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General Philatelic/Identify This? : Another mermaid stamp without context

 

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larsdog
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APS #220693 ATA#57179

19 Feb 2018
08:39:27pm
I have a mermaid stamp that I thought I would be able to find context for, but I come up empty. The stamp honors Czech illustrator Karel Svolinsky and appears to feature mermaids and the devil. I assume there is a story in the Eastern European culture that features a devil and mermaids, but I can't find it. Does anyone know?

The stamps is Czechoslovakia 2252 (Scott)

Image Not Found

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michael78651
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19 Feb 2018
09:46:11pm
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

The stamp comes with a label on the bottom. The set was issued to commemorate several things, including the International Year of the Child and children's book illustrations. Here is a link to Stampworld where you can see the entire set with labels:

https://www.stampworld.com/stamps/Czechoslovakia/Postage-stamps/g2514/

It doesn't help with finding out what the children's story is, but maybe the label can help too.

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sheepshanks
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19 Feb 2018
10:05:33pm
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Found this page that describes the illustration as mermaids and the devil.
https://www.123rf.com/photo_17465809_vintage-czech-postage-stamp-shows-artwork-by-karel-svolinsky-of-mermaids-and-the-devil-circa-1979-.html

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larsdog
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APS #220693 ATA#57179

19 Feb 2018
11:31:55pm
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Michael,

Thanks for that link. I didn't know there was a label attached to the mint stamp.

Sheepshanks,

That (or a similar link) is how I assumed it was mermaids and the devil.

But what is the underlying tale?

Lars

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sheepshanks
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20 Feb 2018
09:39:10am
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Here is an image of the stamp with label.
Image Not Found
Found it here, where it appears for sale.
http://www.priceminister.com/offer/buy/222621320/
Not that any of this helps! There are a lot of images on Pinterest but I do not have an account so cannot view them. I'm reluctant to "join".
I imagine that it is an illustration for a folk tale book but have been unable to ascertain which.

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doomboy
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20 Feb 2018
01:57:44pm
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

It may have something to do with the Czech story of Rusalka, which Dvorak set into an opera. Rusalka was a water sprite who falls in love with a human prince. The story doesn't end well (as Bugs Bunny would say, "Well, what did you expect in an opera - a happy ending?"), and rusalki were looked upon as harbingers of death and evil in Czech folklore - some link with the devil there?

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larsdog
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APS #220693 ATA#57179

20 Feb 2018
09:36:59pm
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

"It may have something to do with the Czech story of Rusalka, which Dvorak set into an opera. Rusalka was a water sprite who falls in love with a human prince. The story doesn't end well (as Bugs Bunny would say, "Well, what did you expect in an opera - a happy ending?"), and rusalki were looked upon as harbingers of death and evil in Czech folklore - some link with the devil there?"



Maybe, but the cast of Rusalka is rather limited and no mention of a devil figure. Rusalka follows the line of The Little Mermaid. (The Hans Christian Andersen version, not the sugar-coated Disney version).

The best match I've found so far is the East Slavic epic Sadko. There is an illustration by Ilya Repin:

Image Not Found

Like the Czech stamp, there is one "devil", one merman, and several mermaids, but that's still a bit thin. I can go with that, but would prefer a more definitive answer. The label on the stamp also seems to contradict Sadko. I have reviewed dozens of Czech and Slavic legends and fairy tales with no better answer. I must say, however, if you've never read Katcha and the Devil, it's worth a read:

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=fillmore&book=czech&story=katcha

Lars

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nigelc
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21 Feb 2018
06:49:35am
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Karel Svolinsky illustrated many books but this one sounds as though it could be the source for this picture:

Ceské legendy (Czech legends) by Jirí Horák published in Prague in 1950

where the C of Ceské and the r of Jirí should have hachek (v-shaped) accents.

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ikeyPikey
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21 Feb 2018
10:14:17am
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

"... (as Bugs Bunny would say, "Well, what did you expect in an opera - a happy ending?") ..."



Bug Bunny it is, but I would have attributed that to Groucho Marx.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey
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larsdog
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APS #220693 ATA#57179

21 Feb 2018
10:54:37pm
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

"Karel Svolinsky illustrated many books but this one sounds as though it could be the source for this picture:

Ceské legendy (Czech legends) by Jirí Horák published in Prague in 1950"



Sounds promising. I wish I could find an index in English, or better yet a synopsis of each story in the collection.
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scb
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Collecting the world 1840 to date - one stamp at a time!

22 Feb 2018
01:22:10am
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

According to Michel catalog the illustration is of Kamil Bednar's fairytale "O Faustovi, Marketce a dablu" (Faust, Margaret and Devil) released in 1943.

Here's a page showing some illustration from the book: https://www.sbazar.cz/K.Jirous0/detail/23289901-o-faustovi-marketce-a-dablovi-bednar-kamil

-k-

PS. Sorry for missing apostrephes in author name & book title. The code behind SOR doesn't seem to like them...

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larsdog
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APS #220693 ATA#57179

23 Feb 2018
12:55:20am
re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Thank you, scb.

I believe you have found the answer. That also answers the question as to whether I needed to get a stamp with the tab attached. Since the tab appears to be Margaret and she wasn't a mermaid, no tab needed!

Thanks!

Lars

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larsdog

APS #220693 ATA#57179
19 Feb 2018
08:39:27pm

I have a mermaid stamp that I thought I would be able to find context for, but I come up empty. The stamp honors Czech illustrator Karel Svolinsky and appears to feature mermaids and the devil. I assume there is a story in the Eastern European culture that features a devil and mermaids, but I can't find it. Does anyone know?

