Japan

Incoming package from Tomomi

Tomomi sent me this cute little package from Japan. I absolutely love the Disney stamps and how she decorated the front. And inside… this goody pack was filled with some roasted green tea, coffee, a lovely letter and sweet wedding card. Thank you, Tomomi!10410963_680400715422804_8342053476084879974_n-1

Vintage Stamps

I seldom noticed stamps in the past, but these days I’ve been taking a closer look. Recently I got a really amazing scratch and sniff chocolate stamp from Belgium! This one card made me dig into my collection, whip out my magnifying glass (nerdy, I know) and review hundreds of old postcards and letters. I never expected stamps to provide such interesting information, but they do. Here are some vintage stamps that I have found over the years.

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Sapporo 1972 Olympic Winter Games. Nippon, Japan
Downhill skiing, couples figure skating and bobsledding.

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Above are stamps of the current South Korean president’s parents.
Left (November 1974) & Right (February 1980)

LEFT – Yuk Young-soo: (November 29, 1925 – August 15, 1974) “was the wife of the 3rd South Korean president Park Chung-hee and the mother of incumbent South Korean president Park Geun-hye. She was assassinated in 1974.”

RIGHT – Park Chung-hee: (14 November 1917 – 26 October 1979) “was a South Korean president and military general who led South Korea from 1961 until his assassination in 1979. Park was eventually assassinated on 26 October 1979 by Kim Jae-gyu, the chief of his own security services.[1] He had led South Korea for 18 years.”

Many people thought that President Park had brought the country out of economic turmoil and so they praised him. Others, disliked this leader because he was a dictator and killed several Koreans during his 18 year term.

IMG_0163Korean Folkway Series 3rd Issue (August, 1986)

These stamps were issued just one month before I was born. My set is missing one stamp of a man dressed in purple carrying what looks to be a bass drum. These stamps were designed to recognize the “Nongak” tradition which refers to “farmer’s music”, a style of drumming, dancing and singing performed by farmers.

IMG_0160You can see a Nongak stamp (bottom, second from left) on this 60th anniversary seal set.
The 2013 Christmas seals are a collection of Korea’s 10 best stamps.
From top left to bottom right:
Xmas and New Year Greetings, Good Health (1932-1933)
Holiday Greetings (1940-1941)
Girl in Hanbok (1953)
Snow and a symbol (1957-1958)
Holiday Red and Gold Bird (1965)
Turtle Ship (1967)
Korean Folkway (1988)
Figure Skater Yuna Kim (2009)
Holiday Pororo Cartoon Character (2011)

I bought ten (yes, ten!) of these sheets, thinking that they were stamps. I was furious when I was told that these couldn’t be used to send. I hadn’t realized that they were just seals. I ended up using most of the seals to decorate envelopes and eventually was left with this one sheet. I will keep it with the other vintage stamps. Lots of variety in this 60th anniversary set.

Two Pretty Postcards

Two latest favourites that I’ve received via Postcrossing from Japan and China.

I am not sure which I love more, Asahi beer or this Asahi beer vintage card. I visited Japan three years ago and it was wonderful. Would love to go back again someday.

I also enjoyed this Chinese vintage style pinup girl postcard. So lovely.
Just adore these gems from the past!

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Thanks for the snail mail, fellow Postcrossers! 🙂