Author Archives: VSC

Keukenhof Flower Garden (Netherlands 2024)

Posted on by
2

[from PostNL press materials] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
75 Years of Keukenhof on Flowery Stamps

Taken from Wikipedia: Literally “kitchen garden,” and also known as the Garden of Europe, it is one of the world’s largest flower gardens. Keukenhof Park covers an area of 79 acres and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually. Keukenhof is widely known for its tulips, and it also features numerous other flowers, including hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations and irises.

On March 1, 1949, the beginning of the meteorological spring, it was decided to organize a flower exhibition. This is how the idea for Keukenhof came about. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the popular spring park in Lisse, South Holland, PostNL is today issuing the ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheet.

Keukenhof director Sandra Bechtholt received the first copy of the anniversary stamp from Noud Wegman, commercial director at the postal company. Bechtholt: “It will be a festive season with an anniversary exhibition and numerous other activities. Millions of photos are taken in the park for social media, but a postcard remains a beautiful thing to connect people. Such a handwritten greeting from Keukenhof is loved by international visitors, especially this spring with this anniversary stamp.”

“The park is a must-see destination in travel programmes. Eighty percent of Keukenhof’s visitors come from abroad,” said Annemarie Gerards-Adriaansens, Project Manager for Keukenhof’s 75th anniversary celebration. “It will be a special season, with an anniversary exhibition and all sorts of other activities.”

Spring flowers: tulip, iris and daffodil
Each stamp from the ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheetlet had the same special shape of a stylized petal with a triangular base under a circular shape with serrations. The stamps depict various flowers as large as possible against a white background: a tulip, an iris and a daffodil. The arrangement of the stamps on the stamp sheet refers to the shape of a flower with 6 petals.

The design of the stamp sheet was created by graphic designer Maud van Rossum from Amsterdam. She reflected on the varied range of flowers on the stamps by depicting an orange-red tulip, a blue-purple iris and a yellow daffodil.

Combining flowers and stamps is not an unfamiliar concept to Van Rossum. Back in 2022, she designed the 200 Years of the Mauritshuis Museum stamps featuring paintings of famous floral still lifes. “Same subject, but from a completely different perspective,” says Van Rossum. “It needed to be a colourful, joyful, special design and I think we pulled it off.”

The background of the stamp sheet features a photo of a tulip field taken at knee height. “Bend down and lower your perspective so you’re not looking down on the flowers, but straight at them, and that opens up a whole new world,” says Van Rossum.

Availability
The ‘Keukenhof 75 years’ stamp sheet contains 6 stamps in 3 different designs, with the value indication international 1 for mail up to and including 20 grams with an international destination. The stamps will be available from March 1, 2024 at Bruna stores and via the webshop. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite. The price per sheet of 6 stamps is €10.50 (currently US$11.39). [2014 photo above: by Balou46]

Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Eid (Canada 2024)

Posted on by
Reply

by Danforth Guy

Another first look: The stamp marking Eid (Eid al-Fitr) from Canada Post acknowledges the end of the fast of Ramadan with cakes and sweets that are typically enjoyed.

Eid occurs this year on April 9-10. One postal source says the stamp is set to come out in a few days. A national stamp organization says April. The Virtual Stamp Club says November, which doesn’t coincide with the holiday. [That was from a Canada Post release on December 20th.]

The stamps will sell in booklets of 6 at the domestic rate of 92c (‘P’). There is no first day location information.

This image comes from a post office placemat, hence the low quality. (But we have cleaned it up. Click on this image for a larger version.)

Updated March 28th:
[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Stamp showcasing maamoul commemorates Islamic festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha
Canada Post is proud to mark two festivals, celebrated by more than
a million Muslims in Canada, with stamp featuring the popular treat

OTTAWA – Canada Post issued a new stamp today to mark two important Islamic holidays: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The commemorative stamp features maamoul, Middle Eastern cookies, and a traditional carved wooden mould used to make them.

