The Dodo

The Dodo (渡渡鳥)

Mauritius (2007)

7th October, 2008. Port Louis

13th October, 2008. Hongkong

The Dodo is very famous in world, not as it is beautiful or it does not afraid human, mainly reasons are it was extinct in 17th century after 160 years of discovery of Mauritius and the tale of Alice. It habited in Mauritius before people found this island but extinct in 1662. Unfortunately no specimen store in any museum for exhibition or reference nowadays, however many painters and artists use their pictures and illustrations to record Dodos.

Above cover shown us four different historical Dodo's illustration stamps, which are in one set issued on two years ago. Mauritius post office had issued many Dodo stamps since 1950, this time presenting the artist impressions of the Dodo : Rs5 is the Dodo's bill sketch found in the Journal of Admiral Wolfert Harmenszoon, who visited Mauritius in 1601 ; Rs10 is illustrated by Adrian Van de Venne on 1621 ; The illustration of Rs15, original painting appeared in a publication by Harrison, Cluse and Co. 1798 and the last one Rs25, chromolithographer is J.W. Frohawk, who did it on 1905.

In here also shown a selected maxicard of the Dodo. Thanks for Mrs. Tasneem of the great help on the cover and maxicards, they are important parts in my Southern Africa collection.

Maxicard

26th November, 2008. Port Louis