Welcome to the first 2020 edition of Åland Post Stamps with stamp news, tips and useful information. This year, you can read a series of articles about the history of Åland postal conveyance, a particularly fitting theme as this year’s Europa stamp theme focuses on ancient postal routes.
TRAFFIC OVER ÅLAND has always been busy because of its strategic position. As Sweden emerged into a major power in the 1600s, regular mail services between the western and eastern parts of the realm became necessary. Published in 1636, Swedish Queen Kristina’s first postal ordinance stipulated that landowning resident farmers, not the state, were obliged to carry the mail with the assistance of farm hands.
THE FINNISH POSTAL network was established by Bernhard Steen von Steenhausen. On 3 June 1638, the first mail run departed from Stockholm via Grisslehamn across the Sea of Åland to Eckerö from where it was carried through the Åland villages of Emkarby, Finby and Vargata in Vårdö. The journey continued over the archipelago islands of Kumlinge and Brändö before reaching the Finnish mainland on Taivassalo or Kustavi to finally arrive in Turku.
DEPARTING FROM Stockholm every Tuesday, the conveyance took from 4 to 7 days, but it could take up to a month in headwinds and bad weather. The crossing between Grisslehamn and Eckerö was to be known as the most dangerous postal route in the world; more than 200 farmer postmen lost their lives, particularly during times of treacherous ice and snow conditions.
POSTAL DEVELOPMENT was slow until the mid 1800s. Considered a mere transport route, Åland had post offices in only Eckerö and Kastelholm. In the 1700s, the amount of mail increased and the mail bag grew heavier. In 1806, we first hear of a cart being used for transportation. Horse and wagon/sleigh was used on main Åland until the 1930s. Despite improvements fol lowing the establishment of the postal route, the road network was in poor shape and boats were the best means of transportation between the islands.
Passport issued for the anniversary of postal conveyance across Åland 11-13.6.1988.
THE CONVEYANCE OF MAIL affected the lives of all Ålanders. The postal farmers handled the chore but were often assisted by entire villages and parishes. Not only was the crossing over the Sea of Åland hasardous; during times of treacherous ice, ‘Delet’, the bay between Vårdö and Kum linge, could be even worse, making detours via Sottunga necessary. In contrast to other postal farmers, the ones in Kumlinge had to convey the mail in both directions.
IN THE 1800S, POSTAL vessels were put in service but, rendered inopera tive during winters, the farmers’ transports remained crucial. That Åland became part of the Russian Empire after 1809 hardly affected the postal conveyance over Åland. It more or less continued according to old patterns, even if Finland now had an inde pendent postal administration. In times of open waters, the farmers were obliged to con vey the post via the Åland route twice a week and once a week in times of ice obstacles.
FOLLOWING THE CRIMEAN war in 1856, steamboat traffic became more regular. The founding of Mariehamn in 1861 affected the postal traffic and a steamboat line was introduced between Turku Mariehamn Stockholm. In 1875, the headquarters of the Post relocated to Marie hamn. Winter steamboats first appeared in the 1870s with the “Postiljonen” operating between Grisslehamn and Eckerö. All year round service between Åbo Mariehamn Stockholm began in the winter of 1894–95. The peasants’ rota system for postal trans ports was phased out entirely in the early 1900s. The last postal boat departed from Vårdö to Kumlinge on 31.1.1910. Read more about mail conveyance in Åland during the 1900s in the next edition.
Sources: Posten på Åland 350 år, Jari Karhu/Torsten Wikstrand, 1988 The Mail Road across land and sea, Postal Museum Publication no. 52, Stockholm 2004
FDC EUROPA 2020, ANCIENT POSTAL ROUTES PRICE: € 2.80 CODE: 416 000402
Sven-Michael Sjöberg, facilities manager Postal Boat Races: 3
The start of the 2014 race was cancelled due to gale on Saturday. Instead, the boats set off the following day in lovely weather with a slight breeze, making my first Postal Boat Race a delightful experience that gave me a taste for it. The following year, an unfavorable northeast headwind, head sea and an unrelenting drift made it difficult to stay on the right course. We did ‘sail’, but we rowed continuously to fight the drift and the foul winds. We finished the race, but a record 12 boats had to drop out in order not to end up in Mariehamn instead of Eckerö.
From left: Rosa Mirén, Marianne Karlsson, Maria Fjäder and Marina Eriksson. 2009 Postal Boat Race commemorative card.
