Literary Stamp Collecting

primoz - Nice Sherlock Holmes set!

Moa Martinson was the pen name of Swedish author Helga Maria Swarts (1890-1964). Martinson's stories often portrayed the hard living conditions of the working class, and particularly the plights of women. Here are images of the two se-tenant stamps in a set designed by Swedish artist Eva Jern, engraved by Zlatko Jakus, and issued by Sweden on October 6, 1990 to commemorate the centenary of the author's birth, Scott Nos. 1849 & 1850, Facit Nos. 1654 & 1655, plus a photo of Moa Martinson in 1957.

- nethryk



Portrait of Moa Martinson


"Women bathing," an illustration of a scene from Martinson's novel Kvinnor och äppelträd ("Women and Apple Trees," 1933)

Tahar Haddad (1899-1935) was a Tunisian author, scholar and reformer. As a feminist, Haddad advocated for expanded rights for women in his book Our Women in the Shari 'a and Society (1930). Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of the author, designed by Tunisian artist Hatem El Mekki, engraved by Claude Haley, and issued by Tunisia on October 25, 1982, Scott No. 814, plus an image of a photographic portrait of Tahar Haddad which was surely the model for this stamp's design. Note the inversion of the years of Haddad's birth and death on the inscription under the portrait on the stamp, as Arabic is written from right to left.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Hermann Hesse (1877-1962), a German novelist, poet, essayist and painter whose novels include Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, and The Glass Bead Game, each of which explores an individual's search for authenticity, self-knowledge and spirituality. In 1946, Hesse received the Nobel Prize in Literature. Here is an image of an engraved stamp featuring a portrait of Hesse, designed by Swiss artist Hans Erni (1909- ), and issued by Switzerland on February 21, 1979, Scott No. 669, plus a photo of Hermann Hesse reading a book.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Kyokutei Bakin (pen name of Takizawa Okikuni, 1767-1848), a Japanese author best known for works such as Nansô Satomi Hakkenden ("The Chronicles of the Eight Dog Heroes of the Satomi Clan of Nansô") and Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki ("Strange Tales of the Crescent Moon"). Treated cruelly as a child, Bakin ran away from home at age 14, leaving behind the following haiku note:

Chilled by winter winds
I have decided
To journey with the gods.

Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Bakin, and depicting the dog heroes from his story, printed by photogravure, and issued by Japan on November 4, 1998 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the author's death, Scott No. 2643, plus an image of a portrait of Kyokutei Bakin by Japanese woodblock artist Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865).

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (1889-1963), a French novelist, poet, dramatist, playwright, set designer, artist and filmmaker. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Jean Cocteau and depicting scenes from his works, designed by Jean Chesnot, engraved by Georges Bétemps, and issued by Monaco on March 14, 1989 to commemorate the writer's birth centenary, Scott No. 1678, plus a photo of Jean Cocteau in 1923, and a YouTube link to a movie trailer for the film Les enfants terribles ("The Strange Ones," 1950) which was based upon a 1929 Cocteau novel of the same name: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB5wLOryPgM

- nethryk

Fritiof Nilsson, nicknamed "Piraten" ("the Pirate") (1895-1972) was a Swedish novelist from the south-most province of Skåne, which plays an important role in many of his books. Nilsson associated with sailors, farmers and businessmen, and deliberately avoided literary types, which may account for his nickname. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Fritiof Nilsson, designed by E.-L. Johansson after a photograph by S.E. Sjöberg, combined engraved by Lars Sjööblom and lithography, and issued by Sweden on October 27, 1995 to commemorate the author's birth centenary, Scott No. 2144, Facit No. 1923, plus a photo of a statue of Fritiof Nilsson "Piraten" in Kivik, in Skåne. Bonus: "Piraten" signature.

- nethryk

nethryk I just wanted to thank you for posting all these gorgeous stamps, in addition to a description of what is depicted on the stamp. They are a joy to look at with your fabulous scans

nethryk
I thank you also for your great contribution to the topical thread. You've spend a lot of time over the years describing stamps and posting pictures. It's very interesting to read and view. Daniel

Jenny2U & timbres667 - Thanks! I'm glad you have enjoyed reading some of my posts here.

Maurice Genevoix (1890-1980) was a French novelist and essayist whose most highly regarded novel is Raboliot ("Wild Rabbit"), evoking the freedom and closeness to nature in the life of a poacher from Sologne, for which he won the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 1925. Here is an image of a stamp designed after a sketched portrait of Genevoix by French artist Raymond Moretti (1931-2005), engraved by Pierre Forget, and issued by France on November 12, 1990 to commemorate the author's birth centenary, Scott No. 2240, Y&T No. 2671, plus a photograph of Maurice Genevoix.

- nethryk

PS In 2008 French film director Jean-Daniel Verhaeghe released a made-for-television production entitled Raboliot starring Theirry Frémont, and based upon Genevoix's novel.

Shui Hu Zhuan (often translated as "Water Margin," or "Outlaws of the Marsh") is a novel attributed to Chinese author Shi Nai'an (c. 1296–1372). The story, set in the Song dynasty, tells of how a large group of outlaws is granted amnesty by the government and sent on campaigns to fight foreign invaders and suppress rebels. Here are images of the four stamps in a set illustrating scenes from the novel, printed by photogravure, and issued by China (People's Republic) on August 20, 1993, Scott Nos. 2449-52.

- nethryk

Chai Jin trapped in Gaotang.


Shi Qian steals armor.


Xu Ning teaches how to use a barbed lance.


Shi Xiu leaps off the roof to the rescue.

Happy Birthday to Count Lev (Leo) Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828-1910), a Russian writer and philosopher remembered primarily for his novels (including War and Peace and Anna Karenina) and his short stories. Here is an image of a semi-postal (charity) stamp featuring a portrait of Tolstoy, designed and engraved by Jacques Jubert, and issued by France on April 15, 1978, Scott No. B507, Y&T No. 1989, plus an image of a photograph of Leo Tolstoy at his Yasnaya Polyana estate in May 1908, by Russian photographer Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky (1863-1944).

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Daniel Defoe (1660-1731), an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer, and spy, now most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Defoe, designed by Romanian artist and engraver Serban Zainea, printed by photogravure, and issued by Romania in August, 1960 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the novelist's birth, Scott No. 1344, plus an image of an oil on canvas portrait of Daniel Defoe attributed to German-born British painter Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723).

- nethryk

Jules Vallès (1832-1885) was a French journalist and author who, as a leader of the opposition to Emperor Napoleon III, was active in the Paris Commune of 1870. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Vallès, designed by French artist Huguette Sainson, engraved by Claude Haley, and issued by France on June 4, 1982 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the journalist's birth, Scott No. 1837, Y&T No. 2215, plus an image of a painted portrait of Jules Vallès by French artist Jean Courbet (1819-1877).

- nethryk

Alice Rivaz (1901-1998) was a Swiss author and feminist whose novels and other writings are known for dealing with women in art and in the family. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Rivaz, designed and combined engraved by Pierre Schopfer and lithography, and issued by Switzerland on March 12, 2001 to commemorate the author's birth centenary, Scott No. 1093, plus an image of a photograph of Alice Rivaz which was a model for this stamp's design.

- nethry