DOCSLIB.ORG

STAMP STORIES Hische Has Made It Onto the Tor, Best Known for Her Experimental Illustrations In

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
STAMP STORIES Hische Has Made It Onto the Tor, Best Known for Her Experimental Illustrations In DISCOVER JESSICA HISCHE SARA FANELLI UNITED STATES ITALY / UNITED KINGDOM etterer and illustrator Jessica ara Fanelli is an Italian-born British artist and illustra- STAMP STORIES Hische has made it onto the tor, best known for her experimental illustrations in Forbes 30 Under 30 list not PHOTO BY KARI ORVIK children’s picture books. She has also done work for once, but twice. She has be- a diverse range of clients, including the New Yorker, Postage stamps are always memorable and Lcome an icon, not only for the work she S Tate Modern, the has created for high-calibre clients like Victoria and Albert evocative, whether because they represent the The New York Times, Tiffany & Co. and Nike, among others, but Museum and many also for her brilliant side projects (or “procastiworking,” as she others. nostalgic feeling of receiving news from afar or calls it), such as the witty flowchart “Should I Work for Free?” Her work combines RAFAEL DAVIDSON and the Daily Drop Cap project, for which she created an il- because they remind us of a childhood looking drawing and ele- SPAIN / MEXICO lustrative letter every day. ments of collage with at tiny stamps from all over the world, imagining Her lettering style is detailed and intricate but can also be bold a profound sense of ward-winning designer Rafael Da- the stories they delivered inside their envelopes. and modern, achieving a perfect balance of legibility and deco- design and typog- vidson was born in Spain and grew ration. “I like pushing something as far as I can with decora- raphy. Sara’s unique up in Mexico, where he built a The following stamp stories give us a glimpse tion, without pushing it too far where all of the sudden it is all style, which incorpo- prominent career in industrial de- about the decoration rather than the letterforms themselves,” rates vibrant colours, Asign. He now lives in California, where he com- into the fascinating processes behind designing, she says. energetic patterns, bines sailing with teaching part-time at the textures and writ- Academy of Art University of San Francisco. She designed the 2015 Forever Hearts stamp for the United curating and collecting postage stamps. ing, has earned her several international awards, including an States Postal Service (USPS) in collaboration with art director Among Rafael’s biggest achievements is design- Honorary RDI (Royal Designer for Industry) in 2006—the first Antonio Alcalá. Jessica first created a few pencil sketches of ing the famous Mexico Ex- woman illustrator to be awarded this honour. lacy lettering, exploring different typographic styles within porta postage stamp series. Antonio’s conceptual direction. After the sketches were ap- In 1998, Sara was commissioned by the Royal Mail to design a In 1974, the Mexican Postal proved, she finished the art digitally. “In the process of moving postage stamp that would become part of the Millennium Se- and Commercial Trade Of- from sketch to digital, there are always a lot of edits or elabora- ries, which celebrated inventions from the closing millennium. fice held a contest to design TEXT BY tions that occur,” she says. “I find it incredibly valuable to break Sara’s stamp commemorated the development of the bicycle. a stamp series to promote down your creation process into several distinct steps, if only Mexican exports. “I submit- ANDREA MARVAN Sara was given a tight brief as a guideline for the project: the because there is a lot of room for reflection and criticism along ted my proposal without stamp had to praise the invention of the bicycle and highlight the way.” The word “forever” is written in a mono-weight sans, much hope,” Rafael recalls, its role in the emancipation of women, but it also had to make blending seamlessly with ornamentation—“like there is this hid- “and a few months later they called. I had won!” reference to the environmentally friendly aspect of cycling and den little message within,” as Jessica puts it. Back then he was doing a lot of commercial work, the beginning of the signage system. It was a lot to cover, but and designing the stamps was a much-appreciat- jessicahische.is Sara created a magnificent design that subtly combined all ed creative break. of the requested elements. The design won the D&AD Silver Award for postage stamp design. Each stamp in the series was based on an item that Mexico exported, such as strawberries, cat- “I tried to keep the design as close to my personal work as pos- tle, denim and shoes. But Rafael was not given a sible. I was thrilled that they let me keep the dog on wheels, list of items in advance, because the stamps were too—often a feature in my images at the time,” she says. “The requested on an as-needed basis. “I didn’t know greatest challenge was fitting all the points