Fire Fighting ..

 

Date of Issue – 5 march 2014

Ceska posta issued a stamp to commemorate 150 years of the Czech firefighters. The stamp features a vintage fire engine and a firefighter putting out house fire.

The struggle of man against fire is a story which covers the whole of human history. More specifically, it is the effort to control fire. That is on account of the fact that fire has had great significance in the development of society and has become one of the elements of civilization. The early days of firefighting date back to the 10th century BC., when the builder Vitrius living under Caesar and Augustus describes that 200 years before the learned Ktesibius of Alexandria made the fire pump. These firefighting devices were basically used in Egypt, Rome and the Roman occupied territories – basically with various improvements until the 18th century.

Large fires in medieval towns led the rulers and leaders of cities to publish guidelines on how to prevent fires and extinguish them. Here the guilds played a great role – they have were assigned the task of coming up with the means and method of assisting in extinguishing fires (for example, the Statut of the City of Prague called “About Fires”, from the 14th century). Similarly, this was also the case in the following centuries on feudal estates. Fire instructions were essentially the same, only more detailed. The efforts of Marie Therese to create a strong, centralized state governance, was also echoed in fire protection when in 1751 Fire extinguishing rules were issued.

An important change was brought about by the invention of the steam engine, which greatly influenced the development of firefighting equipment – steam fire engines were more powerful and allowed water to be transported over long distances. But they were expensive and required professional service, which resulted in large cities and factories setting up groups of professional staff which were in charge of extinguishing fires.

The revolutionary year of 1848 and in particular the fall of Bach’s absolutism brought about a certain loosening up in Austria, including the right of association and the right of assembly among other things. In smaller towns, which had no money to outfit paid fire departments, the formation of volunteer fire departments gradually occurred.

The first Czech fire brigade in Bohemia was founded in 1864 in Velvary. Of great importance for the further development of voluntary firemen in the Czech Republic was the aid of the members of the Prague congregation of paid firefighters who were allowed to conduct training outside Prague fire brigades. At that time physical training fire units arose in many places, which later split into Sokol and volunteer firefighters.

Club News

New Special Cover

BIKAPEX 2014

A special cover was issued during BIKAPEX 2014 featuring Cities of India – Bikaner on 5 March 2014. BIKAPEX 2014 is a District Level Philatelic Exhibition being held at Bikaner from 5th to 7th March 2014.

Presentation Pack of Indian Museum, Kolkata

India Post has made a Presentation Pack of Indian Museum Kolkata issue which now available at Philatelic Counters. Approx size of pack is A4 and priced at Rs. 75 ( with Stamps) and Rs. 30 without stamps.

13 New Philatelic Bureau opened

New Philatelic Bureau inaugurated at Srinagar G. P. O. and Leh H. O. - 6th March 2014

Shri Chandra Prakash, Chief Postmaster General of J & K Circle, inaugurated new Philatelic Bureau at Srinagar General Post Office on 6th March 2014. A special cover was also released during the inauguration of a philatelic bureau in Srinagar on 6th March 2014.It is reported that New Philatelic Bureau is also opened at Leh H. O. (J & K)

New Philatelic Bureau inaugurated at Tirupati H. O. - 1st March 2014

A new Philatelic Bureau is inaugurated at Tirupati H. O. on 1st March 2014. On the occasion T. A. V. Sharma, Superintendent of Post Offices (Tirupati Division) informed that his happens to be the second bureau in the Rayalaseema region, the first one was established at Kurnool.

Courtesy : Indian Philately Digest

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A new book for art and stamp lovers…

 

Book Review

History of Indian Miniature Paintings Through Philately by Dr Satyendra Kumar Agrawal published by PHILAGOLD Publications, Pages 80,  Price   Rs 1200 / US  $ 25

History of Indian Miniature Paintings Through Philately is a beautiful   Coffee Table Book by renowned philatelist and philatelic author Dr Satyendra Kumar Agrawal. The book is based on deep research of  different schools of Indian Art by Dr Agrawal. The study has been narrated through beautiful images of various philatelic items  issued all over the world. The book is divided into 14 chapters with details of paintings from different schools of Indian Art. The most attractive part of the book is its fine and rich printing. The book has been presented by the author in a very aesthetic way that on first sight it captures the attention of the reader.

