!!! 17 Nov 1882: postal card sent by Herr Scholem, from the city of Roman (Romania) to Herrn Josef Landau [?] in Stettin, Prussia/German Empire [present-day Szczecin, Poland]!!!

Ladies and gentlemen from around the world, this is the oldest postal/philatelic item that I own, so far!!!

Isn't that cool? :

I hereby make an appeal to everybody who has an advance knowledge of philately (especially postal history), and German language to help me uncover the story of this very old postal card.

Thank you!

What can I decipher?

17 Nov 1882: postal card sent by Herr Scholem, from the city of Roman (Romania) to Herrn Josef Landau [?] in Stettin, Prussia/German Empire [present-day Szczecin, Poland]!!!

The monetary sums appear to be denominated in K; I think that's Kreuzer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreuzer

More deciphering brainstorming about this - is happening here:

http://forum.postcrossing.com/viewthread.php?tid=54903&page=14

"Roman (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈroman]; Hungarian: Románvásár, German:Romesmark) is a mid-sized city, having the title of municipality, located in the central part of Moldavia, a traditional region of Romania. It is located 46 km east of Piatra Neamţ, in the Neamţ County at the confluence of Siret and Moldova rivers.

It is thought that the name was taken from Moldavian Voivode Roman I of Moldavia, believed to be its founder.^{[weasel words]} Roman's first son was Alexandru cel Bun."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman,_Romania

"Stettin developed into a major Prussian port and became part of the Prussian-led German Empire in 1871. 

While most of the province retained an agrarian character, Stettin was industrialized and its population rose from 27,000 in 1813 to 210,000 in 1900 and 255,500 in 1925.^[51] 

Major industries prospering in Stettin since 1840 were shipbuilding, chemical and food industries and machinery construction.^[47]

Starting in 1843, Stettin became connected to the major German and Pomeranian cities by railways, and the water connection to the Bay of Pomerania was enhanced by the construction of the Kaiserfahrt (now Piast) canal.^[47]"

^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szczecin}

Now, don't ask me about the text, coz Ich weiss nicht Deutsch so gut; nur ein wennig...:)

The coat of arms on this historic postcard belongs, of course, to the Kingdom of Romania. It has the royal motto:

"Nihil Sine Deo, Latin for "Nothing without God", is used as a motto by the German Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen royal family.

This formula was the motto of the Kingdom of Romania, while ruled by the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen dynasty (1878 - 1947). The motto is proudly displayed in the arms room of Peleş Castle."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihil_Sine_Deo

"Timeline (1859 - 1939)

1859	Alexander John Cuza unites Moldavia and Wallachia under his personal rule.
1862	Formal union of Moldavia and Wallachia to form principality of Romania.
1866	Cuza forced to abdicate and a foreign dynasty is established. Carol I signed the first modern Constitution.
1877	April 16. Treaty by which the Russian troops are allowed to pass through Romanian territory April 24. Russia declares war to the Ottoman Empire and its troops enter Romania May 9. Romanian independence declared by the Romanian parliament, start of Romanian War of Independence May 10. Carol I ratifies independence declaration
1878	Under Treaty of Berlin, Ottoman Empire recognizes Romanian independence. Romania ceded southern Bessarabia to Russia.
1881	Carol I was proclaimed King of Romania on March 26. [MY NOTE: The postcard is dated in 1882, remember?]
1894	Leaders of the Transylvanian Romanians who sent a Memorandum to the Austrian Emperor demanding national rights for the Romanians are found guilty of treason.
1907	Violent peasant revolts crushed throughout Romania, thousands of persons killed.
1914	Death of Carol I, succeeded by his nephew Ferdinand.
1916	(August) Romania enters World War I on the Entente side. (December) Romanian Treasure sent to Russia for safekeeping, but was seized by Soviets after the Romanian army refused to withdraw from Bessarabia. [MY NOTE: cheese of the B type...]
1918	Greater Romania is created.
	By the Treaty of Versailles, Romania agreed to grant citizenship to the former citizens of Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires living in the new Romanian territories.
1919	A military conflict occurs between Romania and Hungarian Soviet led by Béla Kun. The Romanian Army takes over Budapest on 4 August 1919. The city is ruled by a military administration until 16 November 1919.
1920	The Treaty of Trianon upholds Romanian unification." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Romania You thought "it's a long way to Tipperary"? [that's a cultural reference, don't worry about it] It was a long, long way for the Romanian lands/principalities to achieve unification and independence from all those ancient and feudal enemies and invaders. Them B cheese... (Hint: read aloud, until you get it...) http://www.zazzle.com/yes_thats_an_euphemism_postage-172784866997600135?rf=238693463283865848

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Happy Sunday Stamps meme!

