MANHOLE COVER LOVERS

Examples from Warsaw, Poland. 

FOUR GREEK ONES FROM JOANNE

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- with Sydney Harbour Bridge -- FROM ADAM CARPENTER

THREE GREEK MANHOLE COVERS FROM PROFESSOR THEMIS BOWCOCK

DID YOU KNOW YOU ARE AN 'OPERCULIST?

Extract from an article in The Independent (of UK) newspaper of 26 September, 2015

"Drain-spotting is not a new hobby. An article published in a newspaper in the United States in 1962 declares that Britain “is full of operculists”, a term derived from operculum, meaning fish gill cover. The article also noted that the poet and art dealer Victor Musgrave actually collected coal-hole covers “like some people collect Picassos”.

“My object,” said Musgrave as he showed off 40 of his choicest specimens at a gallery in Mayfair in 1962, “is to force people to look at coal-hole covers and to admire them. After all, our streets are full of them, and children use them for hopping and jumping games."

Example from Prague, Czech Republic, "Hlavni Nadrazi" - with main train station.

FROM JIMMY ISAKSSON IN THAILAND. MOST OF OUR MANHOLE COVERS ARE ROUND OR SQUARE AND OF A HIGH STANDARD. THIS ONE ISN'T ANY OF THOSE -- BUT IT IS A MANHOLE COVER, OF SORTS. TAK JIMMY!

TWO MORE WEIRD OENS FROM JIMMY ISAKSSON IN THAILAND

MANHOLE COVERS FROM VERBANIA, ITALY, FROM ANTONIO BLANCO

Example from Warsaw, Poland.

FROM ANNE IN PARIS -- MERCY BUCKETS!

ADVANCE WARNING: COMING SOON....

.... THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MANHOLE COVER DAY, FRIDAY 31 MAY

 A JOINT IUOMA AND DULL MEN'S CLUB EVENT

DETAILS AND A REQUEST FOR ONE OR MORE PHOTOS OF MANHOLE COVERS WILL BE SENT LATER

MEANWHILE, DO MARK THIS DATE IN YOUR DIARY!

MANHOLE COVERS FROM SERBIA -- SERNT BY ZORICA OBRVADOVIC: Хвала вам!

Example from Warsaw, Poland.

Example from Poznań / Posen, Poland.

SECOND ADVANCE WARNING: NEXT WEEK....

.... THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MANHOLE COVER DAY, FRIDAY 31 MAY

 A JOINT IUOMA AND DULL MEN'S CLUB EVENT

To support the First International Manhole Cover Day on Friday 31 May (date suggested by Carien), please post a photo of a Manhole Cover near your house, apartment, villa, ranch, tent or château here... on or near The Day.

The Manhole Covers will feature in an exhibition to be held in the South of France in September 2024 that has already received publicity in the local and regional press.

This inaugural and very special event is held with the support of our very own International Union of Mail Artists (IUOMA) and the Dull Men’s Club (DMC).

Thank you, Val

PLEASE DON'T FORGET.....THIS FRIDAY (31 MAY) IS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MANHOLE COVER DAY!

SEND ME A PHOTO OF A MANHOLE COVER ON THAT DAY.

THANKS! Val

THEFT OF MANHOLE COVERS/SEWER LIDS FROM RHODE ISLAND, USA

"CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) – Cranston police say a second man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of manhole covers in the city.

Donald DeLuca is being charged with larceny and conspiracy.

Police say eight cast-iron manhole covers were missing from city streets earlier in the week. They cost up to $350 to replace, depending on the size.

Ryan Yeadon was arrested earlier this week at a Johnston scrap metal yard with some of the manhole covers in theback of his pickup truck. He was ordered held without bail for violating conditions of his release on a previous offense.

Police say it was just luck that no one got hurt falling into an uncovered manhole in the street"

TOMORROW IS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MANHOLE COVER DAY! PLEASE JOIN IN!

TODAY IS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MANHOLE COVER DAY!

FIRST INTERNATIONAL MANHOLE COVER DAY.

Two examples from Poznań / Posen, Poland.

Manhole Cover Day ...

in the City of Athens :-)

My most recent manhole cover photo was taken in Athens, TEXAS on Friday, three days before the eclipse when I was visiting my sister:

South Florida, USA

RESULTS OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MANHOLE COVER DAY

I would sincerely like to thank the following members of this Group for contributing Manhole Covers:

** Lisa Cox

** Bradford

** Katerina

** Raphael Nadolny

So to all four of you THANKS!

I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that the other 20 members of this Group did NOT contribute to this very special day. I could name you, but I will not shame you -- although I would like to think that you are feeling contrite.

A BERLIN MANHOLE COVER, FROM IVAN PIQUERAS (sent on the 1st International Manhole Cover Day -- which most of you ignored)

Example from Warsaw, Poland. 

SARREBRUCK, GERMANY, MANHOLE COVER FROM FERDINAND

Example from Warsaw, Poland, with mystarious hand..... 

TWO MANHOLE COVERS THAT CALINDA FOUND IN JAPAN -- THEY CELEBRATE THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE JAPANESE MARITIME SELF DEFENSE FORCE (JMSDF)

VERY, VERY OLD MANHOLE COVER FROM JERUSALEM -- SENT BY MICHEL LANYANI.  And a challenge for Katerina....

The photos are of a Roman /Herodian manhole cover (from about the time of Jesus) ( +/-40 CE) situated at the foot of the western Wall of the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, where a huge street (via) used to stand, with underneath it a large canal draining the sewer and waterfall toward the Cidron Valley a the east of the Temple. ( See 2nd photo)  "You can see the two hole that were used to remove the cover and enter the canalisation if needed," says Michel.

The challenge to Katerina -- or anyone else who wants to take it up -- is to see if you find an older Manhole Cover....in Athens or elsewhere. Happy hunting!

Example from Poznań / Posen, Poland. 

Two examples from Warsaw, Poland. 

The Dutch city Apeldoorn revisited. ‘Infiltratie’ manhole cover.

And I found an other, similar, interesting manhole cover. However, I was not able to take a picture of the upper side of the manhole cover. Because two friendly men were patiently investigating the manhole!

(Sorry for the almost upside-down posting, don’t know why they are not upside up like they are in my files)

THREE FROM QUEDLINBURG, GERMANY, FROM FERDINAND

ANOTHER THREE FROM QUEDLINBURG, GERMANY, FROM FERDINAND

We've had round ones, square ones, oblong ones, and now our first ever TRIANGULAR MANHOLE COVER found in Cornwall, England, by my son and heir? David Herman. Thanks kidder!

ANOTHER TRIANGULAR MANHOLE COVER FROM CORNWALL, bedankt jonge!

Example from Mikulov, Czech Republic/Czechia.

Example from Mariehofen, Austria.

TWO FROM TOKYO FROM CALINDA: THANKS CALINDA!

Example from Mariehofen, Austria.

spotted this 1989 one while waiting for a bus in Athens :-)

Example from Mariehofen, Austria.

From San Francisco - aka San Pancho, Califas USA

Also San Pancho...

Thanks Chepin -- more welcome -more always welcome! Regards, Val