The author has presented many  stamps , special  covers, postmarks, postal stationeries  issued by India Post and other postal administrations of the world  on Indian Miniature paintings . Some of them are rare to see. This book will prove to be best companion for all the art lovers and I recommend it for the library of Art Schools and all educational institutions and to everyone who loves reading . For the philatelists it is a wonderful book as they will be amazed to see many rare philatelic items in the book issued on Miniature paintings of India. Of course those collecting stamps  on paintings it is a complete guide to them and they will get every detail about Indian Miniature Paintings in this book.

The book is available with Dr Satyendra Kumar  Agrawal  : email rosephila@hotmail.com 

About the author

Dr Satyendra Kumar Agrawal is an eminent philatelist , well known cartoonist, science and philatelic writer. He has received many National and International Awards for his exhibit on “ Roses”. He authored four books, “ My Rainbow of Philatelic Articles ”,, “The Rose” ( A-Z of Rose Philately), Glimpses of Indian Mythologies in Philately” and Birth of Playing Cards”.

 

New Stamps on Flowers from Latvia

Date of Issue :  2 January 2014

 

Here are new  colorful stamps featuring garden flowers from Latvia . On  January 2 – Latvijas Pasts released the first stamps denominated only in euros. Six new additions were made to the Flowers series, each with a different denomination.

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Otto Wichterle - Inventor of Contact lenses..

 

Date of Issue : 16 October 2013

Czech Post issued a postage stamp commemorating the inventor of Contact lenses, Prof.  Otto Wichterle.   This world-renowned scientist became famous for silon and soft contact lenses which he invented.

He was born on 27 October 1913 into a rich business family in Prostějov. At the age of 6, he almost died from a persistent fever. He was therefore home-schooled. After his recovery he went directly to the fifth year and, at the young age of 9, he was admitted to a state-run grammar school. He graduated with honours. He wanted to study mathematics and physics at university, his was choice was therefore between mechanical engineering and chemistry. He decided to study chemical technology engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague.

He wrote his thesis under the tutelage of Professor Votoček, an important chemist and co-author of the Czech chemical nomenclature. His idea of a scientific study free of any commercial or political interests had a strong impact on Wichterle. Wichterle continued his studies at the school of medicine, which offered him the possibility to join a new discipline, biochemistry.

Following the events on 17 November 1939, when all Czech universities were closed by the Nazis, he took up a job in Baťa Shoe Company’s chemical research laboratory. He began with the research of Nylon 66, a synthetic polymer which was not suitable for the fibre spinning process. His previous experience helped him find a treatment which made nylon suitable for fibre applications. This led to the industrial production of silon, a synthetic material used mainly in men’s socks and women’s tights.

But his best known invention are gel contact lenses. The start-up of their production suffered from many problems, inaccuracies and low yields. In 1961, Wichterle used a Merkur modelling kit for children and a gramophone motor to build a prototype of the production machine; the process was eventually simplified and ready for large-scale production. In 1965, his invention attracted large U.S. companies which started the production of contact lenses abroad.

Wichterle’s political neutrality caused him a lifetime of problems, especially during the communist regime. He had to wait until after 1989 for well-deserved honours and awards. In 1990, he was elected President of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. He remained in the office until the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993. In 1993, Charles University awarded him a degree honoris causa and a planet in our solar system was named after him. Starting from 2002, talented scientists younger than 35 years may receive an Otto Wichterle Award granted by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. He died on 18 August 1998 in Stražicko.

200th anniversary of the Battle of Leipzig

Date of Issue : 2 October 2013

The Battle of Leipzig, fought on 16-19 October 1813 in Germany, was the largest and decisive battle of the Napoleonic wars. It was a clash between the army of the French Emperor Napoleon and the allied armies of Austria, Prussia, Russia and Sweden. The grandiose battle involved over half a million soldiers and more than two thousand cannons, making it the largest battle in the world prior to World War I. The coalition army, under the command of Karl von Schwarzenberg and several other princes, had over 300,000 troops. It outnumbered the Napoleon’s army of less than 200,000 troops.

Both armies achieved no success on the first day of the battle which ended in a stalemate. The second day was used by both armies to reorganise their forces and wait for reinforcements. The French received only 14,000 troops as reinforcements; the coalition was strengthened by the arrival of 145,000 troops. On the third day, the coalition army launched a huge assault from all sides. In over nine hours of fighting, both sides suffered heavy casualties. Napoleon saw that the battle was a lost cause and he began to withdraw his army across the river Elster. However, because of a mistake of his own commanders, the bridge over the Elster which was the only exit route was destroyed before the entire army was able to cross the river. Those who survived began to flee towards France. Shortly afterwards, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba. The defeat dealt a harsh blow against Napoleon himself, who was finally defeated two years later in the Battle of Waterloo.

