I found this jewel from the past in my bookshelf, it was the cherished stamp collection that I had created almost twenty five years back mostly in the sweltering summer of 1985. It was done with the zeal that only a child can have. I think it is a priceless hobby to have, and am passing my entire collection on to my kids. But before doing that I want to document some of these gems for all you quirky collectors out there, for fun and for exchange or trade of stamps. This first section covers a few nice covers and cards. Any thing with the "Modak" name is not for sale or trade! Rest have a price tag.
Let me start with these little gems of postcards. These w
ere mined from my grandfather's pile of old letters, he never threw any postal communications. These few have still survived the ninety years that they have been around! Yes these are from 1931 when my granddad was a station master in the small station of Hottangal. Most of these are relating to some kind of membership fees for the railway club in Bangalore. We kids shared the spoils when we visited him in the summers, but I doubt if any of the others have still preserved these relics. Dont miss the stylistic handwriting in the days when that was considered fashionable.
Featured below are not that old but quite tasteful first-day-covers (FDC), two diamonds about ten years apart one with Indira Gandhi (1984) and the other with Kamala Nehru (1974).
Also featured are FDC-1962 from the Ahmadabad Post Office with Bhikaji Cama (Prominent Figure from the Independence movement), FDC-1962 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose (Founder of the Indian National Army). Pandit Nehru's two stamps are quite nice, FDC 1964 represents the mourning issue while FDC-1965 Jawahar Jyothi was an issue on the first death anniversary.
The plate alongside too fetures Chacha Nehru, issued on Childrens day in
the year of his death, it pictures the 1R
s commemoration coin. Also present are FDC issued in 1965 in honor of Lincoln, FDC-1961 release during the Indian Industries Fair and and the FDC-1975 issue showing the friendly relation between Pandit Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi the cancellation reads "Full effort is full victory".
Look at this Singapore beauty, remembering the forgotten trades
which disappeared with the rapid industrialization through the 80's. The featured trades include:
- Clog Maker (Chinese Trade)
- Mama Store (Indian Trade)
- Woo Bucket Maker (Chinese Trade)
- Roti man (Indian Trade)
- Spice Grinder (Malay)
- Back lane Barber (Malay)
- Snake Charmer (Indian)
- Chinese Medical Tea Shop (Chinese)
- Satay Man (Malay)
- Tin Bucket Maker (Chinese)
This next one has Panchu's address from Block 1 in KREC, where we shacked up in 1991, he recd it in his mail and I preserved it in my collection. It is in honor of Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, the great carnatic vocalist in whose tradition an entire army of carnatic musicians like Semmangudi, GN Balasubramaniam etc flourished in the years to come.
Here is another one from the REC days. Mr Piyush Mehrothra recd this one from a pen pal with a few Russian stamps that feature some structures that I cannot discern since they are in Russian language. The other intrigue around this cover is the strange lettering on the lower left side, it surely has something to do with the Russian postal service, just not sure what.
This next block of the Straits Settlements we
re issued during the British days and could be used in any of the three Straits principalities. Got these from the Philatelic Museum at Melaka, which has a wonderful selection of Malaysian stamps. These four are quite old and indicate usage in 1935 with very clear cancellation marks visible on the same.
Featured here is a FDC-1/1/12 bought from the Singapore Philatelic Museum recently, hopefully it will be quite valuable in the years to come since these were very few in number that were sold on that first day of 2012.
This next one is a beauty, a block of Belgian stamps featuring Tintin in airborne situations i
nvolving aircrafts in the many adventures that he has had. One of my personal favorite stamp block mints, again got from the special Tintin exhibition at the Singapore Philatelic Museum.
Moving ahead let me present a beauty of a piece celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Indian Police Force. It exhibits a wonderful array of uniforms used now and in the past, and the centrepice is a 500cc twin con
stellation Enfield Bullet (Looks like that!).
The next set of four stamps on an FDC from 1998 feature the Singapore story.
The first one features the turbulent years and the Hock Lee Bus Riot when the workers from the Amalgamated Bus Company and a few students went of strike.
The second one is really interesting with Lee Kuan Yew shown in the foreground while the then leader's figure towers in the background. These years from 1958-63 mark the years of self governance, with the British still controlling external relations and internal security.
The third one shows the years when Singapore was merged with Malaysia from 1961-65.
The fourth one depicts the birth of the nation in 1965, featuring the diversity of its people.
The next Malaysian FDC-1986 was released on the 10th anniversary celebrations of the "Association of Prevention of Death". It is a complete set of three stamp
s on FDC depicting the destruction in narcotics.
The next is set is a futuristic block of four which had been "Fake Proofed" by the Malaysian Post, shine UV on this set and it glows blue with radiance. Lovely.
And finally, let me present another cover from the early forties, another of my grandfather's preservation, clearly showing the numerous times that it was redirected!
That is it for this Saturday 14/1/12 but we shall keep adding to this in the days and years to come. So watch this space.
Credits to lil Yash for the research for this piece.
1. Andaman Club Tail (Female)
2. Wind Energy (50Rs denomination)
5. 1996 commemorative Ram Manohar Lohia
. 1996
ere mined from my grandfather's pile of old letters, he never threw any postal communications. These few have still survived the ninety years that they have been around! Yes these are from 1931 when my granddad was a station master in the small station of Hottangal. Most of these are relating to some kind of membership fees for the railway club in Bangalore. We kids shared the spoils when we visited him in the summers, but I doubt if any of the others have still preserved these relics. Dont miss the stylistic handwriting in the days when that was considered fashionable.
the year of his death, it pictures the 1R
s commemoration coin. Also present are FDC issued in 1965 in honor of Lincoln, FDC-1961 release during the Indian Industries Fair and and the FDC-1975 issue showing the friendly relation between Pandit Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi the cancellation reads "Full effort is full victory".
which disappeared with the rapid industrialization through the 80's. The featured trades include:
re issued during the British days and could be used in any of the three Straits principalities. Got these from the Philatelic Museum at Melaka, which has a wonderful selection of Malaysian stamps. These four are quite old and indicate usage in 1935 with very clear cancellation marks visible on the same.
nvolving aircrafts in the many adventures that he has had. One of my personal favorite stamp block mints, again got from the special Tintin exhibition at the Singapore Philatelic Museum.
stellation Enfield Bullet (Looks like that!).
s on FDC depicting the destruction in narcotics.