Signed Covers

USA 1971 United States Space Accomplishments 1961 - 1971

2011-05-08T22:42:00.005+08:00

First day covers (2 with hand sketch) signed by the stamp designer, Robert McCall.

USA 1969 First Man On The Moon

2010-02-21T10:10:00.018+08:00

Back in 1968, Paul Calle was asked to design a stamp to commemorate the FIRST MAN ON THE MOON. The assignment was kept in secret.

Stamp block signed by Paul Calle.
First day cover signed by Paul Calle.

The master die for this stamp was carried to the surface of the Moon by the Apollo 11 crew. Only one "moon letter" (a plain white envelope with a die proof) was carried by the crew and it would be hand-cancelled with a "MOON LANDING JUL 20 1969 USA" postmark by Armstrong and Aldrin while they were on the Moon. However, the two astronauts' schedule were packed with scientific tasks to be carried out on the moon, leaving them no time to frank the moon letter. The letter was later "back-dated" by the crew on their way back to Earth which took place on July 22, 1969.

Limited edition FDC with hand-drawn sketch by Paul Calle, only 11 were produced.

When the die returned to Earth, it was used to make the printing plates for the postage stamps that were issued by the Post Office. These postage stamps were not ready to be released to the public until September 9, 1969. A second postmark, the reproduce cancel "MOON LANDING JUL 20 1969 USA", was also applied on the first day covers.

Apollo 11 maximum card with the First Man On The Moon stamp, postmarked on the first day of issue.

USA 1969 Apollo 11 Neil Armstrong Signed Covers and Photos

2010-02-21T10:01:00.021+08:00

Signed photo by Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon.

Apollo 11 Bendix Contractor Cover, postmarked Kennedy Space Center on Apollo 11 launch day, July 16, 1969 (addressed to Harry Flood Byrd, Jr). Signed by Neil Armstrong and Wernher von Braun.

Apollo 11 First Man On the Moon (NASA Local Post) cover, postmarked Houston 20 July 1969, signed by Neil Armstrong.

Cover signed by Neil Armstrong, postmarked on the day the Apollo 11 crew returned to Earth on July 24, 1969.

USA 1969 Apollo 11

2010-02-21T10:00:00.073+08:00

On July 16, 1969, the 363 ft tall Apollo 11 spacecraft was launched from the Kennedy Space Center to accomplish its mission - land two men on the lunar surface and return them safely to Earth. The spacecraft carried a crew of three; Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. Aldrin Jr.

Apollo 11 crew photo (left to right) Michael Collins, Edwin E. Aldrin Jr, Neil Armstrong, and signed cover with KSC official cancel on launch day 16 July, 1969.

Apollo 11 "Dow-Unicover" insurance cover cancelled on launch date, 16 July 1969.

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon, while Collins orbited above them. After a day spent exploring the moon's surface, all three members of the Apollo 11 mission returned to Earth on July 24, 1969.

Apollo 11 "NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club" insurance cover cancelled on moon landing day, 20 July 1969.

About 500 million people across the world watched the video broadcast of the moon landing, making this the largest audience that any transmission has had to this day. Armstrong's now famous words, "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", fulfilled the challenge set out nearly a decade earlier by the US President, John F. Kennedy, to land a man on the moon.

Apollo 11 Captain's cover - 6,000 copies of this envelope were produced by the ship's commanding officer. This cover was machine cancelled aboard the USS Hornet recovery ship on the day the Apollo 11 crew splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Photo: Apollo 11 crew in their quarantine station.

Photo: Apollo 11 crew at press conference.

USA 1969 Apollo 10

2010-02-21T09:55:00.009+08:00

The Apollo 10 mission was a "dry run" for the Apollo 11 moon landing mission. Its purpose was to confirm all aspects of the moon landing mission exactly as it would be performed, except for the actual landing.

Launched from Cape Kennedy on May 18, 1969, the mission was crewed by Commander Thomas P. Stafford, Command Module Pilot John W. Young, and Lunar Module Pilot Eugene A. Cernan. The crew scouted landing sites from lunar orbit and rendezvoused the lunar module and command module in a full dress rehearsal for the Apollo 11 landing two months later. All three were flight-experienced crew from the Gemini missions, subsequently flew in other Apollo missions; Young commanded Apollo 16, and Cernan commanded Apollo 17; Stafford later commanded the US vehicle on the Apollo Soyuz Test Project.

Apollo 10 launch cover with KSC postmark, signed by Thomas Stafford, John Young & Eugene Cernan.

According to the 2001 Guinness World Records, Apollo 10 set the record for the highest speed attained by a manned vehicle at 39,897 km/h (11.08 km/s or 24,791 mph). This speed record was set during the return from the Moon on May 26, 1969.

USA 1969 Apollo 9

2010-02-21T09:52:00.022+08:00

Apollo 9, launched on March 3, 1969, was the third manned mission of Project Apollo. It was the first space test of the complete Apollo spacecraft in low Earth orbit, crewed by Mission Commander James McDivitt, Command Module Pilot David Scott and Lunar Module Pilot Rusty Schweickart. For 10 days, the crew performed a series of test including the Lunar Module and Command/Service Module docking maneuvers, EVA, and the new Apollo spacesuit.

Apollo 9 launch, with official NASA/KSC cachet, signed by James McDivitt, David Scott & Rusty Schweickart.

Apollo 9 "Orbit Covers" postmarked on launch day, signed by James McDivitt, Rusty Schweickart & David Scott.

Front and back of Apollo 9 postcard cancelled on the prime recovery ship USS Guadalcanal.

USA 1968 Apollo 8

2010-02-21T09:50:00.052+08:00

Apollo 8, launched on December 21, 1968, was the first human spaceflight to the Moon. Crewed by Mission Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders, the three became the first humans to orbit the Moon and to see the far side of the Moon that is never visible from Earth.

Apollo 8 cover postmarked Kennedy Space Center on Apollo 8 launch day, December 21, 1968, signed by Frank Borman, William Anders & James Lovell.

Apollo 8 "Orbit Covers" postmarked on launch day December 21, 1968, signed by James Lovell, Frank Borman & William Anders.

Photo: The Apollo 8 crew signed photo by (from left to right) James Lovell, William Anders & Frank Borman.

Photo: Apollo 8 launch.

Apollo 8 entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. That evening the crew made a live television broadcast while in lunar orbit, each took turns reading the first 10 verses from the Book of Genesis. The crew timed this reading to coincide with a view of the Earth, rising over the horizon of the lifeless Moon. It was the most watched broadcast in history at that time.

Apollo 8 First Manned Lunar Orbit (NASA Local Post) cover, postmarked Houston, December 24, 1968, signed by Frank Borman, James Lovell & William Anders.

USS Yorktown recovery cover, postmarked 27 Dec 1968, signed by James Lovell and Frank Borman.

Photo: Apollo 8 crew on board recovery ship, USS Yorktown, after splashed down.

Photo: Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman (left) presenting "a picture of Rome" taken from the moon to Rome's Mayor Rinaldo Santini (right).

Photo: Apollo 8 stamp, issued on 5 May 1969. The stamp designer, Leonard E. Buckley, based this design on the "Earthrise" photograph taken by William Anders on 24 December 1968. The words "In the beginning God..." were the first words read by the astronauts, taken from the first 10 lines of the Book of Genesis.

