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Oh, we have yet another set of stamps, this time from the island nation of Grenada. Where in the world is Grenada, you might ask? Well, this island is located at the Southern Caribbean. From Wikipedia, this island is one of the largest exporters of nutmeg and mace, so some people call it the Island of Spice. I guess these people will call Singapore the Island of Greed – since we are probably the largest exporters of greediness. If you have been been or heard of Grenada, don’t sweat it. Most of us have never heard of it either. But someday, I hope to travel the world and visit this Island and check out their nutmeg and mace plantations. And I am pretty sure they have plenty of resorts and beaches for tourists to enjoy as well.

I bought this set of stamps from eBay. Not that they are of any value or that they are very beautiful, but I since I like different stamps and they are priced very reasonably, why not? I am always finding new stamps to add to my stamp collection.  Stamps from Grenada I do not have. Please have a look at the stamps below. I would like to apologize beforehand about the quality of the photos though. I am not too sure why but the photos came out slightly blurred.

50 cents stamp. King Heimei is the name of the seashell I believe. Tried searching for this name but came up empty handed. Not too sure what year is this stamp manufactured as well.

2 cents stamp. Hawk Wing Conch.

1 cent stamp. Wedge Clam. Must be pretty common clam – I have seen maybe the relative in Singapore beaches as well.  When I was young, I used to keep seashells like this in my cupboard after visiting the beach. I can’t remember why, but most likely it is because we didn’t have much things to play with when we were young, so a seashell can be used as a marble or to spin. It is always amazing to see how innovation we were when we were young.

25 cents. Scotch Bonnet seashell.

75 cents stamp. Queen Conch. Looks like a ear. Probably the natives use this as an artificial ear if they lost one in the numerous fights they have between the tribes. Hey, they don’t have the wonders of modern medicine in some countries, you know.

1/2 cent stamp. Bleeding Tooth. Try as I might, I don’t see any resemblance to a bleeding tooth. In fact, how does a tooth bleed? It is not like teeth have veins or anything. The photo looks more like a slug in a shell. Yucks! Anyway, how is it possible to have half a cent stamp? Isn’t the minimum value of their currency 1 cent? And how much does it cost to make this stamp? Probably more than 1/2 cent right? So you will have guessed it by now that this is probably a commemorative stamp set.

Finally a 3 cent stamp. This one they use as a horn. All the stamps from this set are in superb condition. For that, I am very glad. And it is logical that an Island nation like Grenada will have seashells on their stamp.

From my Google Analytics, I do not get many visitors interested in stamp collecting. That is just too bad. Most of my viewers are those interested in my tutorials and my reviews on food stuff in Singapore. Hopefully more will find stamp collecting interesting to take up the hobby. I am doing my part by posting photos of my stamps online. If more people put up their stamp collections online, I am sure that there will be renewed interest in stamps.

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Ajman is the smallest state in the United Arab Emirates by area. And what do you know? They do have some nice looking stamps indeed! I was just surprised to find such good looking stamps from such a small place.  Its population is about 400 thousand inhabitants. Much much smaller than Singapore’s population.  And most of the inhabitants live in the city of Ajamn itself. I guess cities are always more attractive to people right?

Anyway, what I didn’t know is that the Ajman state often produce colourful stamps for this or that commemoration. In fact, they are famous for that. A little trivial for you. I wonder whether the inhabitants of Ajman state also enjoy collecting stamps? If not, it would certainly be a waste. Please enjoy the next few photos taken by yours truly of the Ajman stamps.

Probably commemorating some famous paintings in Munich. All these are from the art treasure cove of Alte Pinakothek in Germany. I tried very hard to find the name of the painting but all I know is this is a painting by Martin Schaffner called the Altar of Wettenhausen.  And I am not even sure it is an actual painting. Looks like it is part of a set of frames or something. Not too sure. Anyways, it is a very good looking stamp isn’t it? Rather proud to have this stamp in my collection.

