A designated stamp for the “measuring tape” of the globe
On May 6, Itella Posti Oy will supplement the Finnish stamp collection for 2011 with four new releases, including a total of 15 different stamps. The themes are the world heritage site Struve Geodetic Arc, Finnish forests, everyone's long-time favorite Moomins, and the Happiness Tree, suitable for different greetings in the spring and summer.
The "measuring tape" of the globe will get a designated stamp this year, as Itella Posti Oy will release The Struve Geodetic Arc miniature sheet in May.
The Struve Geodetic Arc was used for determining the size and shape of the globe. The arc, which is approximately 2,820 kilometers long, extends from the Black Sea in Ukraine all the way to the Arctic Ocean in Norway. The arc was named after F.G.W. Struve who managed the measurement in 1816-1855.
The arc measurement stations are located in ten countries: Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway. The 34 most representative measurement points of the Struve Arc were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a joint site of ten countries in 2005.
The miniature sheet designed by Susanna Rumpu and Ari Lakaniemi indicates the six points located in Finland. The two stamps in the release are within each other in the miniature sheet. The outer stamp is round, and the inner has the shape of the map of Finland.
Forests is the theme of the joint Europa stamps of European postal administrations and companies (PostEurop) this year. According to the theme, graphic designer Klaus Welp has designed two stamps for Finland presenting the four seasons. The text in the stamps is placed so that they can be used according to the seasons. The views on the stamps are from Lake Mustalampi in Nuuksio National Park.
The forest stamps have been implemented with new finishing technology where an actual perforation has been made on a stamp of self-adhesive material. In addition, the background paper has a tear-off zone, facilitating the removal of the paper. The new technology enables the combination of a traditional stamp look and the usability of a self-adhesive stamp.
Moomins are an evergreen stamp theme. A total of eight Moomin-themed stamp releases have been published in Finland in 1992-2009. Itella Posti Oy's ninth Moomin stamp release has familiar characters from "The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My" by Tove Jansson. (WSOY 1952).
Satu Lusa created the stamp illustrations of Moomintroll, Mymble, Litte My, Moominmamma, Hemulen and Hattifatteners. Each Moomin stamp is of a different shape. The forms of the stamps resemble the die-cut peepholes in the original book.
Spring and summer are a time for celebrations. The fresh Happiness Tree stamps are an excellent choice for congratulations cards, invitations, and summer greetings. The five-stamp miniature sheet was designed by graphic artist Päivi Unenge, whose previous works include children's book and postcard illustrations.
Itella Posti Oy
Rita Sadinkangas, Business Director, tel. +358 20 451 4671, firstname.lastname@posti.fi
Markku Penttinen, Development Director, tel. +358 20 451 5519, firstname.lastname@posti.fi
Petri Pohjolainen, Product Manager, tel. +358 20 451 5572, firstname.lastname@posti.fi
Tommi Kantola, Product Manager, tel. +358 20 451 5531, firstname.lastname@posti.fi
Itella Communications
Sara Lindström, Communications Manager, tel. +358 50 566 6851, firstname.lastname@itella.com
Image material for the media is available in Itella's Media section at www.itella.fi/media > Image service and logos > Stamps
Itella Posti Oy provides mail services throughout Finland, including the deliveries of letters, publications and direct advertising, in addition to parcel and express transport services, stamps, NetPosti, as well as Posti shops and outlets. The functions of the unit, also previously known as the Philatelic Center, are now part of Itella Posti Oy. Itella Posti Oy, launched in January 2011, is part of the Itella Mail Communication business group with approximately 18,000 employees. In 2010, the net sales of Itella Mail Communication was €1,142 million.
