World’s first postage stamp on display in Rasht
Tehran Times Art Desk

TEHRAN -- The world’s first adhesive postage stamp has been put on show in an exhibition at the Mojdeii Orphanage in Iran’s northern city of Rasht.

The stamp, which is on a British sealed envelope, belongs to an Iranian stamp collector Mehran Eshraqi, who bought it about ten years ago in an auction in a foreign country.

The Penny Black, the world’s first official adhesive postage stamp, was issued by the United Kingdom of Great Britain on May 1, 1840. It features a picture of Queen Victoria (1819-1901).

The exhibit is also displaying several other significant items including the first Iranian postage stamp which was issued during the reign of Nasser ad-Din Shah (1831-1896), some merchants’ manuscripts belonging to the Qajar and Pahlavi era (1781-1979) and stamps depicting the Jangal (Forest) Movement, a movement founded by Mirza Kuchak Khan, an early twentieth century revolutionary.

Eshraqi plans to sell a part of his collection, including foreign and Iranian stamps, to raise funds for orphan children in Rasht.

A stamp, like a book, features a part of the history of the country to which it belongs and stamp collecting is an entertaining hobby for people of all ages, Eshraqi remarked. He has collected stamps for more than 27 years and has held 15 exhibits in Iran.

The event is being sponsored by the Gilan Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department

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