - lifeboats to accommodate all of those aboard, due to outdated maritime safety regulations. Titanic only carried enough lifeboats for 1,178 people—slightly more than half of the number on board, and one third of her total capacity. The Titanic had plenty of time to miss the iceberg but the helmsman panicked and turned the wrong way. Incompetence and blunder were the reasons for the disaster.

The error on the ship's maiden voyage from Southampton to New York happened because there were two different steering systems, with different commands attached to each. This was because of the upheaval involving conversion from sail to steam-powered ships. Some of the crew were used to the archaic Tiller Orders (associated with sailing ships) while others to the more modern Rudder Orders. Crucially, the two systems were the complete opposite of one another: a command to turn "Hard a-starboard" meant turn right under the Tiller system, but left under the Rudder.

When First Officer William Murdoch spotted the iceberg two miles away, his "Hard a-starboard" order was misinterpreted by the Quartermaster, Robert Hitchins. He turned the ship right instead of left, and though he was quickly told to correct it, it was too late, and the side of the starboard bow was ripped out by the iceberg. The Chairman of the Board of the ship owner White Star Line, J.B. Ismay, who was on the ship, persuaded the captain to continue steaming ahead, and this added enormously to water pressure flooding through the damaged hull. Had the ship stopped, it would not have sunk for many more hours, allowing everyone to be rescued by other ships. Because of Ismay's arrogant stupidity, the sinking of Titanic caused the deaths of 1,514 people in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history.

Ismay made sure he was among those who got on a lifeboat, leaving 1,514 to perish in the icy sea. He was widely castigated as a coward thereafter, and resigned his chairmanship of the shipping line in 1913. He died in 1937.



Bijzland 2014 Valentine's Day.

Quote Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is an annual https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday" rel="nofollow - holiday celebrated on February 14. It originated as a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Christianity" rel="nofollow - Western https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity" rel="nofollow - Christian https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_liturgy" rel="nofollow - liturgical feast day honoring one or more early https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint" rel="nofollow - saints named https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine" rel="nofollow - Valentinus , and is recognized as a significant cultural and commercial celebration in many regions around the world, although it is not a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holiday" rel="nofollow - public holiday in any country.

Several https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_martyr" rel="nofollow - martyrdom stories associated with the various Valentines that were connected to February 14 were added to later https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrology" rel="nofollow - martyrologies , including a popular https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagiographical" rel="nofollow - hagiographical account of Saint Valentine of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome" rel="nofollow - Rome which indicated he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire" rel="nofollow - persecuted under the Roman Empire . According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legendary_material_in_Christian_hagiography" rel="nofollow - legend , during his imprisonment, Saint Valentine healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius, and before his execution, he wrote her a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell.

The day first became associated with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_%28love%29" rel="nofollow - romantic love within the circle of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer" rel="nofollow - Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, when the tradition of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtly_love" rel="nofollow - courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intimate_relationship" rel="nofollow - lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confectionery" rel="nofollow - confectionery , and sending https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeting_card" rel="nofollow - greeting cards (known as "valentines").



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 July 2017 at 05:28
Good fun to see the re-enactment of the post acted out in true fashion.




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 July 2017 at 05:32

Japhyland 2011 40th birthday of Grant, the Japhyland head honcho, on a signed FDC.  The silver text at the left of the cover is thermography, a heat-embossing process, which makes it look like cast metal.

I mentioned Japhyland stamps earlier, and here are some of the set showing Japhyland's founder.  His son runs Bijzland, which has been slightly more stampiferous. 

This set was a "surprise" birthday present for Grant: one of his friends sourced the photos, sent them to me, and I printed the stamps and FDCs in secret, and presented them to Grant at the party.  He then affixed stamps to the covers, and fetched his postmark out and cancelled them, then each guest was presented with a signed autographed cover.

I think there were ten (or maybe 12) stamps in the set, so after tearing up the sheets, each FDC got 5 random stamps affixed, as the small envelopes could not fit the full set.

Any collectors seeking these could write to the Bijzland Agency address mentioned earlier, but address it to Japhyland Information Service. I'm sure he would be amenable to trading some. Wink



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 January 2018 at 14:19
My perforating machine, a huge and heavy foot-powered model made in 1895, and which does perf 12 gauge, still works well (due to almost daily use!), and I am happy to perf stamps for anybody, as long as the volume you give me is not too severe.

Some samples: (stamps done by laser-print on 80 gsm paper)








I bought this machine back about 1987 (@ $150 NZ), when a newspaper advert said old printing machinery up for sale.  It was mostly metal type fonts (and I bought a few of those too!!), but getting the vintage perforator was the gem.

I have been addicted to it ever since.  Prior to then, I used a sewing machine, which does not clean out the holes: it is "stabbing", rather than "punching".

Like your own stamps perfed?  Send to me at:

Occussi-Ambeno Philatelic Bureau,
P.O. Box 876,
Auckland,
New Zealand 1140.


If you can kindly enclose a few recent mint sets of commemoratives or minisheets of your country (that I can sell locally so I won't be out of pocket to airmail the finished sheets back to you), that would be most appreciated.

regards, Bruce.

=================


Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 13 April 2018 at 22:36
Bruce recently sent these 3 to me at Takangarika Island






Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 13 April 2018 at 22:43
Again from Bruce (Thanks Bruce)




Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 15 April 2018 at 20:50
Cover from Brice showing close up of FVL stamps



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 25 April 2018 at 01:15
I am happy to announce Chyan's first new stamps for 2018.  The set of two (issued on 8th April 2018) celebrates the 50th anniversary of independence of http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno . A most noteworthy event in the Fifth World, and an anniversary that few expected to see!

The designs feature http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/coins.htm" rel="nofollow - gold and silver coins of http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno , as well as a pair of sun parakeets on the 15 sen stamp, and the airship "Graf Zeppelin" on the 1.35 Mon.



Chyan 2018 Fiftieth Anniversary of Independence of Occussi-Ambeno set.
Coins of Occussi-Ambeno are shown along with sun parrakeets and the "Graf Zeppelin" airship.


Originally posted by Wikipedia Wikipedia wrote:

LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin (Deutsches Luftschiff Zeppelin #127; Registration: D-LZ 127) was a German-built and -operated, passenger-carrying, hydrogen-filled, rigid airship which operated commercially from 1928 to 1937. When it entered commercial service in 1928, it became the first commercial passenger transatlantic flight service in the world. It was named after the German pioneer of airships, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was a count (Graf) in the German nobility. During its operating life, the airship made 590 flights covering more than 1.7 million kilometers (over 1 million miles). It was designed to be operated by a crew of 36 officers and men. The LZ 127 was the longest rigid airship at the time of its completion and was only surpassed by the USS Akron in 1931. It was scrapped for fighter plane parts in 1940.


===============



Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 25 April 2018 at 11:18
Interesting new issue.

I have Lufthansa Flight LZ 129 here in German stamp
The Airship Hindenburg over the Atlantic Ocean, - the North American Flights

Postmark 21st Oct 1936



Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 27 April 2018 at 12:52
Bruce has kindly sent me a cover with the 2 new issues celebrating the 50th anniversary of independence of  http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno
Many thanks Bruce




Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 27 April 2018 at 12:56
Joint Issue  http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno  and Takangarika Island



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 29 April 2018 at 04:00

http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno 2018 Half a century of independence and stamp and coin issuing.

Occussi-Ambeno celebrated its 50th birthday on 8th April 2018, and this attractive set was issued.

The designs include sun parrakeets, the country's $50 gold coin, the airship "Graf Zeppelin", and the $10 silver coin which also depicts a zeppelin airship.

