Icebergs on Stamps…

Date of Issue : 7 June 2011

Here is a set of 4 new stamps and a MS issued by Australian Antarctic Territory depicting picturesque view of icebergs. In addition to stamps and MS, Stamp booklet and Max cards have also been issued.

Icebergs

Literally meaning ice mountain, an iceberg is a large piece of ice formed from freshwater that has broken off from a snow-formed glacier or ice-shelf and is floating in open water.

The largest recorded icebergs have been carved, or broken off, from the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. Iceberg B-15, when photographed in 2000, measured 295 km long by 37 km wide, with a surface area of 11,000 kilometres. Icebergs are generally described by shape and include tabular, dome, pinnacle, wedge and dry-dockan eroded iceberg resulting in a "hole".

Including all its islands and ice shelves, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia, covering 13,661,000 square kilometres. The Australian Antarctic Territory is 5,896,500 square kilometres, or 42 per cent of the region.

The stamps in this issue capture the beauty of icebergs, revealing their different shapes, colours, effects and textures.

: Australia Post

Australian Antarctic Territory

The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) is a part of Antarctica. It was claimed by the United Kingdom and placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1933. It is the largest territory of Antarctica claimed by any nation. Since the Antarctic Treaty came into force in 1961, Article 1 of which states "The treaty does not recognize, dispute, nor establish territorial sovereignty claims; no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force", most countries do not recognize territorial claims in Antarctica.

The territory is inhabited by the staff of research stations. The Australian Antarctic Division administers the area primarily by maintaining three year-round stations (Mawson, Davis and Casey), which support various research projects.

Special Covers

North East

Palbheu – 2005 Sikkim Philately Exhibition

: Ashwani Dubey, Gorakhapur

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Stamps on Horticultural Industry....

 

Date of Issue : 17 May 2011

Australia Post issued a set of four stamps on 17 May on horticulture industry . The Farming Australia native plants stamp issue represents four of Australia's largest native horticultural industries and promotes the importance of Australia's commercially cultivated industries. The stamps feature The eucalyptus oil industry, The honey industry, macadamia nuts and Tea tree oil . This stamp issue includes a special sheetlet pack of 10 stamps infused with the clean, fresh smell of Australian eucalyptus oil. Gently rubbing the stamps (or the cover of the sheetlet pack) will release the oil's fragrance.

 

Scented Eucalyptus Oil Stamps

Maxim Cards

: Australia Post

Club News

New Special Cover

150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore

Patna – 9 May 2011

: Ashwani Dubey : Gorakhpur (UP) email dubey_ashwani77@yahoo.co.in

Permanent Pictorial Cancellations

Gujarat

: Vijay Modi – Himmat Nagar, Gujarat e mail : vijay_idom@rediffmail.com

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Great Opera Singer - Dame Nellie Melba

 

 

Date of Issue : 10 May 2011

Australia Post issued a stamp on 10th May to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of soprano, Dame Nellie Melba (1861-1931), world-renowned opera singer. The stamp is based on a portrait, entitled Madame Melba, by Australian artist Rupert Bunny (1864-1947) and also bears Melba's signature as part of the design. Besides stamp, other nice philatelic items like sheetlet, stamp booklet and Maxi card have also been issued. These are wonderful collectible items for music lovers. The most beautiful part of all these items is the First Day special cancellation in the form of a Gramophone which appealed me most. This is all for Today….Till nest post …Have a Nice Time !

Dame Nellie Melba

Melba was born Helen Porter Mitchell at Richmond, Melbourne and made her debut at the Melbourne Town Hall in 1884. After an audition in Paris, Mitchell adopted the name Melba after her home city, and made her debut on the European opera stage in Brussels in 1887. After a triumphant season at Covent Garden in London the same year, Melba was feted all over Europe. She became best known for her interpretation of Mimi in Puccini's La Bohème which she premiered at the Royal Opera House in London in 1899.

