Arrows On Stamps And Philatelic Materials

Arrows show multiple aspects such as;

direction
course
movement
force
attention
tendency

…and more. I found that it is interesting to analyse the designer's intention in using the arrow as a main or supporting element of stamp designs.

I am starting off with a few samples here, and would welcome you all to bring in your favourite arrows on stamps.


Iceland
18 May 2006 / Europa: Integration / Arrows - One joining from right / design: Tryggvi Tryggvason and O. Oye



At first I thought that this is a simple road sign on a stamp - but it isn't. It is talking about delicate issue.

Sweden
27 May 1986 / Europa: Forest an industrial pollution / design: Ingalill Axelsson, engrave: Majvor Franzén



Arrows are tiny/invisible substances in the air, soaked into forest.

USA
21 November 1969 / Special Delivery



Arrows are telling swift both directional services here.

U.S. Scott E23, the 60 cent version of the arrow issued 1971.


U.S. Scott 771, CE1, and CE2:


And in more recent times, the Seal on Official stamps and stationery:


And the recycled logo on the reverse side of the Official envelope:


A variant of the Seal in a slogan cancel for the 50th anniversary of the Selective Service System.


Along the general theme with a spear-point, a slogan cancel: "Fight Cancer Give to Hawaii Cancer Society". Interesting how the points almost hit Abe's eyes!


An unusual set of three arrows for Oka Ridge, Tennessee.


Another slogan with the weather vane in William Tell fashion.


Weather vane on postal card issued in 1970.


Arrow as part of a 1938 National Air Mail Week cachet from Mount Vernon, Indiana


Arrow in a meter slogan promoting their Zone Number introduced in 1943.


And what beginner's collection from the 1960s and 1970s lacked an incomplete set of these from an H. E. Harris packet?

Netherlands Sc#584 1979

Spain Sc#1753 1973

Italy 1930 SG#275

Germany SG#1142 1955

United States Sheet Arrows (Grossman Catalogue)

Pitcairn Islands SG#7
Famous Mutineer FLETCHER Christian

He carries the old historical British name FLETCHER

FLETCHER = A maker or seller of Arrows.

Wow!! Thank you, both John and Rod for your swift and fantastic contributions to this topic already!!! I am now confident that the theme would appeal to core philatelists. (And learning new!). I thought someone has postmarks with arrows, but didn't expect to view this many so quickly. I love the Italian arrows flying in the dark sky, as well as embossed arrows from Germany!!

Ah - I didn't list the REAL arrow to the aspects of arrows above... of course, to hunt was the prime purpose of the arrows in its origin.

Finland
2 January 1943 / Red Cross: Coat of Arms of Savo region / design: A. Laurén

San Marino, two that are part of a set of ten showing 16th Century hunting, issued May 1961

Archers from Medieval Tournament set issued by San Marino in June 1963

Hungary issued stamps depicting the ancient Olympics to celebrate the Rome summer olympics of 1960. Archery was an olympic sport in 1900, 1904, 1908, and 1920, but was dropped because it lacked consistency in rules and regulations. It returned in 1972. Interesting it was one of the first sports to also have a women's event (1904).

And probably the most famous death-by-arrow: King Harold 1 at Hastings, 1066 British issue of 14 October 1966

You can find plenty of arrows on this thread:

http://goscf.com/t/26716

Wonderful! more arrows are brought together!! Thank you rogdcam, Canuck55 and 22crows. I wasn't aware of the Archery thread here in the forum (gosh! many stamps which I never come across!), but I don't hesitate to carry on, as I think we can explore wider definition of arrows on stamps - such as these below.

Arrows are used for telling (from top to bottom);
Unified productivity
Units of Productivity
National Productivity

GB
14 November 1962 / National Productivity Year / design: David Gentleman





I now notice that the designer used only 2 printing colours for the second and third stamps (top stamp is made with 3 colours). Overlap and White-out of colours make effective design, especially the second one's 3D stuck-up "units". It is interesting though the third one was chosen to represent Gentleman's heritage for recent commemorative issue. http://www.collectgbstamps.co.uk/ex...?issue=23098

This must be about productivity... guessing by its design.

Türkiye
1974 / 3rd year of 5 years Kalkinma Plani

Two-way arrows.

At first I thought about the trade distributions using river, but this stamp is about road alongside Mississippi River - total length of the road is 3.329.7km. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_River_Road

USA
21 October 1966 / Great River Road / design: Herbert Bayer of Aspen