USA 1967 Saluting United States Space Achievements

2010-02-20T10:48:00.001+08:00

Stamp block and first day covers signed by the stamp designer, Paul Calle.

Stamp block signed by Paul Calle.

Maximum card signed by Edward White, the first American to conduct a spacewalk during the Gemini 4 mission on 3 June 1965.

FDC with hand-drawn sketch by Paul Calle.

First day cover signed by Paul Calle.

USA 1966 Gemini 12

2010-02-20T10:47:00.006+08:00

Gemini 12 (GT-12), launched on November 11, 1966, was the final manned flight in Project Gemini. It was crewed by James A. Lovell and Edwin E. Aldrin. Gemini 12 was designed to perform rendezvous and docking with the Agena target vehicle, to conduct three Extravehicular Activity (EVA) operations, to conduct a tethered stationkeeping exercise, to perform docked maneuvers using the Agena propulsion system to change orbit, and demonstrate an automatic reentry.

Gemini 12 "Orbit Covers" cancelled on launch day at Cape Canaveral, signed by Edwin Aldrin and James Lovell.

At the completion of the previous Gemini flights, the program still had not demonstrated that an astronaut could conduct extra-vehicular activity (EVA) operations easily and efficiently. In preparation for Gemini 12, underwater training for space walk simulation was first introduced by Adrin himself. Even today, this training technique is still widely used to simulate a weightless environment for an astronaut to practice EVA operations.

USA 1966 Gemini 11

2010-02-20T10:45:00.001+08:00

Gemini 11 (GT-11), launched on September 12, 1966, was crewed by Charles P. Conrad, Jr. and Richard F. Gordon, Jr. The mission was to accomplish a space rendezvous immediately after reaching orbit, just as it would probably be done in orbit around the Moon. It also achieved the highest Earth orbit ever reached by an American manned spacecraft (at 1,374.2 km) using Agena propulsion system after first orbit rendezvous and docking. Gordon also performed a 33-minute EVA and 2-hour standup EVA. The mission ended with the first totally automatic, computer-controlled reentry by the U.S., which brought Gemini 11 down only 4.5 kilometers from its recovery ship.
Gemini 11 "Orbit Covers" cancelled on launch day at Cape Canaveral, signed by Charles Conrad and Richard Gordon.

USA 1966 Gemini 8

2010-02-20T10:40:00.016+08:00

Gemini 8 (GT-8), launched on March 16, 1966, was crewed by Neil A. Armstrong and David R. Scott. Gemini 8 had two major objectives, of which it achieved one. The first objective was accomplished by the commander, Neil Armstrong, who piloted the Gemini spacecraft to within 0.9m of the pre-launched Agena Target Vehicle, then slowly docked - this was the world's first orbital docking. The second objective, an extended EVA to be performed by David Scott, was cancelled due to a series of near-fatal events that followed after the docking.

Photo: David Scott and Neil Armstrong at press conference on 26 Feb 1966, answering questions concerning the upcoming Gemini 8 mission.

What followed after the successful docking were some of the most hair-raising moments in the space program history. The Gemini 8 capsule, still docked to the Agena, began to roll continuously. Never having faced such situation in simulation, the crew undocked from the Agena. It was at that point the Gemini spacecraft began to roll even faster, at a rate of one revolution per second! Both astronauts were in danger of impaired vision and loss of consciousness due to the violent motion. The problem was later discovered due to a malfunction thruster on the Gemini spacecraft. The only way to stop the motion was to use the capsule's re-entry control thrusters, which meant that Armstrong and Scott had to cut short their mission and make an emergency return to Earth.

The Gemini capsule landed 500 miles east of Okinawa in the Pacific ocean and a destroyer, USS Leonard Mason, was dispatched to recover the crew and the capsule. Had the spacecraft not made an emergency landing in the Pacific, the USS Boxer carrier in the Atlantic (i.e. the original scheduled recovery area) would be the recovery vessel for Gemini 8.

USS Boxer cover with an early signature of Neil Armstrong on the front and rubber stamp cachet on the back.

USS Leonard Mason recovery ship cover, signed by David Scott.

A pair of USS Boxer navy recovery ship covers, early signature of Neil Armstrong & David Scott.

Photo: Gemini 8 recovery after splashdown.

Photo: Neil Armstrong and David Scott pose with 3 Pararescue "frogmen", aboard the USS Mason.

Photo: Neil Armstrong and David Scott say goodbye to Honolulu, leaving for Cape Kennedy.

Photo: David Scott and Neil Armstrong at press conference.

USA 1965 Gemini 6A

2010-02-20T10:35:00.011+08:00

Gemini 6A (GT-6A), an alternate mission of Gemini 6, was launched on December 15, 1965. It was crewed by Walter M. Schirra and Thomas P. Stafford.

Gemini 6 was originally planned to rendezvous with an Agena target rocket - an unmanned rocket which was launched solely as a "target" for the manned mission to meet and dock with in Earth orbit. Due to a technical failure during the launch of the Agena rocket, the mission was cancelled. The plan was changed to bring forward the launch of Gemini 7, and to allow Gemini 6A to rendezvous in Earth orbit with it. Schirra performed the space rendezvous with Gemini 7 spacecraft in orbit. Once in formation, the two Gemini capsules flew around each other, coming within a foot (0.3 meter) of each other but never touching. The two spacecraft stayed in close proximity for five hours.

Gemini 6A "Orbit Covers" cancelled on launch day at Cape Canaveral, signed by Walter Schirra and Thomas Stafford.

This was an important step in the programme to land man on the moon, as it was the first time the Americans had made a rendezvous of two manned craft in space. By doing this, valuable data and experience were gained which would be used when attempting to rendezvous and dock a Lunar Module with an Apollo Command Module.

USA 1965 Gemini 7

2010-02-20T10:30:00.004+08:00

Gemini 7 (GT-7), launched on December 4, 1965, was crewed by Frank F. Borman and James A. Lovell. Gemini 7 was originally intended to fly after Gemini 6, but the original Gemini 6 mission was cancelled after the failure during launch of the Agena Target Vehicle with which it was meant to rendezvous and dock. However the objective of rendezvous was one of Gemini's primary goals. It was decided that Gemini 6 would launch days after Gemini 7, using the latter as the rendezvous target. The original mission of Gemini 7 changed little with these new plans as it was always planned to be a long duration flight, investigating the effects of a fortnight in space on the human body.

Gemini 7 "Orbit Covers" cancelled on launch day at Cape Canaveral, signed by James Lovell and Frank Borman.

USA 1965 Gemini 4

2010-02-20T10:22:00.018+08:00

Gemini 4 (GT-4), launched on June 3, 1965, was the second Gemini manned flight crewed by James A. McDivitt and Edward H. White II. The highlight of the mission was the first American extra-vehicular activity (EVA) (or known as “space walk”), during which White remained tethered outside the spacecraft for 22 minutes. NASA moved up the “space walk” schedule after Soviet cosmonaut, Alexei Leonov, performed the first ever EVA on March 18 1965. Gemini 4 was the first multi-day space flight by the US to show that it was possible for humans to remain in space for the length of time required to fly to the moon and back.

