Literary Stamp Collecting

Stefan Zeromski (1864-1925) was a Polish novelist and dramatist called the "conscience of Polish literature." Three of his novels, Dzieje grzechu ("The Story of Sin"), Popioly ("The Ashes"), and Przedwiosnie ("The Spring to Come"), have been made into films. Here is an image of a stamp reproducing a portrait of Stefan Zeromski by his daughter, the Polish painter and writer Monika Zeromska (1913-2001), printed by photogravure, and issued by Poland on September 21, 1964 to commemorate Zeromski's birth centenary, Scott No. 1267, plus a photo of the author.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Russian-born French author, novelist, biographer, and historian Henri Troyat (born Lev Aslanovich Tarasov, 1911-2007). Troyat's best-known work is La neige en deuil, a 1952 novel inspired by the crash of Air India Flight 245 in 1950, and adapted as an English-language film in 1956 under the title The Mountain. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Troyat, designed by French artist Cyril de La Patellière (1950- ), engraved by Claude Jumelet, and issued by Monaco on October 10, 2011, Scott No. 2655, plus a YouTube link to a trailer for The Mountain: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNfxH28c0Sg

- nethryk

Hjalmar Fredrik Elgérus Bergman (1883-1931) was a Swedish novelist, writer and playwright whose works are noted for their pessimistic outlook, counterbalanced by a grotesque sense of humor. His final novel, Clownen Jac ("Jac The Clown," 1930), reflects Bergman's drift into self-destruction through alcoholism and drug abuse. Here are images of the two se-tenant stamps in a set featuring, respectively, a portrait of Hjalmar Bergman designed after a photo by F. Flodin, and a rather disturbing illustration of Jac the Clown by Swedish jazz musician, set designer and artist Nisse Skoog (1921- ), engraved by Martin Mörck, and issued by Sweden on August 24, 1983 to commemorate Bergman's birth centenary, Scott Nos. 1470 & 1471, Facit Nos. 1266 & 1267.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to French Huguenot philosopher and writer Pierre Bayle (1647-1706), best known for his seminal work the Historical and Critical Dictionary, published beginning in 1695. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Pierre Bayle, designed and engraved by Yves Beaujard, and issued by France on May 2, 2006 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Bayle's death, Scott No. 3207, Y&T No. 3901, plus an image of a portrait of the philosopher by French painter Louis Ferdinand Elle The Younger (1648-1717).

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Austrian novelist, playwright, journalist and biographer Stefan Zweig (1881-1942). In his heyday, Zweig was one of the most popular writers in the world; his psychological novels and other literary works have been translated into 30 languages. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Stefan Zweig, designed by Adalbert Pilch, engraved by Werner Pfeiler, and issued by Austria on November 27, 1881 to commemorate the novelist's birth centenary, plus a photographic portrait of Zweig.

- nethryk

Sophie, Countess of Ségur (née Countess Sofiya Feodorovna Rostopchina, 1799-1874) was a French writer of Russian birth. She is best known today for her 1858 children's novel Les Malheurs de Sophie ("Sophie's Misfortunes"). Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Sofie de Ségur, designed and engraved by Claude Andréotto, and issued by Monaco in 1999 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the novelist's birth, Scott No. 2130, plus an image of a 1840 painted portrait of the Countess of Ségur, and a YouTube link to a televised musical tribute to Les Malheurs de Sophie, performed by French singer Chantal Goya (1946- ): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdUP8dZxTmo

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to German novelist, poet, journalist and travel writer Theodor Fontane (1819-1898). Fontane is widely regarded as the most important 19th-century German-language realist writer. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Theodor Fontane, designed by Gerhard Stauf, engraved by Margot (Sachs-) Bitzer, and issued by East Germany on February 5, 1969, Scott No. 1080, Michel No. 1443, plus an image of an undated photo of the writer.

- nethryk

Matilde Serao (1856-1927) was a Greek-born Italian journalist, novelist and short story writer, and the founder and editor of Il Mattino. Serao wrote in a naturalist style about ordinary Italian, and especially Roman, life, and her works are noted for their accuracy of observation and depth of insight. Here is an image of a se-tenant stamp featuring a portrait of Matilde Serao, designed and engraved by Tullio Mele, and issued by Italy on May 10, 1978, Scott No. 1327, plus an image of a photograph of the writer taken sometime before 1900.