===

http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno was a former Portuguese colony, which became independent on 8th April 1968. Stamps have been issued since then.

http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Okusi-Ambeno security forces comprise a single battalion of the Palace Guard. The Sultanate maintains bilateral mutual-aid defence arrangements with Brunei, Sedang, Taiwan, the Vatican, and the Hutt River Province, and an arms supply and maintenance contract with Singapore.

The Council of Ministers is appointed by and presided over by HM the Sultan. The seat of government is the Istana Iskandar (Alexander Palace).

Head of State: His Majesty Sekrup Semesta Alam Sri Sultan Gare, the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Okusi-Ambeno
Vice-Head of State: His Royal Highness Sultan Muda Yang Manis Aden
Foreign Minister: His Excellency Eddy Tansil
Pujangga Istana: Her Most Excellency May Wanhamid.

For more information on this tiny Asian sultanate, please visit the website:
http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - http://okusi1.tripod.com/



Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 11 May 2018 at 18:32
Bruce kindly send me this with some other goodies which I will scan asap

Upper Yafa cover




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 30 June 2018 at 17:36




Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 02 July 2018 at 00:41
Look what arrived today! I wonder what is inside?




Many thanks Bruce

-------------
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Discworld-Stamp-Collector/809424215750892" rel="nofollow - The Discworld Stamp Collector on FaceBook Have a look!


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 02 July 2018 at 01:35
Great to see the zeppelin reached your town and dropped off your letter, Steve!

There is one easy way to find out what is inside: reach for a knife or letter-opener, and slit the edge!




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 02 July 2018 at 02:20

Occussi-Ambeno 2018, 50th anniversary of independence set on FDC. Note partial New Zealand Post cancel (9th May 2018) on the top left of the 15c stamp! That cancel is from "returning to sender"; the addressee this card was sent to having changed address.



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 14 July 2018 at 01:46
Since this thread is about my stamps, I should regale you with some of the earlies, rather than just the recent ones.

Here is the 1989 issue I was most proud of: the anniversary of my first "BIG" venture, the Timaru Bicycle Local Post.


Occussi-Ambeno 1989 21st anniversary of the Timaru Local Post, on First Day Cover.


The Timaru Bicycle Post was a forerunner of the many private postal operations which now proliferate in NZ. But back in 1968, going up against the state monopoly of the NZ Post Office was a dangerous venture!

The original 1968 issue comprised 7 stamps, including an imperf 15c gold printed on card (which was used for mail when the normal 15c gold stamps ran low.)

The top value, 15c, was done by thermography (or gold heat-embossing, a rather delicate process that I was becoming fascinated with).

=====


"Who would have believed that all the cycling around (delivering mail) would ensure for the city of Timaru immortality in philately through being covered in the International Encyclopedia of Stamps, as well as being covered in Gibbons Stamp Monthly!"

-- from a reminiscence by one of the posties of the Timaru Local Post, cited on the website , sadly no longer extant.

And here is the report written on the service by Tony Ward, an Australian philatelist:

NZ  Bicycle Posts

In 1968 Timaru was  a small sleepy town in New Zealand’s South Island.

Bruce Henderson, an entrepreneurial 18 year old school boy, and junior stamp collector, enlisted the help of 2 school mates to start a local bicycle delivery.

The new service was called ‘Moulins Services’. There was popular support by local businesses as they allowed good savings for the local delivery of receipts and accounts. There were 5 collecting points ranging from shops to actual residences. Mail that was ‘posted’ before 3:30pm would be picked up after school and delivered later in the day by the boys. The deliveries were shared around among the boys, but at busy times the deliveries continued into the evening.

The delivery rates were:
1¢ - unsealed invoices and receipts
2¢ - sealed letters [Official PO rate of 3¢]
5¢ - small packets
15¢, 30¢ - larger packets
Registered mail was an additional 7¢.[Official PO rate of 18¢]

Stamps were issued. The first issues were 1¢ and 2¢.


As the service grew extra 3¢, 5¢, 7¢ and 15¢ values were printed. While there was no 3¢ rate this was to be used in multiples to make help make up other values in time of shortage.

The first printings of the 1¢, 3¢ and 7¢ were on orange paper. Later printings were on similar but lemon paper.

The 2¢, 5¢ and 15¢ were on red paper.  All stamps had shiny gum, and were rouletted.

The printing was in black on the 1¢ and 2¢, and dark blue on the 5¢, while a blue-ish green on the 3¢. The 7¢ is in two colours: red printing [POSTES MOULINS] and black. 

The 15¢ appeared with raised gold [embossed] printing on a dark red paper and on the standard gummed paper like the other values. Some proofs printed on thin red card and imperf were also used as stamps when supplies of the gummed stamps ran low.  These vary in size.

The sheets were singly printed in two parts which gave tête-bêche pairs at the centre of the sheet. Like the half sheet printing by the Lunds Lokal Post of 1945.

The Moulins Service started on 2nd December 1968 and continued until 12th April 1969. Only 4 months over the school holiday period and summer. The early closing was the result of a David and Goliath like confrontation against the giant Post Office monopoly. In this case Goliath won! The school boys were threatened with huge personal fines per each letter carried and the Service closed immediately.

There are few actual used covers from the period. Perhaps the more label-like appearance than stamp appearance may account for this scarcity.

All letters were hand stamped with one of four cancellations. Bruce Henderson used the letters BRH within a circle with a date, Sandy Stewart used REC and Geoff Mills used SJY. Another combination sometimes used was ANS which was in the office and could be likened to “paquebot” or “loose-letter” mail.

Unaddressed special cancelled to order [CTO] covers do exist.

The tropical coloured covers exist inscribed with MOULINS SERVICES  and plain white envelopes with and without girl with bike logo.

Records were not kept of numbers printed or used. The stamps had worldwide philatelic interest and to this day sets are very rare with few collectors having the printings on both lemon and orange paper, tête-bêche pairs, let alone CTO covers. 

A souvenir folder exists  with a tropical yellow cover [228 mm x 98 mm] which contains a 1¢ on orange paper and a 2¢ on red paper, both cancelled.

 

In 2009 the New Zealand National Stamp Exhibition, Timpex, was held in Timaru. This gave a suitable opportunity for a 40 year re-enactment. A special souvenir sheet was printed and Bruce returned to his old delivery ground. Special covers [500] were carried and some suitably signed by both the postie and local officials.  The 30¢ stamp design shows Bruce on his bike (photographed by Micki Flavell) and an orchid blooming in Bruce’s garden (photographed by Bruce.)

The souvenir sheet had one stamp inverted and caused much interest with both the old and new collectors. Some covers had tête-bêche pairs on them.

There had been only a few earlier local posts in NZ. Starting with the Pigeon Posts linking Great Barrier Island with Auckland in 1898 (which are often considered the world’s first airmail stamps), the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands for the “General Grant” 1915 expedition, and some special Airmail Services of 1930. All of these labels were evidence of a semi-approved local post. At this stage the NZ Post Office had a well-protected monopoly. The Timaru Bicycle Post was not an official service.

Bruce Henderson has been involved in many Cinderella issues subsequently, for specially created ‘States’ like Queen Maud Land, Occussi-Ambeno, and Free Vinland. One issue of Occussi-Ambeno commemorated the Moulins Service and another 21 years later it’s anniversary.

===============




Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 18 July 2018 at 15:07
A couple of recent covers from Bruce


Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 18 July 2018 at 15:15
..........two more




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 04 August 2018 at 23:17

Occussi-Ambeno 1997 Von Stephan Death Centenary set.

Occussi-Ambeno issued this attractive set in 1997 to celebrate the centenary of the death of Heinrich von Stephan, the man who was founder of the Universal Postal Union.

