Books Pictured On Stamps

Here is Turkey's 1961 issue (Sc #s 152304) commemorating the "Opening of Parliament".

On June 24, 1957 West Germany issued this commemorative (Michel # 256) for the "500th Anniversary of the University of Freiburg". 20 million of the stamps were issued.

Book and emblem, printed by lithography, and issued by Philippines on May 24, 1976 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the National Archives, Scott No. 1292.

- nethryk

This 2018 computer-vended stamp of Ireland depicts what might be the oldest "book" in this thread. It shows the Springmount Wax Tablets, which are estimated to date to around 600 A.D.

From Wikipedia, The Springmount Bog Tablets are a set of six wooden wax tablets...that were discovered in 1914 in the Springmount bog near Ballyhutherland, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The tablets form a booklet with text from the Book of Psalms inscribed on the wax surface of the wooden pages. The tablets are considered to be the earliest surviving example of Irish writing in the Latin script....Six tablets made of yew wood are bound together along one edge with a leather thong and tied shut at the top and bottom with two leather straps...It is thought that the tablets came from a monastery near where they were found and were probably used for teaching literacy and as an aid for memorizing the Psalms."

"International Book Year," printed by photogravure (Courvoisier S.A.), and issued by Algeria on April 15, 1972, Scott No. 477.

- nethryk

This 1980 issue of Peru, depicting a book with the overprint "Constitutionality Restitution, July 28, 1980" came at a time of great peril for the country. The 140 over 25 overprint indicates a 460% increase in face value, or 460% decrease in currency value.

In 1980, Peru was faced by a terrorist insurgency by the communist, Shining Path guerrillas.

From Wikipedia, "Widely condemned for its brutality, including violence deployed against peasants, trade union organizers, elected officials, and the general public, the Shining Path is regarded as a terrorist organization by Peru, Japan, the United States, the European Union, and Canada, which consequently prohibit funding and other support for the group. Since the capture of its leader Abimal Guzman in 1992, the Shining Path has declined in activity."

Republic of Cyprus
27th September 1976
Anniversaries and Events - Promotion of Children's Books

On this December 11, 1961 East German (DDR) stamp from the set of 6 commemorating the visit of Soviet cosmonaut Gherman S. Titov (1935-2000), First Secretary of the SED Walter Ulbricht presents the cosmonaut with the Order of Karl Marx. Gherman Titov was the second human to orbit the Earth.

Here is Finland's September 1, 1994 stamp (Facit #1269) commemorating the 450th anniversary of popular registration in Finland. Under 10x magnification one can see that there is a handwritten list of names on the border of the left page, and a list of eight-digit binary code on the border of the right page (with computer printer sprocket holes).

Girl reading a book, designed by Hatem El Mekki (1918-2003), engraved by French artist André Frères (1902-1977), and issued by Tunisia on October 1, 1965 as one of a set of three similar stamps commemorating the Girl Students' Center, Scott No. 453. Note: According to the Population Reference Bureau, 91% of contemporary Tunisian women between the ages of 15 and 24 are literate.

- nethryk

Here is an image of an airmail stamp depicting Mexican revolutionary leader and statesman Venustiano Carranza de la Garza (1859-1920) who, with the promulgation of the Mexican Constitution of 1917, was elected President, serving from 1917 to 1920, designed by Mario Orozco Rivera (1930-1998), printed by photogravure, and issued by Mexico on February 5, 1967 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the new constitution, Scott No. C322.

- nethryk

The Tchibo Company of Germany (something like Target Stores in the U.S., if I am correct) appears to be either selling charity postage, or using it on mailings with a 45c/stamp donation going to the Mount Kenya Project of the U.N.'s International Fund for Agricultural Development. The connection appears to be that Tchibo Co. gets its coffee from Kenya.

This stamp shows the educational facet of the Mount Kenya Project. The medallion is inscribed "Education for Kenya" and contains an open book.

On January 25, 2018, Ireland released 8 computer-vended stamps as phase II of the 9th definitive series "A History of Ireland in 100 Objects," One of the stamps depicts the Book of Kells, a ninth century book of manuscripts composed of 340 leaves/folios, or 680 pages counting front and back sides.

From the anpost.com website, "Often regarded as the greatest work of Irish visual art, the Book of Kells is one of Ireland's greatest cultural treasures and the world's most famous medieval manuscript. The ninth century book is a richly decorated copy of the four Gospels of the life of Jesus Christ."

The Book of Kells is located in the Trinity College Library in Dublin.

This 1995 stamp, depicting books and wheat, honors Karlis Ulmanis, Latvia's first Prime Minister after WWI. The wheat symbolizes Mr. Ulmanis's background in agriculturie, and the books symbolize Mr. Ulmanis's "Schools Appeal", his advancement of schools and education in the country.

Belgium's Stamp Day issue of 2000 features a pen and ink drawing of a cat and rabbit reading someone's bound journal.