of the brief on such much about designing stamps. How do you de- a small area. I dealt with the signage system using a background sign for something so small? The only way was by texture—red arrows on orange—and with the environmentally being very minimalistic,” he says. friendly aspect by adding the trees in the background.” The series was produced from 1975 to 1993, cov- sarafanelli.com a strong understanding of stamp collecting. It idents. They made me smile,” she says. Now, as a ering 28 themes and 112 official variations. Prob- KAREN HORTON grew organically,” says Karen. While working at graphic designer, Karen has started to steer away ably the most recognized and collected series of UNITED STATES a kibbutz, Karen’s mother became penpals with from the bright, pictorial stamps that caught her Mexican stamps, it is appreciated not only for of visitors from all over the world and began col- its unique graphic design but also because of the aren Horton’s portfolio presents her eye as a child, preferring typographic designs. lecting the stamps. The collection grew recently collecting challenges it presents, given the great considerable talents as a book cover “I could never have a favourite stamp,” admits Kar- variation in paper weight, grades, watermarks and designer, but beyond her design cre- when Karen began adding stamps that she found to be visually interesting. The Chelsea Flea Mar- en. “Part of my problem with stamp collecting was plate flaws. dentials Karen has an inspiring online that I could never settle on a specific country, time Kpresence as curator of Stamp Designs, which fea- ket was one of her favourite hunting spots, where Despite technology and budget restrictions, such period or aesthetic. My tastes were constantly tures vintage stamps from she spent countless hours selecting stamps: “As a as a limitation to one or two ink colours, Rafael general rule, if I couldn’t identify the country, year evolving. But I always liked the Bulgarian stamps accomplished a highly sophisticated level of ab- around the world. PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MUSEO by Stefan Kanchev, particularly his 1971 Arrival of and artist, the stamp stayed in the back burner straction and synthesis. Keeping in mind that DE FILATELIA DE OAXACA AND RAFAEL Karen’s curating journey be- pile.” Spring series. I like the simplicity of the designs these stamps were going to be seen worldwide, DAVIDSON. gan a few years ago when and how well they work together. Even when you he had to convey a universal idea in the clearest Karen’s taste has evolved over the years, but she she was archiving the col- overlay each stamp on top of each other, you can and most effective way possible. “If we couldn’t be still has a soft spot for Israeli stamps, partly be- lection her mom started see how harmoniously they fit together.” competitive because of the technology, we had to cause they filled the stamp books Karen used to while growing up in Israel. be competitive design-wise,” says Rafael. “She didn’t particularly have covet as a kid. “They are very colourful and I used stampdesigns.tumblr.com to find them more interesting than stamps of pres- karen-horton.squarespace.com mufi.org.mx 34 UPPERCASE uppercasemagazine.com 35 GAIL ANDERSON UNITED STATES had always wanted to design a postage stamp. I mean, who wouldn’t?” says New York-based designer and writer Gail Anderson. Gail’s exten- sive credentials include a stint as senior art director at Rolling Stone magazine, teacher at the New York School of Visual Arts, co-author of MICHAEL RUSSEM “Iseveral books on typography and design, and recipient of the AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement in 2008. Now she can add to this list not only UNITED STATES stamp designer but also member of the USPS Citizens’ Stamp Advisory etterpress printer Michael Russem founded Committee. In 2013, Gail was commissioned by USPS art director Antonio Kat Ran Press in 1994. Combining classical Alcalá to produce a commemora- typography and contemporary art with the tive stamp celebrating the 150th old ideals of fine printing, the staff of Kat Ran anniversary of the Emancipation LPress has designed books and portfolios for a variety Proclamation issued by President of clients. Additionally, Michael holds a vast collection Lincoln. “I got a phone message of ephemera that includes nearly 2,000 stamps cre- PHOTO BY LANCE HIDY from Antonio completely out of the ated by notable type and graphic designers. blue, and listened to it about four times before I called back,” recalls “I would not call myself a stamp collector,” Michael Gail. “Antonio was so nice and so clarifies. “I collect graphic design, typography and lettering that just so hap- gracious that I was immediately put pens to be on stamps.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 2022 YEAR 10 ELECTIVE HANDBOOK Page | 2