Originally posted by Wikipedia Wikipedia wrote:

Heinrich von Stephan (1831 – 1897) was the Postmaster-General for the German Empire who reorganized the German postal service. He was integral in the founding of the Universal Postal Union in 1874, and in 1877 introduced the telephone to Germany.

He began his career as a local postal clerk in the service of the Prussian post in 1849. In 1866 he was put in charge by the Prussian government of federalizing the postal service that had long been privately run by the noble Thurn und Taxis family. In 1870 he was named director of postal services for the North German Confederation. Stephan's career then moved quickly up the ranks, as he was named Postmaster General of the German Empire in 1876, the Undersecretary of State in charge of the post office in 1880, and the Minister of Postal Services for Germany in 1895.

When Stephan began his work as a postal worker, Germany was divided into 17 independent states, each with its own separate policies and fees. He worked early on to establish a uniform postage rate throughout Germany, to facilitate easier mailing. He introduced the postcard (which he had initially suggested in 1865) to Germany after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck promoted him in 1870. He is also credited with having introduced the telephone to Germany.

Stephan died in 1897 in Berlin, having made a profound impact on the standardization of mail service worldwide. He was also actively engaged in cultivating purely Germanic terminology for the field of telecommunication and postal services. His achievements in the field of postal services far outweigh his pedantic purism and it was his proposal to have the Siemens company manufacture telephones which led to the development of an entirely new business segment for the famous German company in 1878.



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 26 August 2018 at 02:46

Occussi-Ambeno 1986 Heb-Sed Festival set.

This set was issued on 5th November 1986.  It took an immense effort in both composing and printing to achieve.  The set was primarily issued to test out my plan to use ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs printed in colour on modern letterpress equipment.

In ancient Egypt, the Heb Sed was celebrated as a festival to rejuvenate the Pharaoh, and featured (among the usual feasting and imbibing) the King sprinting!  It was often celebrated on the 30th anniversary of the King’s coronation, or at any other time the King may decree.

The top register, along with the stamp value, has the name of our country, Occussi-Ambeno, in the Occussian script.

The centre register has six hieroglyphic signs, which show the six main events associated with the festival.  From left to right, they are:

GIVE PRAISE TO THE GODS.

GET SHOWERED & BE PURIFIED.

GET HIGH.

SING.

EAT & DRINK.

(and finally, when all that is done,)

BE WEARY.

The lower register again shows hieroglyphs. At the left is the Djed Column, the human tailbone with the first four vertebrae, which means Stability.  (This is the essential part of the human body: most folks who get an injury to that area are thenceforth confined to bed or wheelchair. At the right is a bird with a human head, and a bowl of burning insense in front, which represents the Soul.  The four red signs in the centre say Heb Sed Festival.

For more information on the Heb Sed Festival, click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sed_festival" rel="nofollow - here.For more information on Egyptian hieroglyphs, click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_hieroglyphs" rel="nofollow - here.   To learn hieroglyphs, enrol in a course of Near-Eastern Studies at your local university, or buy the textbook: “Egyptian Grammarby Sir Alan Gardiner (Oxford University Press.)





Occussi-Ambeno 1986 Heb-Sed Festival set, on a first day cover, postmarked at Topol, a village on the small offshore Maldoror Island.


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 26 August 2018 at 04:03

Occussi-Ambeno 1977 Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, the perforated souvenir sheet.

This issue appeared on 15th December 1977, and was an attempt to join the huge crowd of countries and entities issuing stamps to celebrate the  https://www.timesofisrael.com/crown-fumes-over-video-of-queens-nazi-salute-as-child/" rel="nofollow - monarch of Great Britain , with whom the Sultanate does not yet have diplomatic relations.

The stamps were printed by offset and hotfoil and embossed, by Heraclio Fournier SA, Vittoria, Spain, the third time this distinguished printing company had done stamps for Occussi-Ambeno.


Occussi-Ambeno 1977 Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, the imperf souvenir sheet.


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 01 September 2018 at 21:18

Waikoa Island 2015 Stamp Jubilee minisheet, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Waikoa Island stamps way back in 1965.

http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Waikoa-1.htm" rel="nofollow - Waikoa Island issued this attractive set of four stamps in 2015 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Waikoa Island stamps. The minisheet comprises two full sets. Issue date was 23rd September 2015.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The designs show classic & rare early stamps of the island:

35t - The 1965 2¢ definitive; The 1976 50¢ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_for_Nuclear_Disarmament_%28NZ%29" rel="nofollow - Anti-Nuclear Bomb stamp.

70t - The 1970 12¢ http://reds-on.postalstamps.biz/Russia/lenin.htm" rel="nofollow - Lenin Birth Centenary; The 1976 50¢ Anti-Nuclear Bomb stamp.

Rs 1.70 - The 1972 6¢ International Anti-SST League conference in Mevu; The 1976 1¢ Anti-Nuclear Bomb stamp.

Rs 2.35 - The 1965 10¢ definitive; The 1976 9¢ Anti-Nuclear Bomb stamp.

===

About the stamps shown:

The 1965 definitive: This comprised 6 values, attractively printed in several colours on white gummed and perforated paper. The stamps show the island crest: a shield with a star and a ship prow.

The 1965 definitive are shown here:

http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38713&p=4568318" rel="nofollow - http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38713&p=4568318

The 1976 Anti-Nuclear Bomb issue: This comprised 3 values, and was an omnibus issue with Mevu and some other lands issuing similar stamps. The issue was prompted by France doing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_for_Nuclear_Disarmament_%28NZ%29" rel="nofollow - atmospheric nuclear testing near Tahiti, with radiation fallout affecting Waikoa Island & the rest of the Pacific.

The 1970 Lenin Centenary issue: Many lands celebrated the centenary of the birth of theoretician & statesman http://reds-on.postalstamps.biz/Russia/lenin.htm" rel="nofollow - Vladimir Lenin (1870 – 1924) with commemorative stamps. The Waikoa Island set has the overprint in embossed gold; the only time such an expensive process has been used for Waikoa Island stamps.

The 1972 International Anti-SST League issue: The IAL was an environmental organisation founded by Mevu statesmen, opposing the concept of supersonic transport aircraft such as the Concorde. The 1972 Waikoa Island stamps celebrating the first IAL world assembly were on sale for only one day before a telegram was received from http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/index.html" rel="nofollow - Mevu , the ruling country, ordering the issue withdrawn. Unsold stamps were destroyed. The top value, the 30¢, is the rarest Waikoa Island stamp of all time; only 6 were sold.



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 20 October 2018 at 18:35
Here is an earlier issue from http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno , the 1996 set for the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor" rel="nofollow - Festival of Hathor .


Occussi-Ambeno 1996 Festival of Hathor set.

The set was printed by Adana letterpress on thick white glossy paper without watermark, and perf 12.  The design shows a photograph of the great goddess Hathor, and at the foot are the Egyptian hieroglyphs saying Festival of the great Hathor.

Sadly, the print was not a success. The red base of the 15c stamp is hard to see, and the pale pink of the $2 stamp does not work so well either, although the pink stamp looks a lot better in actuality, as the scanner seems to have failed to capture its true pinkness.

Originally posted by Wikipedia Wikipedia wrote:

Hathor is a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion who plays a wide variety of roles. As a sky deity, she is the mother or consort of the sky god Horus and the sun god Ra, both of whom are connected with kingship, and thus she is the symbolic mother of their earthly counterparts, the Pharaohs and Sultans. She is one of several goddesses who act as the Eye of Ra, Ra's feminine counterpart, and in this form she has a vengeful aspect that protects him from his enemies. Her contrasting, beneficent side represents music, dance, joy, love, sexuality, and maternal care, and she acts as the consort of several male deities and the mother of their sons. These two sides of the goddess exemplify the Egyptian conception of femininity. Hathor also crosses boundaries between worlds, helping deceased souls in the transition to the afterlife.

