Tips on Stamp Collecting

Norway

New postage stamps

On 19 November 1999 Norway Post issued two new issues: Christmas and National Theatre Centenary. On the last day of this millennium Norway Post will issue two special stamps.
The two Christmas stamps, designed by Ellen Auensen, depict motives from the Norwegian author, songwriter and singer Alf Proysen's "Julekveldsvise".

Christmas

There are Proysen (1914-1970) songs for every season. He sings about bluebells in spring, boats on Lake Mjosa and Christmas. His songs are very popular in Norway. Alf Poysen was born in Ringsaker and wrote in his native dialect. His children's books and ballads have won him esteem and popularity both at home and abroad.
One of the stamps shows a family's last minute preparations for Christmas and the other shows this family taking a deserved rest to look at the Christmas star.
Values: 4k (both stamps).
Design: Ellen Auensen.
Print: Offset by Joh. Enschedé, The Netherlands.

National Theatre

For the centenary of the National Theatre two stamps were issued too. The national Theatre was built in the art nouveau style inspired by architect Henrik Bull's designs. Construction was started in 1891. In spite of two fires, the exterior remains virtually unchanged to this day.
The National Theatre has been almost always been short of money and the building period was no exception. Funds were so low at times and activity so slack that it was joked that Bjorn Bjornson had hired three men to walk back and forth on the scaffolding to give the impression that work was progressing.

For the 3.6k an English upper-class comedy written in 1885 by Irish-born Oscar Wilde was selected. It was performed for the first time at the National Theatre in 1906. The 4k stamp pictures Peer Gynt (1867) from a 1955 production. Sverre Morken engraved both stamps.
Values: 3,6k (An Ideal Husband) and 4k Per Gynt.
Design: Sverre Morken.
Print: Recess by Norges Banks Seddeltrykkeri.

Happy new millennium

The pictures of the both stamps were selected on 4 september 1999 during a competition organised by Norway Post and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. A total of 10376 entries were received and from these the jury nominated ten finalists. The choice of the winners was left to the Norwegian people. The winning entries "Winter Night" and "Sunset" were ticked off on 36 and 33 per cent respectively of the 140436 voting slips. Norway Post believes to be the only administration to announce a stamp issue on new year's eve. Both stamps will be issue in a booklet.
Values: 4k (both stamps).
Design: Enzo Finger.
Print: Offset by Joh. Enschedé, The Netherlands.

Moderate policy

In Bulletin 5/99 Morten Berner wrote an article in which Norway Post informs her customers about the plans for the coming years: "We believe that higher standards of quality will be demanded in all fields of stamp collecting. In our own field - he issuing of new stamps - we will take the new demands seriously. We will do our best to consolidate the interest collectors have in Norwegian stamps by pursuing a moderate stamp-issuing policy and offering comprehensive and varied programmes, high artistic standards and continuous product development."