The Czech troops, who defeated Napoleon in the battle of Chlumec nearby Ústí nad Labem prior to the battle of Leipzig, considered the victory as their own triumph. Even more so because one of the commanders-in-chief of the Allied army, field marshal Karl von Schwarzenberg, was considered as a Czech prince. None of the battles fought before or after the Leipzig campaign involved so many Czech high ranking commanders including the highest ones (John Joseph Wenceslaus, Count Radetzky of Radetz was Schwarzenberg’s chief of staff). A memorial for the battle, the “Völkerschlachtdenkmal”, was unveiled in 1913 in Leipzig.

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Antarctica Expedition stamps from Australia

 

 

Date of Issue : 9 October 2013

Australia Post will issue new stamps on Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) on 9th October 2013. This is the third in a four-year program celebrating the centenary of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE).The stamps in this issue capture key moments in the year following the deaths of Ninnis and Mertz, and Mawson’s return to the base camp only to see the Aurora sailing away.

Mawson joined the small party of men who had remained behind to assist in the search for him. Over the next year, the group undertook significant scientific work in the harsh isolation of the region.

Walter Hannam – original wireless operator on the expedition who returned to Australia on the Aurorabefore the return of Mawson; Frank Wild – leader of the Western Party and third-in-command of the expedition; Extreme weather – a long, bleak winter faced the group who remained at base camp; Scientific work – kept the men occupied during the long, bleak winter; Antarctic wildlife – Weddell Seal and Cape Petrel.

The stamps are presented in similar se-tenant combinations as in previous issues of this series.The minisheet shows the returning Western Base party and the map of Mawson’s party indicating the place and date of Mertz’s death.

Source: Australian Post

New stamps from Czech Republic

ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships

Czech  Post issued a new postage stamp to commemorate 2013 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships. 

The 2013 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships  took place in the Troja Centre, Prague, Czech Republic. The championships will be run on 11-15 September 2013.At the same time, the hosting Czech Canoe Union  celebrates 100 years of its existence.

Ships have sailed through Czech rivers through the ages. They were used for trade, travelling and hunting expeditions. One of the first documented sources mentions the Czech knight Zachař of Pašiněves who brought a kayak from Scandinavia and used it for travel.

The establishment of an independent Czechoslovakia, in 1918, boosted the development of water sports. The Canoe Union of the Czech Kingdom was reorganised into the Czech Canoe Union and focused mainly on water tourism. Its activities involved the creation of new camps alongside rivers and the organisation of various water sport competitions.

In 1925, the Czech Canoe Union became the fifth member of the International Canoe Federation. The Czech representatives initiated the first European Championships in Prague in 1933. Following intensive negotiations and the successful championships, canoeing sports became a part of the Olympics during the 1936 Berlin games. The Czech speed canoeists achieved great success by World War II. In recent years, the two-time Olympic champion Martin Doktor made the greatest contribution to the success of Czech canoeism.
A new discipline, water slalom, started to emerge in the 1930s. The first Czechoslovak competition took place in 1937 in Brno. One of the most successful Czech slalomists in recent time is the two-time Olympic champion Štěpánka Hilgertová.

Presently, the Czech Canoe Union has three branches; each works independently and is fully responsible for its own development. These are speed canoeing, white-water canoeing, and water tourism.
The achievements of Czech canoeing sports also include the privilege to organise European and world championships: Canoe Sprint World Championships in 1958; Canoe Slalom World Championships in 1967; Junior Canoe Sprint World Championships in 1993; Junior Canoe Slalom World Championships in 1996; European Canoe Slalom Championships in 1998; and Canoe Marathon World Championships in 2002.

Source: Czech Republic Post

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New stamps on Horses…

 

 

Date of Issue : 18 September 2013

The Post of Czech Republic will issue a set of two stamps featuring breeds of horses on 18th September 2013.

Kinsky horses (Equus Kinsky) from the Kinsky stud belong to the best horse breeds in the Czech Republic. The typical feature is their gold-coloured coat and black (duns) mane. The breeding of horses in Chlumetz stud started in the 17th century. The gold-coloured horses served mainly military and farming purposes. On the Empress Maria Theresa’s order, the breeding programme was extended to cover the army demand during the seven-year war between Austria and Prussia.