    Year 10 Elective Handbook 2022 MILE END CAMPUS Contents ART DESIGN .............................................................................................................................. 3 DANCE ....................................................................................................................................... 4 DESIGN & TECHNOLOGIES ..................................................................................................... 5 DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES & ENGINEERING ........................................................................... 6 DRAMA ...................................................................................................................................... 8 GERMAN .................................................................................................................................... 9 HOME ECONOMICS ................................................................................................................ 11 MEDIA ARTS ............................................................................................................................ 12 MUSIC ...................................................................................................................................... 13 PHYSICAL EDUCATION .......................................................................................................... 14 VISUAL ART ............................................................................................................................ 15 ALL STUDENTS ARE
    [Show full text]
  • Celtic Birds Postage Stamp Pyrography Project
    CELTIC BIRDS POSTAGE STAMP PYROGRAPHY PROJECT LORA S. IRISH LSIRISH.COM ARTDESIGNSSTUDIO.COM Create perfect graduated shading using the art style of Copyright, L S Irish, LSIrish.com, 1997-2015 pointillism. All Rights Reserved, 1997 - 2015 1 SUPPLIES NEEDED Stamp collecting is one of the favorite past times 9” X 12” x 1/4” birch, basswood, or poplar plywood in the U.S. Many of us began as small children 220- to 320-grit sandpaper who waited impatiently for the day’s mail to arrive Brown paper bag to discover if one of the envelopes sported a new #4 soft pencil for tracing stamp for our album. Masking tape to secure the paper pattern Ruler As adults our interests expanded into the history, Variable temperature pyrography unit geography, and political movements of foreign Ball tip or loop tip burning pen countries or into the elusive chase of a particular Artist white eraser stamp that would complete a year set or series Polyurethane or acrylic spray sealer release. A philatelist, stamp collector, might focus their collection of a specific time period - as stamps is- sued during World War II - or on a specific group of countries - as stamps issued from the Caribbean Island nations - or on a particular topic - as steam engines, butterflies, or dog breeds. You can bring your favorite stamp topic into your love of wood burning with this beginner’s level pointillism-styled project. Pointillism is the art style of creating designs, with graduated shading, through the use of a simple dot pattern. So let’s begin our free ArtDesignsStudio.com project by getting our supplies together.
    [Show full text]
  • The Social Agency of Postage Stamps: Japanese Postage Stamps in a Global Context by Douglas Charles Terrington Frewer
    The Social Agency of Postage Stamps: Japanese Postage Stamps in a Global Context By Douglas Charles Terrington Frewer Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the regulations of the award of Doctor of Philosophy by Oxford Brookes University April 2003 Revised and accepted May 2004 LIBRARY H su m a IMAGING SERVICES NORTH Boston Spa, Wetherby West Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ. w w w .bl.uk Fig 12, Pg. 44, Figs 23& 24 Pg. 61, All Figs on pgs. 63-66a incl, Figs 34,35 pg. 68, Figs 44,45 pg. 70,Fig 48,50 pg. 72, Fig 52 pg. 73. NOT DIGITISED BY REQUEST OF THE UNIVERSITY The Social Agency of Postage Stamps: Abstract This thesis is concerned with evaluating postage stamps as social agents, using Japan as a case study. For the period 1937-1988 it identifies various messages about Japanese identity implied by the symbolism used by Japanese Governments in their postage stamp designs and by their choice of special issues. It explores the extent to which those messages have been received by both Japanese and British collectors of these stamps and the reasons why their communication has been found to be largely ineffective. The study identifies the tendency of stamp users to appreciate stamps aesthetically, as art objects, rather than as symbols and the practices of stamp collecting as the major obstacles to the recognition of their symbolic messages. The view that stamp collecting is a social practice which is defined by the cultural traditions of the collectors’ societies is questioned. Evidence is offered for the ‘globalisation’ of this form of collecting and for the evolution of postage stamps from being utility items largely confined to their issuing societies into ‘collectibles’ designed for a global market.
