Send Early This Christmas

Hanukkah Sameach

Letter sent by Bryon (Canada).

Sunday Stamps | Cartoons & Characters

Some famous characters from Japan:

Doraemon in the Bamboo Thicket
20 May 2020

Magikarp, a Pokémon species
7 July 2021

I think the Japanese really love comics and cartoon stamps. They issue a lot, even from foreign illustrators and characters: 

Girl Playing Harp, a Dick Bruna design
21 July 2000

Mymble, a Tove Jansson character
1 August 2018

I have received also Moomin stamps from Finland, like this*:

6 May 2009

And now, let's see a couple of funny British cartoons:

4:55 P.M., by Charles Barsotti
The cheque in the post, by Jack Ziegler
26 February 1996

Go to Sunday Stamps to see more cartoons and illustrations on stamps!


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*If interested, you can see my collections here: Tove Jansson / Dick Bruna. 

Postbox Saturday

If you are on Twitter, you might be aware of the #PostBoxSaturday hashtag. It is gorgeous, every Saturday, to see some interesting post boxes from around the world. You can contribute with all kind of post boxes. 

Even fictitious ones, like these in one of the latest adventures of Mortadelo y Filemón (or Mort & Phil): Misión por España. 

(For those who do not know the series: Mortadelo (Mort) is the tall, bald master of disguise named after mortadella sausage. Filemón (Phil) is his bossy partner. They both serve as secret agents in the T.I.A. (a spoof on CIA), the Técnicos de Investigación Aeroterráquea (='Aeroterrestrial Investigation Technicians'). Tía is the Spanish word for 'aunt'. And, of course, they always mess everything up!)

- Man, we've been walking like this for 17 kilometres!

 It's already good joke, right?

- Ah, well there we have what we need.

- I think we should have waited to find a post-office.
- Well, it's a mailbox, right? And I put a lot of stamps on it.

The favourite hobby of Mort is wearing all sorts of disguises...

-We rely on resolute, cocky, brave guys.
 The cops are going to bite the dust.
- Have you heard that? Three trucks of pot, ecstasy, marijuana,
 dope... They are trafficking in style!

-And ready to fight! To brawl with the police! 
 We have to act!

Don't pay attention to the mistakes of my rough translation... :)

Patterned Envelopes

Envelopes sent by Laura (the UK) along this year. They look gorgeous when gathered!

Autumn Vibes

(Back of an envelope)

(Back of an envelope)

Letters sent by Laura (the UK) and Imma (PC).

From Dubai

I do not get often mail from the United Arab Emirates. This was a beautiful exchange with Noura!

Sunday Stamps | Trees

Several Trees for today's Sunday Stamps...

Forestry for Development
Cyprus, 1985

The Branch, by Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov
Russia, 2006

Quercus gilva (Red-bark oak)
Japan, 2011 (International Year of Forests)

Japan, 2020

USA, 2012

Tarzan is a literary creature of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Do you remember this popular fictional character, usually depicted as wearing a loincloth and jumping from tree to tree in the jungle?

Envelopes with Tons of Stamps!

Envelopes sent by Roland (the USA), John (the UK), Fabienne (France) and Weena (Thailand).

And More Lighthouses! (2)

Lady Liberty is probably one of the best known landmarks of the world. But this is only the second time I have got it on a postcard! (Sent by Nathan, the USA). It was supposed to be a symbol, but also a lighthouse. However...

When the torch was illuminated on the evening of the statue's dedication, it produced only a faint gleam, barely visible from Manhattan. Bartholdi suggested gilding the statue to increase its ability to reflect light, but this proved too expensive. The United States Lighthouse Board took over the Statue of Liberty in 1887 and pledged to install equipment to enhance the torch's effect; in spite of its efforts, the statue remained virtually invisible at night. In 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt, once a member of the New York committee, ordered the statue's transfer to the War Department, as it had proved useless as a lighthouse. (Wikipedia)

Lighthouses of Menorca

I have never met Lady Liberty, but I have seen all the lighthouses on Menorca island! Postcard sent by Bruno (PC).

Fischland-Darß-Zingst

Fischland-Darß-Zingst is a peninsula in the north of Germany. You can find there the Darßer Ort lighthouse. I love the colours on this postcard sent by Burkhard (Germany).

Postcard sent by Laura (the UK), with beautiful illustrations of several lighthouses in the UK and the USA.

And More Lighthouses! (1)

This envelope was sent by Ekaterina (Spain), a Russian postcrosser living in Spain. It contained a no less beautiful postcard, featuring another lighthouse:

Brixham Victoria Pier (the UK)

Büsum lighthouse (Germany)

But I got this postcard from the UK.

Nida Lighthouse

This is the first lighthouse from Lithuania I can add to my collection! Sent by Rūta.

Doubling Point Light, Kennebec River
Maine (the USA)

This postcard sent by Pat (the USA). This is one of the few lighthouses placed on a river.

Frida with Monkeys

Self-Portrait with Monkeys, 1943

Some days after I wrote this post, I got another postcard featuring Frida Kahlo work, sent by María (the USA). With matching stamps:

Sunday Stamps | Musicians

Today's Sunday Stamps topic is Music. 

Time to post some favourite stamps, issued on 21 September 2019, dedicated to Leonard Cohen (More information about this set).

And more musicians on envelopes I got from the USA. I am sure you know almost all the names!

Jonhny Cash / Jimi Hendrix / Elvis Presley

Lydia Mendoza / Ray Charles / Janis Joplin

Sarah Vaughan / Miles Davis / Edith Piaf

Maps on Postcards

United States of America

Finland

Postcard in Finland 150 Anniversary
Multi-city Meetup, October 1-10, 2021

Postcards sent by Alex (the USA), Eila and Tuula (Finland).