Show your favourite stamps !

Just a single stamp of the 1938/47 defintives.

 

Gold Coast definitives 1952/54 overprinted,issued 1957/58. (part I of 2)

 

(part II of 2)

 

If I have to choose a favourite (stamp-) country,it will be Austria for sure.
However I terminated my collection with the introduction of the Euro,
because many of the modern issues are far away from the quality-stamps
Austria was famous for.

Definitives issued 1919/1921,showing the parliament building in Vienna.
This series is very much affordable,especially in mint,hinged condition.
2,4 and 20 Kronen exist with inverted centre,all very expensive.
Here one stamp enlarged:


It shows nicely the textile fluffs of the granite paper.

 

Art Deco (Jugendstil) in perfection.Definitives issued 1922/1924.
Here one enlarged:

 

I think I made a linguistic mistake:
I thought "Jugendstil" would translate into "Art Deco".
However correct is: "Jugendstil" is "Art Nouveau".
Both stiles are closely related,not by time only.

 

Nibelungen Saga,issued March 8th,1926.
The gloomy colours of the set fit nicely into the dark content of the saga.

 

The Stephans Dom in Vienna is Austrias most important gothic cathedreal.
However that is only partly correct.Parts of the cathedreal are from a previous
romanic cathedreal,built in the 12th century.The gotic parts were built from
the 14th century onwards.In the 16th century the works on the northern
tower were suspended and never restarted.
Allied bombing had done little damage only,when on April 12th,1945 a fire
set alight the roof and inflicted severe damages on the cathedreal.
It is not certain what caused the fire,but it is most probable that looters
were the culprits.
Soon after the war was over,the reconstrucion of the Stephans Dom began.
Amongst many efforts to collect money for that,a stamp series of ten stamps
was issued on Dec.12th,1946.The surcharges of this semi-postal issue were
for the reconstruction,what was finished in 1952.

(part I of 2)

 

(part II of 2)
The 1+5 S. shows the uncompleted northern church tower,the 2+10 S.
the 163 m high southern tower of the "Stefferl" (Little Stephen) as the
Viennese call the Stephans Dom affectionately.

 

Issued June 1st,1947,this stamp-series commemorates the "first great
Austrian art-exhibition in the House of Artists" in Vienna.
Shown are examples of paintings,sculptures,gold-smith works,archticture,etc.
If you are interested,have look at Wikipedia "Künstlerhaus Wien" (in German).
(part I of 2)

 

(part II of 2)

 

Air-Mail definitives,issued May 5th,1947 (3,4,5 S.) and Nov.12th,1947 (50 g,
1,2,10 S.).
(part I of 2)

 

(part II of 2)

 

issued Aug.30th,1947 and Sept.9th,1947 (1 S + 40 g);
A set,what tells a story:
A prisoner of war in a camp,receives a letter from home,is visited by his mother,
becomes reunited wife and child,is offered a job and is back in active life.

 

London Olympics,issued Jan.16th,1948.

When I had a look at the above stamp I realized,that it shows a variety,listed
in the Michel catalogue.
Here a "normal" stamp:

Can you spot the difference ?