Rosa Mirén, mail carrier Postal Boat Races: 29
One of my most pleasant memories dates back to 1988, when we succeeded to be the fastest female boat across the sea as well as winning the internal competition of the postal administrations. Unlike most of the other rustic boats taking part in the competition, our boat Kristina is rather large and heavy, so, we row a lot, even when the weather is favourable. I’ve always been fond of old boats and the smell of tar. The friendly atmosphere and fellowship among the rowers are other reasons for my continued participation.
Order the lovely commemorative Postal Boat Race card with the 2020 special and ‘over the sea’ cancels on page 10. The 2020 competition takes place on 13 June from Eckerö, Åland, to Grisslehamn, Sweden. Last day of ordering and handing in mail items is 5 June.
Åland Post’s 2014 team with skipper Johan Sundblom, Monica Råstedt, Kenneth Sundholm and Sven-Michael Sjöberg. Photo Sven-Michael Sjöberg.The joy of dancing is in focus on Åland Post’s stamp issued on 8 May. A “dancing youth centre” is what Åland Erica Dunder calls her dance school DunderDans, allowing children and youth with a burning passion for dancing to get together.
BE IT A Christmas street opening, a half time intermission at a soccer game or a gala evening at the Alandica cultural centre, the Dunder Dancers’ performances are always highly appreciated and well visited. Behind the organization we find 32 year old Erica Dunder from Mariehamn. Having danced since childhood, she started and instructed her first dance group already as a teenager. More groups followed and, in 2001, she founded the DunderDans dance school that now has more than 300 students between the ages of 7 and 30+.
ERICA’S WATCHWORDS for the dance studio is joy and fellowship, and she wishes to offer girls and boys a chance to experience dance in an enjoyable and relaxed environment. The dance styles vary
from show jazz, disco and cheer, a style inspired by cheerleading, to hip hop, funk and ballet. In addition to dance classes, Erica also instructs show groups that focus particularly on shows and performances. Recently, the DunderDancers also started competing in disco dance/hip hop, and they have already brought home several trophies.
ERICA IS A TRAINED healthcare assistant. With the support of her mother Ann Louise Ahlman, Erica leads and organizes the dance school. She also acts as choreographer of many local theatre productions. The stamp image was shot at the great spring show, the effort objective for all dance rehearsals during the year. This is when all dance classes and show groups parade their newly acquired skills.
FDC MY STAMPS, DUNDERDANS PRICE: € 2.60 CODE: 416 000401
Share your proud moments and special occasions such as Christenings, weddings, birthdays and anniversaries with your friends and family through personalized stamps. The recipients will feel privileged to receive your card or letter.
1. Choose a photo for your stamp. The photo should be a sharp close up in digital format, i.e. a photo taken with a digital camera. Save your photo on your computer (in jpg format).
2. Go to the Post’s web shop. Find My Stamps under the heading Other products/Create your own stamps: https://webshop.alandpost.com/ en/other_products/create_your_own_ stamps
3. Choose one of the frames available. Choose the number of sets you wish to order and click on ‘Add to basket’. A set consists of 2 mini sheets of 8 stamps, i.e. 16 stamps in total.
4. When you are done shopping, click on ‘Basket’.
5. Upload your photo by clicking on the ’Choose image’ box. Your photo must be in jpg format, minimum pixels 640 x 480 and maximum size of file 1.5 MB. Approve the terms.
6. Log into your customer account or register as a new web shop customer. Go to the ’Basket’ again and choose type of delivery and method of payment. Send your order.
7. Your photo is now sent to the Post for pro cessing. Within a few days, you will receive a preview by e mail from us before we print and post your stamps.
