FOCUS ON PHILATELY
by Ingert Kuzych
Your chance to choose
Prolific stamp output for 1999 makes for tough choices
A lot of records and firsts were set last year by Ukraine Post. To begin,
a record number of issues were released - 48, including 43 stamps and five
souvenir sheets (also a record). Six of the stamp issues had non-denominated,
descriptive labels attached that further elaborated on the subjects being
commemorated. (The number of labels, too, broke a record.)
A wonderfully diverse variety of topics was depicted: everything from
beekeeping to folk traditions, from miraculous icons to Millennium celebration.
Speaking of miraculous, one must comment on the transformation that has
occurred at Ukraine Post in regard to religious topics on stamps. As little
as two years ago, hardly any religious topics were allowed to appear. True,
some churches were shown, but they were presented under the guise of historic
church architecture.
The 1997 Christmas icon stamp seems to have broken the barrier to religious
themes on stamps. The following year saw several more subjects depicted
of a religious nature, and in 1999 the gates opened a bit wider still, with
four stamps and a souvenir sheet. But I get ahead of myself.
Let me describe last year's stamp issues chronologically and allow you
the opportunity to vote for this year's Narbut Prize competition for best
stamp design of 1999. Last year's balloting proved very popular with readers
of The Ukrainian Weekly. The diversity of choices this year should make
the selection even more interesting.
No., Description
- 222: Volodymyr Ivasiuk (1949-1975). Issued on the 50th anniversary
of the birth of the composer-songwriter, whose most famous work was "Chervona
Ruta."
- 223: Serhii Paradzhanov (1924-1990), stamp with label. Issued
on the 75th anniversary of the birth of the famous cinematographer. His
most notable film was "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors."
- 224-227: Scythian Gold. Four different gold objects strikingly
presented on a deep red background: a pectoral, a gorytus (quiver-bow case),
a wild boar, and a steppe antelope (saiga).
- 228: Vesnianky and Hahilky. Dances celebrating the return of
spring. Dating back to pre-Christian times, today they are performed after
Easter services on church grounds.
- 229-230: Europa Series: National Parks and Natural Reserves.
Two adjoining stamps form a scene of Synovyr Lake National Park in the
Carpathian Mountains; local carvings on the left and a grayling game fish
on the right.
- 231: Panas Myrnyi (1849-1920). Commemorating the 150th anniversary
of the birth of this famous Ukrainian novelist.
- 232: Honore de Balzac (1799-1859). Issued on the 200th anniversary
of the famous French writer, who lived for a time in Ukraine.
- 233: 50th Anniversary of the Council of Europe. Shown is the
council building.
- 234: Alexander S. Pushkin (1799-1837). Russian poet who spent
considerable time in Ukraine. The non-denominated label attached to the
stamp shows a self-portrait sketched by the poet.
- 235-236: Ancient Shipbuilding in Ukraine. Two types of watercraft
from Kozak times are depicted: a baidak ferry boat (left) and a chaika
war craft (right).
- 237: Yaroslav the Wise (978-1054), ruler of the Kyivan-Rus'
Empire. The souvenir sheet shows Yaroslav on the left holding the Ruska
Pravda, the first collection of laws in Ukraine. On the right is Ilarion,
the first non-Greek metropolitan of Kyiv. In the background is a view of
medieval Kyiv.
- 238: 800th Anniversary of the Galician-Volynian Kingdom. Depicted
is a knight mounted on the heraldic lion of Galicia.
- 239-240: Centennial of the National Art Museum of Ukraine (two
stamps with a central label). The left stamp shows a 15th century icon
of St. George the Dragon Slayer; the right stamp reproduces the famous
portrait "Girl in a Red Hat." The label shows the classical architecture
of the main museum building.
- 241: The Bee. Issued in honor of the Ukrainian apiary industry.
Shown is a bee on a flower.
- 242: 125th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union (governing
body that oversees mail service around the world). The scene is of the
allegorical statue in front of the UPU headquarters in Berne, Switzerland.
Ukraine joined the UPU in 1947.
- 243: 1,100th Anniversary of the Founding of the City of Poltava.
