Big Top Philately

In this thread please post images of your stamps depicting circus acts and scenes. I'll start it off with images of the five stamps in a set designed and engraved by Albert Decaris, and issued (CTO) by Monaco on November 8, 1978 to publicize the 5th Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival, Scott Nos. 1130-34.

- nethryk

Trained seals


Lion tamer


Monkey band


Equestrian act


Trapeze artists

Here are images of a booklet pane of three stamps designed by Swedish graphic artist Eva Jern, combined engraved by Czeslaw Slania and lithogravure, and issued by Sweden on October 10, 1987 on Stamp Day to commemorate the bicentennial of circus art in Sweden, Scott Nos. 1654-56, Facit Nos. 1467-69.

- nethryk



Juggler and clown


High wire act


Equestrian act

These are lovely, Net! I'll sit back, have some popcorn, and wait till the next batch goes up.

Thanks!

spanishmoss - Thanks! One of my favorite childhood television series was Circus Boy, which aired in the 1950s. I often daydreamed about running away to the circus to have exciting adventures like the show's protagonist, "Corky," who was played by Micky Dolenz, later of the pop rock group, The Monkees.

Images of these two stamps were previously posted in the "Funny Stamps" thread by timbres667, but I believe they are well worth including here too. The stamps were designed after original art by Faroese teenagers, printed by lithogravure (Cartor) and issued by Faroe Islands on April 8, 2002 as Europa stamps, Scott Nos. 414 & 415, Facit Nos. 423 & 424.

- nethryk

Clowns, artwork by Anna Katrina Olsen, age 13


Circus acts, artwork by Sára Zachariasardóttir, age 13

Le Cirque, designed and engraved by Pierre Gandon after a painting by French Post-Impressionist painter Georges Pierre Seurat (1859-1891), and issued by France on September 10, 1969, Scott No. 1239, Y&T No. 1588A.

- nethryk

Here are images of the seven stamps in a circus set designed and engraved by Albert Decaris, and issued by Monaco on November 12, 1974 to publicize the First Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival, Scott Nos. 920-26.

- nethryk

Trainer and tigers (note the crouching leopard, too)


Trainer and prancing horses


Trainer and elephants


Equestrian act


Clowns


Jugglers


Trapeze act

Nice thread title!

North Korea:
SGN0662 (1965) T0312 10ch circus [0m1] spinning plate on stick

Belarus Europa 2002
The Circus

Greece Europa 2002
The Circus

Liechtenstein Europa 2002
The Circus

Armenia Europa 2002
The Circus

Finland Europa 2002
The Circus

Cyprus Europa 2002
The Circus

Here is a set of circus stamps from my collection. I can't do them justice, though, the way Nethryk does!

timbres667 & spanishmoss - Nice stamps. Thanks for sharing.

Here is an image of another circus stamp issued by Monaco, designed by French artist Patrick Moya (1955- ), printed by photogravure, and issued by Monaco on December 20, 2010 to publicize the 35th International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo, Scott No. 2610. Bonus: Elephant.

- nethryk

Great thread! This made me realize that stamps offer something that people aspire toward. That is, beautiful and convenient collections of miniature art. The exquisite color, detail, and theme in these circus stamps... any of them as an artists oil painting could easily be hanging in the Louvre or crossing an auction block at a multi-million dollar value. They are beautiful, and much easier to appreciate and own.

Could these types of ideas be a missing key to bringing in new collectors?

"Can't afford, locate, or visit X, Y, and Z interests and dreams? Get the stamp instead!"

That would make for an interesting advertising campaign that could go on in so many ways. I think it is one reason people become topical collectors.