Melt-in-your-mouth cookies stuffed with a delicious walnut, pistachio or date filling, maamoul are a sweet staple during Eid celebrations. They are traditionally handmade from semolina and flavoured with fragrant rose or orange-blossom water andmahlab – a spice made from ground cherry pits. Before baking, the balls of dough are stuffed with walnut, pistachio or date filling and formed with specially carved wooden moulds.

Early versions of maamoul can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Today, family and friends often gather before Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha to bake the cookies together. Served to guests and given as gifts, maamoul are also made across much of the Middle East to celebrate other holidays, such as Easter and Purim.

This year, Eid al-Fitr – the Festival of Breaking the Fast – begins in April, after the end of Ramadan. The stamp was issued today, so that it can be used to send greetings before the festival. Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest Muslim city. In 2024, Eid al-Adha begins in June.

Celebrated by more than one million Muslims in Canada, both events can last several days and include communal prayers and feasts, visits with family, gift-giving and acts of charity.

Celebrating Canada’s culturally diverse population
The 2024 issue is Canada Post’s sixth Eid stamp; the others were issued in 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The Eid stamp is one of several stamps Canada Post issues each year to mark annual celebrations important to Canada’s culturally diverse population – others include Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas.

About the stamp
The stamp was designed by Kristine Do, photographed by Maya Visnyei, with food styling by David Grenier. Printed by Colour Innovations, the issue includes booklets of six Permanent™ domestic rate stamps and an Official First Day Cover cancelled in London, Ontario.

The new stamp and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Un timbre consacré aux maâmouls souligne les fêtes islamiques de l’Aïd al-Fitr et de l’Aïd al-Adha
Postes Canada est fière de souligner deux fêtes célébrées par plus d’un million de personnes au Canada avec un timbre mettant en vedette ces biscuits populaires.

OTTAWA – Postes Canada a émis un nouveau timbre aujourd’hui pour souligner deux fêtes islamiques importantes : l’Aïd al-Fitret l’Aïd al-Adha. Le timbre commémoratif met en vedette des maâmouls, des biscuits du Moyen-Orient, et le moule en bois sculpté traditionnel utilisé pour les façonner.

Les délicieux biscuits sablés fourrés de noix de Grenoble, de pistaches ou de dattes sont un incontournable lors des fêtes de l’Aïd. Ils sont traditionnellement fabriqués à la main à partir de semoule et parfumés avec de l’eau de rose ou de fleur d’oranger et du mahaleb (de l’arabe mahlab), une épice faite à partir de noyaux de cerise broyés. Avant la cuisson, les boules de pâte sont fourrées de noix de Grenoble, de pistaches ou de dattes, et modelées à l’aide de moules en bois spécialement sculptés.

Des versions antérieures remontent à l’Égypte ancienne et à la Mésopotamie. Aujourd’hui, membres de la famille et autres proches se rassemblent souvent avant l’Aïd al-Fitr et l’Aïd al-Adha pour préparer les biscuits ensemble. Servis aux convives et offerts en cadeau, les maâmouls sont également cuisinés au Moyen-Orient à l’occasion d’autres fêtes, comme Pâques et Purim.

Cette année, l’Aïd al-Fitr, ou fête de la rupture du jeûne, commence en avril, après le ramadan. Le timbre a été émis aujourd’hui afin qu’on puisse l’utiliser pour envoyer des vœux avant la fête. L’Aïd al-Adha, ou fête du sacrifice, souligne la fin du pèlerinage du Hajj à La Mecque, en Arabie saoudite, la ville musulmane la plus sacrée. En 2024, elle commence en juin.

D’une durée de plusieurs jours, les fêtes sont célébrées par plus d’un million de fidèles au Canada. Elles sont généralement synonymes de prières communes, de visites familiales, de festins partagés, de cadeaux et d’actes de charité.

Célébrer la diversité culturelle du Canada
L’émission de 2024 est le sixième timbre de l’Aïd de Postes Canada; les autres ont été émis en 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 et 2023.

