Wednesday, December 15, 2010

It's in the post:

the stories behind New Zealand stamps
by Richard Wolfe,
Craig Potton Publishing - RRP NZ$39.99

One of NZ's most versatile authors has teamed up with one of our most versatile publishers and the result provides the most interesting stories behind the design of New Zealand’s postage stamps, the topic of a beautiful new gift book from Craig Potton Publishing.

Author Richard Wolfe is a well known commentator on contemporary art and culture who was introduced to the hobby of stamp collecting by his father. “Many of the stamps that are reproduced in the book have come from the collections we built. I was an avid stamp collector, I think many of us baby boomers were.”

More than just a way of paying for postage, Richard says that the best stamps are also “graphic design gems and a fascinating reflection of the mood of the country.”

Like Richard and I too was an avid stamp collector, I still tear the stamps off letters to this day, can't help myself ! Somehow it seems wrong to biff them in the bin. As I result I not only have all my albums and first day covers from my childhood but I have cartons of loose stamps collected over my adult lifetime. I guess I always though one of my grandchildren would take up stamp collecting but I think it is a hobby that is no longer popular. Much more fun to be had with something electronic.

So this handsome hardback has brought me a great deal of pleasure with Wolfe's knowledgeable and entertaining text and the prolific illustrations featuring stamps from some of the earliest Victorian examples through to contemporary times many of which I have in my collection.

This is the perfect Christmas gift for the Grandparent who has everything.

I have sourced from the publishers a selection of some of my favourite stamps from my childhood collecting days all of which feature in the book, and these follow below:






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