Hey! DODO.

This is a way you address a fool or a dumb person. Do you known that DODO was a bird that actually existed in the past?!!!

Dodo was a flightless bird native to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It was a flightless member of the pigeon family, which weighed up to 23 kg. Portuguese became the first Europeans to discover the dodo in the year 1500. By 1680 it had been driven to extinction by humans who hunted it for flesh and later the dogs, pigs, rats, and monkeys introduced by Europeans to Mauritius.
Our present day knowledge of what the dodo looked like is based on several sources like the diaries and writings of the sailors and captains who landed on Mauritius in the 16th and17th century, drawings from the few humans who were able to witness them alive and the few fossils excavated from the island, which are kept at the British Museum, and a foot and a beak which are preserved at Oxford. The dodo was a large, plump bird covered in soft, grey feathers, with a plume of white at its tail. It had small wings that were far too weak to ever lift the dodo off the ground, dubbed the bird "dodo" which meant simpleton in Portuguese tongue (“doudo”).

Today the idiom "as dead as a dodo" means undoubtedly dead and "to go the way of the dodo" means to become extinct or obsolete, or to become a thing of the past.

The Dodo is a lesson in extinction. It is hoped that the lesson of the Dodo can help prevent similar extinctions, and aid us in preserving the diversity of life on earth.

The SS above was released along with 4 stamps set on 22 June 2007 by Mauritius. The above SS is painted by Julian Pender Hume, a Paleontologist by profession. The 4 stamps are also art work of different artist's view of the dodo.

India - China Joint issue

India - China joint issue was released in India on 11th of July. I had written earlier in this blog when the same was released by China. The stamps depicts Mahabodhi Temple and White Horse Temple. The miniature sheets has the background of the Pipal tree leaves. Gautama Buddha had obtained enlightenment at the foot of this tree and hence it is sacred for the Buddhists.

Just to say "THANKS"

Dear Friends and Fellow Bloggers!

As you know I started this blog a few months ago, and it was my first experiment at blogs, I have received amazing support and appreciation from all my friends and Philatelic Bloggers from my country and around the globe. I thank you all very much.

There has been many enquiries, about me, about the posts published and the materials included in it. I would remind all my friends this blog has been  a part of my earlier website  www.geocities.com/manbol1 which was closed down by Yahoo. This blog has also won a Bronze medal at INPEX 2008.

About my collection, I collect Philatelic materials related to Ships, Stamps, MS, FDC, covers etc. I am also interested in other items which catch my fancy (keeps changing!) I am always curious to know the happenings in the Philatelic World.

I know that I am unable to update my blog very frequently as few of the other Philatelic Bloggers, but will try to do same periodically.

Thanks Friends and all Philatelic Bloggers

Regards
Mansoor.B

Picture Postcards

Karnataka Postal Division has released a set of 28 Postcards in an attractive book/folder format. It would make an ideal package to gift.

Some of the cards have the pictures of the stamps released by India Post, like roses, jasmine, sandalwood and others of historic and cultural importance like Mysore Palace, Tipu's Palace, Chennakeshava Temple, Yakshagana, wooden toys etc.

It is available at all Philatelic Bureaus and Counters across Karnataka. Price:Rs.180.00

Miniature sheets, Souvenir sheets and Sheetlets.

There is always some confusion among most of the Philatelist or Stamp collectors about the difference in Miniature Sheets and Souvenir Sheets, confusion as different philatelic entity has a separate description for Miniature sheet and Souvenir sheet.

When I browsed the net looking for a description and difference on those terms I found that it is defined in many ways and also depends on the country where the term was used.

In India most of the collectors use the term Miniature Sheet (refer picture above) including India Post, for the small sheet of stamp which may include one or more stamp, usually different stamps. The stamp may be part of the picture depicted in the sheet or a separate one, and the paper margin surrounding the stamps may be plain design. Here the stamp has perforation and can be separated from the sheet and when it is separated it usually it looks same as the separate sheets of stamp issued along with the Miniature sheet. The miniature sheet is issued purely for the collectors. We rarely use the term Souvenir sheet in India.

The Linns website has a different description:

A miniature sheet is a smaller-than-normal pane of stamps issued in that form in addition to being issued in full panes. The smaller size and fewer stamps are what distinguishes it from a regular pane. (This is usually referred as sheetlets among Indian collectors and what we refer as Miniature sheets are Souvenir Sheets according to the Linns)

A miniature sheet is usually without marginal markings or text saying that the sheet was issued in conjunction with or to commemorate some event, which is what distinguishes it from a souvenir sheet.

In practice, many dealers and collectors refer to both small regular panes and souvenir sheets as "miniature sheets." (Refer www.linns.com)

India had issued a Miniature sheet (or is it a souvenir sheet?) in 1973 for the India International Philatelic Exhibition, where the 4 stamps depicted in it did not have any perforation and could not be separated. Some collectors/Senior Philatelists define this as Souvenir sheet, as the stamps cannot be separated and this is purely a Souvenir to be collected by the Philatelists.

I would be delighted to get maximum comments on this subject as to what are your views and what it is known as, in your respective countries for those who read this article in different corners of the globe. For now, whatever name it is called by, most collectors love to have this piece (Miniature or Souvenir sheet) among their collections so do keep collecting and enjoy it.