Gordon Beningfield Dandelion

I have lots of postage stamps with dandelion designs in the Dandelion Archive - stamp artists obviously like depicting this gorgeous flower! 

I have a few in the Archive where the dandelion is in the background and not the main feature and this one is of a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly issued in UK in 1981. The design is by the artist Gordon Beningfield who specialised in butterflies and was passionate about their conservation. The dandelion is quite stylised, and maybe a little too small in relation to the butterfly, but beautiful all the same.
 

Lesotho Dandelion Stamp

Look at this beauty! 

A gorgeous dandelion postage stamp from Lesotho, from 1995. I like to try and find details about the artist, but the only other information on the stamp is V. Seatile Nkhomo -  is this the artist's name? If it is I can't find any more information, which is a shame. This stamp is from a set of medicinal plants. And it's now in the Dandelion Archive.

Sebastian Kneipp Dandelion

I have this 1982 first day cover in the Dandelion Archive celebrating Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897). A German Catholic priest, he is known for his wellness cures that included water therapy, a mainly plant based diet and the use of botanical medicines. The ink stamp on the envelope mentions the 'International Kneipp Congress', Vienna 1982, and both the envelope and stamp have a lovely dandelion design on them, along with a portrait of Kneipp. 

Netherland children's stamps - with dandelions

 

I have a this lovely set of stamps in the Dandelion Archive. They are Dutch with the title Voor Het Kind - For the Child, dated from 1940 and designed by D van Gelder. 

The Children's stamps started in the Netherlands in 1924 and have been issued ever since (apart from 1942 - 1944 due to the Second World War). 

This set shows a young girl with a doll holding a dandelion clock collected from a plant by her knees. Sweet.

Wilko Weed Killer

 

While you could get Mattress Toppers upstairs at Wilko's with pretty photos of dandelions on the packaging, you could also get weedkiller downstairs to wipe them out from your garden path (see previous post).

The dandelion is almost exclusively used to represent all 'weeds' on weed killer products. Some people think that dandelions should be eradicated from their lawns and paths, and will use chemicals again and again to kill them off. 

What's so 'bad' about the dandelion? The dandelion is vital as an early source of nectar and pollen for insects, they are incredibly beautiful in both their flower and seed head stage, and pretty much every part of the dandelion is edible.... but they are common, resilient, persistent and perennial. Is that the problem? Be proud the dandelion has taken root in your lawn! You are helping pollinators by leaving them where they are.

Mattress Topper Dandelion

Dandelion seed heads are often used on the packaging of items - pleasing images used to prompt you to buy. 

I'm not entirely sure the connection between dandelions and mattress toppers... fluffy? Anyway, I saw this in Wilko's (how I miss that shop).

Model Dandelions

Who'd have thought you can buy tiny model dandelions for your train set!? 

This pack of 30 dandelions are made by German company Busch - and you put them together yourself (which I've not done yet - I might keep them in the original pack maybe). They must be the smallest dandelions in the Archive. 

Dandelion Socks

 Look at these beauties! Dandelion Socks.

I got these ages ago and they don't seem to have any labels, but they are bamboo (with cotton, polyester, nylon and elastane too). It says they are 'designed in Britain' but they are manufactured in China - so they've come a long way. They are now in the 'clothing and textiles' section of the Dandelion Archive.

Mongolia Dandelion postage stamp

 

I have a couple of Mongolia dandelion postage stamps listed on the blog already - and here's another to add to them. It's dated 1991. Unlike the other two stamps this has an artist name on it: D. Urtnasan who looks to have illustrated other Mongolian stamps depicting animals, flowers, pets etc. I love this dandelion with its slender leaves and the Mongolian mountains in the background.

Jersey Butterflies and Moths first day cover - with dandelion

 

I've not posted on the dandelion blog for ages, but items keep being donated or I find new things to add to the Dandelion Archive all the time. So, with a little spare time I'll try and list some of them more often... we'll see.

Here's a beautiful first day cover of Jersey Butterflies and Moths dated 9th July 1991. I'm struggling to find any information about the artist W. Oliver, which is a shame as the illustrations are gorgeous. The beautiful Jersey Tiger moth is pictured on a wonderful dandelion. So, although in the background and not the main focus of the stamp, it makes it to the Dandelion Archive all the same.