posten.axposten.ax L I S H N G E N 1 3 O . 2 – 2 0 JOAKIM VISUALIZES IMPORTANT MESSAGE ÅLAND AUCTIONS P. 3 TOWN THEATRE CELEBRATES 100 YEARS P. 14 ANGELIC CHRISTMAS SEALS AND DECORATIONS P. 18 ÅLANDSPOSTEN FRIMÄRKEN • 1 nita äggblom DIRECTOR ÅLAND POST STAMPS ew challenges As of 20 August, Åland chairs the Stamps and Philately working group of PostEurop, the unit responsible for the compilation of themes for future Europa stamps. Another important task is to strengthen inter- national cooperation within the philatelic industry. Representing a small postal administration, I consider the chairmanship an acknowledgement of Åland’s achievements in the collecting business for almost 30 years. Acting as pivot for the European postal administrations will be a demanding task; yet, the position offers infi nite opportunities for cultivating new international liaisons. 2–2013 ÅLAND POST LTD STAMPS PO BOX 1100 AX-22111 MARIEHAMN ÅLAND, Finland TELEPHONE E-MAIL ontents From Finland: [email protected] Editorial 2 018 636 641 From abroad: EDITORS News 3 +358 18 636 641 Anita Häggblom Telephone hours: Heidemarie Eriksson Christmas 2013 4 Björn Wennström Mon–Fri 9 am – 4 pm Artifi cial Velvet Scoter 5 In July: Mon–Fri 9 am – 3 pm Cecilia Mattsson There and back 6 FAX TEXT From Finland: Björn Wennström Ships at sea 11 018 636 608 Gunilla Häggblom 100 years of unoffi cial civic theatre 14 From abroad: TRANSLATION +358 18 636 608 Kristine Sund Åland passenger ferries 16 INTERNET Angelic Christmas seals and LAYOUT www.posten.ax decorations 18 Cecilia Mattsson Nordic stamps: 2013 First day covers 20 www.topoftheworld.nu PRODUCTION VISITING ADDRESS Åland Post Ltd 2013 Exhibition cards 21 Flygfältsvägen10 Waasa Graphics 2013 Special cancellations 22 Sviby, Jomala COVER PHOTO Calendar 23 Matilda Saul We reserve the right to change the information contained in this publication. 2 • ÅLANDSPOSTEN FRIMÄRKEN NEWS Åland uctions – online novelty Åland Post launched its own website auction house, Åland Auctions, this autumn. The fi rst auction is being held in November. Two to three auctions will be held every year. By starting up an auction house we wish to offer better service to our customers, even on the market To guarantee a high quality appraisal, for older products. The objects put up for auction Åland Post has employed an expert have been consigned by outside sellers and are in the fi eld. Our auction co-ordinator not supplied by Åland Post. Initially, all objects Tom Granberg has previously worked will be older philatelic material such as stamps, in the stamp business as a dealer in covers and cards as well as coins. Future auction central Helsinki. He has also been objects may also include other types of collectibles. operating an online auction site for philatelic products. You will fi nd Åland Auctions via the Åland Post homepage, www.posten.ax, and via the direct link www.alandauctions.ax. The auctions will be held in Swedish, Finnish and English. The auction terms www.alandauctions.ax and conditions are also available in German. ÅLANDSPOSTEN FRIMÄRKEN • 3 The fi rst day cancel shows the Star of Bethlehem. hristmas 2013 The two Christmas stamps appearing in November are a joint issue with the Vatican State. Presented in the previous edition of Ålandsposten, the illustra- tions of the fi rst day cover and joint presentation pack were not yet available. New technology perfects both Christmas stamps; using a smartphone or tablet you can download the Two angels decorate the fi rst day cover for this year’s Christmas issue. The angels also appear on the frescoes free app Sepac stamps. Scan either of the stamps with on which the stamp motifs are based. the app and a slide show with especially composed Christmas music reveals itself. The fresco decorating the cover of thee joint presentation pack shows the Nativity of Jesus, beautifullyifullyyg framed in gold.gold. The pack holds the Åland and the Vaticancan stamps and fi rst day covers. The limited edition is 5000 andand the priceprice is €12.12. 4 • ÅLANDSPOSTEN FRIMÄRKEN he current 3-year series of postal labels featuring old wooden duck decoys started in 2012. elvet coter decoy completes the series in 2014. lovely presentation pack holding all three franking labels issued from 2012 to 2014 also appears. rtifi cial elvet coter Wildfowl decoys are lifelike dummies used by male bird is, indeed, entirely black with a small hunters to encourage birds to land nearby. Back in white mark underneath the eye. The plumage of the day, decoys were made from plants and wood the female bird is dark brown. but, today, decoys are mostly made from plastic. Artist Juha Pykäläinen has designed both frank- The Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca) belongs to ing label and presentation pack to be issued next the family of sea ducks and is common in Åland year on 7 February. waters. It