Children On Stamps

It's Christmas Eve, and Santa needs some help!

For Christmas Day: The Baby Jesus on a Christmas stamp (block 17, semipostal, 1978). The Child is part of the huge stained glass window in the Frauenkirche in Munich. Painted in 1493 by the great Peter Hemmel von Andlau of Straßburg.

Today is Three King's Day, the 6th of January. In many parts of the world a day in which children go caroling from door to door and collect donations for the needy. They are dressed in lovely robes and bear gifts as did the Magi for the Child Jesus. The children are called Sternsinger, Starsingers, because the Star led the Wise Men to Bethlehem. The Adoration of the Magi by R. van der Weyden (mid 15th century) shows Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar in Bethlehem.

Here is an image of an engraved stamp depicting a girl and a lantern, and issued by (South) Vietnam on September 27, 1958 as the high value in a set of four similar stamps, Scott No. 87.

- nethryk

Here are images of the two stamps depicting, respectively, boys playing with a kite, and girls playing with dolls, designed by Maltese graphic artist Ray Gauci, printed by lithography, and issued by Malta on May 6, 1989 as EUROPA stamps, Scott Nos. 737 & 738.

- nethryk

SAINT PIERRE ET MIQUELON (2014) & LUXEMBOURG (2011)

Girls playing with bubbles.
A childhood classic !

Here are images of the four stamps in a set depicting children of various ages and declaring some of their rights, printed by lithography, and issued by Papua New Guinea on October 24, 1979 to publicize the International Year of the Child, Scott Nos. 508-511.

- nethryk

Mother nursing an infant: The right to affection and love.


Baby in a string-bag scale: The right to adequate nutrition and care.


Boy playing with a dog: The right to play.


Girl in a classroom: The right to a free education.

SAINT-PIERRE ET MIQUELON 2013

Children playing with marbles

Here is an image of a semi-postal (charity) stamp depicting an infant, human skulls, an open chest showing the lungs, and the sun, designed and engraved by Jacques Derrey, and issued for use in Somali Coast on December 10, 1965 to benefit the fight against tuberculosis, Scott No. B16.

- nethryk

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES (1951)

Children Games...

Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746-1827) was a Swiss pedagogue, educational reformer and the founder of several educational institutions in Switzerland. Pestalozzi is given much of the credit for virtually eradicating illiteracy in Switzerland by 1830. Here are images of the four semi-postal (charity) stamps in a set honoring the educator, and issued by Switzerland on December 1, 1927, Scott Nos. B41-B44, plus an image of a detail from a painted portrait of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi which was probably the model for the designs of two of these stamps.

- nethryk

An abandoned orphan, and a child in a Pestalozzi school, printed by typography (letterpress).


Portrait of Pestalozzi, engraved.


Portrait of Pestalozzi, printed by photogravure.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a sculpture entitled "The Little Soldier," by Polish sculptor Edward Piwowarski (1910-1974), and the emblem of the Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, printed by lithography, and issued by Poland on October 16, 1972, Scott No. 1925.

- nethryk

Circle of children, designed by Brazilian artist Darlan Rosa, printed by lithography, and issued by Brazil on June 28, 1985 to publicize the United Nations' International Youth Year, Scott No. 2009.

- nethryk

Children's Day, printed by lithography, and issued by Thailand on January 16, 1981, Scott No. 953.

- nethryk