It looks like all news is related to personalised stamps. In the former issue of the MFN newsletter we could read Nico's story about the new rules regarding the use of personalised stamps in exhibitions, and in this issue about the strategy around the MFN Personalised stamps (note from the webmaster: this article will not be published on the MFN website). And here again a new item related to making your own personalised postages.
In an earlier issue we have mentioned that the French Post gave the possibility to make a kind of postage with an image that you could choose yourself, from a limited number of images supplied by the Post. You can print them at home with your own printer. The costs (the chosen value of the postage) is automatically charged from a deposit.
In Filamobil, the magazine of the German philatelists club "Motivgruppe Kraftfahrzeuge", the next step in personal postages is mentioned. Now the Swiss Post comes with a possibility that is comparable to the French initiative, but here it is possible to use your own images to print at home on a sticker; thus a personalised postage sticker....

You will start with a test print of the stamp with images, as shown above. Once approved by yourself, you can give in the desired number and value. The final result will look like this:

I doubt whether this way of making your own postage stickers will last long, as it is possible to use any image in your postages without control, ranging from nude pictures of your ex to obscure people from the past. The Swiss have tried to prevent this by allowing only Swiss residents to make personalised postages, and prohibit these possibilities explicitly in the general terms.... but it is also forbidden to drive through red traffic lights, isn't it...?

Wallace (an excentric inventor) and Gromit (his dog) are comic characters modelled from clay, made by the British film maker Nic Park. Owner and dog often use a motor with sidecar for transport, sometimes provided with a ladder between motorcycle and sidecar.

When I saw the Royal Mail brochure about the English Christmas stamps and read that they would be the subject of this years Christmas stamps, I therefore expected that this would be an opportunity for us to expand our collection. However, after looking through the complete brochure and website I had not found anything like it, not even a single wheel. What a pity.

And still..... it kept me busy, so this night I looked again and..... found something! There are no less than 2 places in England where you can find a motorcycle image on the FDC stampings. On one of these stampings, from the place Betlehem (community of Llandeilo) in South-Wales, the characters are depicted while delivering Christmas presents with the sidecar combination. The first day of issue (Dirwnod Cyhoeddi Cyntaf in Welsh) was November 2nd 2010.

The more Northern place Endon, not far from Stoke-on-Trent, has also made a stamping with a motorcycle with sidecar in it. The artist, Hunt Emerson, has made this drawing for a bike magazine, and those who have a good memory will recognise the image as it has been used earlier in 2005 in Birmingham for the issue "British Motorbikes".

On the website of Luxemburg Post there is a nice description of the Tourism stamp of 16-06-2010. I have translated the English text with Google, and the result shows that, although reasonably well, the translation is not yet perfect:

First the original English text:

Motorcycling brings out strong emotions: pure fun, absolute freedom, a sense of identity, the adrenaline of the machine, the technology, the symbiosis with the environment. Notions such as expression of self, stress reduction, group therapy, and enduring vacation are paramount.
The "true motorcyclist" does not exist. Motorcyclists come from all walks of life and all social classes. The majority is still male, but there are more and more women who are buying scooters or motorcycles.
A typical motorcyclist is between 35 and 55 years old and includes managers, doctors, lawyers, etc.
Timo Wuerz is the artist who has created this series of postage stamps. This illustrator of German cartoons was born on 7 April 1973 in Schwäbisch Hall. When he was only 14 years old, he had his first exhibition and at the age of 20 he came out with his first album: "Aaron et Baruch" with Niki Kopp as the author. He also produces illustrations for books, magazines, and CD inserts. Timo Wuerz currently lives in Hamburg.

Translation from English into Dutch:

Motorrijden brengt sterke emoties: pure fun, absolute vrijheid, een gevoel van identiteit, de adrenaline van de machine, de technologie, de symbiose met de omgeving. Noties als uitdrukking van zichzelf, stress reductie, groepstherapie en duurzame vakantie staan voorop.
De "echte motorrijder" bestaat niet. Motorrijders komen uit alle lagen van het leven en alle sociale klassen. De meerderheid is nog steeds mannelijk, maar er zijn meer en meer vrouwen die het kopen van scooters en motorfietsen.
Een typisch motorrijder is tussen de 35 en 55 jaar oud en bevat managers, artsen, advocaten, enz.
Timo Wuerz is de kunstenaar die heeft deze serie postzegels. Deze illustrator van de Duitse cartoons werd geboren op 7 april 1973 in Schwäbisch Hall. Toen hij werd slechts 14 jaar oud, had hij zijn eerste tentoonstelling en op de leeftijd van 20 kwam hij uit met zijn eerste album: "Aaron et Baruch" met Niki Kopp als de auteur. Hij produceert ook illustraties voor boeken, tijdschriften en cd-inserts. Timo Wuerz woont momenteel in Hamburg.

Hans de Kloet

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