Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
1. Cape Verde - Scott 589 - issued 12-20-90 "Traditional Fairy Tales. Man catching mermaid" - I KNOW this is a legend, and I think I remember reading about it in the past, but I can't nail it down despite many searches. At bottom left it has "Lito Maia - Portugal" and top right has "Joao Piquinote solta - me que eu te dou um fio de cabelo meu", which translates from Portuguese to English as "Joao Piquinote - let me give you a hair of mine".
2. Egypt - Scott 829 - issued 4-20-70 "Mermaid - 8th Biennial Exhibition of Fine Arts, Alexandria". Alexandria was supposedly founded by Greek King Alexander, who has a legendary mermaid sister. Perhaps this is her? Or just coincidence?
3. Egypt - Scott 1689 - issued 9-12-98 "Day of the Nile Flood" I found an old Nubian legend about sacrificing maidens to the Nile river gods that (maybe) became mermaids, but I doubt that's it. I can't help wonder if there is a specific mermaid associated with the annual flood of the Nile. I couldn't find it in a search.
4. India - Scott 2189e - issued 3-8-07 "Women's Day" No mention of mermaids, but at least 2 of the 4 stamps have women CLEARLY sporting mermaid tails! I don't know if this is a legend tied to Women's Day or simply an artistic flourish, but several Google searches came up empty.
5. Macao - Scott 930 - issued - 5-22-98 "Oceans: Mermaid, shells, sailing ship, compass rose." - I have no reason to believe this is anything but a generic mermaid.
6. Norway - Scott 781 - issued 5-4-81 "Europa - The Mermaid, painted dish". Drobak, Norway has statues of THREE mermaids, but I couldn't find the source of THE Mermaid referenced on this stamp.
7. Portugal - Scott 154 - circa 1898 (NOT SHOWN) - this is a common design type used in 44 different stamps. The Scott listing only says "Vasco da Gama" with no mention of the mermaid. The imagery reminds me of King Alexander's sister Thessaloniki, so I wonder if that's her or a similar legend. Unless another catalog sheds further light, I don't know where to search for this one.
8. Portugal - Scott 2230 - issued 5-21-98 "Mermaid swimming" - no idea on this one
9. Tunisia - Scott 348 - issued 1959-61 "Skanes beach, Monastir, and mermaid." - search comes up empty on this one as well
10. Tunisia - Scott 935 - issued 3-21-88 "Mermaid, doves, national coat of arms" - again, no leads, but two different stamps from Tunisia with a mermaid makes me wonder if there is an underlying story.
So if you have access to catalogs other than Scott, I would appreciate learning if any of the descriptions help identify any of these mermaids specifically.
Thanks!
Lars
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These references are all from SG. I've only put in information from SG that is in addition from what you have described. Not a lot of additional information but it may be of some help.
The 1998 Egypt is referred to as "Pharaonic Mermaid".
The images shown in the Indian group of 4 stamps are painted by Joyshree Burman.
The Norwegian stamp is titled "The Mermaid" from a painting by Kristen Aanstad on wooden dish from Hol.
The 1998 Portugal stamp is simply referred to as "Mermaid and Sea Anemones"
The Tunisian stamp from 1988 is titled "Girl in Cornfield Wearing Coat of Arms". No reference to the stamp showing a mermaid.??
Oldmanemu
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As an aside, I appreciate people posting with subjects/topics like this. It makes me take a closer look at many of the stamps in my collection as I learn so much more about them. Thanks!
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I appreciate others taking the time to look these up in alternate catalogues. Now I have the descriptions from Scott and SG. Thanks oldmanemu. I will try searching with the terms you found in SG and see if I find anything. It's interesting that Scott sees a mermaid and SG sees a girl walking through a cornfield (which looks more like wheat to me)!
Lars
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Don't think you'll get much help from Y&T catalogues. I looked up Tunisia 348 and got 'Monastir et Sirene' (Monastir and Mermaid). That's less than Scott provided.
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One mystery solved: Jayasri Burman incorporates mythical creatures into her paintings and they have no link to a specific reference. It's just a painting style, hence the mermaid tails in the India stamps.