311-202001/ 352-202001
ISSUED e
Franking labels, Wildflowers, series of 4/ Postcard (1 motif, brown knapweed) 3.2. 2020 6.80
301-000398 Sailing ships, Mozart 3.2. 2020 1.30
301-000399 Sailing ships, Viking 3.2. 2020 1.80
301-000400 Sepac - Artwork in national collection 5.3. 2020 1.40
301-000401 My Stamps - DunderDans, mini-sheet (8 x Europa) 8.5. 2020 14.40
301-000402 Europa - Ancient postal routes (Världen) 8.5. 2020 2.00
301-000403 Medical and industrial tubing (Inrikes) 5.6. 2020 1.70
301-000404 Nordic - Mammals (bat) 5.6. 2020 1.00
TOTAL
416-000401 FDC My Stamps - DunderDans 8.5. 2020 2.60
416-000402 FDC Europa - Ancient postal routes 8.5. 2020 2.80 416-000403 FDC Medical and industrial tubing 5.6. 2020 2.50 416-000404 FDC Nordic - Mammals (bat) 5.6. 2020 1.80
445-202009
Maximum card no. 125, Sailing ship Mozart 3.2. 2020 2.80
445-202010 card no. 126, Sailing ship Viking 3.2. 2020 2.80
445-202014 card no. 127, Bat 5.6. 2020 2.80
315-202003 Postal stationery, Pets, set of 4 cards 5.3. 2020 11.20 850-008502
Postal Race, commemorative card (last day of ordering 5 June) 13.6. 2020 4.00 908-201928
Stamp book ”A story through Åland stamps 20182019” 2019 95.00
SYMBOLS
Stamps Mint Cancelled Gutter pairs Postcard
CODE STAMPS
ISSUED e AMOUNT
610-112384 Posti art award 2019, 2 motifs 11.9.2019 3.20
610-112386 Forest hike, 2 motifs 11.9.2019 3.20
610-112389 Kalle Päätalo 100 years 11.9.2019 1.60 610-112390 Calla 11.9.2019 1.60
610-112535 Christmas concert 6.11.2019 1.60
610-112536 Christmas concert, booklet 6.11.2019 8.00
610-112537 Winter wonders 6.11.2019 1.10 610-112538 Snowflakes 6.11.2019 1.70 610-112630 Colours of Friendship, booklet 22.1.2020 9.60 610-112632
Mannerheim League for Child Welfare 100 years, 2 motifs 22.1.2020 3.20 610-112631 #OURSEA, booklet 22.1.2020 9.60
Chirp Chirp, 2 motifs 12.3.2020 3.20
Two Hearts 12.3.2020 1.60
Birds from a Spring Poem, miniature sheet 12.3.2020 6.40
Enchanted Forest, 2 motifs 6.5.2020 3.20
Blue Reflection 6.5.2020 1.60
Europa - Ancient postal routes 6.5.2020 1.70
CODE PRODUCTS
ISSUED e NUMBER AMOUNT
627-112531 Year pack 2019 109,00 TOTAL
On 5 June, we penetrate the wondrous world of tubing with a stamp issue highlighting Optinova, world leader in the manufacture of polymer-based tubing for medical and industrial applications and one of the largest companies in Åland.
THE OPTINOVA GROUP supplies advanced precision manufacturing of special tubing through extrusion solutions. The high tech components are manufactured with high requirements for quality and hygiene to withstand both strong pressure and high temperatures. They are used in thousands of products, not only pacemakers, cannulas, insulin pumps and dialysis catheters, but also in coffee machines, fire extinguishing systems, heat exchangers, brake cables and broadband.
IT ALL STARTED IN 1971, when Swedish company Habia Ab established a factory in Åland to produce tubing and cables naming it Godby Plast. Since 1992, Optinova is owned by Åland investment company Eriksson Capital, and the slogan “feelgoodfactory” is the guiding star of the company. Optinova operates almost
exclusively on the international market, a fact that is reflected in the more than 400 employees of 25 different nationalities. Headquarters are located in Mariehamn and more than half of the employees work with manufacture and development in factories located in Godby and Jomala. Exporting to customers worldwide, Optinova also has a production site in Bangkok, Thailand, and sales offices in India, China and the USA.
TO START WITH , focus was on components for medical applications but, after acquiring ScanTube in 2015, an Åland company producing industrial tubing, the turnover has substantially increased the last few years. In 2019, Optinova sold its manufacturing sites in the USA to invest in an expansion of the Åland factories.
With issues on the joint theme mammals, the Nordic stamp series by the Nordic posts comes to an end. The mysterious bat adorning the Åland issue glows in the dark. The date of issue is 5 June.
MANY MYTHS prevail about bats, probably because they are nocturnal and difficult to study. In medieval Europe, bats were associated with evil, death and witch craft, whereas, in China and Japan, they are still believed to bring luck.
mammals are their wings formed of skin attached to the tip of each digit, the side of the abdomen and the tail. The hindlimbs are free and used to hang from when roosting. Suitable roosts are hollow trees, caves and old buildings. Some species hibernate while others migrate to the south. They feed on insects and can eat more than a thousand insects and mosquitoes in a night. To navi gate, bats use echolocation in a frequency beyond the range of the human ear. Echo location is less effective in open spaces, so, bats prefer niches with denser vegetation, well protected and sheltered from wind.
OF 13 BAT SPECIES found in Finland, ten have been observed in Åland. The most common bat is the Northern bat (Eptesicus nilssonii) that can be seen in all of main Åland. It favours semi open environ ments and does not seem nearly as picky with its hunting grounds as other species. Relatively common is also the Daubenton’s bat (Myotis daubentonii). It hunts for insects over open water close to the beach, protected by the shade. The latest inventory shows that the Nathusius’s pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii) has established itself in Åland. The areas surrounding the Kastelholm castle and the church of Sund are important habitats for bats, the loft in the northern wing of the castle being particularly popular. Commonly appearing also in Mariehamn and Finström, bat populations have yet to be explored in large areas of Åland. Only a few wintering grounds are known.
