YWLG

2006-12-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

Cuba FDC : National Ballet of Cuba, 55th anniversary &
Alicia Alonso as Giselle, 60th anniversary

2006-12-31T14:33:00.000-08:00

Scene from Verdi's Alda

2006-12-31T14:30:00.000-08:00

A postcard relate to Ballet sent by my friend, Alexander
of St. Petersburg

2006-09-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

Alexander, my friend from St. Petersburg sent me
another Ballet related cover... Thanks !!

2006-08-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

Here is another cover sent by my friend, Alexander of
St. Petersburg with Ballet stamps also commemorative
stamps of 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg + the
beautiful advertising stamps.

2006-08-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

My friend, Alexander, from St. Petersburg sent me another cover with
Ballet stamps together with the special (2003) Advertising stamp, a special
issue is dedicated to the Tercentenary of St. Petersburg

2006-08-04T22:25:00.000-07:00

Surinam FDC

2006-08-04T22:16:00.000-07:00

Russian Covers

2006-08-04T22:12:00.000-07:00

Peter Tschaikowski's Scene from Swan Lake

2006-08-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

DDR Ballet Related Postmarked card

2006-08-04T22:08:00.000-07:00

Danish Ballet & Music Festival

2006-08-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

Canada : Royal Winnipeg Ballet

2006-08-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

Balerus Ballet Stamp and Sheet FDCs

2006-08-04T22:02:00.000-07:00

Johann Strauss' Blue Danube

2006-08-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

Australia Pre-stamped Envelopes

2006-07-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

My friend, Alexander, sent me a big cover with "Ballerina" stamps

2006-07-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

A cover sent from England with "Margot Fonteyn" stamps

2006-07-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

A French FDC about television

2006-07-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Pre-stamped envelope of Anna Pavlova

2006-07-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

Postcard of Belarus

2006-07-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

Sheet from Edgar Degas, painting

2006-07-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

Opera and Ballet Theaters, Donetsk/Dnipropetrovsk

2006-07-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong cover with a $10 def. stamp (Ballet & Chinese Opera)

2006-07-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

2 Hong Kong sheets : Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club Centenary
$1.30 stamp (Supporting the arts) and The Advent of the New
Millennium (Left Upper Corner shows the Young Ballerinas)

2006-07-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Ballet Related :

Following my last post about the musical stamps - The Drummers
Here are some post about my other favourite topic, Ballet.
I've many ballet stamps from various nations, specially from
Russia and Cuba. Many postcards, pre-stamped envelopes, FDCs
and sheets etc. Among which, I also have several sheets not from
the topic Ballet but with surroundings, like the 2 sheets of Hong Kong,
a sheet from North Korea and Ukraine etc. Some postally used
cover and FDCs. Hope you enjoy these items
I'll post more Ballet related items in my other blog soon :
http://atmnstamp.blogspot.com/

2006-07-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

The Drummer ! from the Russian sheet

2006-07-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

Sheet from Antigua

2006-07-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

The 2 Hong Kong sheets (Stamp Exhibition)

2006-07-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

Drummers from many nations

2006-07-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

The World Cup, Germany 2006 is over. Congratulations to
the Italian Soccer Team, though I'm not an Italian fan. They
deserved for the Cup.

I've been watching live on TV nearly every match from round
one to the finale - France vs. Italy, my favourite team still
Germany maybe I've so many friends in Germany and most of
my stamp collection linked to Germany.

I didnot post anything on this blog during the month June but
I did a post a lot Maxicards, Pre-stamped post cards on my
other blog : http://atmnstamp.blogspot.com/ Have a look.

Here I want to post some items from one of my favourite
topics, Music related: Musical instruments, The Drums.
I like stamps with motions more than still life ones. I've
many stamps of the drum alone but I like the stamps/sheets
with "The Drummer" see the sheet with stamps from many
nations and 2 of Hong Kong one from Russia and the other
one from Antigua. You may also refer to the 2 sheets of
Hong Kong "Dragon Boat Festival" see below.

The 2 Hong Kong and the Russian sheets, which the drummer
is on the surround rather than on the stamp itself. So technically
there's no postal drum stamp here. When I first began collecting
musical related stamps. I excluded item of this sort, but
ultimately the interest here is in the drummers and their images
so I do now include this sort of sheet, along with postal stamps
and cinderellas. I even like this sort of item more than the stamp
of "Drum" because of the beautiful surroundings. Same as other
musical instruments like the Buglers, Dancers etc.

I hope you share my interest on this kind of items.