Oh my god, there is a tear on the bottom left of the stamp. It was like that when I received the stamp, so it is not my fault. I am not very happy with the seller for this. The name of the painting is “The Adoration of the three wise men“. Sadly, I can’t find any reference to this painting. And that tear kept on bothering me. Oh, sorry for the slightly blurred photo. I think I must be too angry to take a proper photo.

Yet another beautiful stamp. This time it is “Altar Paumgartner“. I believe this is painting from the center panel of some altar piece. I actually like this stamp more than the rest of the set. Although the pink colour of the other stamps gives a good contrast, the design of this stamp makes it look more original. Of course, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. So, it is up to you to decide. This is in perfect condition.

“Altar of the Three Wise Men”. In very good condition.

Being a art novice, I was rather confused that this had the exact same name as the previous one – Altar of Wettenhausen. But then I realize that these are actual part of an altar piece. So from the photo, I am guessing that this is the center left part of the altar piece and the previous one was the center right. Just search for the “Altar of Wettenhausen” and you will understand. Maybe it is not an altar piece but  some sort of changing partition? Wow,  I must be getting smarter! And that means that there are a quite a number of missing stamps in this set. So if anyone has one or both of the stamps needed to complete this set, please email me. I would very much like to discuss with you on the possibility of obtaining the rest of the set.

This time it is yet another painting by some famous painter – “Holy Family House Canigiani“. This is indeed a very famous painting. And judging from the photo, I can understand why. Beautifully drawn painting. And the stamp is in superb condition as well!

Well, I have come to the end of the set of stamps I purchased from eBay. See you soon. And remember to spread the word about stamp collecting. It is a worth while hobby anyone at any age can enjoy. And you don’t need to be rich to do it. Best of all, you don’t need to spend hours and hours on it. Ciao!

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Here are several stamps which I bought from eBay (a very good site to get some nice looking stamps). Although I don’t encourage anyone to buy stamps, especially stamps which are not valuable, sometimes it is the only recourse for us to find nice stamps for our own collection. And I got some pretty good looking ones. This time it is from the old Soviet Union – now Mother Russia!  And like all “art” from Soviet Union (CCCP), they are celebrating some form of struggle or another during the communist era. Maybe it is the communist ideology to celebrate art this way. I don’t know much about communist art but hey, some of them are quite good looking.

Hmm…1928, most likely celebrating some part of the civil war in Russia at that time? Or perhaps they are talking about the 5-year plan by Stalin? I don’t know.  But fighting in Russia must be cold and the conditions terrible, especially in the winter. Ahh….how much the Russians have suffered during this period. And with the second world war coming in just under 2 decades. What is surprising is the Russians already suffered greatly, they persevered and now they are becoming a powerhouse of their own. Good for them. Yes, got an unused stamp. And in very good condition.

Must be some famous painting of a glass and some fruits. Sorry, I don’t understand Russian but I am betting that glass is full of Vodka – Russia’s most famous export. Perhaps this is to celebrate the birth of the Soviet Union? Yet another unused stamp in superb condition.

Hmm….a picture of a red horse and a naked guy riding it. Must be painful riding the horse like that though. And how does he protect his family jewels when riding like that? Not too sure what the significance this is.  In 1912, probably to celebrate some horse riding competition. In Singapore, he would probably be arrested and sent to some mental institute. Again, my lack of understanding of the Russian language is a problem. Another unused stamp in good condition. The seller does keep good care of his or her stamps. Respect.

Yet another picture showing a glass of what looks like tea and some flowers and eggs. Like the previous stamp, this is probably to celebrate the birth of the Soviet Union. Maybe to signify the beginning of the era of plenty for the people. I don’t know. If anyone knows what the stamp is stating, please leave a comment.

A stamp with the picture of a lady and her baby.  Good contrast of colours used by the artist. The background could be some important square for the people to gather. And this stamp is in perfect condition. If only all my stamps are in such condition, I would be a very happy man. But alas, most of my stamps are not. I have only myself to blame.

Again, if you have any nice collection of stamps which you would like to showcase to others, please email me with the photos (as high quality as possible). I would gladly post them on this blog. I mean, if you are into collecting stamps, why not show them to other as well. All of us should appreciate the beauty of stamps, even though some might think that stamps are completely outdated. In fact, collecting stuff which are old is a very interesting hobby.

