Favorite Photos & Philatelic Eye Candy

Phil Merrill_

Something I usually do with my stamps as I get them in is I try to take good photos and post them into my albums on another website. So I've got a ton of decent images stashed in my phone. With your permission, I'd like to start posting some here. Just one a day with some basic commentary. It would be wonderful if any of you would join in.

And away we go..

Ron Lenke

Guess we ought to acknowledge the Brits

Phil Merrill_

Nova Scotia 11 from 1860. Just about the prettiest thing I have.

Rene Bravo

Miss those guys, our fathers, the greatest generation. They raised us in the 1950s and 60's, worked hard, respected their country and heritage, raised families and never talked about the horrors they saw in Europe or the South Pacific. Levels of personal sacrifice, real sacrifice rarely ever seen since. They built cities, sent men to the moon, beat communism and fascism and led , unified by a common goal. I do miss that generation greatly.

Phil Merrill_

My candy for tonight is Canada 145, from 1927. Back when we were mucking around with Molly Pitcher and other ugliness, Canada was doing stuff like this. Such a very handsome stamp...

Ron Lenke

Now back to examples:

Scott Payton

This is one of my favorites Phil.

Scott Payton

So don't know if anyone realized it on the cover I posted, but that IS Charles A Lindbergh's signature on the cover (along with the postmaster of the time). This particular cover was Lindbergh's first postal flight, an experimental flight from Springfield to Chicago in 1926. There were only 5 such covers on the flight.

Ted Tyszka

Ted Tyszka

Phil, I also think Hungary has issued some great s/s's, particularly this (expensive) one, Scott C66 (1949)

Rene Bravo

This is what I consider an iconic stamp, a thing of beauty to behold. And I'm ready to pounce soon...

Phil Merrill_

Yeah, it never rains in southern California, yadda yadda, whatever.

This is Madagascar C70a, a miniature sheet printed for the national stamp show in 1962. I bought this in the mid 70s, I was a teenager, from a coin and stamp shop in a local mall. Those were the days....



I've been silly for miniature sheets and French engraving ever since...

George DeKornfeld

As we look at the attractive stamps posted here (love the Madagascar) we tend to give our pre-stamp brethren short shrift. Many of these are equally attractive because of their old-tyme handwriting, as well as their routes and rates. In that vein, here is the discovery copy of the EKU (1793) out of Hudson, New York, the first chartered city in independent America (ex Cal Hahn):

Dan Shilcrat

It must be after 5:00PM somewhere in the World

George DeKornfeld

Someone has to make sure that covers get a fair shake...

George DeKornfeld

French WW1 Soldier's Free Mail (post card) to Toronto: The message side is pretty pedestrian, but the "picture" side is on embossed border with a needlepoint pocket that holds a card depicting allied flags,

Rene Bravo

That postcard is a real winner. Made me smile.... wasn't it nice to see what folks were able to do creatively before they spent ALL their time hunched over cell phones, streaming Netflix or eyes affixed to computer screens ( ironically like we are doing here now).

Greg Doll

It always amazes me when I run across an entire country's stamp issues that I can scan in one pass. The Allenstein Plebiscite stamps...all of them. There was a whole lot of shakin' going on back then!

Alan Jacobsen

A biplane and a dogsled.
How cool is that.

Phil Merrill_

Excellent covers, guys. Thanks for posting. Here is mine for the day. None of the QE2 Coronation Omnibus is outrageously valuable, but the design is the last grasp of decency and skill in stamps, in my opinion, and the colors on well struck copies are just so vibrant they quiver.

George DeKornfeld

Its right around the corner...

Dan Shilcrat

Hi George,
I think you once shared with us that your a London Boy.. So this ones for you. Stampless folded letter (a bill) Doctors Commons boxed handstamp (London lbranch post) rated 8d to Banbury. Early dateline 10. 07. 1810. Thank you to ALL for a Great Thread!!

George DeKornfeld

One more from Hudson and then I'll let it go (I have 10-frames worth I could bore you all with LOL). This used to be the EKU until I came upon the 1793 one above. This one is a 1794, free-franked by Cotton Gelston, the 1st Postmaster of Hudson. The content is all about whaling, adding to its desirability...

Ted Tyszka

This looks like a good thread in which to drop this: My brand new video.

Phil Merrill_

We have a twofer today, Bahamas 163 and 173 both from the first QE2 set in 1954. Bicolor stamps from the British Colonial period are something else that I am silly for. They're why I started stamps to begin with.

Ted Tyszka

This is a souvenir sheet that has been on my want list for a very long time. I finally got one and received it in today's mail.
Issued for the 2nd Hungarian Philatelic Exhibition and for the 50th anniversary of the First Hungarian Philatelic Society.It pictures composer Franz Liszt.

Hungary, Scott Nr 486 (1934)
2nd Hungarian Philatelic Exhibition and for the 50th anniversary of the First Hungarian Philatelic Society.

Phil Merrill_

I fell in love with the Japanese Parks series back when I was very young with my first Scott catalog. All I knew for years were those grainy images. I went hungry to get my first few sets in my mid twenties, back when big mail auctions advertised in Linn's. Now that I'm old and fat, I've gotten a few more.

Here is Japan 569-72 from 1952, Bandai-Asahi National Park. Have a good day, ya' ll.

Phil Merrill_

Let's look at something fairly normal today. I began to collect Ireland to about 1965 back, again, when I was young. These days I've been able to get serious about it, getting better stamps and more complete. Here is Ireland 116 from the 1940 set of definitives, mint lightly hinged and nicely centered.

Phil Merrill_

Most excellent!
And it's always 5;00, somewhere in my house...

John Maloney

Canada did a nice job on these 2021 Bluenose stamps. I especially like how the image on the stamp on the right, extends beyond the frame on the picture.

Dan Shilcrat

It is indeed a poignant & dramatic image !! Here is the set on Cover dated 15. XI. 47 Wien (Vienna)