Hathor is often depicted as a cow, symbolizing her maternal and celestial aspects, although her most common form is a woman wearing a headdress of cow horns and a sun disk. She can also be represented as a lioness, cobra, or sycomore tree.

Cattle goddesses similar to Hathor were portrayed in Egyptian art in the fourth millennium BC, but she herself appeared in the Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BC). With the patronage of Old Kingdom rulers she became one of Egypt's most important deities. More temples were dedicated to her than to any other goddess, of which the most prominent was Dendera Temple in Upper Egypt. She is also worshipped in the temples of her male consorts. The Egyptians connect her with foreign lands such as Nubia and Canaan and their valuable goods, such as incense and semiprecious stones, and some of the peoples in those lands adopted her worship. In Egypt itself, she is one of the deities commonly invoked in private prayers and votive offerings, particularly by women desiring children.

During the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BC), goddesses such as Mut and Isis encroached on Hathor's position in royal ideology, but she remains one of the most widely worshipped deities. After the end of the New Kingdom, Hathor was increasingly overshadowed by Isis, but she continues to be venerated in ancient Egyptian religion.




Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 15 January 2019 at 16:57
With kind thanks to Bruce - received today




Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 15 January 2019 at 17:02
Two more recent arrivals from Bruce - with thanks





Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 15 January 2019 at 17:06
Recent Cinderellas from Bruce - many thanks Bruce



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 01 February 2019 at 13:57
Occussi-Ambeno 1990 Zeppelin Round-the-world flight, with INVERTED overprint.

The Round-the-world flight of one of Occussi-Ambeno's helium-filled zeppelin fleet in 1990 was a major public relations event in the Fifth World, and commemorative stamps were issued by a number of countries.

Sadly, the overprinting (on Occussi-Ambeno's "Mutiny on the Bounty" 90c commemorative from the year previous) was a tad rushed, and some stamps had the overprints inverted.

For more details on Swiftair, the Occussi-Ambeno zeppelin airline, please see their website: http://geocities.ws/swiftair/" rel="nofollow - http://geocities.ws/swiftair/


Posted By: oookgirl
Date Posted: 03 February 2019 at 07:36
AWESOME Bruce, this might be the best ever stamp you have ever produced, a bit of a pity about the rushed inverted overprint, but at least they got it square!!!

Fantastic work!!!


-------------
OK!!!


Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 30 April 2019 at 09:02
At the weekend I had a postcard from Bruce, currently enjoyong himself in Ocussi Ambeno. Not that though it has come through as air mail, there are no regular NZ stamps on the postcard and there was no excess to pay on it. Were the franked Occussi stamps considered to have been covering the postage rate? LMSO



-------------
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Discworld-Stamp-Collector/809424215750892" rel="nofollow - The Discworld Stamp Collector on FaceBook Have a look!


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 30 April 2019 at 15:52
Glad to see it reached you safely Steve!

The marvels of our zeppelin airline, eh?


Occussi-Ambeno's first-ever hexagonal stamp: 2017 Centenary of the October Revolution


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 17 July 2019 at 02:00
Here is a new issue from http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno , the 2019 stamp for the First Direct Airship Flight from http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/index.html" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno to http://geocities.ws/kempland/index.html" rel="nofollow - Kemp Land .


Occussi-Ambeno 2019 First Direct Airship Flight from http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/index.html" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno to http://geocities.ws/kempland/index.html" rel="nofollow - Kemp Land .

http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno celebrated the first direct airship flight to Kemp Land, which departed for the Antarctic on 18th July 2019, and this attractive Sibelius stamp was overprinted in purple and issued.

The design includes the Zeppelin airship logo of http://geocities.ws/swiftair/" rel="nofollow - Swiftair Corp , and the Helsinki Cathedral in Finland on the basic stamp.

During the overprinting, some stamps were accidentally overprinted upside down.


Originally posted by Swiftair website Swiftair website wrote:

http://geocities.ws/swiftair/" rel="nofollow - Swiftair Corporation uses modern, safe, and fast high-tech airships filled with helium, an inert gas that will not ignite. It is 100% safe for airship travel. Swiftair's fleet of five zeppelins operates regularly within Occussi-Ambeno and also runs less frequent international links.

From the earliest days of letter post and stamp collecting, people have delighted in creating tangible souvenirs of their epic experiences, and among experiences, surely there are few that can beat a flight in an airship!

The earliest known balloon mail are letters from citizens of Paris in 1870, when the city was under siege by the Prussian army. Letters for the distant provinces and foreign lands were inscribed "Par ballon monté" (via mounted balloon) and launched upwards in hot air balloons to drift with the wind and (hopefully) land in non-enemy territory. Although some balloons were captured, quite a lot of mail got through safely, and these flown envelopes are highly prized by philatelists. They are known as ballon montés after the cachet applied. In the era of the giant zeppelins, run as a commercial fleet by the German firm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luftschiffbau_Zeppelin" rel="nofollow - Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH , much mail was carried from country to country, always with rubber-stamped cachets applied on board to indicate this transit. Although not scarce, zeppelin flight envelopes are very sought-after, and represent an important part of the history of aerophilately.


.·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·.



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 26 August 2019 at 21:57

Occussi-Ambeno 2019 First Direct Zeppelin Flight from O-A to Kemp Land, FDC.

The zeppelin has just returned from the sunny Antarctic, and some rather nice carried covers were on board.

I have a few spares if anyone collecting airships wants one for their collection.

.·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·.
.·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·.




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 10 September 2019 at 20:11
If you enjoy designing stamps and creating "essays", maybe you should consider inventing a new country to be the vehicle for your designs! 

The Fifth World now has numerous self-created lands that can be as fascinating as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada" rel="nofollow - First World and http://haitiphilately.org/index.html" rel="nofollow - Third World countries to study and form collections of.

It can be great fun, and you can then use your stamps on mail to other http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/index.html" rel="nofollow - Fifth World countries, join the http://www.angelfire.com/art/icis/GenPos-Treaty.htm" rel="nofollow - Postal Union , the http://www.angelfire.com/art/icis/GenPos-Treaty.htm" rel="nofollow - GPTO , and join the " http://www.angelfire.com/art/icis/" rel="nofollow - United Nations " of the Fifth World, the http://www.angelfire.com/art/icis/" rel="nofollow - International Council of Independent States .


Monte Bello Islands 2009 insured registered cover to Occussi-Ambeno.

===========================



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 10 September 2019 at 22:59
A fellow-philatelist here in Auckland liked the idea of creating your own country, and has now become His Majesty, King Utiku the fourth of Taniquah, and here is a rather beautiful first day cover I received from him way back in 2013, when he issued a set of charming cat stamps to celebrate his 37th birthday:


Taniquah 2013 King's birthday set, on FDC, showing charming felines.

So why not start your own country?  The fun and adventures you will have cannot be adequately described!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 14 September 2019 at 03:44


Occussi-Ambeno joined much of the civilised world to issue this attractive set on 20th July 2019, to celebrate 50 years since the first humans walking on the Moon.

And fifty years ago, the country's first ever commemorative stamp celebrated the actual landing, so this set is highly appropriate.


Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 30 September 2019 at 13:40
Thanks Bruce for the covere







Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 30 September 2019 at 13:45
More covers from Bruce - many thanks








Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 12 October 2019 at 16:18
Originally posted by Bas S Warwick Bas S Warwick wrote:

More covers from Bruce - many thanks




Lucky you, getting an inverted overprint on the Occussi-Ambeno zeppelin flight cover!



Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 12 October 2019 at 17:11
Yes I am the lucky one. (Treasured)

Greatly appreciate the recent package Bruce
Some nice 'space' material to add to my space collection. Covers and min-sheet
Scans to follow


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 22 October 2019 at 23:22
Here is a nice issue from http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno , way back in 2007. The campaign to eradicate fleas from http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/index.html" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno to make the country a lot less itchy.


Occussi-Ambeno 2007 Anti-flea campaign.

http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno was proud to become the first country on planet Earth to feature a set of stamps showing fleas.  But many of the mail-using public were rather repulsed by the designs: Postal staff were advised to remark to such folk that "Better to just see a photo than the real thing!"

The design includes the life cycle of the flea, and various close-up views of the evil vampire insect.  Hopefully soon to be genocided on this planet!

Originally posted by Wikipedia Wikipedia wrote:

http://geocities.ws/swiftair/" rel="nofollow - The flea , the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that survive as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by consuming blood, or hematophagy, from their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about 3 mm long, are usually brown, and have bodies that are "flattened" sideways or narrow, enabling them to move through their host's fur or feathers. They lack wings, but have strong claws preventing them from being dislodged, mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood, and hind legs extremely well adapted for jumping. They are able to leap a distance of some 50 times their body length, a feat second only to jumps made by another group of insects, the superfamily of froghoppers. Flea larvae are worm-like with no limbs; they have chewing mouthparts and feed on organic debris left on their host's skin.

The Siphonaptera are most closely related to the snow scorpionflies, or snow fleas in the UK, formally the Boreidae, placing them within the Endopterygote insect order Mecoptera. Fleas arose in the early Cretaceous, most likely as ectoparasites of mammals, before moving on to other groups, including birds. Each species of flea is more or less a specialist with respect to its host animal species: many species never breed on any other host, though some are less selective. Some families of fleas are exclusive to a single host group; for example, the Malacopsyllidae are found only on armadillos, the Ischnopsyllidae only on bats, and the Chimaeropsyllidae only on elephant shrews.

The oriental rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis, is a vector of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium which causes bubonic plague. The disease was spread to humans by rodents such as the black rat, which were bitten by infected fleas. Major outbreaks included the Plague of Justinian, c. 540 and the Black Death, c. 1350, both of which killed a sizeable fraction of the world's population.

Fleas appear in human culture in such diverse forms as flea circuses, poems like John Donne's erotic The Flea, works of music such as by Modest Mussorgsky, and a film by Charlie Chaplin.


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Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 23 October 2019 at 00:04
A philatelist recently inquired if by any chance have I made or do I plan to make a catalogue of all the private post stamps, fantasy stamps, cinderellas etc that I have printed/produced/issued over the years?

She thinks such a catalogue (online or printed) would be very interesting to cinderella collectors, and it would be a shame for cinderella philately if my creations are not listed and documented for posterity.


I agree, such a catalogue would be of interest, and I have already done catalogues of some of the lands I print stamps for (including http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno , http://geocities.ws/kempland/index.html" rel="nofollow - Kemp Land , http://www.stampboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=34186&hilit=Chyan&start=50#p4683110" rel="nofollow - Chyan , http://geocities.ws/freevinland/stampcat.htm" rel="nofollow - Free Vinland , http://www.angelfire.com/country/raoul/stamps.htm" rel="nofollow - Raoul Island , http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Waikoa-1.htm" rel="nofollow - Waikoa Island .)

But most of my rather busy time is taken up with continuing to keep my fantasy lands active and sending off more mail to friends and colleagues, rather than documenting earlier issues.  However, I would be happy to collaborate with some other person who wants to do such a catalogue.

And Ralph Phillips in Israel has done a number of CD catalogues which include many of my countries.  Contact him for details of his excellent works and to buy his CD catalogues.  And any stamps you need to complete your collection, contact me.  Though not all issues are still available, I am always happy to exchange (both "normal" stamps or cinderellas) for those you would like.

The Norwegian philatelist Geir Sor-Reime wrote a five-part article on my stamps, "Long Live the Sultan", * in UK magazine The Cinderella Philatelist in 2016, which mentioned many of the stamps I have done.  But his articles also omitted many as well. Despite my correcting and updating much of what he wrote, the editors of The Cinderella Philatelist only printed what Geir gave them, thereby relegating their article to be an incomplete version. I am happy to send the pdf of the enhanced version to anyone on request.

So any volunteers to update my biography, get in touch!

regards, Bruce.

* The title for the article comes from an Occussian law that says that ALL mail MUST have the words "Long live the Sultan!" written, printed, or stamped on the front.  Most Occussians use a rubber stamp for this. And some Occussians also use these rubber stamps on mail they send to other sultanates, such as Brunei and Oman.



Waikoa Island 1965 50c with 1970 Lefaga, Samoa postmark!
WI catalogue # 6.


Free Vinland 2008 Helicopters help humanity set.
FVR catalogue # 61 - 63.



Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 27 October 2019 at 20:16
Originally posted by Panterra Panterra wrote:



Occussi-Ambeno joined much of the civilised world to issue this attractive set on 20th July 2019, to celebrate 50 years since the first humans walking on the Moon.

And fifty years ago, the country's first ever commemorative stamp celebrated the actual landing, so this set is highly appropriate.


Here is my latest Space issue.  Plenty of extras available for anybody who would like to add some to your collection: I am always amenable to a trade!


Occussi-Ambeno 2019 50th anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon.

The first Moon Walk took place in 1969, which was just one year after http://okusi1.tripod.com/" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno gained its independence and started issuing its own stamps.

This set was issued on 20th July 2019.

A special overprint was issued to celebrate the actual moon landing, and that was Occussi-Ambeno's first-ever commemorative set (if you exclude the "independence" overprints.)

Originally posted by Wikipedia Wikipedia wrote:

Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their Apollo Lunar Module on 20th July, 1969, and walked on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the command and service module, and all three landed safely on Earth on 24th July. Five subsequent Apollo missions also landed astronauts on the Moon, the last in December 1972. In these six spaceflights, twelve men walked on the Moon.

Apollo ran from 1961 to 1972, with the first crewed flight in 1968. It achieved its goal of crewed lunar landing, despite the major setback of a 1967 Apollo 1 cabin fire that killed the entire crew during a prelaunch test. Five of the remaining six missions achieved successful landings, but the Apollo 13 landing was prevented by an oxygen tank explosion in transit to the Moon, which destroyed the service module's capability to provide electrical power, crippling the CSM's propulsion and life support systems. The crew returned to Earth safely by using the lunar module as a "lifeboat" for these functions. Apollo used Saturn family rockets as launch vehicles, which were also used for an Apollo Applications Program, which consisted of Skylab, a space station that supported three crewed missions in 1973–74, and the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project, a joint US-Soviet Union Earth-orbit mission in 1975.

The final Apollo 17 mission marked the sixth Moon landing and the ninth crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit. The program returned 382 kg of lunar rocks and soil to Earth, greatly contributing to the understanding of the Moon's composition and geological history.


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Posted By: Steve
Date Posted: 17 November 2019 at 01:46
I have had a nice package of stamps from Bruce, covers and sheets. Lovely stuff. Even better was that I wasn't expecting them so it was a nice surprise. You may have seen some of these but so what? TV shows often repeat too.



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https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Discworld-Stamp-Collector/809424215750892" rel="nofollow - The Discworld Stamp Collector on FaceBook Have a look!


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 01 December 2019 at 15:37
Sonne Empire 1990, first flight of zeppelin airship from Sonne to Occussi-Ambeno.

Sonne was discussed briefly on another thread.  Back pre-earthquake, in happier times the two countries were quite close.

The overprint is metallic purple, which reflects the light wonderfully when you move it, almost giving a "rainbow" effect.


Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 04 January 2020 at 12:39
Thanks Bruce for the material posted to me recently.