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This is a continual from “Part 1″ where I posted a few nice looking Belgium stamps.  I really doubt that any of these stamps are valuable. More like they are a hobby for my brother than anything else. And you get certain satisfaction a few years (or decades) later when you go back and have another look at the stamps you have collection. These are not my stamps and I still find it satisfying that these stamps have been preserved for over 2 decades. Of course, my brother and I are just amateurs. Not professionals at all. Some of the stamps are not in good condition and usually they suffer from some sort of water mark or tearing.

Probably a stamp showing the different mode of transport. In the past, it is horse-drawn carriages. Now modern cars.  The illustration is quite nice isn’t it?I always felt that this stamp is one of the best looking in my brother’s collection.  Very nice mix of colours. This stamp was published in 1979. Yes, it is too bad that there is a slight tear at the center top of the stamp. Most likely this is due to improper handling when removing the stamp.

Nice mix of colours as the previous stamps. Seems that Belgian artists do have some talent. This stamp seems to be celebrating modern forms of commnications like satellite and so on. Not too sure what those “pencil” stuff on the buildings are for though. Some slight damage at the right of the stamp though. Anyone has any idea when this stamp was published?

I have absolutely no idea what they are saying.  The illustration is probably a male and a female holding a staff or something and celebrating some event. Anyone knows the significance of this stamp? Googling the name “Chambres des Metiers et Negoces” came up with nothing. This stamp was released in 1978.

This is a nice looking stamp indeed. Must be some famous composer performing some music magic. And yes, not a single damage or mark on the stamp at all. If only all the stamps were handled carefully during those times, all the stamps should be damage-free. But alas, when we were much younger, we lack the patience to properly soak the stamps and wait till it could easily peel off.

Small but chic looking. Bokrijk Belgium is famous for its collection of old Flemish houses (as seen in the stamp) and beautiful farmland. And check out the windmill in the background. The place is actually an open air museum showcasing old Belgian architecture and local professions. One day I will visit Belgium and walk slowly through this open air museum. Well, if only Singapore had such beauty…This stamp was published in 1968.

“Affligem is a municipality located some 20 km west-north-west of Brussels in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, not far from the town of Aalst and the important railway junction of Denderleeuw.” – direct from Wikipedia. This must be a picture of the government house or some important property there. And quite nicely drawn as well.This stamp was printed in 1964.

A stamp commemorating The United Nations. This stamp depict a view at night of  The UN headquarters in Manhattan. Though one might wonder why it grace a Belgium stamp if it is in America – it is because Belgium is a member of the United Nations.  But of course, what is the exact function of the United Nation is the main question, isn’t it? In my opinion, it seems to be everywhere but sadly, it is not doing anything useful. But you are right, we should keep politics out of this topics. It is all about stamps and how we love them!

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Yet again, I will be posting some nice looking stamps. This time from Belgium. I am just surprised that my brother has so many stamps from Belgium! Perhaps he has some friends in Belgium or that his penpal is Belgian. No matter, all we are interested in are the stamps and they do not disappoint. There are quite a number of very good looking stamps available from that country. In fact, I think they are one of the better looking one from my brother’s collection. I have never been to Belgium, but still kind of cool that have several of their “older” stamps here.

Singapore does have quite a number of stamp collections. However, it is usually the older generation who are more into Stamp collecting. You will be surprised to realize that quite a few of the young do not know that there is such a thing as “stamps” or have never touched or pasted a stamp in their life. Everything is done through the Internet nowadays and any communication through the mobile phone or through electronic means like email or instant messaging. Mailing a physical letter is alien to kids nowadays. So yes, the stamp collecting hobby is dying in Singapore.

Not bad about the damage on the right. I am guessing that another stamp was stuck to it during the removal process and resulted in the slight tearing of the surface. But this stamp is still quite nice looking right? It is a picture of a building celebrating some Western Europe anniversary. If someone knows the name of the building or the significance of this building, please leave a comment. I would very much like to know.

