#1312 Italy 18/11/03

This very nice cover from Italy was sent by Ivan, thank you very much! It was posted in San Vito Al Tagliamento on November 3, 2018 and arrived on January 14, 2019.

The left stamp commemorates the transumanza (migration of sheep).

The right stamp commemorates the violonist and composer Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713).

#1310 Czech Republic 21/02/20

Ivan has sent this very nice cover from the Czech Republic, thank you very much! It was posted in Milostín on February 20 and arrived on February 15, 2021.

The left stamps commemorate the writer Adolf Branald (1910–2008) and film director Karel Zeman (1910–1989).

#1265 Germany 20/01/02

This beautiful FDC from Germany was sent by Ulf, thank you! It was issued and sent on January 2 and arrived on January 20, 2020.

The left stamp is part of the flower definitive series and depicts a daylily (Hemerocallis sp.). The right stamp commemorates the 250th birthday anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827).

See also: #1254 Germany 19/12/30

#1254 Germany 19/12/30

Here is an interesting cover from Germany, which was sent by Ulf, thank you! It was posted on December 30 and arrived on January 3, 2020.

The stamp on the right commemorates the 250 birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). The issue date of the stamp was January 2, so it was already used a few days before it got valid.

#1159 Canada 18/04/20

This very nice cover from Canada was sent by Edward, thank you! It was posted in Canoe BC on April 20 and arrived on April 30, 2018.

The stamp set is entitled “Canadian Opera” and was issued on February 4, 2017. The stamps depict the opera houses of Calgary and Toronto,  the opera singers Gerald Finley and Adrianne Pieczonka, and the stage director Irving Guttman.

#1017 Canada 16/01/07

Evelyn has sent this very nice cover from Canada, thank you! It was posted in New Westminster, BC on January 7 and arrived on January 12, 2016.

#935 United Nations 15/04/17

This very nice cover from the United Nations Vienna was sent by Patrik, thank you! It was posted on April 17 and arrived on April 21, 2015.

The left stamp is part of the definitive set, which was issued on January 28, 2008. It depicts the monument for Johann Strauss (1825 – 1899) in Vienna.

The stamp set on the right was issued on October 21, 2014. It is part of the “Endangered Species”-series. The stamps depict the humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), the giant oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris), and the American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula).

 

#806 Ukraine 13/11/01

V.V. sent this beautiful cover from Ukraine, thank you! It was posted in Uzhgorod on November 1 and arrived on November 11, 2013.

The cover is a postal stationery and commemorates the Ukrainian sculptor Vasil’ Svida (1913-1989).

The left stamp was issued on August 24, 2013, and depicts some pumpkins. The right stamp (issued October 9, 2013) is entitled “History of National Communication”.

See also: #772 Ukraine 14/03/12

#644 France 12/12/12

Jean Pierre sent this cover from France, thank you. It was posted in Paris on lucky date 12/12/12 and arrived on December 14, 2012.

The left stamp commemorates the “Fête du timbre — Le timbre fête le feu” (Stamp Day — The stamp celebrates the fire); it was issued on October 15, 2012. The right stamp was issued on November 5, 2012. It commemorates the city of Belfort and the famous sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (1824-1904), who designed the Statue of Liberty and the Lion of Belfort.

#629 Lebanon 13/02/10

On February 18 I received this Lebanese cover from Chucri, thank you! It was posted at Spinneys Mall in Dbayeh on February 10, 2013.

The stamps are part of a set, which was issued on June 27, 2011. The left stamp commemorates the Nature Reserve of Ehden. The right stamp commemorates the Lebanese singer Wadih El-Safi (*1921).

#568 Japan 12/06/01

This marvellous first day cover from Japan was posted at Fujigaoka Station in Nagoya on June 1, 2012.

The mini-sheet commemorates the 60th anniversary of the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and the 50th anniversary of the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto.

The green painting on top is entitled “Serving Girl at a Spa”and was made by Tsuchida Bakusen (1887-1936).

The paintings below are (from top left to bottom right):
“Girl” by Mimani Kunzo (1883-1950)
“Portrait of San’yūtei Enchō” by Kaburaki Kiyokata (1878-1972)
“Road Cut through a Hill” by Ryūsei Kishida (1891-1929)
“Mother and Child” by Uemura Shōen (1875-1949)
“Reading by the Window” by Ota Kijiro (1883-1951)
“Peonies at a Back Garden after Rain” by Tokuoka Shinsen (1896-1972)
“Seated Woman” by Sōtarō Yasui (1888-1955)
“Study of Fallen Blossoms” by Fukuda Heihachirō (1892-1974)

In addition to the stamps there is an automate label of 160 yen applied.

#210 France 09/10/24

This nice French FDC was sent to me by David, thank you!

The stamp was issued on October 24, 2009. It commemorates the  French artist Jean-Jacques Waltz alias Hansi (1873-1951).

Georgia 08/11/07

Cover from Georgia, posted in Tbilisi on November 7, 2008.

Khatuna sent me again a beautiful cover from Georgia. There are a lot of nice stamps attached: The top left stamp was issued in 2006 and commemorates the 250th birthday of the famous composer W. A. Mozart (1756-1791). The next stamp depicts the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla L.). Then there is a 2006 stamp depicting an old painting. The two stamps at the right are the two stamps of the EUROPA set issued on May 27, 2005. The set has the topic “Food & Cooking”.

In the bottom left corner there is one 2007 stamp depicting the Kazbeg mountain, which is the third highest mountain in Georgia. The neighbour stamp is the same 2006 stamp as above depicting the painting.

Khatuna, thank you for sending me such a beautiful cover again!

Pakistan 08/10/22

Today I would like to present you a really extraordinary registered cover from Pakistan, which I received a few weeks ago. It was posted in Karachi on October 22, 2008.

The front side (shown above) has attached the two mini-sheets “Painters of Pakistan Series” (2006) and “US$ 10 Billion Exports ‘2002-03′” (2003). On the front side there are the registered stickers (the yellow one was attached by the Austrian post), a registered mark with handwritten number, and a postage calculation too.

The “Painters” stamp sheet was issued on August 14, 2006. It commemorates the painters Prof. Shakir Ali, Anna Molka Ahmed, Sadequain, Ali Imam, Zubeida Agha, Laila Shahzada, Ahmed Parvez, Bashir Mirza, Zahoorul Akhlaque, and Askari Mian Irani.

The “Exports” stamp sheet was issued on October 20, 2003. It commemorates the “crossing of the psychological barrier of U.S. $ 10 billion in Pakistan’s exports.” (read more)

The back side has attached the three mini-sheets “29th Martyrdom Anniversary of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto”, “Golden Jubilee First Ascent of K2”, and “55th Birthday Celebrations of Benazir Bhutto”. In addition there are five different stamps depicting the fish Black Widow Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), Yellow Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma borrellii), and Tiger Barb (Capoeta tetrazona), “Two Decades of South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation”, and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the “Father of the Nation”. (Thank you, Eric, for telling me.)

The stamps on the front side have a total value of 60 rupees and on the back side there are stamps of a total of 109 rupees. The total postage attached was 169 rupees. I am curious what the calculation on the front side means: 8.39 + 6.50 = 14.89. Is this the necessary postage?

Rabia, thank you for sending me this truly impressive cover!

Spain 2008/14/10

Cover from Spain, posted in Carballo (A Coruña) on October 14, 2008.

The stamps are of a series commemorating famous Spanish painters. The first stamp shows a self-portrait of Antonio María Esquivel y Suárez de Urbina (1806-1857); the second stamp depicts a self-portrait of the Asturian painter Darío de Regoyos y Valdés (1857-1913).