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A special stamp issue with the theme of "Children's Stamps - Dress Bear Up" would be issued on March 30, 2006, the Postmaster General, Mr Allan Chiang, announced today (March 6). The stamps portray the winning entries submitted by children who entered a 2004 competition to design stamps.
Showing great imagination and ingenuity, the young artists made use of a wide spectrum of materials to produce delightful designs that exuded natural charm. Six of these cuddlesome bears are now featured in this "Dress Bear Up" stamp issue.
The $1.40 stamp, by Lee Yuen-ching, features Mrs Bear dressed in a dark-coloured Hakka costume matched with a draped cloth hat. Fish prints on her garment and an oar in her hand indicate she is going fishing. Next is the $1.80 Miss Bear, radiating happiness in her traditional Chinese wedding gown. This is the product of Lam Sheung-nam, Sean. Sweetie Bear saunters merrily through the meadow in a pleated sundress, savouring her lollipop on the $2.40 stamp designed by Chow Chun-hin.
Lau Hong-wan designed the $2.50 Cutie Bear stamp with embroidered apron, tiger-faced hood and shoes, paired with a lovely handbag; and Mr. Bear appears smartly dressed in grey and black with a striped sweater and a pair of long pants on the $3 stamp designed by Chiu Man-lok. Last but not least, on the $5 stamp appears Sweetheart Bear in a tropical theme with a green and blue foliage full skirt designed by Michelle Lau Hiu-tung.
The First Day Cover features Cuddly Bear floating on a puffy white cloud against a soft backdrop of blue sky which contrasts with the brightly coloured title of this special stamp issue.
Commenting on this special stamp issue, Mr Chiang said the stamp competition was introduced to stimulate children's interest in stamp collection and the wonderful designs which resulted were very imaginative and put together with considerable detail and effort by the children. "It is gratifying to see Hong Kong's youth taking an interest in stamps as a healthy and educational hobby and using their intellect and their ability to create such impressive art," Mr Chiang said.
Mr. Kan Tai-keung touched up the stamp designs and also designed the Souvenir Sheet and Prestige Stamp Booklet. This issue is printed in lithography by Cartor Security Printing, France.
The stamps will be displayed at the General Post Office and the Tsim Sha Tsui, Tsuen Wan and Shatin Central post offices from this Thursday (March 9). Official First Day Covers at $2.00 each will be put on sale at all post offices on the same day. Advance orders for servicing self-provided souvenir covers will be accepted at all philatelic offices from March 9 to 15.
A hand-back datestamping service will be provided at all post offices on March 30 for official and privately-made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address.
A special postmark will also be introduced. This will be available, together with the "GPO-1" postmark, the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark and the philatelic office pictorial postmark, for hand-back datestamping service at all philatelic offices on that day.
The public hall of the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau will also open from 9am to 5pm for datestamping covers with the "Philatelic Bureau" pictorial postmark, the "GPO-1" postmark and the special postmark.
Further information about this issue and the sale of associated philatelic products can be obtained from Hongkong Post's website at www.hongkongpost.com, at any post office, or by calling the Hongkong Post Philatelic Bureau hotline 2785 5711.
Ends/Monday, March 6, 2006
Issued at HKT 11:00
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