The Jury composed by: Mario Mentaschi (president), Giacomo Bottacchi, Enrico Carsetti, Umberto Cavallaro, Graham Winters has met on 4, 5 and 6 of April 2013, and has evaluated the exhibits at the National and Qualifying Exhibition “Milano 2013” according to the Special Regulations FIP (SREV) of the relevant classes. Giorgio Khouzam was not able to take part to the Jury works due to illness. Michele Caso has been the FSFI Commissioner with Enrico Carsetti as its assistant. Graham Winters has been the Commissioner for Great Britain. Luca Lavagnino has taken part to the Jury works as apprentice. The Jury would like to underline the high quality of the exhibits, as shown by 29 gold or large gold out of a total of 54. The Jury remarks the excellent organization of the Exhibition in the convenient site of Milano City Fair, also thanks to the effective and continuous support of Poste Italiane. It welcomes the decision to invite some exhibits from Great Britain, and observes the perfect integration of the jurors of the two countries in the evaluation work.
The following exhibit has been transferred to Postal History – Subclass C “Historical, social and special studies” for a better evaluation: Pietro Alberto “Storia della pubblicità in filatelia”. The Jury, after careful examination of the exhibits, expressed the evaluations presented in the attached list. All decisions were taken unanimously.
Milano, 6.04.2013: Mario Mentaschi, Giacomo Bottacchi, Enrico Carsetti, Umberto Cavallaro, Graham Winters.

results

From my exhibit:

On February 28th we had the pleasure of presenting to the Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli the folder containing one of the covers which ATV-2 carried last year to the ISS. Paolo Nespoli had personally recovered from the ATV the covers which were then signed by him and the by the other 5 members of the Expedition 26-27: Dmitry Kondratyev, Cady Coleman, Andrey Borisenko, Alexander Samokutyaev and Ron Garan.

Besides the ISS octagonal board “seal”, Nespoli also put on the cover his personal MagISStra hand stamp, which after the mission has been made unserviceable.

“The AS.IT.AF. flown and signed cover is presented in an elegant folder designed by our member the artist  Alec Bartos and is reserved for the AS.IT.AF. members only. ” http://www.asitaf.it

As at the end of each year, at the last meeting of the National Philatelic Commission a topic on the agenda was choosing the most beautiful postage stamps issue of 2011 and postage stamp which will represent Romania at international competitions in 2012.

Considering the artistic conception of the design, their originality and personalization, the harmonization of colors and the correlation with printer requirements, following the proposals from the Commission members, were agreed the following postage stamps issues:

1st place

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS – “Eng. Dumitru Furnica-Minovici” WESTERN OLD ART MUSEUM

Designer:  Vlad Vamasescu

The 2nd place was awarded to Alec Bartos for his exceptional design of the “COSMOS 2011” souvenir sheet.

The complete “COSMOS 2011” stamp issue – images, technical characteristics and other details here.

3rd place
“LOCOMOTIVES”

Designer: Razvan Popescu

Article source:  http://www.romfilatelia.ro/noutati/comunicatepresa.php?ContentID=423

Related to the Cosmos 2011 stamp issue see: postage stamps issue COSMOS 2011 presented at the Romanian Academy 13.05.2011

IAA 2011 Planetary Defense Conference –  introducing into circulation the postage stamps Cosmos 2011

The 1962 4-cent “Project Mercury” stamp marked the first time that the U.S. issued a previously unannounced commemorative stamp at the same time as the event it was issued to honor. (cS)

The above cover was cancelled on the first day of issue fifty years ago. The cachet designs is made by me (Alec Bartos) in 2008 in an tirage of only two coves. As a custom commissioned cachets for Mr. Ben Ramkissoon. I have remade the cachet handmade. See below:

above: detail of Ramkissoon’s cover

In 1958, the United States of America launched the first space mission, Explorer I that was to reveal a fundamental discovery for space explorations: due to its magnetic poles, the Earth is surrounded by a radiation belt, thereafter called “Van Allen”.
The Sputnik program implied a series of space missions no human aboard, conducted by the Soviet Union, during late 60´s and its purpose was to emphasize the feasibility of artificial satellites. The name “Sputnik” actually means “satellite” or “travel companion”. The first attempt to launch the Artificial Earth Satellite Sputnik 3 on February, 3rd 1958 was a failure but the second one, dating May 15th was a real success and managed to transport an important number of devices to be used in geophysical research into space. The magnetic recorder on board damaged and any research data registration on Van Allen radiation belts, just four months previously discovered by the American satellite Explorer I, accordingly became impossible.
In December 1958, the United States Army launched the Jupiter AM-13 missile having monkey Gordo aboard. This mission was devoted to biological research. Unfortunately, upon landing, the monkey died because of defection of the parachuting system of the missile.
The stamp with the face value of RON 1.00 presents Explorer I space mission.
The stamp with the face value of RON 2.40 presents Sputnik 3 space mission.
The stamp with the face value of RON 3.10 presents Jupiter AM-13 space mission.