2006-05-31T15:31:00.000-07:00

Stanley Dragon
Boat Racing on
May 31, 2006

2006-05-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

The Dragon Boat Festival

2006-05-31T15:26:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong - Australia Joint Issue

2006-05-31T15:23:00.000-07:00

Chinese Tradition Festival,
Dragon Boat Festival

2006-05-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

Sheet of "Hong Kong Festivals"

2006-05-31T15:20:00.000-07:00

The Rice-Dumpling

2006-05-31T14:14:00.000-07:00

DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL :

This morning I've received an email from my friend in
Hong Kong with attahcment of some picture about the
Dragon Boat Racing in Hong Kong, who also remind me
today is the day for the festival. So, I want to write a
few line about the event but not a long piece about the
history, just to post a few item from my collection relate
to " Tuen Ng ".

Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the 5th day of the
Fifth lunar month. There are different findings about the
origin of " TUEN NG " The mostly widely accepted one
is about the patriotic scholar - statesment WAT YUEN
who drowned himself to protest against the emperor who
did not listened nor accepted the good and constructive
opinion offered by Wat.

People respect Wat, when they heard that he was drowned,
they jumped on boats to search the body of Wat, but failed.
They were of the opinion Wat's body should still underwater
nearby. So people hit drums and making loud noises in the
hope of scaring fish and won't touch Wat's body. In addition,
they threw rice dumpling to the river to feed fish so to keep
them away from Wat and not to bite him.

Now Dragon Boat Festival has become more and more familiar
to foreign countries, every year, there are hundreds and
hundreds dragon boat racing around the world including in
Europe, North America and Oceanic country. I wonder whether
or not also in Africa. Rice-dumpling also known to many people
other than Chinese. I post one picture from the advertisment
showing what actually it is. You can easily find it from any
Chinese resturant all around the world during the event or even
in some big cities like Vancouver, Toronto (may be in United
States) the rice-dumpling is available all year round not only
during the period of the festival.

I do not collect anything mainly for the festival, but I've many
items relate to Music, see one miniature sheet of Hong Kong
"The Dragon Boat Festival" you see the drummer on it. The
other one "Hong Kong Festivals" the middle stamp also of "Dragon
Boat Festival" which belong to the theme "Sheets" in my collection.
Another sheet and FDC, a Hong Kong - Australia joint issue, which
belong to my theme "Opera House". The striped-cover too.

Any one who's interested in the history of the festival and want to
know more, you can easily find it from different sources of websites.

Have a nice and happy festival, enjoy the rice-dumpling, if you like it.

2006-05-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

Today "Victoria Day" is a public holiday in Canada, no
sunshine so I'd rather stay home. I want to write some-
thing about my Maxicard collection, but I've changed my
mind later as I don't want to spend much time in finding
cards from my stock book also what topic of cards I want to
write about, as I've so many different themes in my card
collection. Finally, I decided to change the topic, something
about commemorative postmark and special ATM as well.

A collector friend of mine partipicated the "Euskophil '94 -
Vitoria" held in Sala San Prudencio from Sept. 8 to 25 1994
# 1 European Poker Show - To commemorate the special
event, different postmarks were introduced everyday also
with the special ATM, not with imprint but with "Spade"
punched. Of course with receipt for the purchases of ATM
too. I post here the card my friend obtained from the show,
label as well as a few covers. Hope you enjoy them. Have a
nice holiday.

2006-05-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong & USA Hologram Envelope and Postcard

2006-05-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hologram is a minority in my family.

I do not spend much effort in collecting this topic only
when I was in Hong Kong, an overseas collector friend
asked me to help him out with the First Hologram
Postcard of Hong Kong '94 Stamp Exhibition set of 2.
I did. Later another series of 6 in '97 Stamp Exhibition.

I used to buy several copies of Hong Kong stamps and
other philatelic items for exchange also partly for my
own collection, so I still have something in stock if any
one needs my help, please email me.

I did buy some PR China Stamps with Hologram but
only for my friend and I did not keep any more now.

Here I show a few example of Hong Kong, Canada and
USA, you may visit my block # 2, I post more items :
http://atmnstamp.blogspot.com/

2006-05-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

German Pre-stamped Envelope

2006-05-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

German Pre-stamped postcard

2006-05-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

TWINS : Many collectors call the "Joint-issue" as Twins.

My baby-twins are not from the "Joint-issue" family but
another one: Pre-stamped Postcards and Envelopes.

