Greece

1987 Greek FDC pair of envelopes displaying Scott 1581-88. Each envelope is stamped FDC in Greek and dated March 5, 1987. Each is also numbered #688 of 1000. $22 from Angelo Komatsoulis, Montreal, through Ebay, Oct., '01.

These identical envelopes are the simplest among the various FDC's I have found for these stamps. The envelope has a lovely fox turning his nose away from the golden grapes on vines with green leaves. The stamps are beautifully done in rich colors. For that reason I have presented each on a separate page with room for a larger illustration.

1987 Greek FDC pair of envelopes displaying Scott 1581-88. Each envelope offers four of the Aesop's Fables stamps. Each is also stamped FDC in Greek and dated March 5, 1987. One has a close-up of a bust of Aesop while the other puts his bust among animals and in a rural setting. £2.99 from Constantin Glaridis, London, through eBay, June, '05.

Here are two presentations of Aesop in bust form. One takes an illustration of Aesop's head and torso and cuts away all background. The other situates a bust of Aesop in a classical background, appropriately surrounded by animals.

1987 Greek FDC pair of envelopes displaying Scott 1581-88. Each envelope offers four of the Aesop's Fables stamps. Each is also stamped FDC in Greek and dated March 5, 1987. One has a green-and-black duochrome illustration of TH, and the other a orange-and-green presentation of FG. $21 from Stefanidis Antonis, Filothei, Greece, through eBay, Jan., '06.

These are perhaps the liveliest and most engaging of the various FDC envelopes created for this set of stamps. Each design is a script version of "Mythoi tou Aisopou" running over it. Each also bears a stamp"Athine Service Philatelique, TH numbered 4652 and FG 4587. Both have Athenian cancellation marks on the back of the envelope. The FG envelope adds a (second) FC stamp, also cancelled in Athens on March 5, 1987.

1987 Greek FDC pair of identical envelopes displaying each four of Scott 1581-88.  Each is also stamped FDC in Greek and dated March 5, 1987.  $21 from Dimitrios Leonidis, Peristeri, Greece, through eBay, Jan., '22.

The design here is remarkably similar to that on one of the envelopes acquired previously.  Here the presentation of TH is done in green and brown.  

Also various sets of the eight Greek postage stamps marked ELLENIKE DEMOKRATIA and MYTHOI TOU AISOPOU. Mint. Issued March 5, 1987. Scott Numbers 1581-88. Purchased for $3.80 from Bulldog Stamps, Bethesda, February, '92. Also cancelled extras of 22, 46, and 130, a gift of Joseph Fitzmyer, S.J., Jan., '92 and two copies of 10, a gift of Kathryn Thomas, Christmas, 1987. And as of March, '92, two extra complete sets of the eight stamps for $4.53 each from Bulldog. And a set of all eight cancelled (with the twelve Olympian gods), a gift of Kathryn Thomas, July, '97.

My prizes go to SW for the dramatic contrast between the two antagonists and to FC for catching the crow's morsel in mid-air.

Click on any envelope or stamp to enlarge it.

1581: FG (2)

1582: SW (5)

1583:"The Deer with Its Antlers Caught in Branches" (10)

1584:"Zeus and the Snake" (22)

1585: FC (32)

1586:"Hermes and the Axe" (40)

1587: DLS (46)

1588: TH (130)

1987    Large FDC envelope with all eight stamps and a large illustration of Aesop and the animals of these eight stamps' fables.  7" x 10¼".  Unknown source.

Here is a colorful presentation of the whole series of stamps cancelled in Athens March 5, 1987.  Mint condition.  Somewhat surprisingly, the Greek "Mythoi tou Aisopou" is translated here into German.