- nethryk

Karl Kraus (1874-1936) was an Austrian writer and journalist, known as a satirist, essayist, aphorist, playwright and poet. Kraus's most noted play is Die letzten Tage der Menschheit ("The Last Days of Mankind," 1922), a montage of scenes dramatizing wartime inhumanity, brutality and desperation. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Kraus, designed by Austrian artist Otto Stefferl, engraved by Alfred Nefe, and issued by Austria on April 6, 1974 to commemorate Kraus's birth centenary, Scott No. 986, plus an image of a photographic portrait of Karl Kraus which was probably the model for this stamp's design.

- nethryk

George Bernard Shaw (1956-1950) was an Irish playwright and an ardent socialist. Many of Shaw's plays and other writings addressed serious contemporary social issues, but often in a humorous vein. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Shaw and a depiction of Big Ben, the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, London, designed by A. Zavialov, printed by photogravure, and issued by Russia (USSR) on October 17, 1956 to commemorate the writer's birth centenary, Scott No. 1878, Zagorski No. 1860, plus a photographic portrait of G.B. Shaw in 1936.

- nethryk

Paul et Virginie is a novel by French writer and botanist Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (1737-1814). The novel's title characters are childhood friends who grow up living close to nature on the island of Mauritius, and who eventually fall in love. Here is an image of a stamp depicting Paul giving Virginie a piggyback ride, designed by French artist Odette Baillais, engraved by Claude Haley, and issued by Monaco on November 16, 1987 to commemorate the bicentenary of the novel's publication, Scott No. 1598, plus an image of the memorial statue of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, seemingly lost in thought, with Paul and Virgine beneath, created by French sculptor Louis Holweck (1861-1935), and located in the Jardin des Plantes botanical gardens in Paris.

- nethryk

Hanna Winsnes (1789-1872) was a Norwegian novelist, poet and non-fiction writer whose first novel, Grevens Datter (1841), was published under the pseudonym "Hugo Schwarz". Winsnes also wrote a popular cookbook (1845) which included such themes as livestock farming, butchering, baking, soap- and candle-making. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Hanna Winsnes, designed and combined engraved by Knut Løkke-Sørensen and lithography, and issued by Norway on November 24, 1989 to commemorate the bicentenary of the author's birth, Scott No. 949, Facit No. 1074, plus an image of a painted portrait (1871) of Hanna Winsnes by Norwegian artist Matthias Stoltenberg (1799-1871).

- nethryk

Mihai Eminescu, non-traditional maximum card with endicia personalized stamp!!
Mihai Eminescu, the greatest Romanian poet!
"Nicolae Iorga, the Romanian historian, considers Eminescu the godfather of the modern Romanian language. He is unanimously celebrated as the greatest and most representative Romanian poet.
Poems and Prose of Mihai Eminescu (editor: Kurt W. Treptow, publisher: The Center for Romanian Studies, Ia#537;i, Oxford, and Portland, 2000, ISBN 973-9432-10-7) contains a selection of English-language renditions of Eminescu's poems and prose." - wikipedia.

This is a very rare and unusual, personalized maximum card, postmarked with a Sterling 20164, Virginia, USA day cancellation on October 13, 2012. This is 1 of 8 maxicards, so far; I still have 2 more to make.
But anyway, even those 8 are not identical, since I have used postmarks from several post offices, in different ZIP codes.
The postcard for the maxicard is a custom postcard that I designed at Zazzle, back and front.
The personalized stamp that I designed at endicia (since Zazzle refused to approve the design) was ordered in only 1 sheet of 20 stamps, so that's the definitive worldwide print run at this denomination, 45 cents.

Julija Beniuševiciute-Žymantiene (1845-1921) was a Lithuanian/Samogitian writer who used the pen name Žemaite (literally, female Samogitian). She often wrote about the darker aspects of peasant life, including such themes as poverty, greed, and family conflicts. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Julija Beniuševiciute-Žymantiene, designed by P. Chernyshev, printed by lithography, and issued by Russia (USSR) on October 30, 1956 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the author's death, Scott No. 1886, plus an image of a photograph of Žemaite which was surely a model for this stamp's design.

- nethryk