Gemini 4 launch cover cancelled at Cape Canaveral signed by Edward White.

Another objective of the mission was to rendezvous and fly in formation with the spent second stage of its Titan II booster rocket. However the crew found it difficult to target the stage due to the lack of depth perception and with no radar on board. After several attempts to get closer and with half the thruster fuel spent, the crew finally gave up and focus on the more important EVA objective. The rendezvous objective was achieved successfully in later Gemini mission by Wally Schirra commanding Gemini 6A in December.

USS Wasp prime recovery ship cover, signed by James McDivitt and Edward White.

Gemini 4 "Orbit Covers", signed by James McDivitt and Edward White.

USA 1965 Gemini 3

2010-02-20T10:21:00.003+08:00

Gemini 3 (GT-3), launched on March 23, 1965, was the first Gemini manned flight crewed by Virgil "Gus" Grissom and John Young. It was also the final manned flight controlled from Cape Canaveral. The mission's primary goal was to test the new, maneuverable Gemini spacecraft. Although Gemini 3 was the first U.S. 2-crew manned spaceflight, it was not the first in the world; the Soviet sent a 3-crew team into space on Voskhod 1 mission in late 1964.

Gemini 3 "Orbit Covers" cancelled on launch day at Cape Canaveral, signed by Gus Grissom and John Young.

Photo: Gemini 3 crew (front left to right) Gus Grissom & John Young, with back-up crew (rear left to right) Walter Schirra & Thomas Stafford.

USSR 1965 Voskhod 2

2010-02-20T10:20:00.023+08:00

Voskhod 2, launched on March 18 1965, was a manned spaceflight that carried Pavel Belyayev and Alexei Leonov. It was Leonov, however, who made history on March 18, 1965 when he became the first human being to walk in space for 12 minutes and 9 seconds.

Voskhod 2 imperforate stamp on KNIGA cover signed by Alexei Leonov. This imperforated stamp was issued on the crew landing day, 19 March 1965.

Voskhod 2 cover signed by Alexei Leonov (early signature) and Pavel Belyayev, the stamps were issued on 23 March 1965.

Despite the spectacular success of the space walk, things that followed after went wrong; Leonov was almost unable to re-enter the airlock after the space walk, due to stiffness of his inflated spacesuit. He had to bleed off the suit's pressure in order to make it easier for him to move his joints. When he finally got back into the spacecraft, the crew encountered difficulty in sealing the hatch properly. Later, the automatic guidance system for re-entry malfunctioned and forced the crew to use of its manual backup. Voskhod 2 eventually landed in the thick forest of the Ural Mountains, which was outside of the flight's intended landing zone. The crew spent two nights in the wild before they were rescued... (the nightmare of Voskhod 2 was told by Leonov here). Subsequent missions for the Voskhod programme were deemed dangerous and were cancelled.

Voskhod 2 KNIGA cover signed by the crew. The stamps were issued and cancelled on 23 May 1965.

Pavel Belyayev & Alexei Leonov (signed by Leonov)

Photo: (left to right) Russian scientist Leonid Sevod, cosmonauts Pavel Belyayev & Alexei Leonov, and Wernher Von Braun at the opening session of 16th International Astronautical Congress, Athens, Greece, 13 Oct 1965.

USSR 1964 Voskhod 1

2010-02-20T10:05:00.000+08:00

Voskhod 1 was the world's first multicrew spaceflight. Launched on October 12, 1964, the Voskhod 1 spacecraft carried Soviet engineer Konstantin Feoktistov, and medical physician Boris Yegorov into outer space together with cosmonaut pilot Vladimir Komarov.

Voskhod 1 KNIGA cover signed by the crew. The stamps were issued and cancelled on Oct 19, 1964.

Photo by TASS: Voskhod 1 crew (from left to right) Vladimir Komarov, Boris Yegorov, Konstantin Feoktistov.

The Voskhod spacecraft was added with a solid-fuel braking rocket to provide a softer landing at touchdown. It was considered a potentially dangerous mission with no spacesuits for the crew, no ejection seats were fitted in the spacecraft and no escape tower provided for the crew in the event of a launching or landing emergency! Voskhod 1 was devoted to biomedical research, and to the study of how a multi-disciplinary team could work together in space.

Photo by TASS: Voskhod 1 crew (from left to right) Konstantin Feoktistov, Boris Yegorov, Vladimir Komarov.

USA 1964 Ranger 7

2010-02-20T10:01:00.025+08:00

Ranger 7, launched on July 28, 1964, was the first US space probe to successfully transmit close images of the lunar surface back to Earth. The earlier Rangers, 1 through 6, all failed for various reasons.

Ranger 7 was designed to achieve a lunar impact trajectory and to transmit high-resolution photographs of the lunar surface during the final minutes of flight up to impact. Ranger 7 reached the Moon on July 31, took the first image at 13:08:45 UT at an altitude of 2110 km. Transmission of over 4300 photographs in excellent quality occurred over the final 17 minutes of flight. The final image taken before impact has a resolution of 0.5 meters.

Ranger 7 launch cover signed by (from left to right) Gerard P. Kuiper (Principal Scientist, Ranger 7 Vidicon Television Cameras), Allen E. Wolfe (Ranger Spacecraft Systems Manager), Harris M. Schurmeier (Ranger Project Manager), Newton W. "Bill" Cunningham (Ranger Program Manager), Eugene M. Shoemaker (Investigating Scientist), Patrick J. Rygh (Ranger Flight Operations Director).

USA 1964 Gemini 1

2010-02-20T10:00:00.005+08:00

Project Gemini was a series of manned flight missions that came between Mercury and the Apollo program. Its main purpose was to test the theories that would be utilized in Apollo - rendezvous and docking of two spacecrafts, working outside the spacecraft in extra-vehicular activities or spacewalks, precision re-entry, and living in space for extended period of time.

Gemini 1, launched on April 8, 1964, was the first unmanned test flight of the Gemini spacecraft.
Gemini 1 "Orbit Covers" cancelled on launch day at Cape Canaveral, signed by Von Braun's rocket team member, Arthur Rudolph.

USSR 1964 Vostok 1 - 6 (KNIGA Covers)

2010-02-18T10:00:00.007+08:00

Issued by the Russian agency for foreign trades, KNIGA, these covers were officially signed by cosmonauts of the 6 Vostok missions, postmarked In Moscow, USSR, January 10,1964 on the occasion of the 1964 Filatelic Programme.

Vostok 1 was the first manned space mission. Launched on April 12, 1961, Vostok 1 took Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space, the first human being to travel beyond the Earth's atmosphere and the first to orbit the Earth on a Vostok 3KA spacecraft. The mission lasted 1 hour 48 minutes and orbited the Earth once.

Vostok 2, launched on August 6, 1961, carried cosmonaut Gherman Titov into orbit for a full day in order to study the effects of a more prolonged period of weightlessness on the human body. Titov orbited the Earth over 17 times, and was the second human to orbit the Earth.

Vostok 3, launched on August 11, 1962, carried cosmonaut Andrian Nikolayev for a near fours days spaceflight in order to determine the ability of the human body to function in conditions of weightlessness and test the endurance of the Vostok 3KA spacecraft over longer flights.