Source: Nåtö Biological Station Research
BO SÖDERLUND (born in 1987) made his artistic debut in connection with an exhibition in Åland in 2006 and has, since then, participated in several exhibitions in Åland and Sweden. With an artistic education from Swedish Gerlesborg School of Fine Art and a bachelor’s degree in Swedish up his sleeve, he produces everything from cartoons and posters to stage designs and poetry. However, he still does not favour any type of motif or technique:
“I would like to have a clear opinion on one or several types of motifs it would pro vide focus but nothing, so far, has really clicked. Also, I’m still too aesthetically be wildered to attempt mastering any specific technique wholeheartedly.”
HIS ARTISTIC styles of expression and choices of media have varied but, put to the choice, painting and writing are his pre ferred styles. During the most recent year, however, he has worked a great deal with animation, a style that suits him perfectly:
“It’s a fruitful venue for all that I enjoy doing, i.e. text, music and illustration. In each their own way, I find all of the above very rewarding but, must I choose one favourite, I land somewhere between painting and writing, because this is where I still find much left for me to learn.”
BO’S SKETCHES give a unique and interesting insight into his creative process. The local dimension was important to him when working with the stamp motif:
With this year’s original Nordic issue featuring bats, we introduce you to a new young Åland artist, Bo Söderlund from Mariehamn.
“I pondered on various characteristic elements in the surroundings that would support a batch of nocturnal bats and decided on the library. It’s one of the most interesting buildings in town, one that stands out in the darkness with its lit up clock. I never falter to promote the library as a general institution if the occasion arises.”
BO CREATED the design of the stamp digitally on an old drawing tablet using the basic collection of watercolour Photoshop: “Lately, I’ve also played a great deal with hatching, which you may notice in the textures of the image.”
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Deposits can be made using one of the following methods:
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At the centre of the invoice, the text “Balance, amount to pay as per [date]”, equals the amount payable for the delivery enclosed with the invoice, i.e. the amount applying prior to the invoice date. The “Bal ance (EUR)” amount shown in the upper right corner of the invoice shows the total balance of your customer account. The two amounts differ if you had a negative or posi tive balance prior to the invoice date. The two amounts are identical if your account was balanced prior to the invoice date.
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All prices listed are exclusive of VAT. Reminders are posted regularly. A € 5.00 delay charge is imposed on reminders.
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Club Åland is organized in three levels. BRONZE LEVEL: Purchases in 2020 up to € 55*. SILVER LEVEL: Purchases in 2020 for € 55 €120*. GOLD LEVEL: Purchases in 2020 for more than € 120*. *Excl. of handling fees
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HANDLING FEES WEB
SUBSCRIPTION €1.00 €1.50
CASUAL ORDERS ABOVE €20 €2.00 €2.00 €2.00 €2.00
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Handling fees as of 1 January 2020. Your order may be subject to taxes. We do not charge postage.
(NOTE! PRELIMINARY TIME OF DELIVERY)
June May DunderDans (mini-sheet), Europa - Postal routes (1), Medical & industrial tubing (1), Nordic - Mammals (1), 1 maximum card
The times of delivery are also listed at www.alandstamps.com.
A list of all exhibitions in which Åland Post takes part is available at www.alandstamps.com. We reserve the right to changes. Designed by artist Catharina Nygård, the 2020 exhibition products focus on Olympic sports.
TURUN KEVÄT
INT. BRIEFMARKENMESSE Turku, Finland 4–5 April Essen, Germany 14–16 May
Visit www.alandstamps.com to check the most recent list of cancellations. Illustrations are added subse quently. To obtain special cancellations on your own pre franked and self addressed mail items, please send them to us in good time prior to the actual cancellation date.
Last year, no Åland Post euro coin set was issued, since no new Finnish coins were minted in 2019. The next coin set will be produced by Åland Post when new Finnish euro coins are minted.
ÅLAND POST Ltd
STAMPS PO Box 1100
AX 22111 MARIEHAMN ÅLAND, Finland
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VISITING ADDRESS
Flygfältsvägen 10, Sviby, Jomala
EDITORS Heidemarie Eriksson Gunilla Häggblom Outi Bergman TEXT Gunilla Häggblom
TRANSLATION
Kristine Lybeck Sund
LAYOUT Outi Bergman PRODUCTION
April Kommunikation Grano
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