    [Show full text]
  • Christmas 1971 Date of Issue: 13 OCTOBER 1971
    STAMP HISTORY Christmas 1971 Date of issue: 13 OCTOBER 1971 The Post Office first issued Christmas stamps in 1966, so by 1971 such stamps were expected by the public to use on Christmas mail. It was agreed that a Christmas stamp be issued from the very beginning of discussions on the 1971 stamp programme. The Stamp Advisory Committee (SAC) first discussed the 1971 programme on 21 October 1969 when J R Baxter, a member of the Operations and Overseas Department (OOD) and Secretary of the SAC, proposed stamps marking the bi-centenary of the birth of Walter Scott, the 50th anniversary of the Northern Ireland Parliament and another in the architecture series. It was not until 6 May 1970 that the SAC discussed the Christmas issue deciding on a religious theme and that an air letter would also be issued. INSTRUCTIONS TO ARTISTS On 11 September the Committee agreed the ‘Instructions to artists’, issued to invited stamp designers as a guide to requirements and conditions. On 17 September invitations were sent to John Sutherland Hawes, Julian Gibb and Rauri McLean to submit designs for three special postage stamps and a commemorative air letter to be issued in November 1971. The instructions stated that the stamps were to have a religious theme but this could be either the artist’s own work or depict a religious tapestry or sculpture. Stamps depicting the traditional crib scene, the shepherds, the wise men and the angels had already been issued and so a different approach was required for at least two of the stamps.
    [Show full text]
  • The Palace of the Governors Stamp Designs
    New Mexico Historical Review Volume 89 Number 4 Article 3 10-1-2014 The Palace of the Governors Stamp Designs Thomas Lera Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nmhr Recommended Citation Lera, Thomas. "The Palace of the Governors Stamp Designs." New Mexico Historical Review 89, 4 (2014). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nmhr/vol89/iss4/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in New Mexico Historical Review by an authorized editor of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. • The Palace of the Governors Stamp Designs • THOMAS LERA he image of the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been used in the design of two U.S. Post Office stamps. The pro- cess of developing new stamps and determining the final stamp design Thas never been addressed in detail in historical literature.1 This article first addresses the stamp-selection process and then looks at the specific case of the Palace of the Governors stamp issued in summer 1960. After sketching the history of the Palace, this work discusses the influence of local, regional, and national groups and politicians, and examines the role of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee. Special attention is paid to previously unseen images and artwork created by New Mexican artists and used to design the final stamp. This paper sheds new light on the involvement of local, state, and national leaders in a deliberative process that resulted in the issuance of many U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • You Are Embarking on the Study of Something Entirely New....CREATIVE THINKING
    YOU ARE EMBARKING on the study of something entirely new....CREATIVE THINKING. fGRAPHIC DESIGN S an Leandro High School Remember when you first learned how to ride a bike. It wasn’t easy. You fell off or crashed Ms. Reinerio and had to get up and try again. Perseverance paid off, now riding a bike is second nature. Learning to tap into your hidden creativity will be easier if you're willing to try new things, even if you fail! and let go of negative judgement—that part of you that says you're not creative! Course DescriptionF How would you design eyeglasses if we didn’t have ears? Creativity allows you to thrive in an In this introductory Graphic Design course, students will enhance their creativity as they ever changing world and unlocks a universe of possibilities. With enhanced creativity, experience the occupation of a graphic designer by engaging in the DESIGN PROCESS instead of problems you see potential, —developing and presenting creative ideas that fit the parameters of a given job...logos, instead of obstacles you see opportunities, business cards, CD covers, etc. Budding designers will cultivate their self-expression, and instead of challenges you see a chance to create breakthrough solutions. building visual communication skills as they solve problems manipulating hand tools —Tina Seelig, author of InGenius: and computer applications in the Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. A Crash Course on Creativity Graphics students will leave high school equipped with the skills to compete in an expanding, innovation-driven, global economy—creativity, communication, and problem-solving talent.