The stamps is Czechoslovakia 2252 (Scott)

Image Not Found

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."

www.larsdog.com/stam ...
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michael78651

19 Feb 2018
09:46:11pm

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

The stamp comes with a label on the bottom. The set was issued to commemorate several things, including the International Year of the Child and children's book illustrations. Here is a link to Stampworld where you can see the entire set with labels:

https://www.stampworld.com/stamps/Czechoslovakia/Postage-stamps/g2514/

It doesn't help with finding out what the children's story is, but maybe the label can help too.

Like
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this post

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
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sheepshanks

19 Feb 2018
10:05:33pm

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Found this page that describes the illustration as mermaids and the devil.
https://www.123rf.com/photo_17465809_vintage-czech-postage-stamp-shows-artwork-by-karel-svolinsky-of-mermaids-and-the-devil-circa-1979-.html

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larsdog

APS #220693 ATA#57179
19 Feb 2018
11:31:55pm

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Michael,

Thanks for that link. I didn't know there was a label attached to the mint stamp.

Sheepshanks,

That (or a similar link) is how I assumed it was mermaids and the devil.

But what is the underlying tale?

Lars

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."

www.larsdog.com/stam ...
Members Picture
sheepshanks

20 Feb 2018
09:39:10am

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Here is an image of the stamp with label.
Image Not Found
Found it here, where it appears for sale.
http://www.priceminister.com/offer/buy/222621320/
Not that any of this helps! There are a lot of images on Pinterest but I do not have an account so cannot view them. I'm reluctant to "join".
I imagine that it is an illustration for a folk tale book but have been unable to ascertain which.

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Members Picture
doomboy

20 Feb 2018
01:57:44pm

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

It may have something to do with the Czech story of Rusalka, which Dvorak set into an opera. Rusalka was a water sprite who falls in love with a human prince. The story doesn't end well (as Bugs Bunny would say, "Well, what did you expect in an opera - a happy ending?"), and rusalki were looked upon as harbingers of death and evil in Czech folklore - some link with the devil there?

Like 
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likes this post.
Login to Like.
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larsdog

APS #220693 ATA#57179
20 Feb 2018
09:36:59pm

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

"It may have something to do with the Czech story of Rusalka, which Dvorak set into an opera. Rusalka was a water sprite who falls in love with a human prince. The story doesn't end well (as Bugs Bunny would say, "Well, what did you expect in an opera - a happy ending?"), and rusalki were looked upon as harbingers of death and evil in Czech folklore - some link with the devil there?"



Maybe, but the cast of Rusalka is rather limited and no mention of a devil figure. Rusalka follows the line of The Little Mermaid. (The Hans Christian Andersen version, not the sugar-coated Disney version).

The best match I've found so far is the East Slavic epic Sadko. There is an illustration by Ilya Repin:

Image Not Found

Like the Czech stamp, there is one "devil", one merman, and several mermaids, but that's still a bit thin. I can go with that, but would prefer a more definitive answer. The label on the stamp also seems to contradict Sadko. I have reviewed dozens of Czech and Slavic legends and fairy tales with no better answer. I must say, however, if you've never read Katcha and the Devil, it's worth a read:

http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=fillmore&book=czech&story=katcha

Lars

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"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."

www.larsdog.com/stam ...
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nigelc

21 Feb 2018
06:49:35am

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Karel Svolinsky illustrated many books but this one sounds as though it could be the source for this picture:

Ceské legendy (Czech legends) by Jirí Horák published in Prague in 1950

where the C of Ceské and the r of Jirí should have hachek (v-shaped) accents.

Like
Login to Like
this post
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ikeyPikey

21 Feb 2018
10:14:17am

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

"... (as Bugs Bunny would say, "Well, what did you expect in an opera - a happy ending?") ..."



Bug Bunny it is, but I would have attributed that to Groucho Marx.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey
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"I collect stamps today precisely the way I collected stamps when I was ten years old."
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larsdog

APS #220693 ATA#57179
21 Feb 2018
10:54:37pm

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

"Karel Svolinsky illustrated many books but this one sounds as though it could be the source for this picture:

Ceské legendy (Czech legends) by Jirí Horák published in Prague in 1950"



Sounds promising. I wish I could find an index in English, or better yet a synopsis of each story in the collection.
Like
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this post

"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."

www.larsdog.com/stam ...
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scb

Collecting the world 1840 to date - one stamp at a time!
22 Feb 2018
01:22:10am

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

According to Michel catalog the illustration is of Kamil Bednar's fairytale "O Faustovi, Marketce a dablu" (Faust, Margaret and Devil) released in 1943.

Here's a page showing some illustration from the book: https://www.sbazar.cz/K.Jirous0/detail/23289901-o-faustovi-marketce-a-dablovi-bednar-kamil

-k-

PS. Sorry for missing apostrephes in author name & book title. The code behind SOR doesn't seem to like them...

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larsdog

APS #220693 ATA#57179
23 Feb 2018
12:55:20am

re: Another mermaid stamp without context

Thank you, scb.

I believe you have found the answer. That also answers the question as to whether I needed to get a stamp with the tab attached. Since the tab appears to be Margaret and she wasn't a mermaid, no tab needed!

Thanks!

Lars

Like
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this post

"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."

www.larsdog.com/stam ...
        

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