France: Colmar

On 14th September I got two postcards from France.

One of them shows various views from Colmar. Colmar is the third largest city in Alsace and is known for its well preserved city centre. It is sometimes called Capital of Alsatian Wine.

Stamp:
New Marianne
Reims, Légion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerre (issued 08-07-2019)
with a special postmark from the philatelic shop in Colmar

Thank You very much William!

cover from the United Kingdom

Last Thursday I got not only three postcards but also two covers including one from the United Kingdom.

Stamps:

Racket Sports (from set of four) (issued 12-01-1977)

Centenary of World War I (from set of six) (issued 28-07-2014)

Inside were four postcards: three from the United Kingdom and one from the USA.

The first British card is from the National Gallery in London. The National Gallery was founded in 1824 when the British government bought its first 38 paintings. Today the collection includes important works which represent the most major developments in Western painting. It is one of the most visited art museums in the World.

The second British card shows a painting from the collection of the Imperial War Museum. The Imperial War Museum was established in 1917 to record the civil and military war effort and sacrifice of Britain and its Empire during World War I, but later it was expanded to include all conflicts in which British or Commonwealth forces have been involved since 1914. Today the museum has three branches in London and two in other parts of the country. The painting on the card is shown on the HMS Belfast in London, which is a branch of the museum since 1978.

The third British card is from the National Railway Museum in York. The National Railway Museum is a museum about the history of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It was opened in 1975 and in 2001 it got the European Museum of the Year Award.

The card from the USA shows the Southfork Ranch near Dallas. The Southfork Ranch was built in 1970 by Joe Duncan and was originally known as Duncan Acres. The ranch is famous around the World as filming location for the TV series Dallas.

Thank You very much Kerstin!

cover from Italy

On Wednesday I got not only a postcard but also a cover from Italy.

Stamp:

Italian City Squares (from set of eight) (issued 02-07-2016)

Inside were two postcards.

The first one is from the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza. The International Museum of Ceramics houses an important collection of ceramic art from around the World and from all different eras. It was opened in 1908.

The other card shows the Asiago War Memorial. The Asiago War Memorial houses the remains of over 50000 Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers. It was unveiled in 1938 and is one of the largest World War I memorials in Italy.

The card is used. The stamp on the backside is one of the two Italian Christmas stamps issued on the 11th December 1976.

Thank You very much Cristina!

Salon Philatélique de Printemps in Paris

Between the 14th and 16th March 2019 the Salon Philatélique de Printemps was held in Paris and like usual I got some philatelic souvenirs from this event. Last Thursday I got two postcards and one cover sent during the event.

The first card shows an old view of the Eiffel Tower, which celebrated its 130th birthday a few days ago.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,01€, 0,10€
with a special postmark about field post in World War I
170th anniversary of the first French Stamp (issued 14-03-2019)
with First Day Special Postmark

The second card shows an illustration of Paris.

Stamp:
New Marianne 0,01€, 0,10€
Boucheron (from set of two) (issued 21-01-2019)
with two different special postmarks about the Salon Philatélique de Printemps

On the cover are these stamps:
Metiers d'Art - Cristallerie (issued 15-03-2019)
Fontaine Saint-Michel (issued 14-03-2019)
with First Day Special Postmarks

Thank You very much William!

cover from the United Kingdom

Last Saturday I got a cover from the United Kingdom.

Stamps:

World War I Centenary (from set of six) (issued 20-09-2018)

Sustainable Fish (from set of ten) (issued 05-06-2014)

with a special postmark from Baltasound in Shetland, Britain's Most Northerly Post Office

Thank You very much William!

FDC from the USA with Digital Colour Postmark

On Friday I got a cover from the USA.

Stamps:

Wedding Cake (issued 20-01-2012)

World War I - Turning the Tide (issued 27-07-2018)

with an awesome Digital Colour Postmark

Thank You very much Yue!

cover from Italy

On Saturday I got not only a postcard but also a cover from Italy.

Stamps:

Italian Mail (from set of three) (issued 01-07-2010)

Centenary of the Victory (issued 03-11-2018)

Inside were two postcards about World War I.

The first card shows a tombstone from the Cimitero degli Invitti in Fogliano Redipuglia. The Cimitero degli Invitti was laid out in 1923. It was the first monumental memorial to the victims of World War I in the region, but lost much of its function when the big Redipuglia War Memorial was inaugurated in 1938.

The second card is a double-sided advertising card for the Italian World War I multimedia concert and movie Note dal fronte.

Thank You very much Cristina!

World War I Cover from the United Kingdom

On Monday I got a cover from the United Kingdom.

Stamps:

World War I Centenary (two from set of six) (issued 20-09-2018)

The right stamp shows two stanzas of Wilfred Owen's famous poem Anthem for Doomed Youth. Wilfred Owen was one of the most famous poets of World War I. He enlisted in 1915, but already in 1916 he was diagnosed as suffering from shell shock and sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital in Edinburgh for treatment. There he made friends in Edinburgh's artistic and literary circles and also wrote Anthem for Doomed Youth in 1917. In July 1918 he returned to active service in France. Wilfred Owen was killed in action on the 4th November 1918. In his poems he deals with the horrors of trenches and gas warfare and thus he stood in stark contrast to the public perception of war at the time and to the confidently patriotic verse written by earlier war poets.

Thank You very much William!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Anthem for Doomed Youth

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells,

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, -

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all?

Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds.

Portugal: Porto

Last Monday I got two postcards from Portugal.

One of them shows Porto. Porto, which is also known as Oporto, is the second largest city of Portugal and an important economic and cultural centre. The Historic Centre of Oporto is since 1996 together with the Luiz I Bridge and the Monastery of Serra do Pilar on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
World War I Armistice (issued 10-08-2018)

Thank You very much Rita!

cover from Germany

Last Friday I got not only a postcard but also three covers including one from Germany.

Stamp:

150th birthday of Philipp Scheidemann (issued 01-07-2015)

with a matching special postmark about the Centenary of the German Revolution

The German Revolution that began with the Kiel Mutiny soon swept away the monarchy in Germany. On 9th November the abdication of the Emperor was declared and Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed the German Republic from one of the balconies of the Reichstag building. Scheidemann proclaimed the republic just a few hours before a planned proclamation of a Soviet Republic by Karl Liebknecht, which would later lead to some leftist uprisings. One day later an interim government was formed, which planned the elections for a constituent National Assembly and which signed the Armistice of Compiègne on 11th November. In 1919 the Weimar Republic arose from this event, which was the first modern democratic republic in Germany.

covers from Germany

On Tuesday I got not only a postcard but also two covers from Germany.

Stamp:

Chocolate Cosmos (issued 03-12-2015)

with a special postmark about the Centenary of the Kiel Mutiny

The German Fleet was nearly not used during World War I and when the war was actually already lost, the imperial naval command planned a final battle against the Royal Navy in the English Channel. The preparations triggered a mutiny among the affected sailors in Wilhemshaven, which was actually suppressed shortly after, but when the commander believed that he was again master of his crews, another mutiny broke out in Kiel. The Kiel Mutiny turned into a revolution, soon spred across Germany and swept away the monarchy within a few days.

Stamp:
500 years Reformation (issued 13-04-2017)
with a special postmark about the 150th anniversary of the Luther Memorial in Worms

Covers from the 72nd Salon Philatélique d'Automne

Last week I was spoiled with many great covers sent during the 72nd Salon Philatélique d'Automne in Paris. After two latecomers arrived this week, it is now time to show them all.

The start made a postcard of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
Louise de Bettignies (issued 01-10-2018)
with a special postmark from a philatelic shop in Paris

France:
Centenary of the Armistice of Compiègne (issued 11-11-2018)
with First Day Special Postmark

French Flying Aces of World War I - Maurice Boyau and Michel Coiffard (issued 10-11-2018)
with First Day Special Postmark

New Marianne 0,10€
with three different special postmarks including one about the Armistice
Hats (from set of six) (issued 09-11-2018)
with First Day Special Postmark

New Marianne 0,10€
with two different special postmarks
Périgueux (issued 29-10-2018)
with a special postmark about the Armistice
Métier d'art - Céramiste (issued 17-09-2018)
with a special postmark

France and Andorra (French Post):
Vases (whole set) (issued 08-11-2018)
It is a joint issue with Croatia.
with First Day Special Postmark
Citroën CX (issued 09-11-2018)
with First Day Special Postmark
Ivan Tourguenev (issued 09-11-2018)
with First Day Special Postmark

Andorra (French Post):
European Year of Cultural Heritage (issued 11-08-2018)
Laurence Jenkell (issued 15-09-2018)
with a special postmark about the exhibition

Andorra (Spanish Post):
Pere Canturri (issued 28-04-2017)
with a special postmark showing the Arc de Triomphe

Croatia:
Vases (whole set) (issued 08-11-2018)
It is a joint issue with France.
with First Day Special Postmark

50 years Professor Balthazar (issued 03-05-2018)
EUROPA (whole set) (issued 02-05-2018)
with a special postmark about the exhibition

Luxembourg:
Rare Birds (from set of three) (issued 15-05-2018)
European Year of Cultural Heritage (issued 06-03-2018)
with a special cartoon postmark about the exhibition

Monaco:
Care Centre for Sea Turtles (issued 07-03-2018)
with a special postmark about the exhibition

Spain:
Traditions and Costumes (two from set of four) (issued 16-03-2016)
with a special postmark showing the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris

Switzerland:
EUROPA (whole set) (issued 17-05-2018)
with a special postmark about the exhibition

EUROPA (whole set) (issued 11-05-2017)
with a special postmark about the exhibition

Mushrooms (from set of four) (issued 06-03-2014)
50 years of Piz Gloria (from set of two) (issued 02-03-2017)
with a special postmark about the exhibition

Thank You very much William for all the great collectibles!

Italy: Verona

Last Saturday I got four postcards: one from Italy, one from Germany, one from Ireland and one from Australia.

The card from Italy shows various views of Verona. Verona is a city in the Italian region of Veneto. It is the setting of three plays by William Shakespeare including Romeo and Juliet. The City of Verona is since 2000 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamps:
Italian Mail (from set of three) (issued 01-07-2010)
Centenary of the Victory (issued 03-11-2018)
The Battle of Vittorio Veneto was fought between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Italy between the 24th October and the 3rd November 1918. It ended with a disastrous Austro-Hungarian defeat and thus marked the end of the war on the Italian Front, secured the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and sealed the end of the Italian unification. On 3rd November the Armistice of Villa Giusti was signed.
with a special postmark from Peschiera del Gerda showing the Frog King

Thank You very much Giulia!