Vostok 4 was launched a day after Vostok 3 on August 12, 1962, with cosmonaut Pavel Popovich on board - the first time that more than one manned spacecraft were in orbit at the same time.

Vostok 5, launched on June 14, 1963, was a joint mission with Vostok 6. It carried Valery Bykovsky on board and was originally planned to stay in orbit for 8 days. Bykovsky was ordered back to Earth after 5 days due to elevated levels of solar flare activity at that time. This remains today the record for the longest solo manned flight in Earth orbit.

Vostok 6, launched on June 16, 1963, was the first human spaceflight mission to carry a woman, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, into space. During the mission, Tereshkova collected data on the female body's reaction to spaceflight. Her photographs of the horizon from space were later used to identify aerosol layers within the atmosphere. Vostok 6 was the last flight of a Vostok 3KA spacecraft.

USSR 1962 Vostok 3 & 4

2010-02-18T09:00:00.008+08:00

Vostok 3, launched on August 11, 1962, carried cosmonaut Andrian Nikolayev for a near fours days spaceflight in order to determine the ability of the human body to function in conditions of weightlessness and test the endurance of the Vostok 3KA spacecraft over longer flights. Vostok 4 was launched a day after Vostok 3 on August 12, 1962, with cosmonaut Pavel Popovich on board - the first time that more than one manned spacecraft were in orbit at the same time.

Vostok 3 & 4 imperforate stamps on FDC, postmarked August 15, 1962, Moscow, signed by Andrian Nikolayev and Pavel Popovich.

Vostok 3 Kniga cover signed by Andrian Nikolayev, one of the 6 covers marketed by Kniga.

Vostok 4 Kniga cover signed by Pavel Popovich, one of the 6 covers marketed by Kniga.

USA 1962 Mercury-Atlas 7 (MA-7) - Aurora 7

2010-02-17T10:05:00.000+08:00

Mercury-Atlas 7 (MA-7) was the second attempt by the US to place an astronaut into orbit. Launched on May 24, 1962, it made three earth orbits and was piloted by astronaut Scott Carpenter. The Mercury spacecraft, named Aurora 7, was launched into space by an Atlas LV-3B rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. After 4 hours and 39 minutes in flight the spacecraft re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. However, the spacecraft overshot the intended landing area by 250 nautical miles.

MA-7 launch cover signed by astronaut Scott Carpenter, Hermann Oberth and Wernher von Braun.

Prime Recovery Ship USS Intrepid Captain's cover signed by Scott Carpenter. A helicopter from USS Intrepid was dispatched to pick up Carpenter because the ship was no where near the overshot landing area. Hours later, the Aurora 7 capsule was recovered by USS John R. Pierce.

USA 1962 Project Mercury

2010-02-17T10:01:00.003+08:00

The Project Mercury stamp was released for sale upon the successful splashdown (on Feb 20, 1962 at 2:43PM) and recovery (at 3:01PM) of the Friendship 7 spacecraft that carried John Glenn in it. At 3:30PM on that day, 305 postoffices all over USA released the Project Mercury stamp for sale to the public. This stamp was designed by Charles R. Chickering, printed in secret and distributed to the post offices. Even these post offices did not know what they had receive until word was given to open the packages and put the stamps on sale. Since this was a "Top Secret" stamp issue, many post offices only had the stamps on sale for a couple of hours.

Project Mercury stamp block signed by the stamp designer, Charles Chickering.

Article: Charles Chickering, designer of the Project Mercury stamp.

USA 1962 Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) - Friendship 7

2010-02-17T10:00:00.003+08:00

Project Mercury was the first U.S. program for human spaceflight. It ran from 1959 through 1963, with the objectives of putting a manned spacecraft in orbit around the Earth, investigate man's ability to function in space, and to recover both man and spacecraft safely on return to Earth. On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American in space when he rode his Mercury spacecraft, Freedom 7, to perform a sub-orbital flight mission known as Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3). Shepard's 15-minutes flight did not orbit Earth; it simply went up and down, attained an altitude of just over 187 kilometres.

Mercury-Atlas 6 (MA-6) was the first attempt by the US to place an astronaut into orbit, as part of Project Mercury. Launched on Feb 20, 1962, it made three earth orbits and was piloted by astronaut John Glenn, who became the first American to orbit the Earth. The Mercury spacecraft, named Friendship 7, was launched into space by an Atlas LV-3B rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. After 4 hours and 56 minutes in flight the spacecraft re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, splashed down in the Atlantic ocean and was recovered by the USS NOA DD-841.

Two MA-6 covers here signed by John Glenn (the first American to orbit Earth) and Wernher Von Braun. The first cover was also signed by Hermann Oberth.

Project Mercury stamp block signed by Wernher von Braun.

USS NOA DD-841 recovery cover, signed by John Glenn. Any recovery ship cover with a Feb 20, 1962 postmark and a Project Mercury stamp, such as this, is a backdated; there were no Project Mercury stamps aboard any ships.

MA-6 USS Randolph Captain's cover, signed by the ship's commanding officer and John Glenn. Although the USS Randolph was the designated Prime Recovery Ship for the mission, but it was actually USS NOA that rescue Glenn.

In the early days of the US space program there were only two postmarks available for space covers - "Patrick Air Force Base Florida" and "Port Canaveral". Majority of the early Space Craft covers were cancelled with the "Patrick Air Force Base" postmark, whereas a limited number of covers were cancelled at the Port Canaveral post office.

Project Mercury stamp on a Space Craft cover, signed by John Glenn. Only the "Cape Canaveral" postmark has the words "First Day of Issue" in its cancel and it was considered the official cancel. However, when this stamp was released, there was no post office named "Cape Canaveral" - Cape Canaveral was a geographical name for a point of land where the launch took place. The post offices in the area were called "Port Canaveral" from 1954-1962, and later called "Cape Canaveral".

Postmarked at Port Canaveral 10AM on Feb 20, 1962, to coincide with the launch time 9:47AM, signed by John Glenn.

Postmarked at Patrick Air Force Base, signed by John Glenn. "Patrick Air Force Base" was the most appropriate as it was the official military post office for Cape Canaveral, where the launches took place. Port Canaveral had no connection with the launch area; it was just a small village and the "port" was a fueling station for east coast shipping. Space Craft began offering their covers with the new Cape Canaveral Postmark when it became available in 1963.

Cape Canaveral Florida Post Office, official first day cancellation on September 1, 1962.

USSR 1961 Vostok 2

2010-02-16T10:15:00.007+08:00

Vostok 2, launched on August 6, 1961, carried cosmonaut Gherman Titov into orbit for a full day in order to study the effects of a more prolonged period of weightlessness on the human body. Titov orbited the Earth over 17 times, and was the second human to orbit the Earth.

Vostok 2 stamps on FDC, postmarked August 6, 1961, Moscow, signed by Gherman Titov.

Vostok 2 Kniga cover signed by Gherman Titov, one of the 6 covers marketed by Kniga.

Gherman Titov maximum card, postmarked Chelyabinsk August 6, 1961.

USSR 1961 Vostok 1

2010-02-16T10:10:00.011+08:00

Vostok 1, the first Russian manned space mission launched on April 12, 1961 with cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on board. Gagarin was first human being to travel beyond the Earth's atmosphere and the first to orbit the Earth on a Vostok 3KA spacecraft. The mission lasted 1 hour 48 minutes and orbited the Earth once.