Please visit: http://viridianpostcard.blogspot.com/

What's the difference between turtle, tortoise and terrapin? WWF maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards about Venezuela: The Red-footed tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria), and The Arrau turtle, also known as the Arrau River Turtle (Podocnemis expansa)

UL [upper-left] and LL: "The Red-footed tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria) is a tortoise native to South America. 

It has also been introduced to many islands in the Caribbean. 

It draws its name from the red or orange scales visible on its limbs, as well as its head and tail. 

It is popular as a pet, though it is protected under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which means that this species may not be exported from its home country without a permit.[1] 

The Red-foot has a larger cousin, the Yellow-footed Tortoise (Geochelone denticulata), also known as the Brazilian Giant Tortoise. 

Note: Many newer references will use the Genus name Chelonoidis in place of the older term Geochelone for all four South American tortoises. [2]

It is locally known as the Savanna Tortoise, in Brazil as Jabuti, and in Venezuela as Morrocoy[2], among other names.[2]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-footed_tortoise

  UR and LR: "The Arrau turtle, also known as the Arrau River Turtle, is Podocnemis expansa, the largest of the side-neck turtles (Pleurodira). 

It is found in the Amazon rainforest."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrau_Turtle

What's the difference between turtle, tortoise and terrapin?

"Turtle, tortoise, or terrapin

Although the word turtle is widely used to describe all members of the order Testudines, it is also common to see certain members described as terrapins, tortoises or sea turtles, as well. Precisely how these alternative names are used, if at all, depends on the type of English being used.

• British English normally describes these reptiles as turtles if they live in the sea; terrapins if they live in fresh or brackish water; or tortoises if they live on land. However, there are exceptions to this where American or Australian common names are in wide use, as with the Fly River turtle.
• American English tends to use the word turtle as a general term for all species. "Tortoise" is used for most land-dwelling species, including the family Testudinidae and box tortoises. Oceanic species are usually referred to as sea turtles. The name "terrapin" is typically reserved only for the brackish water diamondback terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin; the word terrapin being derived from theAlgonquian word for this animal.^[17]
• Australian English uses turtle for both the marine and freshwater species, but tortoise for the terrestrial species.

To avoid confusion, the word "chelonian" [pronounced KELONIAN] is popular among veterinarians, scientists, and conservationists working with these animals as a catch-all name for any member of the superorder Chelonia, which includes all turtles, tortoises and terrapins living and extinct, as well as their immediate ancestors. It is based on the Ancient Greek word χελώνη, chelōnē; Modern Greek χελώνα, chelōna; meaning turtle/tortoise."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testudines

"Venezuela (pronounced /ˌvɛnɨˈzweɪlə/ ( listen); Spanish: [beneˈswela]), officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America."

Legitimate question for "whoever invented the Spanish language" [ :D :D] :

since you already have the letter B to describe the sound B, then...

http://www.zazzle.com/why_stamp_postage-172279254387759379?gl=dorinco&rf=238693463283865848

...would you also need the letter V, for the sound B?

Also, since you have S, why would you use Z instead?

If you want everybody [who has a modicum of foreign language skills, I might specify] to pronounce 

beneˈswela, 

then write: Benesuela, not Venezuela.

How hard is that?

:)

Don't worry, no language is perfect, not even Esperanto, Interlingua or Lingua Franca.

However, a phonetic language, "what you see is what you pronounce" would make more sense, now wouldn't it?

:)

" [Christopher Columbus's] certainty of having attained Paradise made him name this region Land of Grace, a phrase which has become the country's nickname.

Nevertheless, the following year of 1499, an expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda visited the Venezuelan coast. The stilt houses in the area ofLake Maracaibo reminded the navigator Amerigo Vespucci of the city of Venice, (Italian: Venezia), so he named the region "Venezuela,"^[10]meaning "little Venice" in Italian. The word has the same meaning in Spanish, where the suffix -uela is used as a diminutive term (e.g., plaza / plazuela, cazo / cazuela); thus, the term's original sense would have been that of a "little Venice".^[11]

Nonetheless, although the Vespucci story remains the most popular and accepted version of the origin of the country's name, a different reason for the name comes up in the account of Martín Fernández de Enciso, a member of the Vespucci and Ojeda crew. In his work Summa de Geografía, he states that they found an indigenous population who called themselves the "Veneciuela," which suggests that the name "Venezuela" may have evolved from the native word.^[12]"

So, Columbus was certain that this was Paradise.

