Microstates : 16 Eynhallow (bogus)

The neverending story continues...

For a change, let's go to Scotland. I really like the Scottish, and they have a beautiful coutry, but when it comes to stamps ...

Eynhallow is an uninhabited island off the north coast of Scotland. It is part of the Orkney Islands, but is privately owned and is currently a bird sanctuary. 

Orkney Island - Northern Scotland

Eynhallow at the western side of Rousay (main island)

The stamps of Eynhallow have no postal validity within the UK and thus attract postage due charges if used without current UK stamps.

As for most cinderellas of that region, (and cinderellas in general) the main topics on the 'stamps' are nature, transport, historic figures and so on.

I recently got some sheets with those cinderellas and they are all showing ships. Although no philatelic value, theme collectors seems to be attracted to them, as an additional asset to their collection.

Eynhallow labels

Eynhallow labels

Eynhallow labels

Microstates : 08 Sanda Island (bogus)

I do love Scotland, and the Scottish people a lot.

But when it comes to cinderellas, they are truly very active in issuing bogus stamps.

See : Pabay and Staffa.

Next one in the row, is Sanda Island.
Sanda Island is a private owned island, on the west side of Scotland. It's located south-east of the famous Kintyre peninsula. Where the even more famous Mull of Kintyre can be found. 

Mull of Kintyre was one of the first four lighthouses to be established by the Northern Lighthouse Board in 1786 (although the current tower was built at a later date in the 1820s to a Robert Stevenson design).

The lighthouse is reached by a very winding road down a mountainside. There are great views over to the coast of Northern Ireland.

Sir Paul McCartney even dedicated a song to this lighthouse. I'm not sure if "the long and winding road" was inspired by the same place or not. 

Back to the 'stamps'. Local stamps have been issued for Sanda since 1962. The stamps served the resident staff employed by the Northern Lighthouse Board, the owners and the many visitors to the island who wished to have their mail posted there, and carried to the nearest GPO post box on the mainland.

So in the most optimistic way, one can say that the stamps were used as 'local carriage labels' for a while.

According the website of Pabay (see earlier posts), no stamps have been issued by Sanda Island since 1986.

As an appetizer to start collecting the cinderellas of Sanda Island, a set of Moonlanding stamps.

3 stamps with perforation, 3 stamps without perforation, all dedicated to the first man on the moon, Armstrong.

If you collect space related items, then it might be something interesting.

If not, have a look at the Kityre website, the area is so much nicer then the stamps.

Microstates : 06 Pabay (bogus)

After my previous post on the 'stamps' of Staffa, i could not resist posting another amazing topic for collecting. The 'carriage labels' as they call it of Pabay. 

The Island of Pabay is located 2.5 miles from the village of Broadford on the South side of the Isle of Skye, off the West coast of Scotland. It is 360 acres in size, diamond shaped and predominately flat, the highest point being 28m above sea level with cliffs on the North and East shores.

Pabay consists of heath, dry grassland, herb marsh, salt marsh, woodland remnants and 75 acres of newly planted deciduous and coniferous trees, containing 17 different species. There are 32 different species of wild flowers, 49 different herbs, 40 different grasses, sedges, ferns and rushes. There are also numerous resident otters, seals, 32 breeding bird species and 72 non-breeding birds. There is also a large rabbit population and shrews have been seen.

And, believe me or not, other then the isle of Staffa, Pabay does appear to have a mailbox! At least that's what i discovered and here is the prove :

Apparently, Pabay has been issuing its 'carriage labels' since 1962.

Unfortunatly, my albums are infected with those bogus issues too.
So i can show you one of my proud 'collectors items' as well.

For those who are interested: http://www.pabay.org

Microstates : 05 Staffa (bogus)

Staffa is an island on the west coast of Scotland. It's part of the Inner Hebrids and it's located about 10 kilometres west of the Isle of Mull (western side of Scotland).

The name 'Staffa' was given by the Vikings. In old Norvegian it means 'stave' or 'pillar' as the basalt caves on the island reminded them of their houses, which were built from vertically placed tree-logs.
The island is only 200 by 600 meters and has no habitants.
In 1800 there were  three Red Deer on the island, later replaced by goats and then a small herd of black cattle. Just before the end of the previous century, all animals were removed from the island, to restore the natural vegetation.

The only 'touristic' attractions are the caves, of which the largest one, Fingal's Cave was discovered in 1772, by Sir Joseph Banks, on his way to Iceland.

And yet, the island happens to issue stamps.
They must be designed, printed, distributed, sold and used elsewhere, since no mailbox (not even mentionning the post offices) are found on the entire island.

For the admirors of bogus stamps, some examples of the cinderellas of Staffa.
Nicely cancelled CTO, by ... one of the goats on the island I guess.

Additional pics:

whilst going through my "to be sorted out" albums, i found some aditional stamps items of Staffa.
According the cancellations (and i presume they were printed in blocks of 4) i must still be missing 3 stamps items.