Originally, no horse pedigrees were kept. This was changed in 1832 by the introduction of the Kinsky horse studbook; the studbook is still in use today as the evidence of the history of Chlumetzer horses.
A new race course was built in 1843; three years later, it hosted the first race in the Bohemian Kingdom held according to the English rules and won by the Chlumetzer stallion Caesar. The emphasis was clearly shifting from hunting to racing, which helped establish the long-lasting tradition of the Pardubice Grand National in 1874. Many of the Pardubice Grand National winners came from the Kinsky horse breeds including but not limited to, 1897, 1900 - Magyarád, 1899 - Sláva, 1931 - Pohanka, 1937 - Norma, 1966 - Nestor. These as well as many other Chlumetzer horses were regularly among the top award winners.

The character, colour and ease of ride of these horses make them in high demand by breeders and riders all around the world. The talent of Chlumetzer horses is universal; they can be used for many disciplines from classic dressage to jumping, teaming and hunting. They are frequently saddled as sport horses for children.

Most stallions at stud in the Czech Republic are imported; the export of Chlumetzer horses to the world is a rare exception. A Chlumetzer horse can also be found at the Royal Stud in England; the mare Johanka Kinská (Joan Kinsky) was a 100th birthday present to Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

Great Footballer of 20th Century - Josef “Pepi” Bican

Date of Issue : 18 September 2013

Josef “Pepi” Bican was born in Vienna on 25 September 1913 into a Czech family and died in Prague on 12 December 2001. Pepi’s father was a great footballer who represented Austria. Following his father’s example, Josef Bican became a world-famous footballer. The author of 644 league goals, he spent most of his career in the Czech FC Slavia Prague.

As a young player, he represented Austria where he scored fourteen goals during nineteen matches. During his years in Rapid Vienna he became the best shooter in the Austrian League. In 1937, he joined Slavia Prague where he remained for most of his life. One year later, he became the best shooter of the Central European International Cup (a competition compared to today’s Cup of Masters). Bican’s greatest achievements as a footballer came during World War II. Despite the possibility to join foreign clubs after the war, he remained loyal to Slavia. He was also good at tennis and futnet.

After the turning point events of 1948, he was found to be a class enemy and Slavia Prague was found to be a bourgeois club by the ruling Communist Party. Bican found a job as an unskilled worker in the iron and steelworks in Kladno. It had taken many more years before he became a coach in Slavia Prague, Kladno, Liberec and Brno FCs. In the late 1960s he also worked as a coach in Belgium.

Bican, Pelé and Uwe Seeler were declared the greatest football players of the 20th century. A planet was named in Josef “Pepi” Bican’s honour. Planet 10634 is known as “Pepibican”.

 

Club News

ITS Postal Auction No.62 - Last date 5.10.13

To have a detailed list of "ITS Postal Auction No.62" with 140 Lots of Indian stamps, Miniature sheets, sheet-lets, thematic sets from different countries etc. visit www.scribd.com/suraj_jaitly

For more details visit at http://indianthematicstamps.webs.com/

- Suraj Jaitly      Mobile: +91 98728 51244
MIG # 3464, Phase Two, Dugri Road, Ludhiana - 141 013 INDIA

email : indianthematicsociety@gmail.com

ITS at http://indianthematicstamps.webs.com/
ITS Stamp News at http://itsstampnews.blogspot.com/

 

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Nature Protection

 

Date of Issue : 4 September 2013

The Post of Czech Republic will issue 4 stamps and a miniature sheet on 4th September 2013 on nature Protection featuring Karlštejn National Nature Reserve. The stamps feature a variety of flora fauna found in this area. Another stamp will be issued tomorrow on 700 Years of the Town of Nový Jičín.

Subject of the stamps:

1. Dracocephalum austriacum and Chorthippus vagans - CZK 10
2. Oenanthe oenanthe - CZK 14
3. Polyommatus coridon, Colias crocea and Pulsatilla pratensis - CZK 18
4. Karlštejn castle and Rosa gallica

    

The Karlštejn National Nature Reserve (1,547 ha) was established in 1955. It covers the area between the town of Beroun and the villages of Vráž, Mořina, Karlštejn and Srbsko, within the Český kras (Bohemian Karst) Protected Landscape Area (128 km²) established later in 1972. The prevailing geological profile consists of limestone rocks with jagged karst canyons, ravines and numerous caves. The area was first populated as early as 40 thousand years ago. The thermophilic plants growing in the reserve are typical of the Mediterranean regions. Some local species, such as the pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis), the Austrian dragonhead (Dracocephalum austriacum), and rare orchid species, are unique and cannot be found anywhere else in Bohemia. Local animals include numerous rare species, such as over 200 species of carabid beetles; two amphibians, the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) and the less frequent Alpine newt (Triturus alpestris); and the endangered wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria) as a representative of birds.

