Folklore

Folklore includes legends, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture. In this thread, let's post images of stamps depicting examples of folklore from around the world. Here's an "amazing" start:

Here are images of the nine stamps in a set depicting scenes from the beloved Thousand and One Nights (aka Arabian Nights), designed by Hungarian artists Éva Zombory and Éva Gábor (no, not the actress!), printed by lithogravure, and issued by Hungary on December 15, 1965, Scott Nos. 1716-24.

- nethryk

The Black Stallion


The daughters of the Grand Vizier: Scheherazade and Dunyazade, seated beside King Shahryar.


Sinbad's Ship (5th Voyage)


Aladdin and the Genie of the Wonderful Lamp


Harun al Rashid, Caliph of Baghdad


The Flying Carpet


The Fisherman and the Genie


Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves


Sinbad carried by the Roc (Second Voyage)

I really like the Aladdin series from Guyana.
I only copied one, but there are several others.
I particularly like this series because two
school mates of mine wrote the screenplay and had
a ball with Robin Williams.

I really like those Hungarian stamps - I am building a bit of a basic Hungarian collection - will put those on my list for sure! Thanks for sharing.

centerstage98 - Glad to hear it! Hungary has produced several superb stamp designers over the years; in fact, one could start a nice "Collecting by Designer" collection with stamps from Hungary. Hmm.

Here are images of the five stamps in a "Swedish Fairy Tales" booklet, designed after original artwork by various Swedish artists and illustrators, engraved by Czeslaw Slania, and issued by Sweden on November 17, 1969, Scott Nos. 837-41, Facit Nos. 674-78.

- nethryk



Pelle's New Suit, 1912, story and illustration by Elsa Beskow (1874-1953)


The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (stories by Selma Lagerlöf), illustrated by John Bauer (1882-1918)


Pippi Longstocking (stories by Astrid Lindgren), illustrated by Ingrid Vang-Nyman (1916-1959)


Vill-Vallareman (story by C. Graner), illustrated by John Bauer


Kattresan ("The Cat Journey"), story and illustration by Ivar Arosenius (1878-1909)

Love, love, LOVE the Arabian Night stamps and the Swedish fairy tales are charming.

Thanks for starting this topic, Net. It's one of the topicals I collect.

I'll try and scan some of mine soon.

Sardana, Catalan national dance, on a 1963 Andorra (French P.O.) stamps. You should know that Andorra is, in fact, a part of Catalonia that because of history has remained independent. But, we share everything: language (Catalan), culture, folklore, heritage, traditions... except political status. Being Andorra an independent country.
"Sardane" is the French spelling for our Catalan "Sardana"; as by 1963 all Andorra P.O. stamps were written in French and not in Catalan like nowadays.

spanishmoss - Thanks! I look forward to seeing scans of some folklore stamps in your collection.

Cursus - Wonderful description. Your Andorra stamp would also look very good in the "Let's Dance" thread.

Here are images of two Red Cross semi-postal stamps depicting a couple of Aesop's Fables, designed and engraved by Claude Andréotto, and issued by France on December 2. 1978, Scott Nos. B512 & B513, Y&T Nos. 2024 & 2025.

- nethryk

The Hare and the Tortoise


The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Great topic, nethryk. I like the Red Cross stamps; poor tortoise being hassled by the hare.

The following set is from China, 2005, commemorating the stories from Hans Christian Andersen:

The Emperor's New Clothes:


Thumbelina:


The Little Match Girl (very sad!):


The Ugly Duckling:


The Little Mermaid:

scifi7 - Thanks. Let's keep 'em coming!

"Kawa the Blacksmith" is probably the most famous Kurdish legend. It tells the story of Newroz (Kurdish New Year) and the birth of a nation. The legend involves an aggrieved father, a cursed king, the abduction of children to feed demonic snakes, a mighty blow for freedom, and, finally, the deliverance of a people. Here is an image of a definitive stamp depicting the legendary blacksmith and Boz Kurt (Grey Wolf), the national animal of the Turkic people, engraved and printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., and issued by Turkey in 1930, Scott No. 691, SG No. 1085.

- nethryk

Bayard is a magic bay horse in the legends derived from the Old French chansons de geste ("songs of heroic deeds"), renowned for his spirit, his ability to understand human speech, and for possessing the supernatural ability to adjust his size to his riders. Here is an image of a semi-postal stamp depicting Bayard carrying Rinaldo and his three brothers ("the four sons of Aymon") all at the same time, printed by photogravure, and issued by Belgium on June 25, 1944, Scott No. B385.

- nethryk

Here are images of six stamps depicting Nordic fairy tales and myths about Light and Darkness, designed by Faroese artist Anker Eli Petersen (1959- ), printed by lithogravure with foil application, and issued by Faroe Islands on April 1, 2001 to publicize the Hafnia 2001 Philatelic Exhibition held in Copenhagen, Denmark, Scott Nos. 396a.-f., Facit Nos. 396-401.

- nethryk

Death of Högni


The Tree of Years


Ballad of Harp


Gram and Grane


Ballad of Nornagest


Gudrun's evil magic

Here is an image of a stamp depicting Suphan-Mat-Cha, a Thai mermaid who, in the Ramayana, is pursued by the amorous Hanuman, the Monkey King, printed by lithogravure, and issued by Thailand on October 3, 1976 to publicize International Letter Writing Week, Scott No. 797.

- nethryk

Here are images of three stamps from a fairy tales set designed by Éva Gábor, printed by lithogravure, and issued by Hungary on December 15, 1959.

- nethryk

Mashenka ("Goldilocks") and the Three Bears, Scott No. 1278.


Hansel & Gretel, Scott No. 1279.


Little Red Riding Hood. Scott No. 1281.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a woman and various animals from the Inuit legend "Mother of the Sea," designed by Jens Christian Rosing, engraved by Bent Jacobsen, and issued by Greenland on May 2, 1957, Scott No. 43, Facit No. 39.

- nethryk

Pavel Petrovich Bazhov is the author the very popular in Russia "Tales of the Urals."

He was a teacher, journalist and ethnographer. Buy his tales was made a lot of beautiful cartoon and children's films.His daughter was married to another children's writer Arkady Gaidar.


Tales Bazhov are not folklore, they are the author tales, but they are based on these legends of the local population of the Urals

- Voguls, Mansi, and the legends of Russian miners and artisans.

The collection of the Urals tales called "Malachite casket". One of the main characters of these tales is Danila-stone-carving.



He makes an excellent cup of malachite,
the most beautiful of the many Ural semi-precious stones,

and helps to him fantastic Mistress of Copper Mountain.
There is a vase from the Ural malachite in St. Petersburg at the Hermitage.

Here is the Folklore series issued by Canada on October 1st, 1990.

1289 - 39¢ Sasquatch
1290 - 39¢ Kraken
1291 - 39¢ Werewolf
1292 - 39¢ Ogopogo

Here is a plate block (Scott 1292a) of these four stamps.