Saturday, July 31, 2010

LITHUANIA - Cover from Trakai, Lithuania to Braga, Portugal


Cover with 2010 100th Anniversary of Vladas Mikénas stamp and three stamps from the 2009 definitive issue posted on July, 19 2010.

(Special thanks to my friend Yu Kitaev)

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF VLADAS MIKĖNAS

The outstanding Lithuanian chess player Vladas Mikėnas was born in Tallinn (Estonia) in 1910. In 1931, he settled in Lithuania and took part in the first Championship of the Baltic Countries held in Klaipėda. In 1932, the book Šachmatų vadovėlis (Chess Manual) written by V. Mikėnas was published; it was the first book on chess published in the Lithuanian language. In the years 1931–1939, he represented Lithuania in five Chess Olympiads, always at the first board. In 1950, he established the Chess and Draught Club of Lithuania and occupied the position of the director until 1970. In the years 1950–1990, he led chess sections in various periodicals.

V. Mikėnas was the first Lithuanian chess player awarded the International Master title by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) in 1950; in 1987, FIDE awarded him the Honorary Grandmaster title. In 1983, he won the European Team Correspondence Chess tournament. In the period 1983–1985, he was the chief arbiter of the World Chess Championship.
V. Mikėnas belonged to chess players who were playfully called “killers of champions”. This outstanding player has won against A. Alekhine, M. Botvinnik, V. Smyslov, M. Tal (world champions) and D. Bronstein, P. Keres, S. Flohr, E. Bogoljubov, M. Vidmar, G. Stahlberg, G. Maroczy. The best ELO rating of V. Mikėnas is 2669.
Mikenas System was named after Vladas Mikėnas. It is also called the Flohr-Mikenas System.

Issue date: 2010 04 17

Artist R. Tumasonis.
Offset. Art paper. Stamp – 34,5x30 mm. Perf.14.
Sheet of 50 stamps (5x10). The upper margin of a sheet is with inscription.

Face value:2 Lt.
Edition: 300 000.
Printed in "Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH" printing-house in Austria (Vienna).



Definitive postage stamp’s issue of 2009 “WOODEN SACRAL ARCHITECTURE OF LITHUANIA AND WOODEN CHURCH BELFRIES”

Issue date: 2009 02 21
Artist G. Pempė (Nr. 518, 519, 522) and K. Katkus (Nr. 520, 521)

Art paper. Stamp 24x24 mm. Self-adhesive stamps.

10 ct – The Church of Degučiai. 1757.
20 ct – The Church of Inturkė. 1855.
50 ct – Belfry of Tryškiai Church. XVIII a.
1Lt – Belfry of Šaukėnai Church. XVIII a.
1,35 Lt – The Church of Šiaudinė. 1775.

Edition: 1,50 million, 1,50 million, 0,50 million, 2,00 million, 2,00 million.
Printed in „Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH“. Printing-house Austria, Viena.

(Source: Lietuvos Paštas)

Thursday, July 29, 2010

CROATIA - Cover from Nedelišće, Croatia to Braga, Portugal


(2008 issue)

(2010 issue)

Registered cover with stamps from the 2008 and 2010 Croatian Ethnographic Heritage issues posted on July, 17 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Tomislav)

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

POLAND – FDC from Nowy Sacz, Poland to Braga, Portugal.

Registered First Day Cover posted on July, 15 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Andrzej)

600 YEARS OF GRUNWALD BATTLE
The Battle of Grunwald was the decisive battle of the Great War 1409-1411 ranged by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland against the knights of the Teutonic Order. It took place on July 15, 1410 near Grunwald and Tannenberg on the territory of the Order (now a province in Poland).

author: Marzanna Dąbrowska
number of stamps: 1 in block
denomination: PLN 8,30
print run: 400.000
printing technique: rotogravure
stamp size: 60 x 43 mm
block size: 116 x 82 mm
paper: fluorescent
circulation date: 15 July 2010

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

HONG-KONG - Cover from Kawlonn, Hong-Kong to Braga, Portugal

First Day Cover with stamp of the ‘Characteristic Streets’ stamps issue posted on June, 24 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Brian Kam)


The set of special stamps features six characteristic streets in Hong Kong, namely Pottinger Street, Nathan Road, Hollywood Road, Temple Street, Des Voeux Road West and Stanley Market. To Hong Kong people the snapshots on the stamps would convey a sense of nostalgia. (Extract from the Hong-Kong Post announcing bulletin)

Monday, July 26, 2010

CHINA – Postcard from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China to Braga, Portugal.

Postcard posted on July, 7 2010.

(Special thanks to my friend Ms. Chai from Malaysia)


Tiger Hill (Chinese: 虎丘; pinyin: Hŭqiū) is a hill in Suzhou, in China. It is a popular tourist destination and is known for its natural beauty as well as historical sites. The hill is so named because it is said to look like a crouching tiger. Another legend states that a white tiger appeared on the hill to guard it following the burial of King Helü. The hill is sometimes referred to in parallel with "Lion Mountain", another hill near Suzhou which clearly resembles a sitting lion.

The hill has been a tourist destination for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, as is evident from the poetry and calligraphy carved into rocks on the hill.
(Source Wikipedia – Suzhou, Tiger Hill)

Definitive stamps - Chinese Birds (1st set)

Technical Details:

Values in set: 3

Denomination: 180 yuan

Date of issue: 1st February 2002

Designer Huang Huaqiang

Size of stamp: 27 * 38 mm

Perforation: 115 * 13

Sheet composition: 30

Printing process: photogravure

Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House


Protecting the common homeland of mankind

Technical details:
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: April 1, 2003
Denomination: 265 fen
Designer: Zhang Sen, Yang Bo Size of stamps: 25*20mm
Perforation: 13*13.5
Sheet composition: 40(10*4)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works


Definitive stamps - Chinese Birds (2nd set)

Technical Details:

Values in set: 2

Denomination: 180 yuan

Date of issue: 15 November 2006

Designer Huang Huaqiang

Size of stamp: 27 * 38 mm

Perforation: 13.5

Sheet composition: 30

Printing process: photogravure

Printer: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing House




Sunday, July 25, 2010

AUSTRIA - Cover from Wien, Austria to Braga, Portugal

(Austria Europa 2010 'Children's Books', date of issue: 11 June 2010)

(Europe Day postcard)

Cover with Austrian Europa 2010 – Children’s Books stamp posted on June, 11 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Edna)