La vignette consacrée à l’Aïd fait partie des nombreuses émissions annuelles soulignant des fêtes importantes pour la population diversifiée du Canada, notamment Diwali, Hanoukka et Noël.

À propos du timbre
Le timbre a été conçu par Kristine Do, la photo prise par Maya Visnyei et le stylisme culinaire réalisé par David Grenier. Imprimée par Colour Innovations, l’émission comprend un carnet de six timbres Permanents🅪 au tarif du régime intérieur et un pli Premier Jour officiel oblitéré à London, en Ontario.

Le timbre et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

Updated March 31st: [click to see a larger view]

Total Solar Eclipse (Canada 2024)

Posted on by
4

by Danforth Guy

Here’s a first look at the Total Solar Eclipse stamp, marking the center line of the path of totality from Niagara Falls, Ontario/New York to Bonavista, Newfoundland & Labrador. The stamp shows the Horseshoe Falls and the rugged coastline near Bonavista, including The Chimney, a great tower of rock.

The stamps will come in booklets of 10 at the domestic rate of 92c (‘P’). One postal source says they are set to be issued on March 5. A national stamp group is guessing it’s March 14. The VSC calendar says April. [That was from a Canada Post press release on December 20th.]

This image comes from a countertop placemat in a post office, hence the low quality. (Click on it for a larger version; we have cleaned it up.)

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions] [Canada Post video follows French version]
New stamp marks the upcoming total eclipse of the sun
Awe-inspiring phenomenon won’t be visible in Canada for another 20 years

NIAGARA FALLS, ON, March 14, 2024 /CNW/ – Today, Canada Post issued a new commemorative stamp to mark a much-anticipated astronomical phenomenon. On Monday, April 8, the shadow of the moon will turn daylight to darkness for millions of Canadians, as a total eclipse of the sun unfolds over parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada.

It will be the only time this century that the path of a total solar eclipse will cross parts of North America’s three largest countries.
In Canada, the awe-inspiring spectacle – which won’t be visible here again until 2044 – will trace a path of darkness, called the path of totality, across parts of Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

[On the left, the booklet pane and OFDC under black light.]

Once considered an evil omen, a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun in such a way that it blocks the face of the sun from view. The event unfolds over approximately two hours. However, it peaks in a few precious minutes of totality when the sun is completely obscured and the ghostly glow from its chromosphere and corona frames a perfect silhouette of the moon.

The stamp image depicts the sun at the moment of totality as well as a line showing the path of the eclipse from its entrance point in southwestern Ontario to its exit point in eastern Newfoundland and Labrador. Across the bottom of the stamp is a photomontage of land formations along the path of totality, including Ontario’s Niagara Falls, New Brunswick’s Hopewell Rocks, and Spillars Cove in Newfoundland and Labrador.

This stamp is Canada Post’s first one to feature a solar eclipse.

WARNING: Looking at the sun without proper protection can cause serious eye damage. For more information on eye safety during the eclipse, visit the How to safely watch a solar eclipse page on the Canadian Space Agency website.

About the stamp
The stamp was designed by Richard Nalli-Petta and illustrated by Michal Karcz. Printed by Colour Innovations, the issue includes 200,000 booklets of 10 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps and 6,000 Official First Day Covers cancelled in Niagara Falls, Ont. – one of the first Canadian cities on the eclipse’s path of totality.

Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
Un nouveau timbre marque l’éclipse totale du Soleil
L’impressionnant phénomène ne se reproduira pas au Canadaavant 20 ans.

NIAGARA FALLS, ON, le 14 mars 2024 /CNW/ – Aujourd’hui, Postes Canada a émis un timbre commémoratif pour marquer un phénomène astronomique très attendu. Le lundi 8 avril, l’ombre de la Lune plongera dans la noirceur des millions de personnes au pays, alors qu’une éclipse totale du Soleil touchera certaines parties du Mexique, des États-Unis et du Canada.