    [Show full text]
  • Infrared Steganography with Individual Screening Shapes Applied to Postage Stamps with Security Features
    M. Rudolf i dr. Steganografija na poštanskoj marci s infracrvenim individualiziranim rasterskim oblicima ISSN 1330-3651 (Print), ISSN 1848-6339 (Online) DOI: 10.17559/TV-20140718121246 INFRARED STEGANOGRAPHY WITH INDIVIDUAL SCREENING SHAPES APPLIED TO POSTAGE STAMPS WITH SECURITY FEATURES Maja Rudolf, Nikolina Stanić Loknar, Ivana Žiljak Stanimirović Original scientific paper Designing a postage stamp requires positioning of graphic security elements in a limited small format, so the design is made for two states: for the visible spectrum and the infrared spectrum. Individual screening elements are introduced as security elements in the steganography of invisible pictures in the 700 to 1000 nm spectrum. The CMYKIR theory of hiding the infrared message in the picture is extended by mixing process inks with the control of spot twins of the same colour tone in the X0 and X40 states. Two pictures are integrated in the security print; a multicolour picture visible to the naked eye, and another hidden picture visible when illuminated with an IR detecting instrument. The CMYKIR method is joined with the new element’s algorithm used for dispersing of the hidden picture’s ("Z picture’s") fringes. This kind of steganography is applied in the design of postage stamps and it is a new way of securing them. Keywords: CMYKIR separation; individual screen element; infrared design; postage stamps with security features; steganography Steganografija na poštanskoj marci s infracrvenim individualiziranim rasterskim oblicima Izvorni znanstveni članak Dizajn poštanske marke zahtijeva smještanje grafičkih i zaštitnih elemenata u ograničen mali format pri čemu ni jedan od elemenata ne smije biti zapostavljen. Uvode se individualni rasterski oblici kao element zaštite u steganografiji dvostrukih slika u proširenom vizualnom i infracrvenom spektru od 700 do 1000 nm.
    [Show full text]
  • George Vi High Values 1939-48
    STAMP DEFINITIVES GEORGE VI HIGH VALUES 1939-48 On the accession of King George VI in December 1936, the GPO gave priority to issuing new definitives in the most used lower denominations and a special Coronation stamp, so no discussion of new high value stamps took place for some months. As early as 30 April 1937, however, W T Wiggins-Davies, describing himself as ‘a collector of nothing but Great Britain unused Postage Stamps, and also being interested in art’, submitted essays of an unsolicited design to the Postmaster General (PMG), Major G C Tryon. These essays were printed in photogravure from a plate that Wiggins-Davies had produced at some expense, and comprised three card-mounted sets, one in brown and two in other colours, in the values 2/6d, 5/-, 10/- and ‘20/-’ (rather than ‘£1’). This was 20 years after the previous £1 definitives were withdrawn from sale, although a small number of the 1929 PUC £1, never formally withdrawn, may still have been available. The design revived the tradition of corner lettering (‘G R K E’, for ‘George Rex King Emperor’) and the essays were printed on ungummed ‘very thin bank paper’. The PMG acknowledged receipt of the essays which were ‘retained under consideration’ - although this turned out to be a long process. The first low value and Coronation stamps were released in early May 1937 and discussion on the high value range began on 13 May at a meeting of R F Fanshawe and D P Dell of the Stores Department and A R Kidner, the Director of Postal Services (DPS), plus other officials.
    [Show full text]
  • Aberdeen Circular Delivery Service
    GLOSSARY OF PHILATELIC TERMS Abnormal Term used for certain stamps produced by De La Rue for Great Britain 1862-1880 from plates which were not put into normal production Accepted Design The artwork approved by a postal administration and passed to the printer for production. Accessories Basic equipment to aid collecting in addition to stamp albums, stamp hinges, Watermark Detector, etc Accountancy Mark A handstamp applied to international letters prior to 1875 showing the charge to be collected from the addressee Additional Halfpenny Tax A charge made by the British Post Office before 1840 on letters transmitted in Scotland if conveyed at any point of their journey by vehicles having more than two wheels and for certain tolls such as the Menai Bridge. Adhesive General term for stamps, more specifically those with gum on the back Admiralty Official Stamps overprinted with these words were used by H.M Admiralty dockyards and other installations on official mail Advanced Coated Paper A type of paper devised by Harrison & Sons to obviate the problem of ink absorption in the drying process Advertisements on Stamps Stamp advertising first appeared in 1840. In Britain the advertising was carried on pictorial envelopes and wrappers sold by the Post Office, e.g. Mulreadys. Later adverts were printed on selvedge, interleaving and as part of the stamp panes in stamp booklets. Advertisements on Postmarks Advertising by Slogan Postmarks was not adopted until the late 19th Century. Commercial advertising was banned in Great Britain until 1989 since when a wide range of goods and services have been advertised. Advertising Labels Adhesive labels used to advertise a commercial company.
