A discussion of themes found in Singapore postage stamps.

2014-10-03

Myths & Legends 2014 The Attack of the Swordfish or How Bukit Merah came to be

Once upon a time, the local fisher folk were beset by a school of fierce swordfish and people were killed. The villagers seek the help of their ruler, who was helpless, until a bright boy suggested using the trunks of banana trees to build a barricade upon which the swordfish launched themselves and were trapped. The villagers feted the boy, and the ruler became fearful of such unusual intelligence. The ruler ordered the boy to be executed. The boy was killed atop a hill, he bled profusely and his blood stained the hill. Today this place is called Bukit Merah, or Redhill, and this is a real neighbourhood in Singapore.

The theme of underwater fauna and fish are found in the 1st & 2nd local stamps. The 50-cent stamp is festooned with banana plant and its fruit, with a little golden oriole (bird) near the top edge; if envy is a theme then this stamp fits nicely. The $2 stamp shows a verdure hill (flora) with a house built on stilts (architecture) that seems to be on fire, with a murderer in the foreground!

Myths & Legends 2014 Sang Nila Utama or How Singapore got her name

Prince Sang Nila Utama was hunting on the east coast of Sumatra when he sighted the white sands of the distant island of Tumasek. He decided to cross the sea to explore the island. Midway to the island he met with a heavy storm and his boat was in danger of capsizing, to save his boat he ordered his men to throw everything overboard; finally he had to even throw his heavy crown into the sea, whereby the storm immediately subsided. Upon reaching the shore of Tumasek, he sighted a regal animal he had never seen before; his advisor told him the animal could be a singa (lion in Sanskrit). The prince was sufficiently impressed by his sighting and decided to settle on the island, renaming it Singapura or Lion City.

This set of stamps covers several themes: The theme for the 1st local stamp is clearly sea transportation, the sailboat can still be seen in the design for the 2nd local stamp, and there is a little red crab at the bottom right of it. The lion in the 50-cent stamp will appeal to collectors of big cat and wild animal stamps, while the $2 stamp covers fruity, floral and cartographic themes.

2014-08-03

Scott numbers update for Singapore 2014 (January - March) stamp issues

Year of Horse 3v 1649-1651
Year of Horse - Philakorea MS 1651a
Year of Horse - World Youth Stamp Exhibition (KL) MS 1651b
Year of Horse Collector's Sheet 1652
Year of Horse 1st local self-adhesive 1653
Ferns 4v 1654-1657
Ferns $1 self-adhesive 1658
Ferns booklet of 10 x $1 self-adhesive 1658a
Greetings 1st local Cupcake with candle 1659
Greetings 1st local Heart & "Love" 1660
Greetings 1st local Wedding rings/Male & female symbols 1661
Greetings 50c Champagne glasses 1662
Greetings $1 Pinwheel 1663
Greetings 50c Champagne glasses, self-adhesive serpentine cut 1664
Greetings $1 Pinwheel, self-adhesive serpentine cut 1665
Greetings 1st local Cupcake with candle, self-adhesive from stamp booklet 1666
Greetings 1st local Heart & "Love", self-adhesive from stamp booklet 1667
Greetings 1st local Wedding rings/Male & female symbols, self-adhesive from stamp booklet 1668
Greetings 1st local self-adhesive stamp booklet 1668a
Past Street Scenes, High-value Definitives 6v 1669-1674
Past Street Scenes, High-value Definitives Collector's Sheet 1674a

2014-07-07

Scott numbers update for Singapore 2013 stamp issues (May - November)

Singapore Skyline se-tenant block of 4v 1600
Singapore Skyline - Fullerton Hotel 1600a
Singapore Skyline - Singapore Flyer 1600b
Singapore Skyline - Esplanade & Theatres by the Bay 1600c
Singapore Skyline - Marina Bay Sands 1600d
Singapore Skyline MS ($5) 1601
Greetings (in sign language) se-tenant strip of 5v 1602(a-e)
Greetings (in sign language) serpentine cut (self-adhesive) 1603-1607
Greetings (in sign language) stamp booklet 1607a
City in a Garden 4v 1608-1611
City in a Garden MS 1612
City in a Garden self-adhesive sheetlet 1613
City in a Garden 1st local self-adhesive 1613a
City in a Garden 50c self-adhesive 1613b
National Day 48th Anniversary 5v 1614-1618
National Day 48th Anniversary MS 1619
Singapore 2015 World Stamp Expo 2v+gutter 1620
Singapore 2015 World Stamp Expo MS 1621
Singapore's Globalization Journey 4v 1622-1625
Joint issue with Vietnam (Birds) 2v 1626-1627
Joint issue with Vietnam (Birds) MS 1627a
Vanishing Trades (Low value definitives) 1st & 2nd local 1628-1629
Vanishing Trades (Low value definitives) 5c-80c 8v 1630-1637
Vanishing Trades (Low value definitives) 1st local self-adhesive 1638
Vanishing Trades (Low value definitives) 1st local self-adhesive booklet of 10 1638a
Vanishing Trades (Low value definitives) 50c self-adhesive 1639
Vanishing Trades (Low value definitives) 50c self-adhesive booklet of 10 1639a
Joint issue with France (Fashion) 4v 1640-1643
Joint issue with France (Fashion) MS 1643a
Television Broadcasting in Singapore 50th Anniversary 5v 1644-1648