United Nations issues international-rate stamps

The United Nations Postal Administration issued 11 $1.15 stamps Jan. 28 for use from the post office at U.N. headquarters in New York City.

The stamps pay the new United States international mail rate that went into effect Jan. 26.

One stamp shows the U.N. emblem, and the other 10 picture scenes from U.N. headquarters. The stamps are in two panes of 10 with se-tenant labels. One pane contains the U.N. emblem stamp, and the other the 10 headquarters scenes.

The U.N. Emblem stamp pane is the fifth in the UNPA’s China Lunar Calendar series, and the other pane is the third in the Greetings from New York series.

The U.N. Emblem stamp is similar to the $1.10 stamp issued Jan. 28, 2013 (Scott 1054). On the new $1.15 stamp, the design depicts the emblem in blue, with “United Nations” beneath it, the denomination printed at upper left, and the 2014 year date at upper right.

The emblem features a world map and olive branches, representing peace.

The labels show the same design of a horse, in celebration of 2014 as the Year of the Horse.

This horse image also is pictured in the selvage to the left of the pane of stamps and labels.

According to information from the UNPA, the image was inspired by the Tang dynasty (A.D. 618-907).

Sergio Baradat of the United Nations designed this pane.

The Greetings from New York pane of 10 stamps and 10 labels features renovation scenes from U.N. headquarters.

The headquarters was constructed from 1949 to 1951. The renovation began in 2007 and is scheduled to be completed in 2015.

According to the United Nations’ capital master plan for the project, it will “bring the UN compound into the twenty-first century, and will result in safer, more modern, and more energy-efficient Headquarters complex for delegates, staff and visitors.”

Each label on the stamp pane shows a different photograph taken during the renovation process.

The selvage area of the pane reproduces a photograph of the Trusteeship Council Chamber, which reopened April 26, 2013, after renovation.

The original council chamber was a gift from Denmark to the United Nations, designed by Danish architect, Finn Juhl, and outfitted with Danish furniture.

Danish designers also worked on the renovation.

The UNPA said: “The chamber has been restored and updated with new Danish furniture, designed by the Danish design duo Kasper Salto and Thomas Sigsgaard.”

Finished renovation projects are pictured on three of the stamps: the Economic and Social Council Chamber (second stamp down in the left column), the Security Council (fourth stamp down on the left), and the delegates’ lounge (first stamp on the right).

Another three stamps feature works of art that were donated to the United Nations: Norman Rockwell’s mosaic The Golden Rule (first stamp on the left), Jose Vela-Zanetti’s mural Mankind’s Struggle for Lasting Peace (bottom stamp on the left), and Fritz Glarner’s mural Relational Painting No. 90 (bottom stamp on the right).

The blue helmet of the U.N. Peacekeeping Forces is pictured on the middle stamp on the left.

The three middle stamps in the right column show the Dag Hammarskjold Library, an exterior view of U.N. headquarters, and flags of member states flying on the opening day of the General Assembly.

All of the photographs are courtesy of the U.N. photo library. The photographs shown on the stamps are credited to Milton Grant, Mark Garten, J.C. McIlwaine and Lois Conner.

The labels in both the China Lunar Calendar and Greetings from New York panes can be personalized by visitors to the U.N. headquarters. They cannot be personalized through the mail-order process.

As part of the renovation process at U.N. headquarters, the UNPA stamp shop and personalized stamp shop have been relocated to the temporary visitor’s center in the Dag Hammarskjold Library, 1st Avenue and 42nd Street (visitors’ entrance at 47th Street) in New York City.

The UNPA reports in its Fascination bulletin for stamp collectors that due to security limitations, visitors are not allowed in the center without prior notice of arrival.

To schedule a visit to the U.N. stamp shop, telephone 212-963-7698 or 800-234-8672 for instructions. Picture identification is required for entry.

For ordering information, visit the website http://unstamps.un.org, or write to UNPA, Box 5900, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163-5900; e-mail unpanyinquiries@un.org; telephone 800-234-8672; fax 212-963-9854.