Compiled by Janet Hamilton
From the OrigamiUSA Newsletter Issue 62, Summer 1998
Some folders specialize in folding miniature models from paper smaller than a postage stamp. Other adventurous folders have even tried to make use of found paper and actually fold stamps. For those philatelists whose fingers are not so nimble, here is a listing of stamps from around the world featuring origami, as reported by members of the origami-l mailing list. (The numbers in each paragraph are the Scotts Stamp Catalog number of the stamps that I was able to verify).
A charity gift stamp was issued in 1956 by UNESCO. It shows the traditional crane and has Japanese text and name UNESCO. It has perforated edges just like a postage stamp but was issued as a receipt for donations to UNESCO. There is a picture of this stamp on the back page of 'The Origamian' dated Autumn 1962.
Spain issued three "express" stamps dated 1965-1966 depicting the classic paper dart (Correspondencia urgente, E23 SD11 3ptas in carmine, E24 SD11 5ptas in orange, E25 SD12 6.50ptas in violet and rose brown).
A stamp from 1974 for the 50th anniversary of the Costa Rican Insurance Institute shows a hand holding a paper pirate hat boat (C604 AP115, 85 centimos, multi-colored).
The most famous stamp series with origami subjects was issued by the British Solomon Islands in November 1974. It was commissioned to the graphic artist Miss Jennifer Toombs of the Crown Agents (London). The subjects were to be related to postal history, to celebrate the centenary of the Universal Postal Union.
272 A40, 4c (green): Postman, adapted from the "fardel bearer" by George Rhoads (S. Randlett, The Best of Origami, p. 75) displayed on a map of the Solomon Islands.
273 A40, 9c (lemon): Carrier Pigeon, by Akira Yoshizawa (R. Harbin, Origami 1, p. 91).
274 A40, 15c (dark pink): St. Gabriel, Patron Saint of Telecommunications and Philately, ("angel" by Neal Elias, in S. Randlett, The Best of Origami, p. 177).
275 A40, 45c (blue): Pegasus, by Isao Honda (The World of Origami, p. 137).
Miss Jennifer Toombs was commissioned by the Christmas Island Stamp Advisory Committee to design the Christmas 1982 stamps, and again she chose origami models, displayed against a background formed by a calligraphic extract from the Bible story relevant to each figure. An attractive presentation card was also designed for this series. Roberto Morassi provided a 3-D Star for its cover issue, displayed with a Bible extract as background (mentioning the Comet).
135 A28, 27c (brown): Joseph, by Robert Neale.
136 A28, 50c (blue): Angel, by Dokuohtei Nakano.
137 A28, 75c (purple): Mary with baby, by Robert Neale.
Brazil issued stamps in 1988 with an origami church and nuns (2153 A1160, 50 cruzieros); a Nativity (2154 A1160, 100cz), and Santa Claus (2155 A1160, 200cz). The lettering at the bottom reads: Natal Arte Origami Marcia Bloch.
Japan has several issues of origami stamps:
July 7, 1962 Tanabata festival (from Chinese mythology when the lovers represented by the stars Altair and Vega can cross the heavenly river [the Milky Way] to be with each other for one day a year) shows origami hanging from a tree (762 A475, 10 yen).
July 23,1980 Fumi no hi (day of letters, the 23rd of each month, a joke on "fumi" meaning letter and "fu" and "mi" meaning 2 and 3, respectively) shows a pentagonal knot used as a way of sealing a letter after it had been folded into a strip (1410 A997, 20y; and 1411 A997, 50y).
August 17, 1990 - 21st International Congress of Mathematicians depicts a 12 unit modular using Sonobe's "color box" unit (2060 A1576, 62 yen).
1994 - Orizuru (crane) silhouette (40, 41, 60, 62, 80 yen).
1996 - Umi no hi (Day of the Sea) pictures a windmill base boat (50 yen).
An origami bird form in a stamp from Ecuador issued in 1996 (1500 sucres).
The September 30, 1996 issue of the Stamp Collector newspaper has an article titled "Japanese Origami Makes Unique First-Day Covers". It describes the work of Michigan artist Hideaki Nakano, who creates first day covers in origami. The items pictured are:
A sailboat, with a stamp showing a skipjack sailboat, commemorating the Constitution Bicentennial in 1988.
A whale, with a stamp showing a whaling ship, the Charles W. Morgan, also for the Constitution Bicentennial.
Philadelphia's Independence Hall, with a stamp showing same, also for the Constitution Bicentennial. [2337]
A koala head, for an Australia Bicentennial stamp.
A frigate, made of three envelopes with 8.4 cents stamps printed on, each showing the US frigate Constitution. The envelopes are arranged so one cancellation covers all three stamps!
Nakano won an American First Day Cover Society best esoteric cover award for a first-day cover of a 32 cents Liberty bell stamped envelope.
Also reported were some Origami like stamps which appear to be from Thailand.