Venezuela, a land of beauty. Something that oil money can't buy.

"Venezuela is well-known for its successes in beauty pageants. 

Miss Venezuela is a big event in the country, and Venezuela has received 5 Miss World, 6 Miss Universe, 6 Miss International and 1 Miss Earth titles."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela

I suspect that Miss Earth was the most "down-to-earth" of them all.

When you want to see...stellar images, you can look at the...Milky Way.

How about the...Milka Way?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MILKA24.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Venezuela

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Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/ (wait until Beth posts the today's Linky tool for the meme, then make your entry, if you want to join).

"Notre DAMA". ERROR: Not n'dama, as inscribed on the stamps (that's a cattle type), but: The Dama Gazelle (Nanger dama; formerly Gazella dama). WWF maximaphily items (maximum cards / maxicards / dorincards) from Senegal.

Nobody's perfect - not even a great organization like WWF:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Fund_for_Nature

Here's a stamp designing mistake that somebody made, and it went uncorrected, despite the best efforts of several editors, presumably. :)

But we know better, don't we?

Who the hell is WE?

We, The People. :)

ERROR: Not n'dama, as inscribed on the stamps (that's a cattle type), but: The Dama Gazelle (Nanger dama; formerly Gazella dama)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%27dama

It "is a species of gazelle. 

It lives in Africa in the Sahara desert and migrates south in search of food during the dry season. 

Their habitat includes open steppes, bushy, grassy steppes, semi-desert, and deserts, while their diet includes grasses, leaves, shoots, fruit, and especially Acacia leaves. 

After the rains return and the desert plants turn green, the gazelles move north back to the Sahara. 

Poaching and destruction of their habitat have greatly diminished their numbers, and they no longer live in large herds." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanger_dama

"Senegal is located on the west of the African continent. It lies between latitudes 12° and 17°N, and longitudes 11° and 18°W.

The Senegalese landscape consists mainly of the rolling sandy plains of the western Sahel which rise to foothills in the southeast. 

Here is also found Senegal's highest point, an otherwise unnamed feature [they DIDN'T name this] near Nepen Diakha at 584 m (1,916 ft). 

The northern border is formed by the Senegal River, other rivers include the Gambia and Casamance Rivers. 

The capital Dakar lies on the Cap-Vert peninsula, the westernmost point of continental Africa.

The Cape Verde islands lie some 560 kilometres (350 mi) off the Senegalese coast, but Cap Vert ("Cape Green") is a maritime placemark, set at the foot of "Les Mammelles" , a 105-metre (344 ft) cliff [at least they DID name this]

resting at one end of the Cap Vert peninsula onto which is settled Senegal's capital Dakar, and 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) south of the "Pointe des Almadies", the western-most point in Africa."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegal, except the comments in red, of course.

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Does the Dama Gazelle suffer from fear of failure 

(= Atychiphobia)

...to find food every day, to find water, to escape predators?

God knows - let's ask him.

Well...he's unavailable for comment.

Atychiphobia...

in other words:  Kakorrhaphiophobia

http://www.zazzle.com/what_stamp_postage-172780532697535446?gl=dorinco&rf=238693463283865848

Atychiphobia

"Atychiphobes generally gather a defeatist attitude out of fear of failing, making them avoid trying to achieve anything due to potentially failing at it. 

They may also subconsiously undermine or sabotage their own efforts to prevent having to continue to try, and therefore preventing any potential failure. 

This strategy is known as avoidance behavior. 

Atychiphobes may also suffer from an inordinate sense of perfectionism, and may only try something that is guaranteed perfect and successful, or may try but will encounter excessive anxiety in the process due to unrealistically perfectionistic standards."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakorrhaphiophobia

I'm telling you, man (and woman, too): perfectionism is a trap.

Don't fall into it!

:)

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Please visit and join ABC Wednesday meme!

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Today, K is for Kakorrahaphiophobia, or 

Atychiphobia.

Please visit Wordless Wednesday meme!

http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/newhome/

Simply look at the "Notre DAMA" images, if you want no comments.

Or, read some of the above comments, too.