Ce sera la seule fois ce siècle-ci qu’une éclipse solaire totale se produira au-dessus des trois plus grands pays nord-américains.

Au Canada, l’impressionnant spectacle, qui ne sera de nouveau visible ici qu’en 2044, créera une ligne d’obscurité, appelée bande de totalité, traversant l’Ontario, le Québec et les Maritimes.

Autrefois considérée comme un mauvais présage, une éclipse solaire totale survient lorsque la Lune passe entre la Terre et le Soleil, de sorte que ce dernier est entièrement caché par la Lune. Le spectacle dure environ deux heures. Toutefois, il atteint son apogée durant les quelques précieuses minutes de totalité où le soleil est entièrement caché et la lumière fantomatique de la chromosphère et de la couronne solaire dessine la silhouette de la Lune.

L’image du timbre illustre le Soleil au moment de la totalité, ainsi qu’une ligne représentant la trajectoire de l’éclipse depuis son point d’entrée dans le sud-ouest de l’Ontario jusqu’à son point de sortie dans l’est de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador. Dans le bas de la vignette se trouve un photomontage de formations terrestres le long de la bande de totalité, y compris les chutes Niagara, en Ontario, les rochers Hopewell, au Nouveau-Brunswick et Spillars Cove, à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador.

C’est la première fois que Postes Canada lance un timbre à l’occasion d’une éclipse solaire.

AVERTISSEMENT: Regarder le Soleil sans protection adéquate peut causer de graves dommages aux yeux. Pour des précisions sur la sécurité oculaire pendant l’éclipse, consultez la page Comment observer sans danger une éclipse solaire sur le site de l’Agence spatiale canadienne.

À propos du timbre
Le timbre a été conçu par Richard Nalli-Petta et illustré par Michal Karcz. Imprimée par Colour Innovations, l’émission comprend 200 000 carnets de 10 timbres PermanentsMC du régime intérieur et 6 000 plis Premier Jour officiels. Le lieu d’oblitération est Niagara Falls, en Ontario, l’une des premières villes canadiennes sur la trajectoire de l’éclipse.

Les timbres et les articles de collection sont en vente sur postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

Wildflowers (Canada 2024)

Posted on by
Reply

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Annual flower stamp issue showcases environmentally important wildflowers
Spotted beebalm and butterfly milkweed provide food and shelter for pollinators, as well as beautiful blooms for gardens and bouquetsIssue date: 1 March 2024OTTAWA – Canada Post’s latest stamp issue features two native wildflowers that are important sources of food for a variety of pollinators, including hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

The brilliant blossoms of butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and spotted beebalm (Monarda punctata) become heavy with nectar and pollen, attracting hungry insects and birds. Those pollinators play a crucial role in fertilizing plants, including fruit trees and other agricultural crops.

Both plants are perennial herbs that can grow up to a metre tall. The glossy leaves of butterfly milkweed, and the leaves of other milkweeds, are the sole source of food for monarch butterfly caterpillars. These striking pollinators are affected by deforestation, climate change and the loss of native plants along their migratory corridors.

A fragrant member of the mint family, spotted beebalm is known for its unique and intricate whorls of purple-spotted, tubular flowers that alternate with rings of white-to-purple leaf bracts along its upper stem.

In Canada, spotted beebalm and butterfly milkweed are native only to certain regions of
southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec. In Quebec, these wildflowers are designated as threatened and protected by law.

About the stamps
Designed by Andrew Perro, the two stamps feature original illustrations by Alain Massicotte of wildflowers in bloom. The stamps are available in booklets of 10, coils of 50, collectible coil strips of 4 and 10 stamps, as well as in a souvenir sheet of 2 stamps.The stamps were cancelled in Essex, Ont., a region with an abundance of native milkweed and which is an important breeding ground for monarch butterflies before their annual migration to Mexico.

Stamps and collectibles are available at canadapost.ca and postal outlets across Canada.

