Monday, April 4, 2011

HONG-KONG – Cover from Ma On Shan Post Office, Hong-Kong to Braga, Portugal.



Registered cover with stamps from the issues ‘The 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ‘and 'Lighthouses from Hong-Kong' posted on January, 18 2011.
(Special thanks to Chan Yue)

The 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Stamps
Souvenir sheet
Set of special stamps, presenting a rainbow effect, is designed by Mr. Benny LAU and printed in lithography plus hot foil stamping by Joh. Enschede B. V., the Netherlands. These stamps capture momentous aspects of the development and achievements of the HKSAR over the past decade, and present the spectacular wonders of Hong Kong as a City of Life.
$1.40 - Full of life and zest, 10 children silhouetted against a spectacular sunrise symbolise the aspiration and energy of our younger generation in pursuit of their bright future.
$1.80 - A banner outside the Hong Kong Heritage Museum shows "Hand in Hand", a sculpture made to commemorate the reunification of Hong Kong with China using 10 fingers as a metaphor for our close ties with the motherland.
$2.40 - Vehicles arranged in the shape of the number 10 move along the Tsing Ma Bridge, the world’s longest span suspension bridge for both carriageway and railway. The bridge is among our proudest achievements in infrastructure development.
$2.50 - A flock of 10 birds fly over the Hong Kong Wetland Park. This world-class conservation, education and tourism facility is purposely built to demonstrate the diversity of our wetland ecosystem.
$3 - Two IFC, the tallest building in Hong Kong, forms a perfect 10 with the full moon. The obelisk-shaped skyscraper is an iconic landmark overlooking Victoria Harbour and a symbol of Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.
$5 - "A Symphony of Lights" show staged in Victoria Harbour features a combination fireworks display and rooftop pyrotechnics display. A "10" is created against a magnificent backdrop of city lights.

Stamp Sheetlet
The Stamp Sheetlet is designed by Mr. Benny LAU and printed in lithography plus hot foil stamping and hologram foil by Cartor Security Printing, France. The stamp sheetlet presents"A Symphony of Lights" in a hologram to produce a flickering effect.

Technical Details
Date of Issue: 1 July 2007
Values: 6 stamps of $1.40, $1.80, $2.40, $2.80, $3 and $5
1 Souvenir sheet with three stamps of $10
Subject: "The 10th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region"
Designer: Ms. Feng Xiaohong (馮小紅)
Printer: Joh Enschedé BV, the Netherlands
Process: Photogravure
Size: 45.0 mm x 28.0 mm
Perforation: 13¼ x 14¼

Lighthouses from Hong-Kong
Stamps
Hong Kong's strategic geographical location has been a vital ingredient in its remarkable social progress and economic development over the past two centuries, allowing it to evolve from a "barren rock" into one of the most dynamic passenger, cargo and logistic services hubs in the world. Lighthouses contributed significantly to this growth by facilitating the safe passage of maritime traffic.

This set of stamps is inspired by five picturesque pre-war lighthouses - Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse, Old Green Island Lighthouse, New Green Island Lighthouse, Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse and Waglan Lighthouse. All are declared monuments with unique architectural features and interesting historical backgrounds, serving the common mission of providing guidance for ships entering or leaving Hong Kong waters. Using clarity and realism as the main design theme, a combination of map and compass matched with latitudes and longitudes as a backdrop seeks to highlight the important role played by lighthouses in the city's maritime history.

$1.40 - Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse
Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, was lit up to help vessels navigate on 16 April 1875. The round stone tower is 9.7 metres high and white in colour. Its base, arched doorway and spiral staircase are of fine masonry. The iron door is adorned with geometric decoration at the top. The opening of Waglan Island Lighthouse years later in 1893 rendered Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse superfluous and it became inoperative in 1896. In 1975 the latter was automated and relit. Cape D'Aguilar Lighthouse was declared a monument on 3 March 2006.

$1.80 - Old Green Island Lighthouse
The old Green Island Lighthouse began guiding seafarers across the waters on 1 July 1875. The small circular tower is constructed of granite, measuring about 12 metres in height. Its doorway features projected rough-faced quoins. The two cross-shaped openings on its wall, resembling gun-posts found in mediaeval European castles, facilitate ventilation and light penetration. Immediately after the new Green Island Lighthouse came into operation, the old lighthouse was decommissioned and later declared a monument on 7 November 2008.

$2.40 - New Green Island Lighthouse
Standing next to its predecessor, the new Green Island Lighthouse was constructed in 1904 and completed in 1905. The circular tower, built of granite and concrete, stands 17.5 metres high with a steel lantern at the top. It is painted white for high visibility, thermal insulation and structural protection. Its spiral staircase is made of fine masonry complete with beautiful railings. The entrance and windows, in the form of segmental arches, are decorated with ornamental plaster mouldings. The tower has been fully automated since the 1970s. Both the new and old Green Island Lighthouses were declared monuments on 7 November 2008.

$3 - Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse
Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse commenced helping mariners navigate the coastline on 29 April 1912. The skeletal steel tower is 11.8 metres high and painted white at the top. The adjoining brick house, furnished with a bedroom, a kitchen, a latrine and a storeroom, was the living quarters of the lighthouse keeper. With no well or fresh water supply on the island, rainwater was collected from the roof and diverted to an underground tank for storage and use.The now automated Tang Lung Chau Lighthouse was declared a monument on 29 December 2000.

$5 - Waglan Lighthouse
The first flash of light was beamed from Waglan Lighthouse on 9 May 1893. Its then state-of-the-art lamp burned mineral oil and was equipped with a rotating apparatus floating on mercury. During the Second World War, the lighthouse was extensively damaged and repairs began from 1945. Fully automated since August 1989, the lighthouse serves not only as a navigation aid but also an outpost for collecting meteorological data from the eastern part of the territory for analysis by the Hong Kong Observatory. Waglan Lighthouse was declared a monument on 29 December 2000.

Date of Issue: 29-12-2010
Type: Commemorative stamps and souvenir sheet
Denomination: $1.40, $1.80, $2.40, $3 and $5
No. of Stamp in Set: 5
Size: 28 mm x 45 mm
Perforation: 13½ x 13¼ (one elliptical perforation on each vertical)
Color: Multicolor
Process of Printing: Lithography
Protection of the stamp: Paper with security fibres
Printer: Joh. Enschedé B.V., the Netherlands
Designer: Jason CHUM

3 comments:

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