Dragons Of The World

As the Year of the Dragon approaches, many postal services around the world are getting ready to celebrate the lunar new year with a commemorative Dragon issue.

Post your Dragon items here: stamps, covers, postcards, maxi-cards, whether they are related to the lunar new year or not, all dragons are welcome here!



I will kick things off with my first Dragon cover of the season. A beautiful design from Republic of Korea:

scifi7 - Great idea for a topical subject! A real fire-breather.

Here is my first contribution: Dragon, a guardian spirit in the coat of arms of Iceland, designed by Þröstur Magnússon, engraved by Martin Mörck, and issued by Iceland on June 27, 1989, Scott No. 677, Facit No. 740.

- nethryk

A happy little German dragon... issued 1999



and one more German Tradition
Killing the Dragon - Issue Date August 9, 2001




and from Austria 1998

Roger delivering Angelica (Ingres)

2012 will be a fiery year for sure :) The Chinese Zodiac dragon for 2012 is the Water dragon. I expect the Christmas Island "Year of the Dragon" stamps and M.S will be available soon.

why did I think Arabic countries cover up the women? Who is Roger and who is Angelica?

Legendary History...
(as knights of the round table)
originally an epic poem

Roger (Ruggerio)

from wiki
In Orlando Innamorato, Angelica is introduced as the daughter of the king of Cathay, or India (though Cathay in the medieval mind was more often China). She comes to Charlemagne's court with her brother Argalia. All the knights are smitten with her, especially the cousins Orlando (Roland) and Rinaldo (Renaud), but the protective Argalia will only allow her to marry a man who can best him in a joust. When Argalia eventually falls to the Saracen knight Ferrau, Orlando and Rinaldo threaten to destroy each other over her. As the Saracens lay siege to Duke Naimon's estate, Charlemagne promises Angelica's hand to whichever cousin fights best for him. The battle is lost, however, and the characters go on to further adventure: Rinaldo and Angelica drink from magic fountains twice, each time leaving one madly in love and the other indifferent, while Orlando loses his wits to his passion.

Orlando FuriosoBoiardo left his epic unfinished, but the action was taken up in Orlando furioso. Angelica is continually sought throughout the world by Orlando, Rinaldo, and the best knights from various countries. She eventually finds herself naked and chained to a rock in the sea, offered as a sacrifice to a sea monster (a situation identical to the perils of Andromeda). She is rescued by the African knight Ruggiero, who gives her a ring of invisibility. Later, pursued by the maddened Orlando, she uses the ring and vanishes. She ultimately falls in love with the African prince Medoro and returns with him to Cathay; the lovesick Orlando requires the aid of his cousin Astolpho to recover his senses.

Sounds like a great yarn,

J K Rowling continues a theme with Harry Potter.

Hi all, thanks for picking up the thread and posting great dragons :)

nethryk, that is a fantastic dragon at the top of the thread! Is it commemorative or definitive? Would be a great definitive.

Great cancel on the German stamp, fifia - I think the horse has the right idea; head in the opposite direction!

Thanks for the history behind Roger and Angelica, rod222. I think the dragon is on the wrong end of that fight. Is Roger riding a gryphon (horse/eagle)? Or is a gryphon lion/eagle...

Akeela, rod222, will Australia put out a Year of the Dragon issue? The Thai dragon will be issued on 1st Jan. When everything is closed and everyone is on holiday. I'll collect it 3rd or 4th.

From Austria, nice Fountain.


Do not know. Looks like the Eifeltower in center of stamp!

^ or Tokyo Tower, built 1958?

Edit - nice water dragon!

SciFi7
Roger is aboard an "Hippogriff"
The result of the mating of a Griffin and a Mare.


Not sure about Australia, but I would think Christmas Island
will surely have one, they have year icons generally.

That deliciously wicked Spanish painter Goya
has a gentleman aboard a "Hippogriff"
on this stamp.....

Se Tenant block of 4 Imperf
(Not Mine)
GOMC
(Grumpy old men's club)
You are too young probably, to be a member.





Russia : Slaying the dragon....

scifi7 - Glad you liked that Iceland dragon stamp; it a high value commemorative, one of a set of five depicting Iceland's guardian spirits. At current exchange rates, 500 Icelandic krona equals about US$4.00.

- nethryk

Here are images of the three stamps in a set featuring the Welsh Dragon (Y Ddraig Goch - "The Red Dragon") and Queen Elizabeth II, printed by photogravure, and issued by Great Britain on July 18, 1958 to publicize the Sixth British Empire and Commonwealth Games, held in Cardiff, Wales, July 18–26, Scott Nos. 338-340, SG Nos. 567-569.

- nethryk

Welsh Dragon and Games banner, designed by English engraver, designer, typographer and painter Reynolds Stone (1909-79).


Flag and Games emblem, designed by English graphic artist W. H. Brown


Welsh Dragon grasping laurel, designed by British poster artist Patrick Cokayne "Pat" Keely (? -1970)

This one may be a bit of a stretch, but I'll throw it out there anyway.




Vlad Tepes was the Wallachian (Romania) prince nicknamed Dracula, who was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's novel.
The name Dracula translates as 'son of the Devil' or 'son of the Dragon'. Vlads father was called Dracul, Devil/Dragon.
Neither were very nice men.

Great thread scifi

And great stamps everyone

Dianne