Hey that is Tin-Tin, my favourite comic hero during my primary school days! Oh, I remember trading with my friends the Adventures of Tin-Tin comic books (they are pretty expensive for school students) every time someone got a new book. And yes, it was created by a Belgian artist – Georges Rémi. The dog is called snowy. And I must have spent like hours and hours reading through all his comics. In the time before Internet, comic books were a major source of entertainment for us kids. This stamp has some white marks on it – at the center of the stamp.

A stamp celebrating some comet in 1956. Yes, there is a very obvious white mark on the right of the stamp.

The picture looks kind of blurry but it is not due to the way the photo is taken. The picture on the stamp looks blurry to begin with. I am guessing that the blurred picture is deliberate to give that “artsy” old painting feeling. There is no way I am able to improve on the quality of the photo with my crappy camera. Probably a painting portrait of the likeness of some famous person in Belgium. This stamp was published in 1982. However what is amazing is that this stamp has absolutely no damage to it. Not even any visible water damage.

Very nice looking stamp. Montigny-le-Tilleul is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut and this picture is probably a famous building there. This stamp is one of the better looking ones my brother has. And looks damage free as well.

A stamp commemorating some Belgium military school with the likeness of a ceremonial military hat. Why not? I don’t have many stamps commemorating military in my brother’s collection anyway. I am not saying that it is particularly beautiful, but it is kind of different. I am pretty sure that if you have stamps from North Korea, they would contain quite a lot of military stuff. But stamps from Belgium, it would be rather rare.

Anyway, this is the end of the sneak peak for Belgium Stamps. I will be posting more in due course. Ciao and if you have a stamp with the likeness of Hercule Poirot, I would surely like to have a look at it.

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Well, this is yet another of my brother’s stamp collection. As I said before, I am not an expert in stamp collecting but I am starting to understand why it is the most popular hobby in the world. True, some people do it to make some money, but most of us just enjoy looking at old stamps and appreciate that it can be a lifetime labour. Not that it is anyway difficult to take up this hobby, but it does take time and patience. It would really help if you have overseas “penpals”. Nowadays with the Internet and all, nobody is really interested in stamp collecting anymore, which is kind of sad since I think it is a very fulfilling past-time.

Anyway, this is my brother’s New Zealand Stamp collection. He has quite a few but these are the better looking ones I could find.

Hmm….Fox Glacier Westland National Park. Not too shabby looking for a stamp. For a country blessed with so much natural beauty, surely they would have way more such nice stamps issued by their post office. And doesn’t this give you the “Wish you were here” kind of feeling? I wish to one day visit New Zealand and go for thousands of hikes around such nice scenery. That is what I would call life.  This stamp is quite well-preserved. Check out the words stamped by the post office.

Christmas 1961! Adoration of the Magi – not too sure what these means, probably have some religious significance.  Again, pretty nice picture on the stamp.

Yet another one of the Christmas stamps. This time it is 1970. Adoration of the Child Correggio. Again, I am not too sure what the religious significance  is this. There is a slight mark on the top right of the stamp. But for the rest of the white “dots” on the stamp, I think it is not caused by any mishandling. More likely due to the printing effect for the stamp itself. Running my fingers across the picture, it feels smooth without any blemishes on the surface. But can anyone enlighten me what does “2 1/2C” means – 2 and half cents? I am not too sure, but the cost of printing the stamp would probably cost more than 2 and a half cents, does it?

Oh, we have yet another one of the Christmas series. This time it is in 1970 but without any title. Artist impression of some glass panel from some church somewhere in New Zealand I would guess. And this one is absolutely perfect without any visible damage to the stamp except at the top edge. Very nice looking stamp indeed. Does anyone have the entire Christmas collection for New Zealand stamps? It would really be cool to have the beginning till last year worth of Christmas stamps!

Harvest of the Sea. A boat and a net. No seafood though. Would be great if they could have the picture with some seafood like maybe a few pieces of seaweed on top, since it is called “Harvest of the Sea”. This is just a picture of a boat. Can someone tell me the date of printing for this stamp if you have any idea.