 

700 Years of the Town of Nový Jičín

 

Date of Issue : 4 September 2013

Nový Jičín is a district capital in the Moravian-Silesian region. It is located on the Jičínka river. In 1967, Nový Jičín was declared a town conservation area and in 2001, the Historical Town of the Year. Nový Jičín (the first written evidence of the attribute “Nový”, or “New” in English, dates back to 1397) was likely established between 1267 and 1278 below the castle Starý Jičín (“Starý” means “Old” in English) The square-shaped town square and the regular grid of streets show proof that the town was founded by Přemysl Ottokar II, King of Bohemia, as a greenfield project.

 

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Great Writers–Franz Kafka

 

Date of Issue : 26 June 2013

Czech Post issued a stamp dedicated to Franz Kafka, the famous writer. The stamp’s motto is LAWLESSNES - TIMELESSNESS - METAMORPHOSIS. The composition of the stamp, hand stamp and FDC is based on an austere geometric module which is also reflected in the booklet. The stamp portrays a realistic-looking beetle. As a symbol of relentless metamorphosis, not always for the better, the beetle is set in austere, even unsympathetic modules.

Stamp Booklet

Franz Kafka - a Prague-born, German-language writer of Jewish origin. He is best known for his novels The Trial, The Man Who Disappeared (also known as America), The Castle, and short story The Metamorphosis. The key part of his work was almost unknown and only a few short stories were published during his lifetime. Kafka became famous posthumously, mostly after World War II. Today, he is considered one of the 20th-century classics and a renowned innovator of the prose narrative form.

 

New Pictorial Cancellation from Germany

On July 20th 2013 will be available a new pictorial cancellation in 61239 Obermörlen.

The cancellation is featuring a Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)- Bird of the year 2013 in Germany.

Interested philatelists may please contact : Wolfgang Beyer,Vice Chairman of the German Collector Group ARGE ZOOLOGIE. Mail:

Wolfgang.beyer1@aol.de.
Postage rates: 0,75 Euro AIRMAIL, 2,80 Euro REGISTERED AIRMAIL

From Our Readers…

Letter to India Post…

Mr Pradip Jain requests the Readers to send mail  regarding non issue of following stamps by India Post as per schedule to the authorities concerned .

Thematic series of stamp, not issued in accordance to India Post list announced in January 2013

To,                           

Smt.  P. Gopinath

Secretary (Posts) & Chairman PS Board

Govt. of India

Dak Bhawan, Parliament Street

New Delhi - 110, 001.

secretary-posts@indiapost.gov.in

                                                                                                                                           26^th June 2013

Sub :  Thematic series of stamp, not issued in accordance  to India Post list announced in January 2013.

Respected  Madam ,

I would like to draw  your attention towards India Post stamp issue program list of 2013 announced in Jan. 2013.  From the list out of Twelve thematic series, until June (in Six month time) only two thematic series of stamp so far released. Moreover, 100 years of Indian Cinema stamp series issued released on dated 3^rd May 2013 is not available to India Post Philatelic Bureaus even after 45 days of its issue.

For the rest thematic series stamp issue date kindly be announced, and see all those announced in the program list are issued in 2013 on the given date. Here is the list for India Post Thematic Series stamp  Jan. to Dec. 2013 as per their announcement yet to release :  

Thematic Series

• Headgears of India–                April
• Stepwells of India)-                 April
• Musicians (set of 8 stamp) -    July
• Boats of India -                       August
• Wildlife and flora & fauna-     June
• Means of transport -               August
• Railway workshops at  kanchrapara & jamalpur –       Nov.
• Indian metal crafts –                Nov.
• Tribal dwellings –                   June
• Traditional embroideries –    Dec.

You will kindly see Four Thematic Series issue  between April to June not released, nor even communicated further through India Post website. These are the serious lapses to your own announced list which brings a bad name to our India Post in overseas market.

