Hands On Stamps

Kris Rascher - Re: Corrado Mezzana. See: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!m...1fN_yYReyFcJ

Here is an image of a stamp depicting the hand of a machinist passing a micrometer to an apprentice's hand, designed by American illustrator Robert Geissmann (1909-1976), engraved by Richard M. Bower (vignette) and George Alton Payne (lettering), printed on yellow bister paper, and issued by the USA on August 31, 1962 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act, Scott No. 1201.

- nethryk

Hi Jamesw, That UN stamp is one of my favorites. It was issued in 1965 to honor the Nobel Peace Prize for UNICEF. And later it was placed on a new stamp by the Vienna branch of the UN to commemorate 40 years of UN postage; the cancellation also has the hands. By the way the original can be seen on the engravers thread on page 102.

Hi Jamesw, Here is the FDC to go with the Namibia stamps. It indicates the importance of the UN in freeing Namibia from South African domination which lasted from 1915 to 1988. The years prior to liberation were not peaceful. The small colored map in the contour of Africa shows where Namibia is located.

Hands crushing a mosquito, designed by Tunisian artist Hatem El Mekki (1918-2003), engraved by André Frères, and issued by Tunisia on April 7, 1962 as one of a set of three stamps publicizing the World Health Organization's Anti-Malaria Campaign, Scott No. 406.

- nethryk

Hands of artists-conductors: Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957)



Arturo Toscanini was an Italian conductor and one one of the most acclaimed musicians of the late 19th and 20th century.
He was the music director of La Scala Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Hi Primoz! Those are nice portraits of Toscanini and show that left little finger in a most characteristic gesture. The two composers/conductors in these two stamps are honored by having their hands featured! It is said that Mozart was left-handed, I don't know about Liszt. But he did have particularly large hands. Nethryk - would you like these amongst your composers and musicians?

And here's the US stamp for Toscanini, I almost forgot it.

Hi Primoz, There was another Italian Toscanini after all! As you see, issued for his 100th birthday year.

Singapore 2014 S for the Singapore Spirit.

Hi Tants, That's a great show of togetherness, the artist had a wonderful idea; do you know the name of the person who designed it? When I get enough posts, I'm going to write to you and ask for a few copies, OK? When I started counting the hands in Hans Erni's globe on the Swiss stamp (2009), I got lost at about 16 - again a great design. He also put doves of peace in the frame of the pane.


(small comment: today I hear on the news of vast gatherings in Hong Kong, demanding democracy)

Hands of artists-conductors: Orchestre symphonique de Québec



The Orchestre symphonique de Québec was founded in 1902 as the Société symphonique de Québec.
It is the oldest active Canadian orchestra.
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Hi, Kris, I am 100% left-handed.
I know that a lot of famous persons were left-handed.
I will in the future pay attention if people on stamps holding their tools
(pens, brushes...) in their left hands!

Hi Promoz, That's a lovely Canadian stamp, hope to find it some day. The only left-handed activity which I have on a stamp is Hildegard von Bingen writing! Maybe her left-handedness was the reason she dictated so much of her writings to her assistant the Monk Volmar. But you know the stamp well already because it is on your Great Ladies site. The hand is not the dominating feature of the picture, but it is unusual enough to put it into the thread. I have lots of stamps of other well-known left-handed people, but their hands aren't in the picture.

Here is an image of an engraved stamp on piece depicting hands and a food bowl, the UN emblem, and a world map, designed by Polish artist Marek Kwiatkowski, and issued by the United Nations on April 22, 1983 to publicize the World Food Program, Scott No. 396.

- nethryk

Hi Nethryk, That UN stamp is very well done but the child's hands don't look to be those of a starving child. The World Food Program was begun in 1961 and continues to help nourish millions of people daily. The FDC of 1971 commemorates its 10th year of activity. The stamp itself shows a grain (perhaps rye) and in the logo grain is held by an abstact hand.

Kris Rascher - The UN Food Program stamp was engraved and printed by the Government Printing Works, Tokyo, Japan. Good eye: I would agree that the child's hands appear to be those of a rather well-nourished youngster.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a hand holding a torch, a broken chain and the national flag of the former Kingdom of Iraq, printed by photogravure, and issued by Egypt (UAR) on October 14, 1958 to celebrate the July 14, 1958 revolution which led to the forging of the Republic of Iraq, Scott No. 454.

- nethryk