Mini Sheets
Sandy Isles
and Principality of Thanatos

https://i.imgur.com/uWbxAOb.jpg" rel="nofollow">


Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 04 January 2020 at 12:44
 2018  50th anniversary joint issue with Occussi Ambeno and Takangarika Island
with kind thanks to Bruce for organising



Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 04 January 2020 at 12:46
Recently from Bruce
Zeppelin Mini Sheet from Occussi Ambeno

Thanks



Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 04 January 2020 at 12:48
Mini Sheets from Kemp Land and Occussi Ambeno

As always - my great appreciation Bruce.




Posted By: Bas S Warwick
Date Posted: 04 January 2020 at 12:49
Some more mini sheets from Bruce - thanks again




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 24 January 2020 at 21:04

Monte Bello Islands: 1993 definitive set (minus the $1 value), and with both shades of the 17c.

The Monte Bello Islands' first stamps appeared in 1952, but in 1993 this attractive tricolour set appeared, to mark the resumption of the mail service at Hermite Island. The stamp design is by Timothy Bolotnikoff, and they were printed by typography by the http://www.angelfire.com/art/okusi/kdpn1.htm" rel="nofollow - Imperial Occussi-Ambeno Government Printing Office (KDPN) , Baleksetung, on white paper with invisible gum, and perf 12.

Note that the 17c value occurs in dark and light green.  These were printed over two days, so when night fell, the press was shut down and all ink cleaned off.  Next day, printing was resumed, but a different can of green ink was used, with a noticeable difference in shade.

There is also a $1 value, not shown here, as it is missing from my collection.  The vast majority of this set were later given commemorative overprints in 1994 and 1995, and most of the $1 stamps suffered this fate.

Originally posted by Monte Bello Gazette Monte Bello Gazette wrote:

The Lighthouse. Work has commenced on repainting Rutherford Lighthouse, on Hermite Island. This lighthouse was shown in glorious colour at dawn on the $1 stamp of 2005, and provides an important service to seafarers.


Monte Bello Islands 2005 $1 stamp, featuring Rutherford Lighthouse
 when its paintjob was a lot neater than today.


The Tourist Problem. We seem to be getting increasingly huge volumes of tourists calling at the islands, and this is placing a strain on our resources.  The tourists assume that they can visit our stores and flourish cash and buy up all the available food in sight, which has frequently left locals going without their supper over the past weeks.  Our shops normally only import enough food for the expected local consumption.  The Council will consider whether tourism should be banned completely, and feedback from local residents is requested.

The New Chairman. Mr Jon Allen was recently elected as Chairman of the Island Council.  He will be known as Chairman Jon. He takes up his new position on 17th February 2020.

Chairman Jon is a keen philatelist, and has plans to upgrade Monte Bello stamp issues, which have seen very few new stamps over recent years.  He welcomes suggestions for new stamps.


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Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 26 February 2020 at 23:24

Mevu 2019 fiscal stamps, showing the Mevu crest with a penguin on iceberg.
http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/stocklist.htm" rel="nofollow - Mevu has used a standing penguin on its crest since independence 50 years ago.

http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/" rel="nofollow - Visit their website.

Originally posted by Mevu Philatelic Bulletin Mevu Philatelic Bulletin wrote:

The Mevu Taxation Department has issued a new series of revenue stamps to collect taxation, announced the President, Her Excellency, Mrs Liese Keller, today.

The stamps feature the crest of the country: a penguin standing on an iceberg. They have been printed in two colours by typography and perforated 12 gauge, by Chan Hui Shudian Printing SA, Minaue, Waikoa Island.  While not intended for postal use, they will be permitted for mail, as very high value postage stamps are not printed in the Antarctic.  So far, three values have appeared: Rs 56, Rs 500, and Rs 1,000,000, but other values are due for release shortly.

Date of issue was 22nd October 2019.  A curious item in this set is the top value: one million reis (= US $1,000,000).  This is for bribery tax.  In many places around the planet, large firms and billionaires pay huge graft or bribes to officials to expedite transactions or assure contracts go their way. Usually, such things are regarded as “corruption”, but in Mevu and its colony Waikoa Island, as long as the one million reis bribery tax is paid, then a firm or person is free to bribe or pay graft legally.  The stamp is affixed to the permit and cancelled by signature of the person receiving the bribe.

 










Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 13 March 2020 at 02:25
This year, 2020, is the fiftieth birthday of http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/index.html" rel="nofollow - Mevu , a small Antarctic republic first established in 1970, and which has been a steady stamp-issuer since then.

So to celebrate this birthday in a philatelic way, Occussi-Ambeno issued an attractive set of four stamps on 12th March 2020:


Occussi-Ambeno 2020 50th anniversary of Mevu's Independence.



Occussi-Ambeno 2020 50th anniversary of Mevu's Independence, first day cover.

The photos on the stamps were taken by the President of Mevu, Her Excellency, Mrs Liese Keller.

Similar stamps were issued by Mevu and some other lands.

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Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 17 March 2020 at 02:07
This year, 2020, is the fiftieth birthday of http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/index.html" rel="nofollow - Mevu , a small Antarctic republic first established in 1970, and which has been a steady stamp-issuer since then.  Penguins frequently feature on their stamps, and one penguin is also the main feature of their crest (which can be seen on the First Day Cover).

So to celebrate this birthday in a philatelic way, http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/index.html" rel="nofollow - Mevu issued an attractive set of four stamps on 12th March 2020.  Several allies also celebrated the great event with similar stamps.



Mevu 2020 50th anniversary of Independence.


Mevu 2020 50th anniversary of Independence, first day cover.

Originally posted by Mevu
 Philatelic Bulletin Mevu Philatelic Bulletin wrote:

The Mevu Post Office will issue a new set of stamps to celebrate our country’s 50th anniversary of independence, announced the Postmaster-General, Mr Ipi Obopopo Boko, today.

The stamps feature photos of penguins and transport in Mevu; the photos were taken by the President of Mevu, Her Excellency, Mrs Liese Keller.  Designs are:

17 tanos Twin Otter aircraft at Amundsen Harbour, and Mevu founder Lemmath Babi.
35 tanos Penguins Parade, and early Antarctic explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928).
50 tanos Mail by tractor, and early Antarctic explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928).
1.70 reis Emperor Penguin, and Mevu founder Lemmath Babi.

Date of issue is 12th March 2020.  The stamps have been printed in full colour and perforated 12 gauge, by Chan Hui Shudian Printing SA, Minaue, Waikoa Island. Attractive first day covers bearing the stamps are Rs 2.30.

The Republic of Mevu was founded in 1970, when a pioneering group established the country on the Riiser-Larsen Peninsular in Antarctica. The country underwent various changes of government over the years. In 1972, it became a National State, which prompted an armed rebellion, and in 1973, the rebels took over and set up the Democratic People's Co-operative Republic of Mevu (or DPCR Mevu, as it was abbreviated on the stamps.) In 1990, it celebrated its 20th Birthday, a truly monumental occasion for Antarctica! Later, the country joined the Antarctic Confederation of City Republics (ACCR) and decreased issuing its own stamps.   Its identity has been rather subsumed to the ACCR since then. Waikoa Island became a Protectorate of Mevu in 1972, and Mevu administrators have guided that island since that time.   Today, Mevu citizens make up the main tourist group on the island.  Frozen fish and ice are imported from Mevu, whilst tropical fruit and vegetables are exported to Mevu.  Negotiations for Waikoa Island’s independence are presently under way.





Posted By: lickandstick
Date Posted: 17 March 2020 at 03:42
That really looks like a great event.

So much to look at in  such a tiny piece of paper. 

Editing all those pictures must take a very very long time. 