Thematic series of stamps are part of the culture and tradition of India and are very well received   in India and abroad. It should be well planned a year before and its publicity is highly important to attract a large number of collectors. India Post Philatelic division needs to be efficiently equipped with technology and human resource to handle such thematic series. It is the lack of planning with last minute decision-making that causes the products non-availability to the public who wish to buy thematic stamps but condition remain always chaotic.

Madam, I shall request you kindly look into the matter for the sake of Philately, and addressed the same on priority.

I shall be glad to hear from you soon.

With kind regards,

( Pradip Jain )

Chairman communication : Bihar Chamber of Commerce

Ex Member :  Philatelic Advisory Committee, Govt. of India

Mob : 093341 32162,  Email : philapradip@gmail.com

• Copy to  Smt. Meera Handa, DDG Philately, India Post for kind information and necessary action.
• Copy to Smt. Rashi Sharma, Director Philately, India Post for kind information and necessary action. : rashiadg@gmail.com
• Copy to Shri Kamleshwar jee,  Member HRD, India Post for kind information and necessary action. : memberhrd@indiapost.gov.in

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Joint Issue of Slovakia and Korea

 

 

Slovak post Pofis and Korean post have jointly issued a set of two stamps dedicated to the 20^th anniversary of countries’ diplomatic relations and depicting national dance and chant traditions of both countries – Lucnica art ensemble (Slovakia) and Pansori epic chant (Korea).

 

The Lucnica art ensemble is a representative of this cultural heritage. With its activity, artistic craftsmanship and fantasy, inspired by folk tradition, it creates dance and music scenic images with professional art charge while at the same time maintaining the originality of own national culture. During the ensemble’s 65 years of history (first public appearances are dated as far as 1948) more than 2.500 young people, mostly university students, have become its members. Lucnica with its top-class art, beauty, youth and hot temperament has dazzled audience both at home and abroad. A dancing young Slovak couple dressed in a ceremonial folk costume from the Central Slovakia area of Podpolanie represents a motif of the stamp. It is a hand-embroidered folk costume, made by a special technique, so-called “crooked needle”. The folk costumes come from the dance “Zapocinka”.

Pansori is a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a vocalist and a drummer. This popular tradition, characterized by expressive singing, stylized speech, a repertory of narratives and gesture, embraces both elite and folk culture. During performances lasting up to eight hours, a male or female singer, accompanied by a single drum, improvises on texts that combine rural and erudite literary expressions. The term Pansori is derived from the Korean words pan, meaning “a place where many people gather”, and sori meaning “song”. Pansori originated in south-west Korea in the seventeenth century, probably as a new expression of the narrative songs of shamans.

Since November 7, 2003 Pansori is a part of the world cultural heritage UNESCO as “Masterpiece of the Oral Tradition and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”.

New stamps on Nature Reserve from Czech Republic

Karlstejn  National Nature Reserve

This is the largest protected karst area in Bohemia. It stretches across an area of almost 16 km on the left bank of the Berounka River from Karlštejn and Mořina to Šanův kout and the valley of the Kačák rivulet near Sedlec. Rocky ravines and the Berounka canyon alternate here with rounded and rocky knolls or places of old karst plains.

Remains of fauna from the former sea have been preserved in the limestone and shale, particularly the well-known trilobites. The karst processes have created a complex of caves. The travertine caves at Saint John Under the Cliff are particularly unusual – although not open to the public, they are archelogically valuable. The reserve also contains abandoned quarries which provide a home to many protected or endangered species of plants and animals. The region belongs among one of the most attractive districts of the surroundings of Prague as well as all of Bohemia.

   

New stamps on Karlstejn  National Nature Reserve will be issued on September 4th in the Czech Republic with above cancellations.

Courtesy : Mr.Slavomil Strnad,Semily, Czech Republic and Wolfgang Beyer, Vice Chairman of the German Philatelic Collector Group ARGE Zoologie.

email : Wolfgang.beyer1@aol.de   Orders from philatelists for this issue are welcome.

Modern Pictorial meter cancellation from Germany

Modern METER featuring a scene of Evolution based on Darwin’s theory .The METER is  from the Zoological Garden of the german town Rostock.

Courtesy : Mrs.Margitta Drohla, Rostock,Germany and Wolfgang Beyer, German Collector Group ARGE ZOOLOGIE. email : Wolfgang.beyer1@aol.de 

My recent cover

Courtesy : Wolfgang Beyer - Germany

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