A stamp with the likeness of Prince Andrew on it. What does 3D and 1D mean? And why do they have “Postage” and “Health” together on the stamp? I am getting a bit confused about New Zealand stamps.

If you have some nice stamps, please take photos of them and send them to me. I would gladly publish them on this blog (with your permission of course). What is the point of collecting stamps if you are not going to share the fruits of your labour. Share it and let everyone enjoy beautiful stamps!

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I have been collecting stamps since I was young. Well, actually my brother is the one who is really interested in stamp collecting. I merely follow what he did.  Although when I was young, I did not really appreciate the beauty of stamp collecting. Now after so many years, I realize that it can be pretty interesting. Stamps are often one of the most over-looked things in our lives. When we get a envelope, we are definitely more interested in the stuff in the envelope. But if you pay attention, it is not difficult to realize some of the stamps are indeed quite nice looking. And it is not surprising it is one of the most popular hobbies around the world. It teaches you patience as well.

Here are some of my brother’s Hong Kong collection. He had quite a number which he painstaking “peeled” off letters.  I took the photos of the better looking ones.

I believe this is the St John Cathedral in Hong Kong. Too bad about the hinge mark which covers nearly the entire stamp. But the picture of the Cathedral is still quite visible. In pretty good condition as well. I am not too sure about the year of printing though. If someone knows, please tell me.

I believe this is for the 1983 Royal Observatory Centenary in Hong Kong. I have absolutely no idea what those are – perhaps some sort of mobile observation tower or something like that.

Very nice picture of Prince Charles carrying (I believe to be) Prince William. Oh on the right, that would be Queen Elizabeth. Not really a fan of the English Royal Family, so please forgive me if I got the names wrong. I don’t know the year of printing for this stamp. Sadly, this stamp is a bit wrapped at the top. Not too sure what caused this to happen though. The stamps should be already dried properly when placed in the stamp book.

A stamp showing the map of Hong Kong. If I am not wrong, there should be a series for this set. But alas, I have only 1 such stamp. It would be cool to have the entire collection showing the full map of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong stamp depicting the Dragon Boat Festival. If you look carefully, you can see the “EIIR” logo on the top left of the stamp. “Elizabeth II Regina” – Queen of Great Britain. Anyway, how often do you see the man beating the drums is in the middle of the dragon boat? To my limited knowledge, the drummer is usually in front of the boat for “motivation” purposes.

Nice stamp showing a Chinese Lantern. Brings back my childhood memory of playing with such candle stick lanterns. These lanterns are usually made from coloured plastic sheets (usually red) and the light source is a simple candle in the middle. So sometimes we do get burnt lanterns which makes me kind of sad to see. Nowadays, the lanterns are all battery operated. Anyway, considering this stamp is probably like 20 years old, the colour quality of the stamp is still amazing, especially the black. But then with the black background, won’t that make it rather hard to hinge? Again, if someone could tell me the year of printing, I would be most glad.

Festival of Hong Kong 1971! So this could possibly mean that this is the oldest Hong Kong stamp in my collection and I wasn’t even born yet! Stamps depicting flowers are very common. You should check out Singapore stamps – good majority are pictures of flowers, tree and other plants.

A 50 cent Hong Kong stamp with the picture of a bird – The Hwa Mei (China Trush). This bird is prized for its singing voice. You should check out how popular this bird is with bird pet owners in Singapore and Malaysia. Not surprisingly, due to the recent bird flu scare, Hwa Mei or any birds from China or Hong Kong is not allowed to be imported into Singapore. Oh, I got sidetracked yet again. This is a pretty nice looking stamp but as you can see from the photo above, there is a rather obvious white mark on the stamp. This is usually due to the way the envelope with the stamp was handled. Nothing much we can do about it.

Wow, this 5 dollar stamp is reserved for the English monarch herself. Who is that baby? Prince William? Prince Harry? Elton John? If so, then exactly just how old is her royal crankiness???

Anyway, this is some of the Hong Kong stamps I have in my collection. I will be publishing more of the stamps in the near future. Hope you enjoy the photos.

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