432. Commonwealth New Issues and.....Tea-Towels.

  Various new issues are depicted without comment:-

  Grenada:-

  29 May 2014 - 150th Birth anniversary of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, French painter (part 2) - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps  and 1 miniature sheet of 2 different stamps (depicted above and below):-

  29 May 2014 - Canonisation of Pope John Paul II - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 m.s.:-

  Guyana - 6 June 2014 - 50th anniversary of the Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches - 1 sheetlet of 2 different stamps:-

  1 July 2014 - The Monarch Butterfly - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 m.s. of 2 different stamps:-

  Nevis - 7 July 2014 - Orchids of the Caribbean region - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 m.s. of 2 different stamps:-

  23 June 2014 - 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall - 1 sheetlet of 6 different stamps and 1 m.s. of 2 different stamps:-

  St. Vincent And The Grenadines - 21 July 2014 - The meeting of US President Obama and Pope Francis - 1 stamp in a sheetlet of nine and 1 m.s. of 2 different stamps:-

  1 July 2014 - Orchids of The Caribbean - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 m.s. of 2 different stamps:-

  Tuvalu - 21 July 2014 - Canonisation of Pope John Paul II - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 m.s. of 2 different stamps:-

  8 May 2014 - The Giant Pacific Octopus - 4 different stamps in sheetlet of 16 containing 4 se-tenant blocks and 1 m.s.:-

  21 July 2014 - Ducks - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 m.s. of 2 different stamps:-

  21 July 2014- The meeting of Queen Elizabeth II and Pope Francis - 1 sheetlet of 4 different stamps and 1 m.s.:-

  Maldives - 1 April 2014 - Wildlife of The Indian Ocean (2nd issue) - 40 stamps (10 sheetlets each containing 4 different stamps) and 10 m.s. The subjects featured (each on a sheetlet and m.s.) are:- 

  Frogs:-

  Octopus:-

  Birds of Prey:-

  Butterflies, Deep sea creatures, Crustaceans, Jellyfish, Owls:-

  and Sharks.

  Australia Post - 8 July 2014 - Royal Visit of The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge to Australia - 2 stamps - gummed and self adhesive from booklet of 10 x 70c and sheetlet of 5 x $2.60c plus 1 gummed miniature sheet containing the 2 stamps:-

  Guernsey - 30 July 2014 - Marine life (II) - Crustaceans - 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Designed by Bridget Yabsley from photographs taken by Sue Daly. Printed in lithography by Lowe-Martin:-

  30 July 2014 - "Love The Bailiwick" - 10 self-adhesive stamps from booklets. Designed by Mark Totty from photographs by Chris George and lithograph printed by Walsall Security Printers:-

  Guernsey (inscribed "Alderney") - 30 July 2014 - "The Life Of Ian Fleming" - 6 stamps and 1 miniature sheet. Designed by Two Degrees South and lithographed by BDT International. Although I wrote above that I would list these new issues without comment I cannot help but point out that I can find no connection whatsoever between Alderney, or even Guernsey, and Ian Fleming and so why this territory has produced an issue on this subject is a great mystery to me. Perhaps there is a big James Bond enthusiast in an important post at Guernsey Post:-

  Barbados - 28 June 2014 - 375th anniversary of the Barbados Parliament - 4 stamps and 1 miniature sheet:-

  Brunei - 23 February 2014 - 30th anniversary of National Day - 4 stamps (se-tenant strip of 2 x 30c and 2 x $1) and 1 miniature sheet ($30):-

  Anyone who has looked at Blog 431 will have read, thanks to input from leading dealer in British stamps, Ian Billings of Norvic Stamps, how Royal Mail embargoed the stamp dealers who have a contract with them from revealing details of the Commonwealth Games set of 6 stamps due for issue on 17 July 2014 until Royal Mail had had a "major" press launch on the date of issue. This was despite the fact that Royal Mail had not only illustrated all 6 designs in its Philatelic Bulletin but also published the designs on its own website as early as 1 July. Apparently it was felt that the general press would get hold of the designs and publish them and completely undermine the impact of the  launch. 

  I removed the illustrations of the set of stamps from Blog 431 out of courtesy to Ian 's opinion but instead illustrate another major philatelic item which Royal Mail is selling on its website alongside stamps, presentation packs, booklets, first day covers, postcards, stamp and coin covers and, er, cuddly toys. This highly desirable philatelic item (it must be philatelic if the Philatelic Bureau is selling it, surely) is a .....tea-towel - a Pictogram tea-towel, no less (price £9.99). If tea-towel dealers, like stamp dealers, have been embargoed from revealing the design of this highly collectable piece of cloth before 17 July and feel aggrieved that I have illustrated the item on this Blog then I will of course be more than happy to remove the illustration as I did with the set of stamps. Does anyone know what the clever name for a tea-towel collector is?  Siccotextillophist? And is there a siccotextillophistic equivalent of "Post And Go"? "Wipe And Go" perhaps.

  For collectors of tea-towels who specialise, aptly, in the subject of The Commonwealth Games then here's one which commemorated the 2002 Games:-

  I wonder if tea-towel collectors have their own equivalent of tea-towel producing organisations such as Stamperija or the IGPC? Fascinating isn't it? Perhaps Royal Mail are on to something and that there is more future in selling tea-towels than selling stamps. After all, judging by the mail I receive hardly anyone uses stamps nowadays but just about everyone has a bit of washing up to do most days!