    [Show full text]
  • Postage Stamps As Carriers of National Imaginaries
    Post-Nationalism: Postage Stamps as Carriers of National Imaginaries Henio Pablo Luis Hoyo Prohuber Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of Political and Social Sciences of the European University Institute Florence, October 2013 European University Institute Department of Political and Social Sciences Post-Nationalism: Postage Stamps as Carriers of National Imaginaries Henio Pablo Luis Hoyo Prohuber Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to obtaining the degree of Doctor of Political and Social Sciences of the European University Institute Examining Board Prof. Rainer Bauböck, European University Institute (Supervisor) Prof. Mauricio Tenorio, University of Chicago (Co-supervisor) Prof. Pavel Kolář, European University Institute Prof. Stephan Leibfried, University of Bremen © Hoyo, 2013 No part of this thesis may be copied, reproduced or transmitted without prior permission of the author Abstract Despite their immense potential as information sources, postage stamps have been virtually ignored in academic research. Therefore, in this thesis I study how official national imaginaries have been promoted through iconographic and written messages in postage stamps; how such messages are linked to the ideology, interests and goals of political elites; and how competing elites and groups with relative power within the state try to influence such official ideas about the nation. The thesis is divided in three sections. The first presents a theoretical framework for the study of national imaginaries. It also presents the properties of stamps that made them ideal ‘carriers’ of ideological propaganda. The second section analyses a random sample of 1,000 stamps by means of a typology of ideological messages.
    [Show full text]
  • The Winton M. Blount Postal History Symposia
    Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press smithsonian contributions to history and technology • number 56 Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press TheA ChronologyWinton M. Blount of MiddlePostal History Missouri Symposia Plains SelectVillage Papers, 2010–2011 Sites By CraigThomas M. LeraJohnson Editor with contributions by Stanley A. Ahler, Herbert Haas, and Georges Bonani SERIES PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Emphasis upon publication as a means of “diffusing knowledge” was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry outlined a program that included the following statement: “It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge.” This theme of basic research has been adhered to through the years by thousands of titles issued in series publications under the Smithsonian imprint, com- mencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to History and Technology Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Museum Conservation Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology In these series, the Institution publishes small papers and full-scale monographs that report on the research and collections of its various museums and bureaus. The Smithsonian Contributions Series are distributed via mailing lists to libraries, universities, and similar institu- tions throughout the world. Manuscripts submitted for series publication are received by the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press from authors with direct affilia- tion with the various Smithsonian museums or bureaus and are subject to peer review and review for compliance with manuscript preparation guidelines.
    [Show full text]
  • Stamps and Postcards – Science Or Play?
    Copyright © Museum Tusculanums Press Stamps and Postcards – Science or Play? A Longitudinal Study of a Gendered Collecting Field Bjarne Rogan Rogan, Bjarne 2001: Stamps and Postcards – Science or Play? A Longitudinal Study of a Gendered Collecting Field. – Ethnologia Europaea 31: 37–54. The point of departure is a case study of a French collecting couple, with a focus on their very different ways of collecting stamps. I shall then go back to mid 19th century and follow the different modes of collecting postal history up to our time. These collecting modes depend on societal norms for gender patterns as well as on dominant scientific paradigms. The aim is twofold; I want to point out the impact of scientific thought on everyday life, even on leisure activities like collecting, and I want to trace some lines of development in the history of gender and material culture. Much literature on collecting has been published during the last decade, but next to nothing on its most widespread branch, that of stamps and postal history, a hobby with hundreds of millions of adherents in the 1990s and an annual economic turnover of around ten billion US dollars. Collecting habits reflect ideologies of order and discipline, of knowledge and methodology, and of gender. A longitudinal study of the history of postal history collecting may shed some light on these issues.1 Prof. Dr. Bjarne Rogan, University of Oslo/La Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, Paris. 54, Boulevard Raspail, F-75260 Paris Cedex 6, France. E-mail: rogan@msh- paris.fr, [email protected] Collecting Stamps on the Treshhold of When Mr X, her husband, died 7 years ago, a New Millenium he left her a large stamp collection.
    [Show full text]