 Why don't you show us how it's done Colin?  Some build up pictures perhaps or gifs?  Have you got time on your hands during the coronavirus outbreak?  

 I think everyone can cut up photographs to make a stamp if they are shown how to do it properly  !!

Congratulations on 5o years of stamps MEVU  Approve


Posted By: lickandstick
Date Posted: 17 March 2020 at 03:45
Originally posted by Bas S Warwick Bas S Warwick wrote:

Recently from Bruce
Zeppelin Mini Sheet from Occussi Ambeno

Thanks


A bit phallic for my tastes


Is this one of the Gay land ones Colin?




Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 17 March 2020 at 13:08
Originally posted by lickandstick lickandstick wrote:

Originally posted by Bas S Warwick Bas S Warwick wrote:

Recently from Bruce
Zeppelin Mini Sheet from Occussi Ambeno

Thanks


A bit phallic for my tastes


Is this one of the Gay land ones Colin?



" rel="nofollow - Occussi-Ambeno is not a Gay country; it just has the "normal" proportions of gay and hetero folks like most lands.  " rel="nofollow - Kemp Land is the only fifth-world nation to be openly ruled by Gays today.

And yes, that zeppelin does look rather phallic!  But all zeppelins had that "problem".  (Probably the reason so many philatelists love them!)


Posted By: Colin
Date Posted: 18 March 2020 at 04:35
Originally posted by lickandstick lickandstick wrote:



 Why don't you show us how it's done Colin?  Some build up pictures perhaps or gifs?  Have you got time on your hands during the coronavirus outbreak?  



I am not going to take any credit for these productions - inferred or otherwise - I didn't produce them.


I don't have any more time on my hands than I would normally have as I am freelance and work from home - so I suppose I have been self-isolating for the last 35 years - BUT if Bruce has time I am sure we'd all love to hear how he goes about building up his stamps from all those component parts to the finished artwork and printing.  

What do you say, Bruce?

Wink


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My Etsy shop - FarFetchedPhilately - new 'stuff' coming soon...




https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/FarFetchedPhilately

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Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 18 March 2020 at 12:25
Okay, I will try to write a report on how a stamp is done.  Maybe using the new http://geocities.ws/freevinland" rel="nofollow - Free Vinland set as an example.

But today is the opening day of the "International Stamp Exhibition" in Auckland (now downgraded to a "national" show, since the border closing means foreigners can't attend), so I am about to rush off and view this.

Free Vinland 2020 Victims of the Great Purges set.


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 18 March 2020 at 18:17
Originally posted by NZ 2020 International Stamp Exhibition website NZ 2020 International Stamp Exhibition website wrote:

Yes! The show goes on, but not as we envisaged.

This afternoon the New Zealand Government placed more restrictions on travel into New Zealand. From the end of Sunday 15 March all travellers coming to New Zealand MUST go into isolation for 14 days. This obviously will apply to Commissioners, Jury members and overseas dealers, as well as individual people planning to come to New Zealand for the exhibition.

The Organising Committee therefore has no choice but to cancel the international aspect of the exhibition.

...
[Posted 14 March 2020]


Today was the opening day for this show, so I trotted along to have a look and buy up some gems.



Attendance was sparse, with most attendees haunting the dealer stalls on the ground floor, and few making the trek to the exhibition area on the third floor.


Nobody visible in my photos of the displays!

After buying the Catalogue of the show at the entry, I found it was pointless, as most of the foreign exhibits have not arrived, so the catalogue is useless.  And the organisers did a quick drum-around of collectors to rustle up extra "free" displays, to try to fill the empty frames.  Many of these unexpected (and unlisted in the show's catalogue) displays, were, however, superb!  An exhibit of Thailand earlies was all actual-size colour photocopies, due to the exhibitor being unable to make it.


The only known survivor of China's 1945 Tien-Tai bisect, on wrapper.
Over 2,000 were used, but only one survived.


On the dealer floor, LOTS of the stalls were unstaffed and unattended (mostly the overseas dealers who couldn't get in), but surprisingly, Southern Colour Print, a Dunedin printing firm with the contract to print current New Zealand stamps, also failed to attend.  Maybe they wrote the wrong date in their diary?

According to https://nz2020.nz/576-2/" rel="nofollow - the exhibition website , they were due to have a perforating machine on the stall, demonstrating perfing.  Maybe I should have offered to replace them, and taken my 1895 vintage foot-operated perforator.  (I did this at one of Auckland Philatelic Society's exhibitions back in 2005, and personalised cinderella stamps were printed then perfed on the day for clients wishing this service.)


Minisheet made at the Auckland Philatelic Society's exhibition, 2005, with one stamp showing each of the ten dealers present.

This was done during a quiet period between doing client orders, as my colleague with camera visited each stall and took the photos.
I worked on assembling the stamps and minisheet overnight, then next morning, each dealer was presented with a pile of the stamps
showing him/her, plus a few minisheets.  The Society sold minisheets on its table until they ran out.



Posted By: hehapaoroto
Date Posted: 19 March 2020 at 03:49
Originally posted by Panterra Panterra wrote:

Okay, I will try to write a report on how a stamp is done.  

I can't wait to see how a stamp is done.

Thanks Colin


Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 21 March 2020 at 03:27

How to make stamps

by Bruce Henderson mailto:bh@graphic-designer.com" rel="nofollow - bh@graphic-designer.com

 

To make stamps using a computer (which is the way I usually do stamps these days as it is fast and allows for full-colour production), you need three programs: Word (or a similar word-processing program); Photoshop (or a similar graphics program); and Freehand (or a similar vector-graphics program); and a laser-printer.

Let’s use the Free Vinland 2020 Victims of the Great Purges set as an example, as this is my most recent job, so the details are fresh in my brain.


Free Vinland 2020 Victims of the Great Purges set.

The client emailed me the details of the stamps, with brief biographies and photos of the ten men.  So this required a set of ten, which is rather more than I usually get: most sets I do are standardised at four values.

First, I saved each of the photos in Photoshop, then enlarged each one from the “standard” size of 72 dots per inch (that they were sent as) to 300 dpi (which makes the photos a lot sharper and bigger.)  Each photo was cropped slightly to get rid of unwanted background and centre the face.  Each of the photos then had a colour frame added, to hold the surrounding text, and this is also done in Photoshop and saved.  Finally, each design then has a final tiny frame added in a contrasting colour around the edge of the existing coloured  borders, and is then cropped and reduced until the effect looks good.  The finished version is saved with -f.jpg as the final element on the file name (where f = Final version) so that I can delete all the saved intermediate stages, and only use the f versions for the stamps.

Next, we open Freehand, a vector-graphics program.  This is used to assemble all the stamps and text, so to begin, we open a new “blank” page, and import the ten files one by one. Each one is huge so must be scaled down to stamp-size. To do this, I got one design down to the desired stamp size, then made all the others the same height.  As the photos vary in size, all the stamps have different widths, even after I cropped some of the original photos I was given.  This means that although all the ten stamps will be the same height, they may not necessarily be the same width, which makes it difficult to do a minisheet containing the ten stamps.  I could have bluffed one through, similar to the 2005 APS Stamp exhibition “dealers sheet”, but prefer a less-messy look, and so opted to go for two minisheets, each comprising five values, and each stamp being a vertical pair. 

Having now got my ten stamps on the page, I need to add the desired text.  The client instructed that each stamp should show the name and dates for each of the gentlemen, and this is where life became rather complicated, as there is a lot of room for error here. Imagine the disaster if L. Kamenev was mis-labelled as K. Radek, for instance! So, after careful checking, I entered the name and dates below one stamp, then copied it on to each of the other nine, and changed each one to show the correct names and dates.  In some cases, I also needed to increase or reduce the size, and change the colour to contrast against the frame background colour.

