Visitor

More Than 1,000 Visitor

When I started this blog on 15 March 2008, I have never imagine this blog could actually reach 1,000 visitors in just 8 months time.

As this was an historical moment in my blogging history, I would share a little statistic about this blog:

- there were 46 blogs being written (not including this one)
- average 5.75 blogs written per month
- approximate 1.4 blog written per week
- there was an approximate 22 visitors per blog
- covers tagged "Exhibition" was most frequently written (17 in total)

Thanks everyone who enjoy this blog. I will continue to bring you interesting covers and hope to earn a "wah!!" or "wau!!" from every one who visit here.

1996 Istanbul Exhibition

1996 Istanbul Exhibition

"1996 Butterfly - Istanbul World Philatelic Exhibition Cover"

As promised in my previous blog, I present you the 1996 Butterfly Booklet on Istanbul World Philatelic Exhibition Cover. The exhibition was held from 27 September - 06 October 1996 which attracted 4,000 participants, including Pos Malaysia.

The International Philately Federation Congress was also held in conjunction of this World Philatelic Exhibition. The exhibitions opened at the Lutfi Kirdar International Convention Centre and the Harbiye Military Museum and Culture Village. About 700 philatelists from all over the world will exhibit their collections. The exhibition played an important role in promoting Turkey abroad.

"Exhibition Cancellation"

The cancellation resembled the logo of the Istanbul 1996. Is this Jawi character, Istanbul building structure or ... I am not sure.

1996 Butterflies

1996 Butterflies Booklet on FDC

"Butterfly FDC - Design A"

Follow up with the beautiful proton booklet issue in 1995, Pos Malaysia introduced the butterfly booklet in 1996. However, despites high anticipation, no official FDC issued by Pos Malaysia. When I learned about this at that time, I asked myself: " How can this still happening after 43issue of booklet?!! (the previous issues without official FDC were Marine Paradise, Turtle, Proton)". Apparently Pos Malaysia was rather slow in meeting the public demand.

Stamp enthusiasts had designed some rather cretive private cover to commemorate this issue. Design A was my personnal fauvorite. The cover was nicely designed with a butterfly flying towards a HIBISCUS flower. See... Like I told you: Malaysian love their national flower!!!

"Design A - Description"

If you look carefully, the "flying motion line" behind the butterfly was actually made up of words which describe the technical details of this issue. The background of this cover was actually a painting of several butterfly around some lily flower.

The designer had also added some shadow effect to the main flying butterfly (please click design A picture to get a larger picture), which make it more lively and 3d. A true masterpiece indeed, especially with its printing effect. I would suspect that this was done by bubble-jet printer, which was considered a pretty "high-tech" printing in 1996.

"1996 Butterfly Cancellation"

A nicely designed cancellation with curve line to match the flying butterfly. FDC design A had match this theme perfectly by showing the same effect. As illustrated by the cancellation, the booklet was issued on 27 September 2008. I still find it pretty weird today that Pos Malaysia issued an official cancellation but not FDC. If anyone know why Pos Malaysia do it so, please enlighten me as well as fellow readers of this blog.

"Butterfly - Design B"

This was a second design from a Kuala Lumpur stamp dealer. I think his inspiration was from some Chinese paper cutting art. See below for a sample:

"Chinese paper cutting - Butterfly"

Chinese in China would normally hang paper cutting on window and wall during Chinese New Year as decorative. Paper cutting was a rather traditional art skill which still popular among youngsters. Chinese believe hanging paper cutting with auspicious symbol would bring good luck, health and even fortune to the family.

"Butterfly - Design C (Shah Alam)"

Design C was not bad actually (if you don't compare it with design A and B). Did anyone notice that all the FDCs (design A, B and C) had only 2 colours?

Design A: Black and Red
Design B: Blue and Dark Green
Design C: Light Green and Pink

But trust me, in the 1990's, 2 colours private FDC was considered to be really rare already. Just look at the Marine Paradise and Proton issue and you will notice the similarity. Anything more that 2 color should cost quite a bomb even just to produce it.

"Butterfly - Design D (Melaka)"

Lastly, the melake stamp dealer had design this version. It is actually longer than the normal FDC envelope and feature a full pane of butterfly booklet stamps. The empty booklet glued on the side make it rather presentable. An overall good design.

"Istanbul 1996 logo"

As you may notice, the booklet actually carried the Istanbul '96 World Philatelic Exhibition logo. This means that the booklet was also issued to commemorate this event. And yeah, I have also got the exhibition cover for Istanbul 1996. So stay tune to this blog and I will showcase it to you in the future.