I had my first "Twin-baby" in 1997 when I bought some
pre-stamped envelopes from Canada Post, the bird series
and bought some Bird stamps too. Some bird stamp
looked almost the same "Bird" as the Pre-stamped
envelope, they are so nice. A few mail sent to my overseas
collector friends by affixing an additional "Bird" stamp on
the Pre-stamped envelope as such envelopes only valid for
domestic mail. My friend answered me with a German Pre-
stamped postcard same theme to my Canadian cover.

I had another new topic and I called them "TWINS" by
affixing an additional stamp in order to cover the
international postage. Some covers were returned to me
for my collection, which was not in my friend's collection.

Owing to the continuous postage increase in Canada, an
additional 45 cent is not sufficient to cover the international
mail so maybe another one? Still not enough. Same situation
in Germany, you may see more item from my other blog
http://atmnstamp.blogspot.com/ where you'll see more
item of my Twins, some with more than one stamp to cover
the airmail. I hope to meet some cover collectors from other
nation who has the same collection as mine. Give me your
valued comment.

2006-05-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

WHY SO MANY " 88888 " s ????
Anyone knows ? You may find the answer later in my other blog
http://atmnstamp.blogspot.com/

2006-05-12T17:33:00.000-07:00

A Cover Called " Killer " ??

2006-05-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

A cover called "Killer" ?

I collect Flag stamps and have a small collection of this topic. I always like to include postally cover of the same theme in my collection.In 1979, I bought 2 Canadian Flag sheets in Hong Kong,the mint one for my album and the other one I want to be postmarked . Therefore, I sent one of the sheets to a guy in Ontario in order he may help me to post overthere. Perhaps he's not a stamp collector and did not aware the importance of obtaining a nice postmarking .
I got the mail, as shown, and was shocked ! Still I keep it in my stock book as such item is not always obtainable.I used to meet collector friends in our stamp club, showed our collections . One of my friends asked me what type postmark it was ? Maybe the idea was from a master piece of a Canadian artist ? The other friend gave us the answer was a painting called "Killer". Was it true ?Who may help us for our queries. My friend, Alexander from Russia is an "Used Cover"specialize, I wonder if he also has a nice cover like it ?Don't envy me, if you don't have one. You know theplace where to obtain one.

2006-05-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

BUTTERFLY from BUTTERFLY

2006-05-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

BUTTERFLY from BUTTERFLY
BUTTERFLY stamps on cover sent from BUTTERFLY post office in Hong Kong :My German collector friend collects Butterfly stamps,I used to send him stamps of his favourable topic.In 1987, I sent him one cover with Hong Kong Butterfly stamps from the post office in Hong Kong with the name"Butterfly". However, he returned the cover to me telling me that he does not collect any item other than the butterfly stamps and he knows the cover should beuseful to me.It's true that I like this cover also useful to me as it's not easy to obtain the postmark with the name of the individual post office, unless the mail is being sent either by express airmail or registered.In Hong Kong, all mail drop to the street posting box or in individual post office collecting box always sent to the International Mail Center for cancellation by machines with postmark "Hong Kong" or "Kowloon" so it's a nice item in my collection. As far as I remember, there's no post officein Hong Kong named "Bird", "Flower" or "Fish" etc. maybelater ! Who knows ?

2006-05-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Cover with stripe

2006-05-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

cover with stripe
I collect postally used covers, commemorative postmarked covers but not much about postal history as my philately mainly for pleasure. I enjoy reading about philately also appreciate my friends' collection.From the beginning, I collect stamps worldwide and later narrowed to several topics. After I met many overseas collectors received covers with different topical stamp onit some with commemorative postmarks, I decided to include covers to my collection.About 25 years ago, I received a letter from a German collector asking me if I have any cover with "Bird"theme but with a stripe of at least 4 stamps of the same type or I could help him for a cover sent from Hong Kong.I sent him the cover as he wished. Then I also started my cover collection with the stripes.Here, I want to show a few example for the striped-covers in my collection in order to meet other collectors who has the same or similar series. Hope to share our joy and experiences on it. Please email me with your valued comment. Anyone who's interested in this type of cover you're invitedto my other blog : atmnstamp.blogspot.com/