Then the same procedure was followed for all other details.  The year of issue, 2020, needs to be shown on each stamp, as a helpful guide for future collectors, so after entering this on one stamp, it was copied and pasted on each of the others, and sometimes changed in colour to show adequately against the background.

The country name on the top of the frame, and the set title along the left border were also added, then copied and pasted on to each stamp.

The final tricky part was the values.  I examined the Post Office stamp counter book of Free Vinland that I keep here, to see what values FVR uses.  The “postal unit” of FVR is 15 cents, which means rates are all multiples of 15c, with a maximum of $3, so chose ten values to use.  Each was then assembled, then copied on to the other values and re-sized as needed.  The values were all done in yellow with a black keyline surrounding each, to make them easier to see.

Finally, all the stamps are ready.  Now they need to be arranged into the two minisheets, and to do this, Freehand allows us to drop pale blue guidelines on to the page to align your stamps up to, although these guidelines fortunately will not print out on the finished page.  We add guidelines for both horizontal and vertical positioning.  Then paste in five values to make the top row of the first sheet, then group these, copy the group, and paste it below to make row 2.  Then the second sheet is done in a similar way.  The country name is inserted at the top of each sheet, the printer name down the right selvedge, and the sheet value in the left selvedge.  I had to be very careful in adding up the face value for each sheet, as to get these figures wrong could cause a loss to the Free Vinland Post Office, plus ruin the good reputation of the printer!

When all is ready, the stamps and selvedge details are all grouped and saved.  Then 5 test sheets are printed on the usual 100 gsm white paper.  These are carefully inspected, then taken to the treadle perforator, a huge machine dating from 1895, and carefully perfed.  Finally, the sheets are taken to a guillotine and have the unwanted edges trimmed off.

Now the stamps are finished.  But it is important to have a sign-off from the client.  So two of each value are affixed to the pre-printed gold “Proof for approval” cards, and airmailed to the client (who lives in Scotland, in this case.)  Only when the signed approved cards are received back can the printing proceed and an issue date be decided. The client will be responsible for checking that the correct names and dates are shown below each portrait.

In the case of this issue, the FVR Victims of the Purges set, I began work on them at midnight, and finished at 4 a.m.  But then left the perfing and affixing to the proof cards till the next day.

So that is how colour stamps are done.  A quite straightforward process, and surprisingly fast.  I also occasionally do stamps by letterpress (frequently called “typography” by philatelists), and this system will be the subject of a separate report.


 

 



Posted By: lickandstick
Date Posted: 23 March 2020 at 02:48
That's brilliant Colin, but how do you 'do' your Isle of Vue stamps?




Posted By: Daniel
Date Posted: 23 March 2020 at 11:02
Originally posted by lickandstick lickandstick wrote:

That's brilliant Colin, but how do you 'do' your Isle of Vue stamps?



Hi lickandstick, 

It appears that you are mixing up Colin and Panterra. They are two different people!

Colin, whose forum this is, designed the early Discworld stamps and the Isle of Vue stamps and others. He goes by the name Colin or Admin on this forum.

Panterra is Bruce Henderson who has long been in involved in Cinderella stamp production and posts frequently on this forum. He is simply a member of this forum like you me.

I hope that this clarifies matters for you.

Daniel 


Posted By: Colin
Date Posted: 24 March 2020 at 00:54
Originally posted by Daniel Daniel wrote:

[QUOTE=lickandstick]
It appears that you are mixing up Colin and Panterra. They are two different people!


It's all true licknstick, the clue is in the title of the thread... Stamps of Bruce Henderson.




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Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 29 March 2020 at 14:53

Mevu 2008 Shackleton Expedition centenary set.

To celebrate the centenary of the British Antarctic Expedition led by Sir Ernest Shackleton 1907 to 1909, the small Antarctic country Mevu issued a set of four stamps in 2008.

The designs:


17 tanos ... The Beardmore Glacier, first discovered by Shackleton.

35 tanos ... Adelie penguins.

50 tanos ... Shackleton's expedition ship, the "Nimrod", departing from Lyttelton for Antarctica, 1907.

1.85 reis ... Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874 - 1922).

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This set was a joint issue with http://geocities.ws/kempland/index.html" rel="nofollow - Kemp Land , which issued similar stamps.

Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874 – 1922) was an Anglo-Irish explorer who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. His first experience of the polar regions was as third officer on Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, from which he was sent home early on health grounds. Determined to make amends for this perceived personal failure, he returned to Antarctica in 1907 as leader of the Nimrod Expedition. In January 1909 he and three companions made a southern march which established a record Farthest South latitude 190 km from the South Pole, by far the closest convergence in exploration history up to that time. For this achievement, Shackleton was knighted by King Edward VII on his return home.

After the race to the South Pole ended in 1912 with Roald Amundsen's conquest, Shackleton turned his attention to what he said was the one remaining great object of Antarctic journeying -– the crossing of the continent from sea to sea, via the pole.

For more information on http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/" rel="nofollow - Mevu and its stamps, please visit the http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/" rel="nofollow - Mevu website , http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/" rel="nofollow - www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/

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Posted By: Panterra
Date Posted: 17 April 2020 at 03:34

Waikoa Island 2020 Letter-Writing Week.

To celebrate Letter-Writing Week, the small Waikoa Island will issue an attractive stamp on 25th April 2020.


Originally posted by Waikoa Island Philatelic Bulletin Waikoa Island Philatelic Bulletin wrote:

The Waikoa Island Post Office will issue a new stamp to celebrate Letter-Writing Week, announced the Governor, Dr Sverre Hanssen, today.

The 35 tanos stamp features a photo of a residential letterbox in Golden Beach, Queensland; the photo was taken by Mr Terence Dell. 

Date of issue is 25th April 2020, the first day of the significant week.  The stamps have
been printed in full colour and perforated 12 gauge, by Chan Hui Shudian Printing SA, Minaue. They are issued in small minisheets of ten, with the Lorax in the selvedge, urging people to save the trees. Attractive first day covers bearing the stamp are 85 tanos.

Four reasons  why you should put pen to paper and indulge  in handwriting letters:

We all know how special it is to receive a handwritten letter in the mail. There is something personal about the time and consideration that has gone into creating a letter, and more meaning to be found in the imperfect text than in an email – especially in today’s highly digital world. As author Haruki Murakami said, “How wonderful it is to be able to write someone a letter! To feel like conveying your thoughts to a person, to sit at your desk and pick up a pen, to put your thoughts into words like this is truly marvelous.

If the joy you experience in receiving a handwritten letter isn’t enough to tempt you into writing one of your own, here are four reasons you should:

1.   You’ll make someone happy: the receiver of your letter is going to get a burst of excitement and know that you care. This, in turn, will make you feel good about yourself.

2.   It’s fun: handwriting stimulates creativity and encourages you to explore. Experiment with doodles or stickers, use scented pens and decorate the envelope to really unleash your inner playfulness. Use commemorative stamps on the envelope.

3.   It promotes mindfulness: just like colouring-in creates calmness and relieves anxiety, so too does handwriting. It asks you to slow down and take care in the process – you can’t backspace anything, so you are required to put thought into what you write. Plus the rhythmic movement of pen-on-paper encourages clarity and peace.

4.   It generates self-reflection: because you are carefully considering what you are writing about, your mind is able to focus on the content. This means you are given time to think about your job, relationship, hobbies or whatever else you are jotting down.


For more information on Waikoa Island and its stamps, please visit the Waikoa Island website:  http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Waikoa-1.htm" rel="nofollow - http://www.angelfire.com/country/mevu/Waikoa-1.htm

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Waikoa Island 2020 Letter-Writing Week, minisheet.

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