This is a novel use of contemporary embroidery and a novel way to promote an industry. Austria has released an embroidered stamp depicting an Edelweiss flower.
From the website
Embroidery is the stuff of which the most valuable fashion dreams are made. Wars have been fought over embroidery, women kidnapped and men seduced. Embroidery is the only textile technique whose products are the result of an artistic destruction process. Scissors, needles and thread followed the embroideries from China along the Silk Road to Babylon. Monks then brought the secrets of embroidery to the monasteries and the imperial courts of Europe, where its practitioners soon acquired special rights. Empress Maria Theresia also granted these rights to the embroiderers of the Bregenz Woods, whose hand-made embroidery created the basis for this centre of Vorarlberg embroidery in the 18th century. For decades, it has been a key element of the Austrian export trade.
Thanks for the heads up, goes to Tilleke Schwarz on this.
When I saw it I immediately asked if any other countries has released an official stamp made of embroidery. Switzerland issued a stamp which has been embroidered in June 2000 This article gives details on how they were produced.
Sheets of 15 (total value EUR 42,-) single stamps.
(Cf. “Caratteristiche del foglio” on the page that I linked in my previous posting.)
I know Swiss had issued embroidery stamps in a sheetlet of 4. Some others had also done. But has italy issued in blocks or sheets?
There are stamps that are “actually embroidered”!
The first appeared in Switzerland in 2000, since then,
embroidered stamps have been issued by Austria and Italy.
Links to the respective Postal Offices:
The Swiss stamp:
http://www.post.ch/de/uk_erste.htm
The Austrian stamp:
http://app.post.at/shop/detail.php?prod=205180
The Italian stamp:
http://e-filatelia.poste.it/showSchedaProdotto.asp?id_prodotto=4412&id_categoria_prodotto=281&id_catalogo_prodotto=601&lingua=
Linn I have a couple of those sets too! but I had not heard of stamps that were actually embroidered
I have some of the Swiss stamps and there are several issues from countries depicting embroidery, but not actual textiles in and of themselves. I have a set of the Bayeaux Tapestry; Lace; Navajo Blankets; Samplers; Folk Embroidery, etc. They are lovely to frame and display as art.