measures from 48 to 56 centimetres. The name of the bird indicates a dark plumage and the Source: http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sv%C3%A4rta ooden duck decoys – elvet Scoter DATE OF ISSUE: 7 February 2014 The 2012-2014 postal labels decorate the lovely card in the € ARTIST: Juha Pykäläinen pack. Price: 9.70. DENOMINATION OF SERIES:€0.65; 0.80; 1.00; 1.10 (postage liable to change) PRICE: FDC €4.15 (liable to change) SIZE: 40.00 x 30.34 mm PAPER: Fluorescens 100 g/m² PRINTING METHOD: 5-colour offset PRINTING HOUSE: The Lowe Martin Group ÅLANDSPOSTEN FRIMÄRKEN • 5 THERE AND BACK oakim aul is the name of the Åland artist behind the 2014 charity stamp focusing on eroolerance. t 37, he has already accomplished a great deal and worked with some of the largest clients within advertising. e now returns from ew ork to his home patch in Åland to move his career in a new direction. When he was 12, Joakim moved with his family he puts it; without doubt a fact for which Joakim from northern Sweden to Åland. Moving from retrospectively thanks his lucky stars. Instead, he Lycksele to Åland was a big boost for Joakim who headed for Tammisaari, a small Finland-Swedish soon adapted to the peaceful environment close to town located an hour’s drive from Helsinki. Joakim nature. After primary school, Joakim made a few started on a study programme in graphic design, a attempts at studying at secondary school ‘Ålands subject that suited him perfectly. After two years of lyceum’, but “my focus did not quite suffi ce”, as studies, he returned home to Åland to put his newly 6 • ÅLANDSPOSTEN FRIMÄRKEN MATILDA SAUL MATILDA During his work with the stamp motif, Joakim used his grandfather’s old surgical loupes. In his time, his grandfather was a specialist in the disorders of the ear, nose or throat and, now, Åland stamp production also benefi ts from his magnifying glasses. acquired skills into use. He soon got a trainee post online courses at Bergh’s School of Communica- at the newly started entertainment magazine XIT. tion in Stockholm. His online courses turned into “XIT was the perfect environment for me full-time studies, and Joakim was becoming fi rmly in which to prosper and grow; a rather peculiar established in the advertising world of Stockholm. magazine with a tonality of its own. I designed the Beginning his full-time studies at Bergh’s, Joakim advertisements for the magazine and particularly had contacted a recently started communication enjoyed that many advertisers wanted us to adapt business to inquire if they would act as his mentor. their ads to the target group of the magazine.” The company thrived and expanded considerably during his two years of studies. When the time FACING NEW CHALLENGES came for Joakim to stand on his own feet, he bene- Joakim’s post as a trainee quickly became a perman- fi tted from their repute and knowledge. Despite ent post. When XIT was sold to new owners after 4 the prevailing recession in the communication and years, the original team behind the magazine slowly IT-businesses in the early 2000s, Joakim soon got split up. At this point, Joakim was already taking an interesting job in his preferred fi eld of interest. ÅLANDSPOSTEN FRIMÄRKEN • 7 MATILDA SAUL MATILDA “After a while, some friends and I decided that we ought to start our own advertising agency focusing on creating better advertising. We carried out our plans and won some important Swedish customers, which gave us a great deal of positive attention.” After a few years of self-management, however, the friends reached the conclusion that, for a team of creative people, one of the disadvantages in run- ning their own business is the amount of adminis- trative work. The entire crew eventually succeeded in fi nding new employment as a team with a larger advertising agency. WITH NEW YORK IN VIEW Joakim met his girlfriend Maja Fernqvist during his years of studies at Bergh’s, and the two have worked side by side since then. Maja’s early ambition was to Joakim performed his work with the Zero tolerance stamp in his parental home in Bamböle, Åland. go to New York to test her wings: “Things had just begun to kick off for us on the Swedish market for advertising when Maja wanted to leave for New York. She went and checked the strived at the time of moving – a job at a dynamic territory and, after a while, I also moved to New agency, directorship, interesting customers and York. We were involved in establishing a Scandi- good compensation. Something was still missing, navian minimalistic style that quickly gained atten- though, so Joakim and Maja both quit their jobs in tion on the international market.” 2012 to commit to alternative career paths, Joakim During their years in New York, Joakim and as photographer within fashion design and Maja as Maja have worked with many acknowledged and fi lm director.