Vostok 1 stamps on FDC, postmarked April 12, 1961, Moscow, signed by Yuri Gagarin.

Vostok 1 Kniga cover signed by Yuri Gagarin, one of the 6 covers marketed by Kniga.

Kiev Club special cancellation on April 12, 1961.

Yuri Gagarin maximum card, postmarked Minsk April 12, 1961 with printed signature.

USA 1961 Mercury-Redstone 2 (MR-2)

2010-02-16T09:57:00.012+08:00

Mercury-Redstone 2 (MR-2), launched on January 31, 1961 from Cape Canaveral, was a suborbital space flight that carried the first chimpanzee, Ham, into outer space. The space flight lasted about 17 minutes. Ham's name is an acronym for the lab that prepared him for his historic mission — the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center. Ham was 3 years 8 months old at launch, and died on January 19, 1983, at the age 26. He was one of many animals in space.

USSR 1960 Korabl-Sputnik 2 (Sputnik 5) - Belka & Strelka

2010-02-15T10:20:00.015+08:00

Korabl-Sputnik 2, also known as Sputnik 5 in the West, was launched on August 19, 1960. On board were the dogs Belka ("Squirrel") and Strelka ("Little Arrow"), accompanied by a grey rabbit, 42 mice, 2 rats, flies and a number of plants and fungi. All passengers spent a day in space and returned to Earth on August 20, 1960. They were the first living animals to survive orbital flight.

Sputnik 5 launch cover, postmarked 19 Aug 1960, Vilnius.

Belka & Strelka maximum card.

"Backdated" covers with Korabl-Sputnik 2 stamps, postmarked 19 & 20 Aug 1960, Vilnius. The stamps were actually released on Sep 29, 1960.

Korabl-Sputnik 2 Kniga FDC release on Sep 29, 1960.

Belka & Strelka 50th anniversary of spaceflight.

USSR 1959 Luna 3

2010-02-15T10:17:00.010+08:00

Luna 3, launched on October 4, 1959 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, was the third Russian space probe sent to the Moon and also the first spaceflight to photograph the far side of the Moon. The space probe passed within 6,200 km of the moon near its south pole at the closest lunar approach at 14:16 UT on 6 October 1959. On 7 October, the first picture was taken at 03:30 UT at a distance of 63,500 km from the moon, and the last picture was taken 40 minutes later from a distance of 66,700 km.

Second anniversary of the successful launch of Sputnik 1, and launch of Luna 3 on October 4, 1959.

A total of 29 pictures were taken, covering 70% of the far side. After the photography was completed the spacecraft resumed spinning, passed over the north pole of the moon and returned towards the Earth. Attempts to transmit the pictures to the Soviet Union began on October 8 but the early attempts were unsuccessful due to the low signal strength. As Luna 3 drew closer to the Earth, a total of about 17 viewable but poor quality photographs were transmitted by 18 October. All contact with the probe was lost on 22 October 1959.

Though it returned rather poor pictures by later standards, the historic, never-before-seen views of the far side of the Moon caused excitement and interest when they were published around the world, and a tentative Atlas of the Far Side of the Moon was created after image processing improved the pictures.

USA 1958 Project SCORE

2010-02-15T10:15:00.000+08:00

The world’s first communications satellite was Project SCORE (Signal Communication by Orbiting Relay Equipment), launched from Cape Canaveral using an Atlas B missile on Dec 18, 1958. Among other firsts, it was the first successful trial of the US Air Force Atlas ICBM as a space launch vehicle. The primary objective of the mission was to place the body of the missile into low earth orbit. A pre-recorded Christmas message prepared by US President Eisenhower was recorded onto 2 tape recorders(a primary and a backup) and installed into the missile.

Goldcraft Cachets" cover with a SCORE launch date postmark. [Hans Bergner]

At 18:02 hours, 18 December 1958, the Atlas missile was launched into an orbit. On the first orbit, as the satellite passed over California, the primary payload did not respond properly. Finally on 19 December, the backup tape recorder responded to coded commands from the ground and transmitted the US President's message on a short-wave frequency to the world below:

"This is the President of the United States speaking. Through the marvels of scientific advance, my voice is coming to you from a satellite traveling in outer space. My message is a simple one: Through this unique means I convey to you and all mankind, America's wish for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men everywhere."

The backup SCORE package continued to work perfectly, responding to 78 realtime and store-and-forward voice and teletype transmissions between ground stations located in Georgia, Texas, Arizona and California. After 12 days, the batteries exhausted and on 21 January 1959, the satellite re-entered the Earth's atmosphere and was destroyed.

USSR 1958 International Geophysical Year - 2nd series

2010-02-15T10:10:00.009+08:00

The second set in a series of three issues of Russian stamps commemorating the International Geophysical Year (IGY). The stamps were issued on 29 July, 1958, but the covers here were postmarked on 30 July, 1958 to mark the first day of the CSAGI Assembly in Moscow ("Opening of the 5th Meeting of the Special Committee for the IGY 1957/58").

Meteorology - This stamp shows a telemeter antenna pointing towards (and probably communicating with) the weather instrument being carried aloft by a weather balloon. The text to the right of the antenna reads "Radio-theodolite 'Malachite'" in Russian. The text in the label-box to the left of the weather balloon reads "Meteorology" in Russian.

Geomagnetism - This stamp shows a three-masted schooner sailing on the high seas. The name of this ship is printed below its bow and reads "Non-Magnetic schooner 'Zarya'" in Russian. To the left of these words is an instrument believed to represent the magnetometer used to record the Earth's magnetic field strength during the ship's voyage. The text in the label-box above the ship reads "Geomagnetism" in Russian.

Aurora - This stamp shows a curtain of aurora borealis (or aurora australis) in the night sky above ice floes on the Earth's surface. The instrument measuring this phenomenon is labeled with text just to its right. The text reads "Photo Camera, S-180" in Russian. The text in the label-box above the aurora reads "Study of Polar Glow" where "polar glow" is the Russian way of saying aurora.

USA 1958 International Geophysical Year

2010-02-14T10:30:00.003+08:00

July 1, 1957 saw the beginning of a rather unique venture in which some sixty-four nations of the world are participating. This scientific project, known as the International Geophysical Year (IGY), will run through 1958 with the possibility of some over-lap in 1959. The IGY surveys are very broad in scope in as much as they include a study of the planet Earth in all of its brances. The seas, the oceans, the mountains, the valleys, the polar regions and the tropical areas will each lend data to the entire picture thus giving scientists from the participating nations invaluable information which is pooled for inclusion in the final reports of their studies.

The IGY has been philatelically honored by many nations of the world. The contribution of the United States came on May 31, 1958 when a 3¢ stamp had its first day sale at Chicago, Illinois. First day cover here signed by Dr James Van Allen, discoverer of the Van Allen radiation belt surrounding Earth.

The heavens are being observed from various sites, often simultaneously, to obtain weather and space information. The World Meteorological Organization is aiding these studies. The Antarctic region is under careful observation by expeditions from many nations. When the IGY is history, the world will know much about this bleak outpost which has for years been labeled a continent. Glaciers, atmospheres, ocean floors and stratospheres are lending information to the IGY study. The IGY when concluded will have given the world's researchers much to work from in their scientific studies.

