Handshake and arrows

握手と矢じり

23 January 1979, Netherlands
Union of Utrecht
Design: Gerrit Noordzij

A handshake – the most symbolic expression of friendship.  But here in this stamp, seven arrows are together – is it friendly or not..?  I searched and read wikipedia – it was a union to fight a war against Spain together, 400 years before the year of issue.

Although multi coloured stamps were the mainstream in the Netherlands in late 1970s, this is a simple and rare intaglio print, and I like it.

握手、、友情と団結、または仲直りのシンボル。でもこの握手は、7本の矢を一緒に握っている( or 後ろで束ねられている)ユトレヒト同盟の図柄です。これって仲良しなのか、どうなのか?ググってわかりました、400年前にスペインと戦うために7つの州が握手した、軍事同盟だったのですね。

マルチカラーが多かった1970年代後半のオランダとしては稀な、シンプルな凹版印刷。地味だけど好きです。

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