[en Francais pour les médias d’information]
L’émission annuelle de timbres floraux illustre des fleurs sauvages importantes pour l’environnement
La monarde ponctuée et l’asclépiade tubéreuse procurent nourriture et refuge aux pollinisateurs, en plus d’être magnifiques dans les jardins et les bouquets.Jour d’emission: 1 March 2024OTTAWA, ON, le 1er mars 2024 /CNW/ – La nouvelle émission de timbres de Postes Canada présente deux fleurs sauvages indigènes qui sont d’importantes sources de nourriture pour une variété de pollinisateurs, y compris les colibris, les papillons et les abeilles.

Abondantes en nectar et en pollen, les fleurs éclatantes de l’asclépiade tubéreuse (Asclepias tuberosa) et de la monarde ponctuée (Monarda punctata) attirent les insectes et les oiseaux pollinisateurs en quête de nourriture. Ceux-ci jouent un rôle essentiel dans la fertilisation des plantes, y compris les arbres fruitiers et d’autres cultures agricoles.

Ces deux herbes vivaces peuvent atteindre jusqu’à un mètre de hauteur. Les feuilles lustrées de l’asclépiade tubéreuse, et celles des autres variétés d’asclépiades, sont l’unique nourriture des chenilles de papillons monarques. Ce pollinisateur remarquable est touché par la déforestation, les changements climatiques et la perte de plantes indigènes le long de ses corridors migratoires.

Membre parfumé de la famille de la menthe, la monarde ponctuée se distingue par son apparence unique et complexe. Sur sa tige supérieure alternent des verticilles de fleurs tubulaires tachetées de pourpre et des anneaux de feuilles allant du blanc au violet.

Au Canada, la monarde ponctuée et l’asclépiade tubéreuse sont indigènes seulement de certaines régions du sud de l’Ontario et du sud-ouest du Québec. Au Québec, elles sont désignées comme menacées et protégées par la loi.

À propos des timbres
Conçus par Andrew Perro, les deux timbres présentent des illustrations originales d’Alain Massicotte représentant des fleurs sauvages en pleine floraison. Les timbres sont offerts en carnets de 10, en rouleaux de 50, en bandes de collection de 4 et 10 vignettes provenant de rouleaux et en bloc-feuillet de deux timbres.Les timbres ont été oblitérés à Essex, en Ontario, une région riche en asclépiades indigènes qui est un important lieu de reproduction pour les monarques avant leur migration annuelle vers le Mexique.

Les timbres et autres articles de collection sont en vente à postescanada.ca et dans les comptoirs postaux partout au pays.

Zais to Steer AFDCS Publications

Posted on by
Reply

[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]

Mitchell “Mick” Zais, a former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education, is now the chair of the Publications subcommittee of the American First Day Cover Society. Publications is a part of the Education Department of the AFDCS, which is chaired by Michael Lake.

Zais was also briefly Acting Secretary of Education in 2021 and has served as South Carolina Superintendent of Education and president of Newbury College. Before that, the West Point graduate had reached the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Army.

He has often told the story of how he was able to skip a required geography course at the U.S. Military Academy because of the knowledge he had gained from stamp collecting. Today, he specializes in the first day covers of the Army stamps of the Army-Navy Series of 1936-37 (Sc. 785-789).

Mick was elected to the AFDCS Board of Directors, beginning in January 2023. He served as president of the American Philatelic Society from 2016 to 2018, resigning to avoid a conflict of interest with his federal appointment.

“I look forward to working with our team at AFDCS to bring useful and important publications to our members,” said Zais. “Most exciting is the recent permission acquired by the Society to re-print the Mellone first day cover catalogs.”

The AFDCS has published books, handbooks, and catalogues on everything from the basics of FDC collecting to making cachets, from FDCs of the 1909 commemorative issues to those of the 1988 Cats issue. A complete list can be found on its website in the Marketplace section. The Education Department of the AFDCS also has a YouTube Channel and produces videos on various facets of FDC collecting.