One down.
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Quickly checked various catalogs (Michel, Afinsa & Facit), and can add few tiny nuggets:
1998 Egyptian stamp shows 'Bride of Nile' according to Michel.
And the Portuguese stamp is titled 'Future of oceans: utopia' in both Michel and Afinsa. Cannot help thinking here if the illustrator was inspired by classic Donald Duck story 'Secret of Atlantis' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Atlantis (and yes, the plot includes mermaids/people of the sea)
-k-
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scb,
I found the legend of the Bride of the Nile, and that is, indeed, the annual sacrifice legend/myth. Thanks!
Two down.
I'm not sure about the Portugal/Donald Duck connection, but who knows?!? It's worth a mention!
I'm surprised that another catalog didn't provide a better clue to the legend of Cape Verde. It even says "Contos Tradicionais" or Traditional Tales.
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06:29:40pm
Curiously and aside, I just watched an independant movie that revolved around an American trying to trace his father's roots from an address on a letter that had never been mailed.
It featured scenes of the mermaid statue in Copenhagan where the family had gone years ago before his then young father sailed to America.
The movie "Copenhagan," of course, is on Netflix. Rather a clever story.
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I see from the latest SG magazine (July) that Japan issued a stamp celebrating Disney's mermaid Ariel back in Nov 2015. Not sure if you were aware of this one.
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11:33:00am
I was just going through my recent stamps of France. Would you consider this a Mermaid Stamp? Here is the description according to the Scott Catalogue...
Animal Proverbs and Idioms
No. 4340, Etre heureux comme un poisson dans l'eau ( “Be happy as a fish in water ”)
.
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I posted a couple of mermaid stamps in other threads to see if they are connected to a story and often the answer comes from a different catalog, so I will post the remaining unknowns here. If you have a different catalog than Scott and there is a helpful description, I would appreciate hearing from you! There isn't necessarily a story behind every stamp - but who knows!
1. Cape Verde - Scott 589 - issued 12-20-90 "Traditional Fairy Tales. Man catching mermaid" - I KNOW this is a legend, and I think I remember reading about it in the past, but I can't nail it down despite many searches. At bottom left it has "Lito Maia - Portugal" and top right has "Joao Piquinote solta - me que eu te dou um fio de cabelo meu", which translates from Portuguese to English as "Joao Piquinote - let me give you a hair of mine".
2. Egypt - Scott 829 - issued 4-20-70 "Mermaid - 8th Biennial Exhibition of Fine Arts, Alexandria". Alexandria was supposedly founded by Greek King Alexander, who has a legendary mermaid sister. Perhaps this is her? Or just coincidence?
3. Egypt - Scott 1689 - issued 9-12-98 "Day of the Nile Flood" I found an old Nubian legend about sacrificing maidens to the Nile river gods that (maybe) became mermaids, but I doubt that's it. I can't help wonder if there is a specific mermaid associated with the annual flood of the Nile. I couldn't find it in a search.
4. India - Scott 2189e - issued 3-8-07 "Women's Day" No mention of mermaids, but at least 2 of the 4 stamps have women CLEARLY sporting mermaid tails! I don't know if this is a legend tied to Women's Day or simply an artistic flourish, but several Google searches came up empty.
5. Macao - Scott 930 - issued - 5-22-98 "Oceans: Mermaid, shells, sailing ship, compass rose." - I have no reason to believe this is anything but a generic mermaid.
6. Norway - Scott 781 - issued 5-4-81 "Europa - The Mermaid, painted dish". Drobak, Norway has statues of THREE mermaids, but I couldn't find the source of THE Mermaid referenced on this stamp.
7. Portugal - Scott 154 - circa 1898 (NOT SHOWN) - this is a common design type used in 44 different stamps. The Scott listing only says "Vasco da Gama" with no mention of the mermaid. The imagery reminds me of King Alexander's sister Thessaloniki, so I wonder if that's her or a similar legend. Unless another catalog sheds further light, I don't know where to search for this one.