USA 1958 Explorer 1

2010-02-14T10:20:00.006+08:00

Explorer 1 was the first Earth satellite of the United States, launched on February 1, 1958 as part of the United States program for the International Geophysical Year and in response to the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik 1. Besides being the first US satellite, it was known for discovering the Van Allen radiation belt.

Van Allen belts refers specifically to the radiation belts surrounding Earth. The existence of the belt was confirmed by the Explorer 1 and Explorer 3 missions in early 1958, under Dr James Van Allen at the University of Iowa.

USSR 1957 Sputnik 1

2010-02-14T10:05:00.008+08:00

On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) 1957-1958. The satellite, spherical in shape (58cm in diameter) and weighed 83.6kg, travelled at a speed of 29,000km/h to orbit around the Earth in 96.2 minutes.

A Kniga cover with Moscow, USSR, October 4, 1957 postmark. The "Solar Studies" stamp here, issued on July 4, 1957 (designed by Ye. Gundobin), was one of the three stamps from the first series of Russian stamps commemorating the International Geophysical Year (IGY). It shows two individuals working with a refractive telescope. The telescope is inside of a observatory dome that has its viewing aperture open. The Sun can be seen in that opening. The text in the label-box above the telescope reads "Study of Solar Activity" in Russian.

Two radio transmitters were installed in the satellite, constantly emitting "beep, beep" signals on frequencies of 20.005 MHz and 40.002 MHz that could be picked up by amateur radio operators throughout the world. The scientific instruments on board carried out the first measurement of atmospheric density and the first investigation into the transmission of electromagnetic waves through the ionosphere.

The radio transmissions from Sputnik 1 ceased on 26 October 1957 when its batteries were exhausted. After spending 3 months in space and circling the Earth for about 60 million km, Sputnik 1 was destroyed upon re-entering the Earth's atmosphere on January 4 1958 due to the natural decay of orbit.

Russian Sputnik 1 stamp (indigo color on bluish colored paper, designed by Ye. Gundobin) on FDC issued on 4 November 1957 to commemorate the launching of the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, on 4 October 1957. The stamp design shows an orbit circling the Earth. Near the top of the orbit just above the Earth's globe is a white ball representing the Sputnik spacecraft with four white antennae. The date in the upper-left side is 4 October 1957, Sputnik 1 launch date. The text in the lower-right side reads "First in the World, Soviet Artificial Sputnik of the Earth" in Russian.

Russian Sputnik 1 overprint stamp (bright-blue color on white paper) on FDC issued on 28 December 1957.

Sergei Pavlovich Korolev

2010-02-14T10:04:00.003+08:00

Sergei Pavlovich Korolev was the head Soviet rocket engineer and designer during the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s. A victim of Stalin's 1938 Great Purge, Korolev was imprisoned for almost six years, including some months in a Kolyma gulag. Following his release, he became a rocket designer and a key figure in the development of the Soviet’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) program.

Photo: Korolev and one of the space dog. This is an example of forged Korolev's signature.

In 1957, during the International Geophysical Year, Sputnik 1 was launched into space on October 4 and became the world’s first satellite placed in orbit. The actual development of Sputnik was performed in less than a month and Korolev personally managed the assembly. Then, the Soviets struck again with the launch of Sputnik II on November 3 carrying Laika, the first dog in space.

USA 1948 Fort Bliss Centennial

2010-02-14T10:00:00.013+08:00

This stamp marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas and salutes its role as a rocket testing area. It is also the first US stamp displaying rockets and spacecraft.

The cover is signed by rocket engineer, Wernher von Braun, who played a prominent role in all aspects of rocketry and space exploration, first in Germany and, after World War II, in the United States.

Wernher von Braun was one of the most important rocket engineer during the period between the 1930s and the 1970s. From his teenage years, von Braun had held a keen interest in space flight and interplanetary travel. He was also a founding member of the Germany's amateur rocket group, Verein fur Raumschiffarht (VfR), as early as 1929. In 1932, the German Army, impressed by von Braun’s experimental work at VfR, employed him to research and develop liquid propellant rocket at Kummersdorf, an established rocket test site.

Von Braun and his team developed the A-4 (also known as the V-2) ballistic missile for the Nazis during World War II. The V-2, a liquid propellant missile, was the immediate antecedent of those used in space exploration programs in the United States and the Soviet Union. First flown in October 1942, it was employed against targets in Europe in September 1944.

An early prototype of a V-2 rocket, painted in black-and-white roll pattern scheme to aid tracking the rocket after launch.

In March 1945, it was obvious to von Braun that Germany would not achieve victory against the Allies. Afraid of being captured by the Soviet as prisoners of war, von Braun began engineered the surrender of himself and his members to the advancing American troops.

Von Braun was subsequently recruited to the U.S. in the aftermath of World War II. He signed a contract with the U.S Army and in September was flown to the United States, where he was assigned to the White Sands Proving Grounds, New Mexico, as technical adviser, and to Fort Bliss. Texas, as technical director of its missile project.

FDC with a picture of German scientists recruited to the US under Operation Paperclip.

As part of a U.S. military operation, known as Operation Paperclip (so-called because the Secretary of State used paperclips to attach to the files of those who were selected), 500 German rocket scientists, along with plans and test vehicles, were scooped up from defeated Germany and sent to America where they were installed at Fort Bliss, Texas. There they worked on rockets for the U.S. Army, including launching the captured German V-2 rockets to conduct test flights and experiments at White Sands Proving Ground. This team of rocket experts spent five years at Fort Bliss before being transferred to Huntville's Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.

Signed by Von Braun's rocket team member, Dieter Grau.

Signed by Von Braun's rocket team member, Ernst Stuhlinger.

Signed by Von Braun's rocket team member, Georg von Tiesenhausen.

Signed by Von Braun's rocket team member, Konrad Dannenberg.

Signed by Von Braun's rocket team member, Oscar Holderer.

Signed by Von Braun's rocket team member, Walter Jacobi.

Signed by Von Braun's rocket team member, Werner Dahm.

In 1960, Von Braun's rocket development team was transferred from the Army to the newly established NASA and received a mandate to build the giant Saturn rockets. Accordingly, von Braun became director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the chief architect of the Saturn V launch vehicle. The Saturn rockets, which first took men to the moon in 1969, were the direct descendants of the V2 and were engineered by Wernher von Braun and many members of the same rocket team.

Photo: Wernher von Braun (center), with Maj. Gen. Frank S. Besson, Chief of Army Transportation (left) and Maj. Gen. August Schomburg (right), at ceremonies transferring the Saturn transport barge, a 180-foot barge built to transport the Saturn launch vehicle from MSFC to Cape Canaveral by water, to the Civilian Space Agency on 13 Dec 1960.

China 2008 Shenzhou 7 (神舟七号)

2009-09-25T19:36:00.003+08:00

Shenzhou 7 (神舟七号) was China's third human spaceflight, launched on September 25, 2008. The Shenzhou spacecraft carried Zhai Zhigang (翟志刚), Liu Boming (刘伯明) and Jing Haipeng (景海鹏) for a 3 days mission. On 27 September, Zhai Zhigang conducted the first ever Chinese astronaut space walk, which lasted for 22-minute. China is the third country to have conducted an Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA), after the Soviet Union and the United States.