The AFDCS, a not-for-profit educational organization, sponsors the annual Philip H. Ward, Jr., Memorial Award for Excellence in First Day Cover Literature, exhibit awards, and is a co-sponsor of the Great American Stamp Show, which includes the Americover first day cover exhibition and announcement of the results of its annual cachetmaking contest. Its journal, First Days, is a perennial gold-medal winner in philatelic literature competitions.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 27, Greer, SC 29652-0027.

Philatelic Exhibiting: Building A Passion (Hotchner)

Posted on by
Reply

Philatelic Exhibiting: Building a Passion
for Knowledge, Acquisition, and Creativity
by John M. Hotchner

I’m a philatelic exhibitor, and the discipline has taught me a great deal about stamp collecting, but even more about myself. Exhibiting is the creation of philatelic stories highlighting mostly stamps and covers, but sometimes also associated material like photos or news articles. The object is to arrange the material in a pleasing way that encourages viewers to stop at your frames and enjoy (and learn from) your work.

National level exhibiting, and much local and regional exhibiting too, takes place as a competition for medal levels and special awards offered by each show and by national level societies, but the medal level part is not competition against other exhibits. Rather, each exhibit is judged against two standards:

  • How difficult a task have you set for yourself, and
  • Whether your exhibit is the best it can be, in terms of the material used, the logic of the story, and the knowledge presented.

As can well be imagined, putting hours and hours into creating an exhibit often converts the effort from a mere philatelic project into something akin to what you feel for one of your children. And as you might react badly to having one of your children criticized — especially unfairly — it is just so with what judges will have to say about your exhibit. It took a long time for me to understand and internalize that it was the exhibit being critiqued, and not myself.

It took even longer to understand that judges were commenting about four different action areas:

  • Problems that are holding an exhibit back from getting to the next level and must be addressed; things like missing philatelic material, difficulty in the flow of the story being told, or incorrect or poorly stated information.
  • Suggestions, or ideas for experimenting, that deserve to be considered toward overcoming those problems.
  • Areas where the exhibitor might use his or her own knowledge and creativity to come up with better ways to make points that advance the story or the clarity of the story.
  • Areas where the judge has personal preferences — often in the realm of exhibit presentation.

There is a tendency to give equal weight to everything a judge says, but exhibitors need to learn to differentiate the “musts” from the “maybes,” and to identify ideas worth pursuing — and what should go into File 13. Judges are human and can make mistakes. They can miss seeing something that is present, misunderstand points being made, or bring their own biases to the table. But exhibitors are also human. Thus, miscommunication is almost inevitable. But exhibitors need to understand that judges are also exhibitors (successful ones!) who have real knowledge to impart, and do what they do to try to be a resource and be helpful.

Early on in my exhibiting career I was certain that my failure to get to Gold was not my fault, but the fault of the judges, who in my view didn’t understand what I was trying to do, didn’t know as much as I did about my exhibit subject, and were too full of themselves to be objective.

In one especially humiliating instance, the legendary collector and judge Bud Hennig (shown on the left) critiqued my first exhibit (on methods of stamp separation) after the jury he was on dropped it to a Silver medal, after it had gotten several Vermeils (the level under Gold). My feelings were hurt, and my back was up, and his critique, which was extensive, had me thinking “Unfair … I’m not putting up with this. I’m leaving this field, and not coming back.”

I put the exhibit on the shelf, and there it sat for about three months. When I did look at it again, I had to admit that Hennig had made quite a few good points, and the old enthusiasm came back to motivate me to work on it some more. In fact, Hennig’s critique, harsh but honest, turned out to be the door I had to walk through to get the exhibit to Gold. And that took some growth on my part.

So here it is nearly 40 years and about 15 exhibits later, and exhibiting is the most fun thing I do in the hobby. It forces me to organize my material, to learn about it in detail, to present it logically, and to exercise my meager artistic skills as I prepare exhibit pages.

