Tips on Stamp Collecting

Entertainers of the past

New booklet of Finland Post

On 6 September 1999 Finland Post has issued a new booklet. It is dedicated to pioneer entertainers and contains six 3.50 FIM stamps in two different formats.

Entertainers

The first of the two bigger stamps feature the vocal group the Harmony Sisters (Vera 1914-1997, Maire, 1916-1995 and Raija, 1918-1997 Valtonen), who sang together from 1934 until 1956). One of their hits was "Sulle salaisuuden kertoo mä voisin", printed in gold on the stamp. On the other bigger stamp is featured the jazz-pianist and composer Topi Kärki (1915-1992) with two of his compositions and the lyricist Reino Helismaa (1913-1965). They have for a long time worked together.

Printed in gold

The four smaller stamps picture the uncrowned tango-king Olavi Virta (1915-1972), the singer Georg Malmsten (1902-1981), the troubadour Tapio Rautavara (1915-1979) and the accordionist, later cinema-actor Esa Pakarinen (1911-1989). Also on these stamps their great successes have been printed in gold.

Cover

The front and backside picture a detail photograph of an accordion, the title SUOMI VIIHDE and some details about the booklet. On the inside we can see beneath the stamps a photograph of a dance-evening.

Stamp and booklet details

Face value: 6 x 3.50 + 0.50 FIM; booklet price FIM 21.00
Graphic design: Janne Tuominen and Tapio Vapaasalo after photographs of Martti Jämsmä, Lehtikuva and Helsingin Sanomat, the Harmony Sisters archive and the Toivo Kärki archives.
Perforation: 13 1/4 x 13 1/4
Size: stamps: 2 x 50 x 34.5 mm; 4 x 30 x 34.5 mm.
Sheet size: 145 x 69 mm. Booklet size: 75 x 69 mm, folded.
Printing method: stamps offset 6/0, cover offset 6/5 by Setec Oy, Finland.