Darjeeling celebrates Everest Day ; releases a Special Cover on Tenzing Sherpa

 

A Special Cover featuring the Legend –Tenzing Norgay was released from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI), Darjeeling today commemorating the 105th Birth Anniversary of the Legend. The cover was released at a function organized by the HMI celebrating the 105th Birth Anniversary of Tenzing Norgay. After conquering the highest mountain peak – Mount Everest in 1953 with Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay was always associated with the HMI, Darjeeling ever since its establishment in the year 1954. He was the first Director of Field Training of the HMI and an advisor till his death.

A special cover is a cover (an envelope) that is released for a special person, occasion, monument or a place.  It has to be approved by the Postal Department of India. They are released in limited quantities and so they hold philatelic values and are sought by Philatelists and collectors all around.

 

The special cover and the special cancellation for the event was designed by Vivek Yonzone, a National award winning Philatelist from Darjeeling who is also the Secretary of Alpine Philatelic and Numismatic Society Darjeeling.

 

He said that it’s an honour to work on the cover of such an Icon, a Legend, the First Man on Top of Mt. Everest and thanked the Principal of HMI, Capt. Jai Kishan for entrusting him with this responsibility and opportunity. Darjeeling last witnessed a Special Cover release in the year 2014, so this was a release after 5 years and it is also an effort to promote Philately in the Hills, which is the main motive of the Society, he added.

 

 

The cover was released by the Chief Guest, Sayeed Ahmed Baba, Jamling Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, son of the Legend, The District Magistrate of Darjeeling, The Director of Postal Services, Principal of HMI, Capt. Jai Kishan and Vivek Yonzone.

First man on the moon

The First man on the Moon is one of the popular stamps in the world issued by the US Post Office to depict the space exploration by the US astronauts. The stamp shows Neil Armstrong, the first man to step on moon taking his first step on the moon on July 16, 1969. The three astronauts Commander Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr.  had landed on the moon in a Apollo 11. The stamp was released on September 8, 1969.

The stamp designed by Paul Calle was the largest in size at that time from USA. Interestingly the stamp was printed from a master die which Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin carried with them to the Moon on the lunar module Eagle.

Later that same day, at 20 seconds after 10:56 p.m. EDT, Armstrong descended a ladder, stepped off the lunar module's footed to the Moon's surface and radioed his famous message: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Madhubala Maxim Cards and a booklet (2008)

Madhubala Maxim Cards-6v set-issued by 

Department of Post,Kolkatta (2008). Designed by Dipok Dey

Golden Dragon (China SG55) from 1897

Off recently i had been hearing that there has been increase in people about collecting Chinese rarities. Stanley Gibbon has reported that "Golden Dragon" (China SG55) from 1897 is estimated to had been only printed in 300 numbers. In 2006, this SG55 from China was cataloged at £18,000. Now it's valued at £100,000, 

Paul Fraser Collectibles has reported that this piece of 10 cent on 12 candarin deep orange stamp from an 1897 issue was highly desirable example of popular Dowager stamp and therefore estimated at HK$500,000-600,000. at January 2012 sale at Hong Kong.

It is believed that only 14 unused and 51 used variety had bee known so far.

A postage stamp that started a war

Stamps depicting a map of the Gran Chaco were issued in 1932

Both Bolivia and Paraguay had conflicting territorial claims over the region known as "Gran Chaco." The dispute escalated in 1931 when Bolivia issued postage stamps featuring a map where the region was labeled as "Chaco Boliviano." In response, Paraguay issued its own stamp in 1932, featuring the slogan "Has been, is, and will be," with the region labeled as "Chaco Paraguayo." The issuance of these stamps symbolized the intensifying tensions between the two countries.

Subsequently, a full-fledged war erupted over the disputed territory. The conflict resulted in significant casualties on both sides, and Bolivia's economy suffered severe devastation as a result. The war continued for several years until a resolution was reached during the Conference of American States held in Buenos Aires from 1938 to 1939.

At the conference, negotiations took place, and an agreement was reached to settle the dispute. Ultimately, the territory was awarded to Paraguay, thereby bringing an end to the war. The outcome of the conference was significant in determining the ownership of the Gran Chaco region and establishing Paraguay's sovereignty over it.

Source: http://www.groseducationalmedia.ca 
http://www.aps.gen.nz/149/chaco_war.html

From the world's first omnibus stamp series

On 1^st April, 1898 a set of eight stamps in eight different designs was issued by Portugal and its colonies marking the 400th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's voyage to India, making it the world its first omnibus stamp series.

Grace Kelly's Monaco wedding stamp with Prince Rainier (1956)

Grace Kelly's Monaco wedding stamp with Prince Rainier (1956)

Grace Kelly, an American actress started acting in films with “Hours” in 1951 when she was 20 years old. She received a star status with the film “Mogambo” in 1953; she received an Academy Award for her role in “The Country Girl” the next year. At 26, when her world was at her feet, she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco. The marriage was performed twice, once in a civil ceremony on the 18th of April 1956 and on the 19th of April 1956 in a religious ceremony.

Grace Kelly acted in 11 films in her short and illustrious career. To commemorate the marriage five sets of stamps were released by Monaco. These attractive stamps showed Prince Rainier III and the beautiful American actress Grace Kelly was issued on April 19, 1956. The stamps were designed by Detaille from a photo by Jules Piel and Gravure printed by B. Minne.

Grace Kelly is also the first actress to appear on a postage stamp.

1/2d Lake Marion of Tasmania 1899

Tasmania 1899 ½d Green Pictorial Lake Marion

The photograph of the stamp is taken from famous Tasmanian photographer James Watt Beattie.

Stamp of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (1922)

Stamp of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (1922)

Is this stamp of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic forged ?

The Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was formed in 1922, lasting through 1924, when Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia combined forming the Transcaucasian SSR. The Azerbaijan SSR issued stamps from 1922-1924.

Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

 The 1922 stamps had a set of 13 stamps. One of the stamps I have in my collection seems like a forged one though many forged items of the Old Russian issues are heard. 

Two Moussavat issue stamps of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1919)

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was born from Russia after the end of Russian Revolution in 1917. In 1919 a set of 10 stamps now popularly called ‘Moussavat issue’ was issued in thin paper. Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed independent on 28th May in 1918 and was overthrown on 28th April, 1920 by armies of 11 Red Army Bolshevik of Russia which occupied the young Republic. 

Azerbaijan was proclaimed the Soviet Socialist Republic and in 1920 was included in consisting of Caucasian Federation of USSR. After the collapse of Azerbaijan's fledgling Republic in 1920 the printing presses felt silent. The new government reissued of same stamp sets of 1919 but in thick paper.

In my collection, I have two stamps of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and both are in thin papers.

Moussavat issue stamps of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1919)

Moussavat issue stamps of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1919)

Registered Letter Cancellation: Nimbahera to Tonk Raj from 1934

Registered Letter Cancellation: 

Nimbahera (Rajasthan) 21 April, 1934

Tonk Raj (Rajasthan) 23 April, 1934

Registered Letter Cancellation: Bandikui (Rajasthan) to Dahr (Madhya Pradesh) from 1917

Registered Letter Cancellation: 

Bandikui (Rajasthan) 8th September, 1917

Dahr (Madhya Pradesh) 11th September, 1917