My most recent efforts are in the fields of Korean War POW Mail, and Bureau of Engraving and Printing Repairs and Rejection Markings. Challenge is what it’s all about — taking a subject that no one else has done before, and creating a base from which others can launch a new interest. For me it is now much more about the story than the medal. Sure, I enjoy getting a nice medal to add to my collection, but the medal is no longer the reason I exhibit.

For those of you who might like to give exhibiting a try, I would recommend going to the website of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, You will find much information about our corner of the hobby, but also a pamphlet titled “How to Get Started in Philatelic Exhibiting.”

Should you wish to comment on this column, or have questions or ideas you would like to have explored in a future column, please write to John Hotchner, VSC Contributor, P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125, or email, putting “VSC” in the subject line.

Or comment right here.

Typically Dutch — Dogs (Netherlands 2024)

Posted on by
2

[from PostNL press materials] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Typically Dutch — Dogs

Date of issue: 12 February 2024
Appearance: sheet of six stamps in six identical designs
Item number: 440262
Design: Adam Lane, Edwin van Praet and Huub van Veenhuijzen from Total Design, Amsterdam

This issue is the second in the Typically Dutch series this year. The multi-year series was launched in 2020, and in 2024 focuses on the Netherlands’ most popular and familiar animals.

The six identical postage stamps will be marked ‘Nederland 1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. A sheet of six stamps costs €6.54.

Typically Dutch – Dogs was designed by Senior Graphic Designer Adam Lane, Executive Creative Director Edwin van Praet and Concept Director Huub van Veenhuijzen from Total Design in Amsterdam. The design was created using artificial intelligence and features figurines in the shape of Delftware pottery.

The first 2024 issue in the Typically Dutch series is about cows and was published on 2 January. Stamp sheets featuring horses (25 March), songbirds (13 May) and cats (12 August) will follow later this year.

Dogs: The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a mammal that belongs to the canine family and a domesticated subspecies of the wolf. For many years now, man has used the dog as a guard dogs, companions, shepherd dogs, draught animals, police dogs, assistance dogs and hunting dogs. The Dutch love dogs. The precise number of dogs in the Netherlands is unknown, but estimates suggest around 1.9 million, which works out at one per four households on average.

Roughly one quarter of all dogs in the Netherlands are purebred. Their interests are safeguarded by the Dutch Kennel Club, which keeps the pedigree records. A small number of purebred dogs are typically Dutch, such as the Drentsche Patrijshond, the Stabyhoun, the Dutch Shepherd, the Kooikerhondje, the Markiesje, the Saarloos Wolfdog, the Schapendoes and the Frisian Water Dog.

Koninklijke Hondenbescherming (the Dutch Society for the Protection of Dogs) feels a responsibility towards all Dutch dogs. Since 2013, the society has championed the legal requirement to have all new dogs in the Netherlands chipped. Since 2021, breeders are also legally obliged to register their puppies and apply for an EU passport for them.

Delftware: The history of Delftware is closely linked to that of Chinese porcelain. Delft was one of the VOC’s trading posts, with warehouses where large stocks of this porcelain were stored. Delft potters developed a type of tin-glazed earthenware that could be compared to Chinese porcelain in terms of shape, shine and decoration. Delftware became very popular within a short space of time and experienced its heyday between 1650 and 1750, when there were around 100 pottery factories. Today, only a few factories are still producing Delftware in the traditional way. The traditional paintwork can be identified by the mark on the underside of each product.

Artificial intelligence: AI relates to learning computing systems that are capable of extrapolating large amounts of data and algorithms, making decisions and choices, and coming up with interpretations. The developments in artificial intelligence are coming thick and fast. It is used in numerous applications, from face recognition on smartphones and self-driving cars to smart thermostats and deep fakes – digitally manipulated images, sounds and texts. Within AI there is a separate discipline called generative art, which is when a computer algorithm creates an original work of art or design.

Design: Each stamp on the Typically Dutch – dogs stamp sheet features two dogs sitting next to each other on their hind legs. The portrait takes the form of a figurine made from shiny Delftware pottery. The image of the two dogs was created using the AI programme Midjourney, which produces images based on textual descriptions.

