By Fazeena Saleem
DOHA: Showcasing some rare collections, a philatelic exhibition was inaugurated yesterday on the sidelines of the 25th Universal Postal Congress now held at the Qatar National Convention Centre.
The exhibition inaugurated by Abdul Rahman bin Ali Al Aqaily, Chairman of Q-Post and president of the working team for the 25th Universal Postal Congress, includes three categories. It has 39 collections of prominent philatelists on the theme of transport and the past. It showcases the postal history of the Arab World between 1494 and 1972.
The region’s postal history reflects its political changes and diverse communications including the use of postmarks and stamps from many other countries at different times. The selection shown at the exhibition illustrates the rich variety and includes many unique items.
“In Qatar the postal service began operating in 1950. The first date stamp used for registered mail by the Doha post office dates May 17, 1953. The first set of postage stamps issued by the Qatari postal administration and bearing the name of Qatar was issued in 1961,” said Al Aqaily.
“Today Q-Post issues a varied collection of postage stamps which showcase the national heritage and key national and international events,” he said.
The exhibition showcases a 1904 cover from Istanbul to an Ottoman military surgeon in Qatar, via Basra with black manuscript by sea to Bahrain with read notation ‘No postal communics for Qatar.’ Redirected via Bushire to the Bombay Dead Letter Office with boxed ‘Not claimed’ and finally returned to Turkey. By far the earliest recorded mail to Qatar.
It also has a 1958 cover, a unique three country franking with Qatar, Bahrain on under paid cover to Canada with rare ‘Tax Persian Gulf’ and Canada ‘Postage Due/5 cents stamp affixed but un-cancelled.
The philatelic exhibition also has a collection devoted to the designs submitted for the next generation of international reply coupons and a special showcase of 400 model postal vehicles, most of them directly linked to mail transport, a collection by Daniel Le Goff. The Peninsula