:)

The most damaged postcard that I ever received! HOW TO avoid getting damaged postcards or maximum cards, with over-cancelling, scratches and missing chunks/corners?

I share here some useful info from the postcard exchange great website http://www.forum.postcrossing.com, where my username is dorinco.

That is also my username for the primary website http://www.postcrossing.com.
This website is good - it facilitates "blind" (you don't choose your partner) exchanges of postcards with addresses chosen at random by their computers.

But the forum http://www.forum.postcrossing.com is much better, in my opinion, because you can choose your exchange partners for postcards, stamps, maximum cards, and other items!

The messages below are about a Round Robin exchange of maximum cards - the thread path (sub-folders) is this:
Postcrossing Official Forum » General » Tags, Trades, Notebooks, Round Robins and Pen-Pals » Round Robins » NEW Maxicards/Maximum cards RR!! Group3 Need ONE for travelling!!New groups!!!(always OPEN)

dorinco [that's me, remember?] said:
"Thank you, gracefool, for the very cute MC from Gr.6!

Unfortunately, it is the most damaged postcard that I ever received! :flaming: [emoticon]

Australia Post/Adelaide put our MC face-down over a heavily-inked mailpiece, so ink migrated onto the face side of our kangaroo MC.
It also roller-stamped it across the address-side, although it says that it's PREPAID!

Then, between Australia Post and US Postal Service, a chunk was ripped of a corner!

See also some roll marks, near the left, at about 45 degrees angle.

Not your fault, but next time you either talk to your postal clerk, or you send it in a transparent bag to have the stamps on the postcard visible, or you just send it like a CIA agent - "undercover".

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gracefool replied:


"Dorinco - A self-made Wintery Lighthouse MC, I really love it thank you. Your cancellations are very nice.

Also, Dorin, I am so sorry about the condition the MaxiCard arrived to you in!! 
That is terrible!!! I have sent so so so many MCs and I have not had any report like this before. 
However I have received quite a few cards myself which have heavy cancellations on front and back (but not ripped), it is the risk we all take when putting mail through the postal system(s) I think. 
I have never sent in "transparent bag" before, can you explain this?"
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dorinco replied:

"Thank you, gracefool, I'm glad you like the unique/UNICATE/UNIKAT in the world MC that I created for you! :)

Transparent bag can be any transparent plastic bag that looks like a transparent envelope - you can cut and modify it to desired size.
After you get the needed postmarks on the due postage (that may or may not include the stamp for the MC), seal that bag with scotch tape.
Or you can use a re-sealable bag, like Ziploc - best option, since it allows postal postmarking in the arrival country, with re-insertion of your MC back in the bag to reach you.

This is a custom MC, that I made from a page from a book.
Why? Coz I like it! :)
To you (and any other viewer here) and my US Postal Service, it's just a postcard with a stamp.
It's not terribly thick, but it's thick enough to be accepted as a postcard by USPS.

Instead of mailing it as a naked postcard, subject to postal damage, I tested this: I inserted it in a transparent plastic bag/envelope and I put mailing address labels for sender and receiver (which is me in both cases) on the outside of the bag.
I could have postmarked it, but personalized stamps in USA don't necessarily require postmarking - their encrypted value (little B&W squares) is supposed to be voided by the scanner of the Post.

So I mailed it like this:

It arrived to me by mail, without any postmark and any damage.
The value of the stamp is presumably voided, as it should.

The point is that whenever you suspect that your MC sent as a naked postcard will get damaged or over-canceled, you can enclose it in a protective transparent bag, or a glassine envelope, etc.
You just tell your postal clerk that you have a "philatelic item, sent under protective cover/bag."
In USA, currently it's 98c to mail either a postcard or a First-Class (1 to 3.5oz) letter internationally, except Canada and Mexico.

The advantage of using a transparent bag instead of a normal opaque envelope is that:
you could use the maximaphily stamp as part of the postage, totaling from both sides,
IF that stamp is still valid for postage
and IF you get all the stamps postmarked with that date when you send it.

In your case, gracefool, I already had the MC stamp cancelled in December, so I had to put now 98c on the address side."

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Please visit http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/newhome/

Wordless is good, but if you simply look at the above images, you may miss some of the important aspects about them.

Some images are best left wordless, but some could use some meaningful words. :)

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Please visit and join ABC Wednesday meme!

http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Today,  J is for JOEY = baby kangaroo.

Also:

"JUNK MAIL? No, protect your mail! Don't let the Automated Postal System or the postal associates ruin your mail!" :)