Typically Dutch – Dogs was designed by Total Design, an Amsterdam-based design agency which has been responsible for the Typically Dutch series since 2020. For the 2024 series, PostNL asked Total Design to elaborate on the Delftware theme by combining photography and illustration. Delftware did, in fact, end up on the stamps, albeit with a contemporary twist.

The designers “wanted to see whether we could go further than using images of vases, plates and figurines,” said designer Adam Lane. “We were looking to create a modern twist, and that’s when we came up with the concept of working with artificial intelligence. Our AI expertise gave us some ideas, but we wanted to explore properly how it would work.”

Around 25 designers participated in a brainstorming session. “In small teams, we used the AI programme MidJourney to combine typically Dutch subjects with different decoration styles. Delftware proved to work the best, as other Dutch decorative styles were simply too unfamiliar within AI,” said Lane. “The results were magnificent – dreamlike, often surreal images of a wide variety of subjects. From ice skates, cheeses and board games such as goose game to Dutch interiors and garments… you name it. By the end of the evening, the portrait of a dog suddenly cropped up. We decided that was an interesting option and we wanted to go in that direction. Why not produce a series on the animals that are close to the hearts of the Dutch people?”

Both designers grew up with dogs, but now live in Amsterdam where they have too little space to look after a dog of their own. “I do miss it,” says Van Veenhuijzen. “We occasionally borrow a dog.”

Then came the decision of which dogs to feature on the stamp. “We didn’t want to feature a small dog, as that wouldn’t have fit in well with the other animals in the series. So that’s why we didn’t go for any Instagram dogs sitting in handbags,” says Van Veenhuijzen. “We selected large, sturdy dogs with lots of characteristics of the Rhodesian Ridgeback.

“We also explored using typically Dutch purebred dogs. However, they are less well known and so they weren’t recognised by Midjourney. We deliberately chose strong, muscular guard dogs. Originally, people presumably started keeping dogs so that they would guard their properties. They protect us, they give us a sense of security and they’re incredibly loyal. All of that is reflected in how the two dogs are presented on the stamps. They’re looking straight at us, as if to say they have protected everything that is precious to us.”

Technical Details:
Postage stamp dimensions: 30 x 40mm
Sheet size: 170 x 122mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Glue: gummed
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Print run: 75,000 sheets
Appearance: sheet of six stamps in identical designs
Design: Adam Lane, Edwin van Praet and Huub van Veenhuijzen from Total Design, Amsterdam
Printing company: Cartor Security Printers, Meaucé-La Loupe, France
Item number: 440262

Note: PostNL does not sell directly to collectors in North America. Its website refers to a company called Nordfirm, which says it sells Dutch new issues at face value. The Virtual Stamp Club has no connection to this company.

Netherlands 2024 Stamp Program

Posted on by
Reply

Here are the stamps planned for the first half of this year; click on the links for the individual pages and illustrations

2 januari
Beleef de natuur-vogels Bonaire (Experience Nature: Bonaire Birds)
Typisch Nederlands-koeien (Typically Dutch: Cows)

12 februari
Beleef de natuur-vlinders Bonaire (Experience Nature: Bonaire Butterflies
Typisch Nederlands-honden (Typically Dutch: Dogs)

1 maart (1 March)
Keukenhof 75 jaar (one of the world’s largest flower gardens)

25 maart (25 March)
Typisch Nederlands-paarden (Typically Dutch: Horses)

22 april
De vormentaal van de natuur (The Formal Language of Nature)

13 mei (13 May)
PostEurop Onderwaternatuur (Underwater Nature)
Typisch Nederlands-zangvogels (Typically Dutch: Songbirds)

10 juni (10 June)
Beleef de natuur-onderwaternatuur Bonaire (Experience Nature: Bonaire Underwater Nature)

Juni (June)
60 jaar André van Duin (Dutch Comedian; 60 years. Wikipedia)