Tuvan Stamps

During its brief period of independence from 1921 to 1944, Tannu-Tuva produced a variety of exotic postal stamps. Brightly colored, depicting local themes, and often of an unusual shape, they were a favorite of collectors. Memories of the triangular stamps he collected as a child sparked Nobel Laureate physicist Richard Feynman's quest to travel to Tuva. This, in turn, led to his discovery of Tuvan throat singing, and to the introduction of this ancient art to Western audiences.

1927. Third issue. Ethnographic.
Stock breeder stamp Mountain landscape stamp
Stock breeder Mountain landscape
map stamp Archery Competition stamp Camel caravan stamp
Map of Tuva Archery competition Camel caravan
1932. Stamps of third (ethnographic) issue with a typographed overprint of the new value and the name of the country in the new Latinized alphabet.
Horseman
Horseman
1934. Seventh Issue. Registered Post. Pictorials with folk art motifs.
Yak and milkmaid stamp Miller stamp Reindeer breeder stamp
Milkmaid milking a yak Miller Reindeer breeder
1934. Air mail.
Airplane flying over argalis stamp Black-billed capercaillie
Argalis Black-billed capercaillie
1935. March. Eleventh issue. Zoological.
Bear Squirrel stamp
Bear Squirrel
1936. Twelfth issue. Jubilee of the 15th Anniversary of the porclamation of the Tuvinian People's Republic.
Horseman Battle
Coat of Arms of the Tuvinian People's Republic Episode in the struggle against counter-revolutionaries
 
Archery Folk wrestling
Archery Folk wrestling
Camel and locomotive stamp
Train outrunning camel
1936. Air mail.
horse and dirigible
Horseman and dirigible

References:

The Postal History and Stamps of Tuva by S. M. Blekhman, translated by Ron Hogg. Published by Scientific Consulting Services International. P.O. Box 515, Port Angeles, WA 98362-0078 USA.

Tannu Tuva Collectors' Society, Inc. website

Read more about Tuvan stamps in the article Tuva Hopes Philately Will Get It Everywhere by Andrew Higgins.

Find books about Tuvan stamps at The Tuva Trader in the Tuva Books section.

See more Tuvan stamps at The Tuva Trader in the Tuva Books section.