Month: August 2018

Historic Events, Topicals

Graf Zeppelin and the Pre-World War I Development of His Rigid Airship

On August 31, 1895, German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin patented his navigable balloon. Zeppelin pioneered development of the rigid airship at the beginning of the 20th century. His notions were first formulated in 1874 and developed in detail in 1893. They were patented in Germany in 1895 and in the United States in 1899. After the outstanding success of the Zeppelin design, the word zeppelin came … Continue reading Graf Zeppelin and the Pre-World War I Development of His Rigid Airship

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Historic Events, Historic People

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

On August 30, 1797, English novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (née Godwin) was born in Somers Town, London, England. Despite all of her other writings, Mary Shelley is best known for having written the Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus which happens to be 200 years old this year, having been published on January 1, 1818. … Continue reading Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

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United States - Scott #657 (1929)
Historic Events

The Battle of Newtown in General Sullivan’s Scorched Earth Campaign

Growing up, I wasn’t particularly interested in the American Revolutionary War. I spent most of my youth living in Texas, Tennessee or Kansas and so the U.S. Civil War (usually from the Confederate perspective) was predominant in my studies of history. At this late stage, it is difficult to recall which aspects of the 1775-1783 conflict I learned first at school or from stamps. During … Continue reading The Battle of Newtown in General Sullivan’s Scorched Earth Campaign

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Topicals

Kinderpostzegels: Children’s Charity Stamps from the Netherlands

I have been a promoter of children’s aid charities for a number of years and became involved in an orphanage and school that was set up here in Phuket following the 2004 Andaman Sea tsunami. Because of this, and my teaching career, I avidly collect stamps portraying children and their education. I’d been aware of Switzerland’s Pro Juventute charity stamps but never knew about the … Continue reading Kinderpostzegels: Children’s Charity Stamps from the Netherlands

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Historic Events

The Battle of Brooklyn, New York

The Battle of Long Island is also known as the Battle of Brooklyn and the Battle of Brooklyn Heights. It was fought on August 27, 1776 and was the first major battle of the American Revolutionary War to take place after the United States declared its independence on July 4, 1776. It was a victory for the British Army and the beginning of a successful … Continue reading The Battle of Brooklyn, New York

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Historic Events

The Liberation of Paris

The Liberation of Paris (Libération de Paris) was a military action that took place during World War II from August 19, 1944, until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on August 25, 1944. Paris had been ruled by Nazi Germany since the signing of the Second Compiègne Armistice on June 22, 1940, after which the Wehrmacht occupied northern and western France. The liberation began … Continue reading The Liberation of Paris

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