Red-crowned Cranes in Flight

[darkormex]

From the 1950s to the late 1980s, Japan issued and re-issued a series of small format definitives depicting culturally significant objects, animals, structures and people.  These stamps are very common in mixtures.  Two of the most common are the Japanese Crane stamps issued in 1963 and 1968 depicting three Red-crowned Cranes in flight on a pink and later vermillion background.

The 1963 version is unwatermarked and perforated 13.  The 1968 version is also unwatermarked, perforated 13 and both stamps were printed by the photogravure process.

Scott 753

Scott 888A

Culturally, the Red-crowned Crane is significant, especially to those of Taoist belief as a symbol of longevity and immortality.  In Japan, this crane is known as the tancho and is said to live for 1,000 years.

You can see the Red-crowned Crane depicted on many other stamps of Korea, Japan and China as it is historically important to all three of these cultures.  It is also, however, an endangered species with only about 1,000 birds in the resident Japanese popoulation, 1,000 that winter in China and the remainder in Korea.

Much of the above information came from the Wikipedia entry for the Red-crowned Crane.  Scott 888A came from a recent envelope of stamps from Bear.

I will continue to post other stamps depicting the Red-crowned Crane as time permits.

[darkormex]

In the 90s, South Korea issued several sets of 4 stamps each in what it called the "Beauty Series". Again, all depicting culturally significant objects, architecture and crafts. One of the most beautiful is this strip of 4 showing Korean tapestries.

The stamps were issued on October 11, 1993. They were printed photogravure and perforated 13 x 13 1/2 in both sheet and booklet format.



The two crane stamps are the middle two of the strip and may or may not depict Red-crowned Cranes.


Scott Nos. 1666 and 1667

While living in Korea during this time I was able to pick up full sheets of these stamps as they were issued. I still have many partial sheets in a sheet storage book.

[darkormex]

The Republic of China (Taiwan) has issued many beautiful, large format commemorative stamps depicting traditional Chinese artwork. The set below is great example.

This is from another of my homemade albums which I will probably end up printing pages for at some point.

Issued on October 9, 1969 this set of 4 was printed photogravure and perforated 13 1/2. The Scott nos. for the whole set are 1624 to 1627.



The high value of the set depicts a pair of Red-crowned Cranes, chicks and Flowers.


Scott No. 1627

[Gordon Lee]

Greetings Mr. darkormex
.
They certainly are beautiful birds. It's a shame human development, especially agricultural expansion, reed harvesting, river channelization, deforestation, and road building, is destroying many of the historic breeding wetlands. Additional threats include fires that destroy nests, harassment by people, and poisoning from pesticide-treated grain.
.
I sure would hate it if the only way to see them would be on stamps. Thanx for sharing.
.
Respectfully,

Gordon Lee

[Fire]

Thanks for the information, this is one of my favorite topics on stamps as I am working on a Cranes exhibition for the South African National Exhibition for 2014. These birds are remarkable and the Blue Crane is also the National Bird of South Africa.I also agree with Mr Gordon Lee.

[Craig]

The tsuru, as the crane is known in Japan, is a national treasure. It represents fidelity as the pairs mate for life. Because it is fabled to live for a thousand years, it also has become a symbol for good fortune and longevity. It's a popular figure in origami (paper-folding) as well, and after World War II became a symbol for hope and peace.

At weddings, the bride and her party fold 1,000 golden cranes to ensure good luck and happiness during the marriage.

This stamp commemorates the 24th International Letter Writing Week, Oct. 6-12, 1980, in Japan. Issued on Oct. 6, 1980, it pictures "Cranes," a work by Motooki Wataname.