Covers issued by Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications Technology, signed by the 3 astronauts:

Covers issued by Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, signed by the 3 astronauts:

China 2005 Shenzhou 6 (神舟六号)

2009-09-25T18:06:00.001+08:00

Shenzhou 6 (神舟六号) was China's second human spaceflight, launched on October 12, 2005. The Shenzhou spacecraft carried Fei Junlong (费俊龙) and Nie Haisheng (聂海胜) for a five days orbit around the Earth. It was launched three days before the second anniversary of Shenzhou 5.

3 commemorative covers (launch, in orbit, recovery) here signed by Fei Junlong, Nie Haisheng and all other Chinese astronauts.

China 2003 Shenzhou 5 (神舟五号)

2009-09-25T17:15:00.004+08:00

Shenzhou 5 (神舟五号), launched on Oct 15, 2003, was China's first human spaceflight mission, carrying astronaut Yang Liwei (杨利伟) on board. The spaceflight made 14 orbits around the Earth, and the mission lasted 21 hours, 22 minutes, 45 seconds.

To celebrate the success of China's first manned space flight, the China Institute of Space Medico-Engineering specially created the cover above (signed by the 14 Chinese astronauts before the flight) to be carried on Shenzhou 5. A total of 601 signed covers, created by China Institute of Space Medico-Engineering, were carried on Shenzhou 5 and 201 of these were "14 autographs" cover. This cover also shows the early signature of some astronauts.

FDC signed by Yang Liwei:

FDC signed by stamp designer Wang Huming (王虎鸣), Yang Liwei and all other Chinese astronauts:

Commeorative Shenzhou 5 launch & recovery cover signed by Yang Li Wei and all other Chinese astronauts:

Signatures read from top left to bottom right:
张晓光(Zhang Xiaoguan) 景海鹏(Jing Haipeng) 李庆龙(Li Qinglong)
刘伯明(Liu Boming) 陈全(Chen Quan)
杨利伟(Yang Liwei) 潘占春(Pan Zhanchun) 聂海胜(Nie Haisheng)
翟志刚(Zhai Zhigang) 吴杰(Wu Jie) 邓清明(Deng Qingming) 刘旺(Liu Wang)
费俊龙(Fei Junlong) 赵传东(Zhao Chuandong)

Commeorative Shenzhou 5 recovery cover signed by Yang Li Wei and the Shenzhou spacecraft designers & scientist:

Signatures read from top left to bottom right:
谢明苞(Xie Mingbao) - Director of the China's Manned Space Engineering Office.
王永志(Wang Yongzhi) - Architect & designer of the Shenzhou 5 and Shenzhou 6 spacecraft.
栾恩杰(Luan Enjie) - Director of the Chinese National Space Administration.
李继耐(Li Jinai) - Director-general of China's Manned Space Program.
戚发轫(Qi Faren) - Chief designer of the Shenzhou spacecraft.
张庆伟(Zhang Qingwei) - Chairman of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense of the People's Republic of China.
刘竹生(Liu Zhusheng) - Chief designer of the spacecraft launch systems.
黄春平(Huang Chunping) - Director of Rocket System for the Shenzhou 5 Spacecarft.
林树(Lin Shu) - Former deputy director of the China's Manned Space Engineering Office.
袁家军(Yuan Jiajun) - Chief commander of China's Manned Spacecraft System.
许达哲(Xu Dazhe) - Vice President China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
杨利伟(Yang Liwei) - First Chinese astronaut sent into space by the China's Manned Space Program.
施金苗(Shi Jinmiao) - Deputy chief designer of the Shenzhou spacecraft.
顾逸东(Gu Yidong) - Director-general and chief designer of the space application system.

China 2002 Shenzhou 4 (神舟四号)

2009-09-25T16:15:00.001+08:00

Shenzhou 4 (神舟四号), launched on Dec 29, 2002, was the fourth unmanned launch of the Shenzhou spacecraft. This spaceflight cover was issued to commemorate the successful launch, authographed by the 6 Chinese astronauts selected for the human spaceflight Shenzhou 6.

Signatures: Liu Boming(刘伯明), Zhai Zhigang(翟志剛), Nie Haisheng(聂海胜), Jing Haipeng(景海鵬), Wu Jie(吴杰), Fei Junlong(费俊龙).

India 1953 Conquest of Mount Everest

2009-04-01T13:00:00.020+08:00

Mount Everest (or Mount Chomolungma), the highest mountain in the world, is a peak of the Himalaya, standing on the border between Nepal and Tibet, at a height of 29035 feet. Everest was recognized as the earth's topmost summit in 1852 and was named after George Everest, the first surveyor general of India. But it was not until the beginning of the 20th century that explorers approached close to its base.

During the 1920's and 1930's seven British climbing expeditions were sent out to the mountain, and two of these, in 1924 and 1933, pushed to within 1000 feet of the top. It was on the 1924 attempt that climbers George Leigh Mallory and Andrew Comyn Irvine vanished while making an attempt for the summit from the highest camp. These earlier expeditions approached Everest from the north, through Tibet. However after its conquest by China, Tibet was closed to Westerners, except for one venture from the south and west through Nepal. In 1951 a British party reconnoitered this new route, and the following year one of two Swiss expeditions pushed on to within 900 feet of the top.

In 1953 the British returned and went all the way. This Mount Everest expedition of 1953, led by John Hunt, was large, well equipped and carefully planned. On 29 May 1953, New Zealander mountaineer Edmund Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.

India "Conquest of Everest" stamps FDC issued on 2 October 1953 postmarked at Darjeeling, signed by Tenzing Norgay. The photo of Tenzing on the summit of Mount Everest was taken by Hillary on 29 May 1953. Tenzing was awarded the George Medal for his achievement and later became director of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling. He died in 1986.

India "Conquest of Everest" stamps FDC issued on 2 October 1953, signed by Edmund Hillary.

1937 Hand-drawn Postal Cover

2009-03-01T23:31:00.001+08:00

This hand-drawn cover was done by E.L Conroy of Pennsylvania. He appears to be an absolutely amazing artist/illustrator, and seems to have an on-going relationship with Miss Kathleen McCloskey at that time.

Peanuts - Charles Schulz

2009-03-01T23:30:00.007+08:00

Hand sketch on covers by cartoonist Charles Schulz, creator of Peanuts.

Disney Animator - Bill Justice

2009-03-01T23:28:00.003+08:00

Hand sketch on covers by Disney animator, Bill Justice.

Disney Animator - Bill "Tex" Henson

2009-03-01T23:27:00.000+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by Disney animator, Tex Henson.

The Flintstones - William Denby "Bill" Hanna

2009-03-01T23:25:00.009+08:00

Hand sketch of Barney Rubble on cover by Bill Hanna, producer of the animated American television series The Flintstones.

The Cat in the Hat - Dr. Seuss

2009-03-01T23:20:00.001+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel), creator of The Cat In the Hat.

Beetle Bailey - Mort Walker

2009-03-01T23:00:00.008+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by cartoonist Mort Walker, creator of Beetle Bailey.