Her glittering career continued until the 1920s. In 1927 Melba was appointed Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (G.B.E.). Suffering ill health, she returned to Australia in early 1931 and died in Sydney a few weeks later.

Permanent Pictorial Cancellations

Tamil Nadu

Permanent Pictorial Postmark 6 - Solar Observatory, Kodaikanal

Date of Inauguration of PPP - September 05, 1979

The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory is formed on April 01, 1899, located on the southern tip of the Palani Hills, 4 Km from Kodaikanal - often called as "Princess of Hill Stations" in India. The observatory is now owned and operated by Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore. The Evershed effect was first detected at this observatory in January 1909. Solar data collected by the lab is the oldest continuous series of its kind in India. The Observatory has a popular Astronomy museum on campus for the visitors. The displays are mainly pictorial, with a few models, a live solar image and the Fraunhofer spectrum also presented.

: Kasinath R.,Thanjavur email : kasinath80@gmail.com
Blog : My Watercraft Philately - http://shipthemegallery.blogspot.com/

Club News

STAMPS AND NUMISMATIC EXHIBITION AT BILASPUR

A meeting of Chhattisgarh Philatelic Association, Bilaspur was on 15.05.11 at Mr. C.R.Andhare’s house where in discussions were held regarding proceeding for the Philatelic and Numismatic Exhibition to be held on 22.05.11 at Bilaspur under patronage of Loins Club of Bilaspur. Presided by Sri C.R.Andhare, the exhibition is supposed to have display of both Philatelic and Numismatic exhibits by local members. During the meeting which was attended by 13 members, the proposed exhibition is next in the series of events held by this association with the last mega show held in August 2009 named as “DAK TICKET MILAAN-2009” which was highly appreciated throughout India with presence of dealers and philatelists not only from India but from abroad too.Association is also planning to organize another such mega show in December this year.

: Naresh Agarwal, Bilaspur (CG)

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New aromatic stamp from Australia..

 

Date of Issue : 17 May 2011

Bush fresh ... the eucalyptus-infused stamp

Australia Post will issue a new aromatic postage stamp on 17th May  2011 with specific aromatic smell of Eucalyptus oil. The stamp has been printed by using special technique. "The eucalyptus scent is encapsulated into little bubbles and we put that into a printable varnish," Graeme Lidgerwood, the sales manager of the print firm Ego, said. "It could last forever. The scent will only wear off when you rub the surface to break the micro bubbles." The Farming Australia issue, on sale from May 17, features four 60c stamps depicting native horticultural products: bush honey, macadamia nuts, tea-tree oil and eucalyptus oil. However only one will feature the scent of a eucalypt forest embedded in what Ego calls the Scent print varnish, a technique which has been used to liven up magazine covers. The scented stamp will be  available only in a special sheet that retails for slightly above face value, at $6.45 for 10 stamps. Individual stamps (bought over the counter, or on self-adhesive rolls and booklets) , will not carry the eucalypt scent.

100 Years of Parks Canada

Date of Issue : 19 May 2011

Canada Post will issue a commemorative  postage stamp on 100 Yeas of “Parks Canada” on 19 May 2011.

Today Parks Canada is responsible for a network of 42 national parks, 167 national historic sites and four national marine conservation areas. According to Andrew Campbell, Director General of External Relations and Visitor Experience at Parks Canada, "these places provide countless opportunities for inspiration and unforgettable experiences that connect Canadians with both the riches of their shared history and nature at its very best."

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Instant stamp on Royal Wedding from Australia

Date of Issue : 4 May 2011

Australia Post released instant stamp on 4 May 2011 to commemorate Royal Wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton. The stamp has been issued in form of an instant stamp sheetlet .The stamp has been issued with a special technology that allows the images to be uploaded into a Royal Wedding stamp template, pre-approved by Buckingham Palace. This is the first stamp which has been issued after the wedding of  Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton.

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New stamps and coins on Royal Wedding….

