Graf Zeppelin Peacetime Flights to Britain, 1928-1933 (Issued on April 21, 2016)

The first day cover of the Graf Zeppelin Peacetime Flights to Britain stamp (click on the image to view a larger image)

Zeppelin airships, especially the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin, were very popular topics of stamps in the 1930's. Zeppelins were so popular that countries issued Zeppelin stamps decades after the airships had stopped flying. Some countries, most notably Tannu Tuva, North Korea, Mongolia, Madagascar, Chad, and the Central African Republic, issued Zeppelin stamps even though the famous airships never visited them.

Aerophilately is one of my interests, so Transcamster Bog is issuing a stamp to commemorate the Graf Zeppelin's visits to Britain. These visits included flying over Scotland in 1930 and 1931 (the Orkney Islands, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh).

According to the now defunct website www.airshipsonline.com, the Graf Zeppelin visited Britain ten times between October 3, 1928 and July 2, 1932. These flights were not the first time that Zeppelins had visited Britain. Zeppelins bombed Britain, mostly in London, from 1915 to 1917 in World War I. However, the Graf Zeppelin came in peace between 1928 and 1932.

The stamp shows the Graf Zeppelin flying towards Tower Bridge on its last flight out of London on July 3, 1932. The photo is not historical, though. Instead, I created it by combining my own photo of Tower Bridge with an old photo of the Graf Zeppelin.

The stamp is imperforate and ungummed (requires glue).

Transcamster Bog stamps are available on eBay, with sales in U.S. dollars on U.S. eBay and sales in U.K. pounds on U.K. eBay:

If you want to buy in U.S. dollars and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.S. dollars:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

If you want to buy in U.K. pounds and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.K. pounds:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Or send me an email at dmakTO@rogers.com for information on how to purchase stamps and covers.

Flights of the Graf Zeppelin to Britain (from www.airshipsonline.com):

1. October 3, 1928
Overflown Lowestoft as part of 5th trial flight

3. April 26, 1930
Flight to Cardington and return 

3. July 11, 1930
Overflight of the Orkney Islands, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh 

4. June 30, 1931
Overflight of Great Yarmouth, Cromer, up to Edinburgh, then the Orkney Islands


5. August 18, 1931
Flight to London

6. July 18-19, 1931
Round Britain Flight 

7. August 19, 1931
Return Flight - London - Friedrichshafen 

8. July 2, 1932
Second Flight to London

9. July 2, 1932
Second Round Britain Flight

10. July 3, 1932
Return Flight - London - Friedrichshafen 

Queen Elizabeth II 90th Birthday (Issued on April 21, 2016)

The first day cover of the Queen Elizabeth II 90th Birthday stamp (click on the image to view a larger image)

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, reaches another milestone on April 21, 2016: her 90th birthday. Transcamster Bog honours the Queen with this commemorative stamp showing Pietro Annigoni's first portait of the Queen, commissioned by the Fishmongers' Company in 1954. This portrait is one of the most popular images of the Queen on Commonwealth stamps (Annigoni would paint a second, but less famous, portrait of the Queen in 1969).

The stamp is imperforate and ungummed (requires glue).

Transcamster Bog stamps are available on eBay, with sales in U.S. dollars on U.S. eBay and sales in U.K. pounds on U.K. eBay:

If you want to buy in U.S. dollars and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.S. dollars:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

If you want to buy in U.K. pounds and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.K. pounds:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Or send me an email at dmakTO@rogers.com for information on how to purchase stamps and covers.

Battle of Culloden 270th Anniversary, 1746-2016 (Issued on April 16, 2016)

The first day cover of the Battle of Culloden 270th Anniversary stamp (click on the image to view a larger image).

This stamp commemorates the 270th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden. On April 16, 1746, the Scottish Jacobite and French forces of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, fought the British forces led by Prince William Augustus, the Duke of Cumberland, at Culloden Moor near Inverness. The battle ended in defeat for the Jacobites, who lost all hope of restoring the House of Stuart.

The stamp shows the painting "An Incident in the Rebellion of 1745", also known as "The Battle of Culloden", by the painter David Morier.

The stamp is imperforate and ungummed (requires glue). 

Transcamster Bog stamps are available on eBay, with sales in U.S. dollars on U.S. eBay and sales in U.K. pounds on U.K. eBay:

If you want to buy in U.S. dollars and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.S. dollars:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

If you want to buy in U.K. pounds and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.K. pounds:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Or send me an email at dmakTO@rogers.com for information on how to purchase stamps and covers.

Yuri Gagarin's Visit to Britain, 55th Anniversary, 1961-2016 (Issued on April 12, 2016)

The first day cover of the Yuri Gagarin's Visit to Britain 55th Anniversary stamp (click on the image to view a larger image)

Astrophilately (collecting space-related stamps) is one of my philatelic interests, and this stamp commemorates both a space mission and a British event. 

The Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly into space on April 12, 1961. He visited several countries after his mission, and the Soviet Embassy in London wanted to bring him to Britain on a state visit. Unfortunately, with the Cold War at its height, the British Government refused to give him a visa. However, the British and Soviet governments eventually agreed to have Gagarin visit an exhibit of Soviet technology and business at Earl's Court, London, without calling it a state visit. He visited London and Manchester from July 11 to 15, 1961 and even had lunch with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-12993533

http://yurigagarin50.org/history/gagarin-in-britain

The stamp is based on a photograph of Tower Bridge that I shot and a Soviet photo of Gagarin. The first day of issue is April 12, 2016, the 55th anniversary of his flight into space.

The stamp is imperforate and ungummed (requires glue).

 Transcamster Bog stamps are available on eBay, with sales in U.S. dollars on U.S. eBay and sales in U.K. pounds on U.K. eBay:

If you want to buy in U.S. dollars and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.S. dollars:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

If you want to buy in U.K. pounds and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.K. pounds:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Or send me an email at dmakTO@rogers.com for information on how to purchase stamps and covers.

Mary, Queen of Scots (Issued March 18, 2016)

The first day cover of the Mary, Queen of Scots stamp (click on the image for a larger image)

Transcamster Bog issued a stamp depicting a painting of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587). The painting was by an anonymous artist and based on a miniature portrait of Mary by Nicholas Hilliard, one of the greatest miniature portrait artists of the Elizabethan era. He painted his miniature from life while Mary was in captivity under Queen Elizabeth I of England. 

The stamp is imperforate and ungummed (requires glue).

Supporters of Houses of Hanover and Windsor, do not worry if our recent stamps have had a Jacobite theme. Transcamster Bog fully supports the reigning monarch and her heirs and successors. Transcamster Bog will issue a stamp to commemorate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II on April 21, 2016 (albeit after a stamp for the 270th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden on April 12. However, the Battle of Culloden can be considered a Hanoverian victory. As the witches in Macbeth remind us, battles are both lost and won.)

Transcamster Bog stamps are available on eBay, with sales in U.S. dollars on U.S. eBay and sales in British pounds on U.K. eBay.

If you want to buy in U.S. dollars and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.S. dollars:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

If you want to buy in U.K. pounds and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.K. pounds:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Or send me an email at dmakTO@rogers.com for information on how to purchase stamps and covers.

Prince Charles Edward Stuart, a.k.a. Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender, King Charles III (issued February 29, 2016)

The first day cover of the Prince Charles Edward Stuart stamp (click on the image for a larger image)

The latest stamp issued by my land-locked, two-square-foot estate of Transcamster Bog shows Prince Charles Edward Stuart, also known as the Young Pretender, Bonnie Prince Charlie, King Charles III, and the King Over the Water to his followers. It shows the portrait of the Prince by Antonio David. This year marks two Jacobite anniversaries: the 270th anniversary of Prince Charles' defeat at Culloden on April 16, 1746, and the 250th anniversary of the "accession" of Charles Edward Stuart as King in exile on January 1, 1766. 

In the interests of bi-partisanship, Transcamster Bog will issue a stamp to commemorate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II on April 21, 2016.

The stamp is imperforate and ungummed (requires glue).

Transcamster Bog stamps are available on eBay, with sales in U.S. dollars on U.S. eBay and sales in U.K. pounds on U.K. eBay:

If you want to buy in U.S. dollars and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.S. dollars:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=


If you want to buy in U.K. pounds and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.K. pounds:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Or send me an email at dmakTO@rogers.com for information on how to purchase stamps and covers.

Welcome to Transcamster Bog!

The first day cover of the first stamp of Tramscamster Bog, the Sheep issue (click on the image to view a larger image).

Several years ago, I bought two non-contiguous souvenir plots of land, each one square foot of peat bog, in Camster Burn Estate in Caithness, Scotland. The vendors of these plots said that purchasers could call themselves "Laird of Camster", but I've never used the title because there can be only one laird of a particular territorial designation, and in any case, Lord Lyon doesn't recognize any territorial designation for Camster. So what to do with two square feet of Scottish wasteland?

There's a tradition of British island owners issuing local stamps for their islands, so why not be the first to issue stamps for landlocked property? After naming my two square feet of land "Transcamster Bog" ("trans" means you have to cross Camster to go from one plot to the other), I issued this stamp showing a sheep in front of one of the Grey Cairns of Camster, Neolithic stone tombs that are over 5,000 years old. 

The stamp's illustration of the sheep was drawn by the Canadian artist Tina Olah.

The stamp is imperforate and ungummed (requires glue).

Transcamster Bog stamps are available on eBay, with sales in U.S. dollars on U.S. eBay and sales in British pounds on U.K. eBay.

If you want to buy in U.S. dollars and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.S. dollars:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

If you want to buy in U.K. pounds and add different items to the cart, click here and look for sales in U.K. pounds:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/denwood97/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

You may also purchase stamps from me outside of eBay. Send an email to dmakTO@rogers.com for information.