Depicted is the oblast capital's coat of arms.
- 244-245: Presidential Prizes and Medals of Ukraine (stamp and
souvenir sheet). The stamp is of the new St. Olha Medal; the souvenir sheet
shows the Order of the State (with trident emblem) and the order Golden
Star.
- 246: The Zymnenska Miraculous Icon of the Madonna from Sviatohorsk.
Issued for the international year of the elderly. The souvenir sheet depicts
the richly embellished icon supported by two angels. The Monastery of the
Dormition at Sviatohorsk, where the icon is housed, can be seen in the
background.
- 247-248: Nature Conservation, Polish-Ukrainian Cooperation in
the Border Area. (Joint issue with Poland.) Shown are two animals from
the area: a red deer and a European wildcat.
- 249-250: National Bank of Ukraine, stamp and souvenir sheet.
Illustrated is the bank's crest.
- 251: Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky (died 1664). On either side of the
central portrait are scenes from the Battle of Konotop (1659), where the
Kozak armies destroyed the forces of Muscovy.
- 252: Christmas Stamp I. Traditional Ukrainian carolers drawn
in a humorous folk style.
- 253: Christmas Stamp II. This issue reproduces a nativity fresco
from the Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. Barbara in Vienna, Austria.
- 254-256: Children's Paintings. Three colorful designs each show
a space fantasy theme.
- 257: Mushrooms of Ukraine souvenir sheet. Shown are various
types of mushrooms growing out of a tree stump.
- 258-260: Fauna of Ukraine. Depicted are three types of animals:
a mammal (the semi-aquatic desman), a bird (griffon vulture) and an insect
(deer beetle).
- 261: St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle. According to legend,
the saint traveled to Ukraine and predicted that a mighty city would rise
on the present site of Kyiv. The stamp shows the beautiful St. Andrew's
Cathedral in Kyiv, enfolded by an angel. The label portion on the left
shows St. Andrew looking out over the Dnipro River and pronouncing a blessing.
- 262-263: Ukrainian Motor Vehicles. On the left is the KRAZ-65032
heavy dump truck (made in Kremenchuk); on the right a Tavria two-door coupe
(manufactured in Zaporizhia). The background of each stamp shows predecessor
models of these vehicles.
- 264: Happy New Year - 2000! A woman in a Kozak-era costume with
a sailing ship coiffure stands in front of an illuminated town where fireworks
are going off. The legend on the label declares that the New Year has been
celebrated on January 1 in Ukraine since the close of the 14th century.
- 265: Pavlo Polubotok (c. 1660-1724). Acting hetman, he was imprisoned
by Russian Tsar Peter I in Ss. Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg
(1723; left scene) and died the following year. The Kozaks who supported
him were also transported north and forced to build the new capital of
St. Petersburg (right scene).
- 266-267: Folk Artist Maria Pryimachenko (born 1908). A label
showing the artist is flanked by stamps reproducing two of her colorful
animal representations.
- 268: Renowned Women of Ukraine Series: Yelyzaveta (Halshka)
Hulevychivna (1575-1642). A generous benefactress, she donated to the Kyiv
Epiphany Brotherhood land and a building for the establishment of a monastery,
school, hostel and hospital.
- 269: Zoogeographic Endowment of Ukraine. Very charming and colorful
souvenir sheet of six stamps showing animals in different regional nature
preserves in Ukraine.
In the April edition of "Focus on Philately," which covered
historic Ukrainian churches, mention was omitted that a shorter version
of that article had previously appeared in the philatelic journal Rossica.
NARBUT PRIZE BALLOT
Dear Mr. Eppel:
My selection for this year's Narbut Prize, as the best stamp design of
1999, is:
No. _________ Title _________________________________________________________
Sincerely, Mr.(s.) ____________________________________________________________
Mail this ballot to:
Mr. Patrick Eppel
108 Pinewood Circle
Apple Valley, MN 55124.
Copies of this ballot are acceptable if more than one member
of a household wishes to vote. One ballot per person, please.
Deadline for submitting votes is August 15, 2000.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May
7, 2000, No. 19, Vol. LXVIII
| Home Page |