On July 21, 2011, the day the Shuttle Atlantis touched down for the last time, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued seven new stamps commemorating the end of the Space Shuttle era.

Since its beginning in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been responsible for many remarkable accomplishments. For example, on May 5, 1961, NASA sent Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut, into space. Then, just eight years later, on July 16, 1969, NASA launched Apollo 11, carrying astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins on a journey to the Moon. In 1973, NASA was responsible for launching Skylab, a space-borne laboratory which circled the earth for nearly seven years. However, NASA’s next project—the famed Space Shuttle—is perhaps its greatest accomplishment so far. For 30 years beginning with the launch of Columbia on April 12, 1981, the Space Shuttle was the workhorse of America’s space program, bringing America as close as it has ever come to routine space travel.
A Full Mint Sheet of 7 is available for $4.31 (stock number 466-7190). A First Day Cover is available at the Official Price of $5.71 (stock number 466-7204). A shipping and handling charge is added to all orders.
For information about this issue, or other stamps of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0021. Information may also be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at www.unicover.com

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ifsda Magazine – February 2011

The following editorial from the January February 2011 issue of the Collectors Club (New York) Philatelist is especially important news for members receiving registered mail from foreign destinations in the USA, or to those sending registered mail to the USA.

Warning to all who might receive registered mail from overseas: Inquiries by overseas senders regarding missing registered mail have discovered a disturbing problem.

Since June 2009, all registered mail arriving in the U.S. from overseas is treated by the U.S. Postal Service as ordinary mail from its original arrival at the U.S. exchange office, and is not given the usual processing that is expected from registered mail.

A post inspector has commented that any such registered mail items can be considered the same as having a “Steal Me” label on them. The applicable regulation, taken from the USPS International Mail Manual, says: 752.13 Treatment of Registered Items – All registered mail by the country origin must be handled domestic First-Class mail stream from the exchange office to the office of delivery. A signed delivery recipient must be obtained at the time of delivery.
The second sentence show that simply because the recipient has to sign on delivery does not mean that the mail was given the secure handling expected of registered mail.
“Traveling in the domestic First Class Mail mailstream” means that the letter or package will be sent along with all other ordinary first class mail. Registered mail within the U.S. remains the same secure process as before, as does registered mail send to overseas addresses. The danger is restricted to arriving mail. The best alternative is to use either Express Mail or Courier Services. Be warned, and tell your overseas correspondents.
(Source: Editorial by Robert P. Odenweller, The Collectors Club Philatelist, Jan. – Feb. 2011)

http://www.ifsda.org/ifsda2011.pdf

Soviet\'s_International_Manned_Spaceflights_Alec_Bartos

30 Photos

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The event organized by Poşta Română will begin with the opening of an exhibition presenting the works of young artists participating in the painting contest “Art as a means of communication – in the footsteps of Joan Miro”. The exhibition was inspired by the work of the Spanish artist Joan Miro, “Flood II”, donated by the latter to the Romanian State and hosted by the National Philatelic Museum in Bucharest. The opening will be followed by a charity auction supported by Goldart Auction House. All the money raised on this occasion will be donated to UNICEF Romania for the rehabilitation of schools in areas affected by the flooding in June 2010.

First Prize: Bartos Vadim-Alexandru

“By means of this initiative we want to be closer to disadvantaged communities affected by this year’s floods, but also to support arts and Romanian and international cultural values, to promote young artists and to create as much as we can a framework for asserting their value” said Daniel Neagoe, President and CEO of Compania Naţionala Poşta Română.

“We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Poşta Română and together we can put a smile on the faces of children affected by this summer’s flooding. Even if the waters receded long ago, the children and their communities still need our help for their lives to get back to normal. Together with the representatives of C.N. Poşta Română S.A. we have decided that the money raised from the auction be used for the rehabilitation of schools affected by this year’s floods and come in this way in support of children facing difficulties in the educational process and in danger of dropping out of school”, said Edmond McLoughney, UNICEF Romania Representative.

The event brought together C.N. Poşta Română S.A., Goldart Auction House, the Romanian Professional Designer Association, the Artists Union, representatives of the National University of Arts in Bucharest and Romfilatelia.

http://www.posta-romana.ro/press/concursul-de-arta-plastica-organizat-de-c-n-posta-romana-s-a-si-a-desemnat-castigatorii_632