2006-05-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

ATM of Spain

2006-05-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

ATM of Spain
Something about the Spanish ATM, most of which are sobeautiful and colourful. The first Frama label issued in theyear 1989 then from 1992 different types of labels beenchanged. I do not want to write much about the history ofSpanish label but to show some labels also the postally usedcovers in my collection. I used to collect one of the lowestdenomination label and a cover of each type and try to getthe cover mail to me directly. Sometimes it's not easy tohave what I want so another alternative is find somethingexisting from my friends.I want to show the Christmas '98 and the music notes bothwith label and cover. They are right item in my area.I also want to show the 2004 series of 11 motifs in mycollection, including various themes: Paintings, VintageCars, Locomotives also the Royal Wedding (see cover withcommemorative postmarks) etc.Even you do not collect ATM, if you love Arts, paintings etc.I would suggest you visit the official website "Study andCollecting Spanish ATM group" where you'll see a lot ofinteresting information and motifs, some useful history aboutthe labels too. After visiting the website, if you want to startthe Spanish ATM you can find somebody from "ATM-exchange"I think you may find the right person for exchange over there.I do have many spare labels and covers for exchange but thebetter place for you should be finding the Spanish collectors.Website : http://www.ateeme.net/Please contact me if you need help.

2006-05-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

ATM of Finland

2006-05-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

ATM of Finland
I've received an email from Taiwan. An ATM collectoralso other topics, who read my post about ATM, andfound it interesting encouraged me to write moreThank you for your support, my friend. I'll try hard.However, I'm not an ATM expert also not a goodwriter. I'd never written anything before relate tophilatelic. I only wrote commercial correspondences,telexes, FAX etc. owing to my job.The purposes of writing here mainly I like to meetpeople who has the same hobbies also to share ourknowledges and joy in our collection. I also like toread your post about ATM and other topics. Pleaseemail me, let me know your blog.I collect ATM, I collect Christmas topic, I collect musicalrelated and more.....From Finland, I met an ATM collector in the mid 80's.We had been exchanging ATMs and covers since then andI had more than 200 labels and 100 covers of Finland fromhim to make a good collection. From the FINLAND album,I like most is the cover/label shown here, which meet myarea : ATM, X'mas & music Hope you enjoy them too !I'd received several mint labels of different denominations,you can see the guy was playing musical instrument and thecovers were sent from "Santa Claus' Main Post Office" in1999. The other two covers with the ATM also one X'masstamp of 1997.In fact, I had also received other cover, labels of differenttypes, papers etc. with the motif of Santa Claus, which is notso colourful as the other one and I cannot put them to my"music" album, I like them too.Unfortunately, our connection did not continue about 5 yearsago, my friend told me that due to his personal reason, alsofor the family he suspended in philately activities and I gotno more new labels/covers.About 3 years ago, I know Helena, a nice lady from Finlandthrough website looking for "Birds" so we exchangd "Bird"to "Music" stamps. Later, owing to her workload shecouldn't spare more time in stamps and we did not write toeach other as often as before. Still, she kept on writing andsending me Finnish Christmas stamps every year also sentme a few ATM / FDCs every year. Thank You, Helena !From Finland, the issues in ATM was extensive both inpaper, types etc. It's too bad that I donot read and under-stand at all in Finnish so I can only show the images oflabel/cover but not any information about it. Anybodyhave more knowledge about ATM Finland, please post.

2006-05-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

The 4 Pixs of ATM

2006-05-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

2006-05-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

2006-05-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

My First Post " ATM "
Hi, Nice meeting you all !Do you have any idea about "ATM" ? I think most of you do,but I'd like to write in brief about this topic. Actually, ATMis abbreviation in German "Automatenmarken" = automachinestamp, which I learnt from my German collector friends aboutthe time of late 70's we had stamp exchange. I sent and receivedhuge number of items from each other and later, I met moreATM collectors from various European countries : Austria,Belgium, Finland, Spain etc. also from Australia & New Zealand.In Hong Kong, the first "ATM" was named "Frama" in December1986 with the motif, the traditional Chinese fish "The Carp" andthe next year - 1987 to 1998, the 12 animal of the year of Rabbitto Tiger. I must state that why "Frama" was used for the label ?As the machine was produced by a Swiss manufacturer "Frama".In 1999, Hong Kong post has changed to the "Nagler" which wasa German product. You will see 4 pixs here showing the differentFrama as well as the other labels from many nations. In fact, theyare only a very small part of my collection and still many of themare not shown. 2 FDC of Hong Kong too.When I was in Hong Kong before moving to Vancouver, I had beencollecting not only "ATM" but also Hong Kong postmarks fromdifferent post offices, whenever new offices opened, I used to goand obtain the first day postmarks and I have a lot of differentpostmarked covers. Anybody, especially postmark-collectors ofHong Kong like to have some postmarked covers, please contact me,maybe you find something you need.The 12 animal motif label might meet with the interest of "ChineseNew Year" series collectors.