Private Beetle Bailey
Sergeant 1st Class Orville P. Snorkel
Chaplain Staneglass
Sergeant 1st Class Louise Lugg
Bammy
Major Greenbrass
Ozone
Lieutenant Jackson Flap
Snake Eyes
Fireball
Canteen
Big Blush
Cosmo
Moocher
Dawg
Private Plato Private Plato
Other link: Comic FDC: Mort Walker - Beetle Bailey

Dennis the Menace - Hank Ketcham

2009-03-01T22:30:00.014+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by cartoonist Hank Ketcham, creator of Dennis the Menace. The comic is now written and drawn by Ketcham's former assistants, Marcus Hamilton and Ron Ferdinand.

Other link: Comic FDC: Dennis the Menace

Archie - Daniel S. DeCarlo

2009-03-01T22:12:00.000+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by cartoonist Dan DeCarlo. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he modernized the looks of Archie Comics' teen-humor characters to their contemporary appearance.

Below cover with a hand sketch by Stan Goldberg, best known for his work as a flagship artist of Archie Comics.

Batman - Stewart Staz Johnson

2009-03-01T22:11:00.002+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by cartoonist Stewart Staz Johnson.

Dick Locher - Dick Tracy

2009-03-01T22:10:00.008+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by cartoonist Dick Locher.

Tiger - Julian Blake (aka Bud Blake)

2009-03-01T22:10:00.003+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by cartoonist Bud Blake, creator of Tiger.

Der Kleine Herr Jakob - Hans Jürgen Press

2009-03-01T22:00:00.014+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by German press artist and caricaturist, Hans Jürgen Press.

Blondie - Dean Young

2009-03-01T21:59:00.001+08:00

Hand sketch on cover by cartoonist Dean Young, who inherited Blondie from his father Chic Young.

Woody Woodpecker - Walter Lanz

2009-03-01T11:39:00.000+08:00

Smitty - Walter Berndt

2009-03-01T11:38:00.002+08:00

Agnes - Tony Cochran

2009-03-01T11:36:00.001+08:00

Motley's Crew - Tom Forman, Ben Templeton

2009-03-01T11:35:00.000+08:00

Hazel - Ted Key

2009-03-01T11:33:00.000+08:00

Francie - Sherrie Shepherd

2009-03-01T11:32:00.002+08:00

American cartoonist Shepherd, born in 1958, drew the syndicated strip Francie (1986-1996), which chronicled the lives of a single mom and her two kids. She is also an editorial cartoonist and has drawn cartoons for magazines like Cosmopolitan, Ladies Home Journal, Ebony and Saturday Evening Post.

Broom-Hilda - Russell Myers

2009-03-01T11:30:00.002+08:00

Rube Goldberg

2009-03-01T11:29:00.000+08:00

Robert Weber

2009-03-01T11:28:00.001+08:00

Richard Guindon

2009-03-01T11:27:00.000+08:00

Andy Capp - Reg Smythe

2009-03-01T11:26:00.001+08:00

Ray Osrin

2009-03-01T11:25:00.002+08:00

Piercey "P. J." Hoffstrom

2009-03-01T11:24:00.000+08:00

P. J. Hoffstrom was a Chicago TV weatherman from 1948 through the 1960s. Working before the computer-generated visual backdrops available to TV meteorologist today, Hoff illustrated his weather maps with his own hand-drawn symbols, including cartoon characters. Hoffman, also a newspaper cartoonist, would write the temperature, and then turn it into a cartoon figure illustrating the current weather. Hoff became a national celebrity, featured on the cover of Life magazine with one of his hand-illustrated weather maps.

Phil Bissell

2009-03-01T11:22:00.003+08:00

The Perishers - Maurice Dodd

2009-03-01T11:21:00.000+08:00

Our Boarding House - Les Carroll

2009-03-01T11:20:00.000+08:00

Ponytail - Lee Holley

2009-03-01T11:19:00.001+08:00

Ben Smith

2009-03-01T11:18:00.000+08:00

Mortadelo y Filemón - Francisco Ibáñez

2009-03-01T11:17:00.000+08:00

Franziska Becker

2009-03-01T11:16:00.000+08:00

Eldon Dedini

2009-03-01T11:15:00.000+08:00

Gasoline Alley - Dick Moores

2009-03-01T11:14:00.000+08:00

Redeye - Gordon Bess, Mel Casson

2009-03-01T11:13:00.000+08:00

The Family Circus - Bil Keane

2009-03-01T11:12:00.000+08:00

Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos - Dick Ayers

2009-03-01T11:11:00.000+08:00

Alley Oop - Dave Graue

2009-03-01T11:10:00.000+08:00

Brother Sebastian - Chon Day

2009-03-01T11:09:00.000+08:00

Charlie Daniel

2009-03-01T11:08:00.000+08:00

Marmaduke - Brad Anderson

2009-03-01T11:07:00.000+08:00

Flaming Carrot - Bob Burden

2009-03-01T11:06:00.000+08:00

Horst Haitzinger

2009-03-01T11:05:00.000+08:00

Mark Trail - Jack Elrod

2009-03-01T11:04:00.000+08:00

Moon Mullins - Ferd Johnson

2009-03-01T11:03:00.000+08:00

Jerry Fearing

2009-03-01T11:02:00.001+08:00

Jerry Fearing was an illustrator and cartoonist for the St Paul Dispatch and St Paul Pioneer Press for for nearly 40 years. He wrote several books about life in his native Minnesota, illustrated with his own art.

Nancy - Jerry Scott

2009-03-01T11:01:00.001+08:00

Klaus Pitter

2009-03-01T11:00:00.000+08:00

Austrian artist, cartoonist and book illustrator Klaus Pitter, born in 1947, has a studio in Vienna.

UK 2004 Occasions

2009-02-18T13:15:00.003+08:00

First day cover here signed by the artist, Satoshi Kambayashi.

UK 1995 Cats

2009-02-17T21:25:00.000+08:00

First day cover here signed by the artist, Elizabeth Blackadder.

UK 1994 Christmas

2009-02-17T16:35:00.000+08:00

First day covers here signed by the stamp designer, Yvonne Gilbert. Yvonne also designed the 1984 Christmas stamps.

UK 1994 Prince of Wales' Investiture 25th Anniversary - watercolour paintings by Prince Charles

2009-02-17T16:25:00.000+08:00

First day cover here signed by Prince Charles. This cover was previously auctioned to raise money for The Church of St. James the Great Restoration Appeal in 1997.

UK 1994 The Age of Steam, Photographs by Colin Gifford

2009-02-17T16:15:00.001+08:00

First day covers signed by Terence Cuneo.

UK 1993 Christmas

2009-02-17T15:35:00.000+08:00

First day cover here signed by the artist, Quentin Blake.

UK 1991 Roses

2009-02-17T13:25:00.000+08:00

First day cover here signed by the stamp designer, Yvonne Skargon.

UK 1986 Nature Conservation

2009-02-16T18:25:00.000+08:00

First day cover here signed by the stamp designer, Ken Lilly.

UK 1985 Insects

2009-02-16T17:16:00.002+08:00

First day cover here signed by the stamp designer, Gordon Benningfield.