Idea for a new Group starting in 2011. Is anyone interested?

[Valentine Mark Herman]

To start, a little bit of personal background.

I reached Mail Art and the IOUMA community via my life-long interest in postage stamps and postal history.

I would like to see we Mail Artists celebrating their -- and others' -- national postal history.We would do so by sending a special 'commermorative' piece of Mail Art to other Group members on the anniversary of the first ever issue of a postage stamp in 'their' country.

For example: the world's first ever postage stamp, the Penny Black, was issued in Great Britain on 6 May 1840. To celebrate the 171st anniversary of this, those of us in any Group-to-be -- perhaps only Brits, perhaps everyone, who knows? -- would issue a Penny Black Commemorative Mail Art piece on 6 May 2011.The same would take place on other dates  -- for the US on 14 August, for the Netherlands on 23 May, for Austria and Spain on 1st June, etc.

This could be -- but I don't think that it is necessary -- linked to the activities of the existing IUOMA national (eg Dutch,Greek, Italian, French etc), local (Brittanish) and regional Groups (Hispanic). [No doubt Snooky and Angie will want to commemorate the first ever postage stamp that featured a dog, and others would want mice, cats and other beasties and other things commemorated too]

I recognise that the definition  of the date of the first ever postage stamp is not all that easy in some countries -- are we talking about the first federal stamp or the first national stamp? What happens when countries break up and reform? Pre- or post-independance issues? etc.But it should be possible for 'Local Heros' (including David Bowie, of course) and 'Local Experts' do set the date.

That's the basic outline of the nascent Group as I see it now. If the Group gets off the ground -- or in the post (sorry) -- we'd have to think of a name for it like Postal History Commemorative Group. 

Let me end, as I began, with another bit of personal background. I don't want to be the leader of this Group, but hope someone else will be.

[Andy Delgardo]

What a grand idea! Count me in!!!

[Andy Delgardo]

We can send Valentine mail to "Loveland", Colorado to be sent out with the "LOVE" postmark.

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Hi Andy, Look at he Post Ofiic Boutique Group, and the Discussion on a Valentine's day mailing for more on Love in Loveland and elsewhere; Regards, Val

[Carla Cryptic]

Is this where I put my address for the first man in space call? 

 

I love the idea. :D

[Valentine Mark Herman]

Hi Carla! No, it isn't the right place for the address -- it should be in the Postal History Boutique site;

BUT I have had a word with Mission Control (aka me) and your name has been added to the Mailing List, details of which will be circulated closer to the Lift Off date;

Regards, Val