Hands On Stamps

ICY handshake emblem, designed by S. Pruneda, printed by photogravure, and issued by Mexico on September 13, 1965 to publicize International Cooperation Year, Scott No. 964.

- nethryk

Michal Batory, Polish born contemporary artist, is best known for his eye-catching posters. He has been working in Paris for a number of years. He did the fingers for the Piano-Folies in 2006, the stamp appeared in 2012. And a hand on a poster for Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus for good measure.



(Hi Nethryk, The handshake for the International Year of Cooperation, which was also the 20th year of the UN, can be found in so many variations, that one could make an exhibit of them alone. Do you know how many nations issued the handshake? K.)

Hi Nethryk, I found the other RCD stamps, of which you had posted the one from Pakistan on 11/28, and scanned them together for comparison.

Two more of the handshakes during the UN Year of Cooperation in 1965. The UN building in the background of the Mali stamp and the Maldive coat of arms in the Maldivian stamp. Each country may add a bit of variation to the UN emblem itself.

Kris Rascher - I do not know how many ICY handshake emblem stamps were issued around the world. Thanks for sharing the images of the other two RCD stamps from Iran and Turkey; I like the common design.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a hand holding a torch, a broken chain and the national flag of the former Kingdom of Iraq, printed by photogravure, and issued by Syria (UAR) on October 14, 1958 to celebrate the July 14, 1958 revolution which led to the forging of the Republic of Iraq, Scott No. 13. Note: See my post in this thread on September 30, 2014 (page 4) for the similar Egypt (UAR) issue.

- nethryk

A few more ICY handshakes for comparison; especially the Tchad stamp because the hands are of different color.

The ICY stamps from Chile.

Nigeria's ICY stamps are unusual because three projects involving international cooperation are depicted, for example the giant Kainji Dam which was constructed with Italian participation and the Bornu railway extension with British participation.

Respectez la mer, printed by photogravure, and issued by Monaco on March 21, 1981 to promote marine life preservation, Scott No. 1286. Fish fingers, anyone?

- nethryk

The 10th of December is International Human Rights Day. It commemorates the day on which, in 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The San Marino souvenir sheet, designed by Fabio Ferrini, refers to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Italy 1945 airmail
Here is an Italian Caproni Campini N.1 motorjet plane,
flying over a mountain range with a handshake of friendship for democracy.

The first day cancel of Singapore's 1978 "national monuments" souvenir sheet features a pair of stylized, bilaterally symmetrical hands.

Hi Bookbob, it is indeed an interesting Singapore cancel because the thumbs are in a different position than in other similar designs. The "Refugees" thread has many variations of the UN design in stamps, cancels and FDCs (see page 10). The earlier pages here also have a few examples of the protective gesture.

A handshake for national reconciliation. The Algerian national reconciliation referendum took place in September 2005. It finally put an end to 13 years of civil war. An estimated 150,000 people had lost their lives.

Founded by Lech Wa#322;#281;sa and others, Solidarnosc (Solidarity) became the first independent labor union in a Soviet-bloc country. The stamp honored its 10th anniversary. Since 2005, the 20th of December has been the United Nations day of solidarity between peoples. The first goal this year is "to celebrate our unity in diversity".