8. Portugal - Scott 2230 - issued 5-21-98 "Mermaid swimming" - no idea on this one
9. Tunisia - Scott 348 - issued 1959-61 "Skanes beach, Monastir, and mermaid." - search comes up empty on this one as well
10. Tunisia - Scott 935 - issued 3-21-88 "Mermaid, doves, national coat of arms" - again, no leads, but two different stamps from Tunisia with a mermaid makes me wonder if there is an underlying story.
So if you have access to catalogs other than Scott, I would appreciate learning if any of the descriptions help identify any of these mermaids specifically.
Thanks!
Lars
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03:13:47am
re: More mermaid stamps
These references are all from SG. I've only put in information from SG that is in addition from what you have described. Not a lot of additional information but it may be of some help.
The 1998 Egypt is referred to as "Pharaonic Mermaid".
The images shown in the Indian group of 4 stamps are painted by Joyshree Burman.
The Norwegian stamp is titled "The Mermaid" from a painting by Kristen Aanstad on wooden dish from Hol.
The 1998 Portugal stamp is simply referred to as "Mermaid and Sea Anemones"
The Tunisian stamp from 1988 is titled "Girl in Cornfield Wearing Coat of Arms". No reference to the stamp showing a mermaid.??
Oldmanemu
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03:32:34pm
re: More mermaid stamps
As an aside, I appreciate people posting with subjects/topics like this. It makes me take a closer look at many of the stamps in my collection as I learn so much more about them. Thanks!
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re: More mermaid stamps
I appreciate others taking the time to look these up in alternate catalogues. Now I have the descriptions from Scott and SG. Thanks oldmanemu. I will try searching with the terms you found in SG and see if I find anything. It's interesting that Scott sees a mermaid and SG sees a girl walking through a cornfield (which looks more like wheat to me)!
Lars
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07:49:14pm
re: More mermaid stamps
Don't think you'll get much help from Y&T catalogues. I looked up Tunisia 348 and got 'Monastir et Sirene' (Monastir and Mermaid). That's less than Scott provided.
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re: More mermaid stamps
One mystery solved: Jayasri Burman incorporates mythical creatures into her paintings and they have no link to a specific reference. It's just a painting style, hence the mermaid tails in the India stamps.
One down.
Login to Like
this post
re: More mermaid stamps
Quickly checked various catalogs (Michel, Afinsa & Facit), and can add few tiny nuggets:
1998 Egyptian stamp shows 'Bride of Nile' according to Michel.
And the Portuguese stamp is titled 'Future of oceans: utopia' in both Michel and Afinsa. Cannot help thinking here if the illustrator was inspired by classic Donald Duck story 'Secret of Atlantis' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Atlantis (and yes, the plot includes mermaids/people of the sea)
-k-
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re: More mermaid stamps
scb,
I found the legend of the Bride of the Nile, and that is, indeed, the annual sacrifice legend/myth. Thanks!
Two down.
I'm not sure about the Portugal/Donald Duck connection, but who knows?!? It's worth a mention!
I'm surprised that another catalog didn't provide a better clue to the legend of Cape Verde. It even says "Contos Tradicionais" or Traditional Tales.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
26 Feb 2018
06:29:40pm
re: More mermaid stamps
Curiously and aside, I just watched an independant movie that revolved around an American trying to trace his father's roots from an address on a letter that had never been mailed.
It featured scenes of the mermaid statue in Copenhagan where the family had gone years ago before his then young father sailed to America.
The movie "Copenhagan," of course, is on Netflix. Rather a clever story.
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re: More mermaid stamps
I see from the latest SG magazine (July) that Japan issued a stamp celebrating Disney's mermaid Ariel back in Nov 2015. Not sure if you were aware of this one.
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Immediate Past President - West Essex Philatelic Society www.wepsonline.org
14 Jul 2018
11:33:00am
re: More mermaid stamps
I was just going through my recent stamps of France. Would you consider this a Mermaid Stamp? Here is the description according to the Scott Catalogue...
Animal Proverbs and Idioms
No. 4340, Etre heureux comme un poisson dans l'eau ( “Be happy as a fish in water ”)
.
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