In 2013 the island of Taiwan (“Republic of China”) issued a popular and special set of stamps. They commemorated a Qing Dynasty-era embroidery. The original piece was displayed in the National Museum of History in Taipei. Various versions of the Taiwan embroidery stamps include five regular-sized stamps. Others, a souvenir sheet with one bigger stamp. A special piece includes a large piece 70 cm (over 2 feet) in length that shows the entire Qing Dynasty embroidery.
The original embroidery, a long curtain used for ceremonial purposes, includes rich colors. Highlighted by a plush red, it depicts birds, flowers, and trees celebrating a spring-like flowering and abundance. It was in fact in connection with these special stamp sets that the National Museum put the original embroidery on display. Much longer than it is tall, the embroidery extends almost five meters.
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Details of the Taiwan embroidery stamps of 2013
The five stamps have a postal value of ten New Taiwan dollars (NT$10) each. The souvenir sheet’s stamp (NT$100) each show a detail from the larger piece. There are birds and trees and flowers in rich colors.
The limited fold-out Taiwan 2013 Qing Dynasty embroidery stamps piece, extending to 70 cm. (From Taiwan’s official Chunghwa Post website.)
Of particular note is the limited booklet which folds out to 70 cm. It features a reproduction of the entire Qing embroidery. This item features the five regular stamps embedded within the embroidery. A textual description of the embroidered curtain and its history is added. The special fold-out stamp item, embossed and featuring gold foil, was limited to 200,000 pieces.
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Upon the announcement and release of these special stamps, the response from collectors was enthusiastic. The Taiwan embroidery stamps issue is an undeniably beautiful piece. With collectible sets of maximum cards and hard-bound books to house the set, the piece itself is art.
Have one? Want one? Need one? Watch online sales listings. And good luck!