1991 Phila Nippon

1991 Tokyo, Japan World Stamp Exhibition

"Phila Nippon'91 souvenior cover"

This was a cover issued to commemorate 1991 Japan WORLD stamp exhibition in Tokyo from 16 to 24 November 1991. Nothing too fancy about this cover as Pos Malaysia (refer to as Postal Services Department of Malaysia at that time) decided to keep it simple. It had a hibiscus flower, the national flower of Malaysia, on the cover.

In the early day, Pos Malaysia seem to be obsess with this flower and we can see it quite often in most of the stamp design. However, its appearance have drop in the recent years.

Does anyone know that Hibiscus is also the national flower of South Korea?

However, their Hibiscus is of a different species from Malaysia.

"Hibiscus Syriacus - South Korea National Flower"

South Korea national flower is "Hibiscus Syriacus" while Malaysia national flower is "Hibiscus rosa-sinensis". The obvious different is the colour, one in bright red while another in purple (a bit pinkish). Hibiscus is also known as Rosemallow.

"Phila Nippon'91 Exhibition cancellation"

No special stamp (overprint etc) introduced for this event. Pos Malaysia used the boring national fruit series. However, Rambutan + Hibicus = truly Malaysia!!! What more can you ask for?

In a world exhibition, the participating country would normally bring their own cancellation. to commemorate the event The above was Postal Services Department of Malaysia cancellation for Nippon'91. Visitor to the event would normally have lot of fun collecting all the different cancellations from different country regarding the event.

I will show you some cover in the futher bearing various cancellation from different postal services participating in the stamp exhibition.

1965 Methodist Church

1965 Methodist Church Cover

"Methodist Church Cover - front and back"

I always believe that every cover tell a story. The stamps, pictures, words or even content of a letter/cover could be a significant piece in the history of a nation. This cover, for instance, have recorded a history of Methodist Church movement to Singapore, Malaysia, Sarawak and even the whole of south east Asia.

The cover was sent from Singapore to USA. I have calculated the postage on the cover and discovered that is was $4.70 !!! That was a really high postage changes as $1 should be able to feed a family of 3 for a week at that time. This letter should be sent by air. It was sent on 29 December 1965 and arrived in Alabama, USA on 3 January 1966 (6 days).

"Malaysia - Singapore bridge?"

Many entities have printed their own envelope in the history for various purpose: for advertising, convey certain message (environmental msg etc), uplift corporate image etc. This cover was obviously printed to commemorate Methodist Church movement to south-east Asia. I could not figure out where is the picture on the front taken from. My guess was the Malaysia-Singapore bridge. However, I could be wrong.

"Methodist Church Slogan: One People"

On May 10, 1939, Bishops from the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Protestant Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South declared "the Methodists are ONE PEOPLE," thus becoming the Methodist Church. "One People" have become the slogan for methodist church missionary in the 1960's.

"Missionary to Sarawak and Indian"

"Chinese and Kenyah"

This cover was interestingly colorful and full of details. It just don't make economic sense to produce such cover unless you are mass producing it. Remember, this was the 1960's and there was still no laserjet colour printer at that time!! This lead me to believe that there should be quite a number of these cover available in the hand of collector. However, this is the only one I have seen so far.

As illustrate on the back of the cover, the Harries family was the missionary send to established Methodist Church and spread the word of god in Sarawak in the 1960's.

History: Methodist Church of Malaysia

The Methodist Church in Malaysia shares part of its heritage with the Methodist Church in Singapore as both the territories shared a similar political history.

The history of the Methodist Church in Malaysia began 120 years ago following a decision taken at the South India Conference held in Hyderabad in 1884, when William Oldham was appointed as a missionary to Singapore in 1885.

The Tamil work started with the coming of a Ceylon Tamil, Mr Underwood. In 1894 the Tamil work was started in Penang by the Pyketts, and in Kuala Lumpur by the Kensetts and was continued by Rev. S Abraham from Ceylon in 1899.

Methodism came to Sarawak in the year 1900 when a group of immigrants came from Foochow in mainland China. Missionaries came in 1903 in the persons of J.M Hoover and G.V Summers. Methodism grew rapidly in the town of Sibu and a solid foundation was laid.

The work among the indigenous people, the Ibans, began in 1937 with pioneers like Lucius D. Mamora and Paul H. Schmuker who took the Gospel to the longhouses.

The Methodist Church in Singapore and Malaysia became a self governing body in 1968. After the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, the Methodist Church in Malaysia became autonomous in 1976.

PS: I found it strange to put the Kenyah boy in the cover instead of Ibans as Iban is the major tribe in Sarawak. However, I really like the Kenya boy coconut head hair style. :)