 

To be issued on 26 April 2011

The General Post Office in St. Kitts will honour the Royal Wedding with the release of stamps celebrating the Engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The Souvenir Sheets and Sheetlets to mark this historic occasion would be released  on Tuesday 26th April 2011 at the Philatelic Bureau, Pelican Mall, ahead of the April 29th wedding.

Stamps and coin from Canada

Canada Post has unveiled a pair of commemorative stamps marking the nuptials of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. The domestic and international-rate stamps will be issued on the couple's wedding day, April 29. Other philatelic collectibles will also be issued on this special occasion.

Stamp Booklets

Souvenir Sheet

Postage Paid domestic Post card

2011 $20 Fine Silver Coin - The Wedding Celebration

Stamps and Coin from Australia

Date of Issue – 12 April 2011

Miniature Sheet

Maxim Cards

Date of Issue 1 April 2011

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New Stamps from Australia..

Date of Issue : 5 April 2011

Australia Post is commemorating the 85th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II with the release of a stamp issue that uses two official portraits by Australian artists in the design.

Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 and christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. The Queen was the first child of The Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. In 1952, at the age of 25, Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth became Queen.

Maxim Cards

FDC with Coin

Following tradition, the official Monarch's birthday is celebrated every year in June, with the exception of Western Australia where it occurs in late September or early October. To honour the Queen's birthday in Australia an annual ceremony is held at the Royal Military College at Duntroon in the Australian Capital Territory.

Lake Eyre

Date of Issue : 4 April 2011

Australia Post issued a new set of stamps on Lake Eyre on 4 April with 4 different views of this lake.

The unique landscape of Lake Eyre and its vast and changing environment has been beautifully captured in these stamp designs. A great salt lake of tectonic origin, Lake Eyre lies asymmetrically in the south-western corner of the closed inland drainage basin in the heart of the Australian continent. The four stamps in the issue include one domestic rate stamp - The dry (60c) and three international rate stamps - New growth ($1.55), Bird life ($2.25) and In flood ($3.10).

Maxim Cards

Lake Eyre is the centre of the vast Lake Eyre Basin located 700km north of Adelaide in the deserts of central Australia. With an area of 1,140,000 square kilometres Lake Eyre Basin is one of the largest areas of internal drainage in the world. Some parts of Lake Eyre are 15.2 metres below sea level making it the lowest point in Australia.

During the dry season there is usually some water, however Lake Eyre is primarily characterised by great salt pans. On the rare occasions that it fills to capacity, Lake Eyre becomes the largest salt lake in Australia. Water covers the lake on average about once every eight years and has filled to capacity only three times in the last 150 years.

The recent high rainfall has filled the vast floodplains around Lake Eyre creating wetlands brimming with life. In drought there is usually no sign of bird life and their return remains a mystery for scientists. Pelicans have returned to rivers and waterholes all around Lake Eyre to breed.

: Australia Post

Club News

New Blog on Light House

Mr. K Sridhar a thematic Philatelist from Mangalore has created a new blog on Lighthouse .Visit his blog : http://ksbeacon.blogspot.com/

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New stamps on Flowers and Floral paintings....

Date of Issue : 22 March 2011

Australia Post issued a set of five stamps to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). It features five paintings by Australian artists drawn from the collection of the NGV.

This stamp set features a selection of floral still life paintings by famous artists of Australia.

A bunch of flowers by Nora Heysen (1911-2003)
Camellias by Arnold Shore (1897-1963)
Fruit and flowers by Vida Lahey (1882-1968)
Still life, Zinnias by Roy de Maistre (1894-1968)
A cottage bunch by Hans Heysen (1877-1968).

The decorative gutter strip incorporates tubes of artist paint as graphic elements.

Maxim cards

The maxim card set brings in to sharper detail these striking floral arrangement paintings.

: Australia Post

New Stamps on Rosesby Cyprus Post

Date of Issue : 23 March 2011

: Cyprus Post

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