Laos Stamp Engravers

Traditional Lao Handicrafts - 1971
Designer: Chamnane Prisayane

Silversmiths, Engraver: Jean Miermont

Potters, Engraver: Roger Fenneterux

Wood Pirogues Builder, Engraver: Claude Jumelet



I founded the original photo used to design the 30K. stamp:

International Year Against Racism - 1971
Designer: Ky Phungchaleun, Engraver: Jean Miermont

The UN has designated 1971 as international year for actions to combat racism and racial discrimination. Actions against racism, racial discrimination, apartheid, Nazism and racial intolerance were taken by the UNO since it was established.

50th Anniversary of the Rotary International Club of Vientiane - 1971
Designer: Ky Phungchaleun

Monk in That Luang stupa, Vientiane#1514; Engraver: Claude Jumelet

Lao woman in Wat Ho Phra Keo, Vientiane, Engraver: Jean Miermont

Keng-Kok and Saint-Astier Twin Cities - 1971
Designer: Marc Leguay, Engraver: Jaen Miermont

Commemorates the twin cities of Saint-Astier in Dordogne département, France and Keng-Kok in Savannakhet Province, southern Laos.

Endangered Wild Animals - 1971
Designer: Ky Phungchaleun

- Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), Engraver: Jean Miermont
- Lesser Malay Chevrotain (Tragulus kanchil), Engraver: unknown
- Sika Deer (Cervus unicolor), Engraver: Roger Fenneteaux
- Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), Engraver: Jean Miermont

20th Anniversary of the Lao Philately - 1971
Designer: Marc Leguay

These stamps and SS, issued to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Lao philately, depict former Lao's stamp designs issued in the 1950's.

- Lao woman, Engraver: Raoul Serres
- So violin player, Engraver: Jean Pheulpin
- Lord Rama, Engraver: Jean Pheulpin
- Takbaat, morning alms collecting, Engraver: Jean Pheulpin




The first and the only SS issued by the Kingdom of Laos consisted of stamps that were not issued as singles, Engraver: Raoul Serres:

International Book Year - 1972
Designer: Anoulom Souvandoane,

Lao students learning to read in a traditional class, engraver: Jean Miermont:

Scribe writing religious Buddhist text on palm leaves, a method used by Buddhists in Laos for hundreds of years, Engraver: Roger Fenneteaux:

Family reading Buddhist scripture written on Palm leaves, Engraver: Claude Jumelet

25th Anniversary of the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) - 1972
Designer: Anoulom Souvandoane, Engravers: Claude Jumelet and Jean Miermont (145K)

The Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) is the regional arm of the UN for the Asia and Pacific region. It was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. The stamps depicting Nam Ngum hydroelectric dam, which constructed and financed by ten countries under the auspices of the ECAFE. It is the major source for electricity in Laos and part of Thailand.

25th Anniversary of the UN Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) - 1972

The UNICEF was established on December 11, 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in devastated countries after WWII. In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent part of the UN that provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and families in developing countries.

These stamps depicting scenes from Laos rural life drawings made by Laotian children. The designer/s and engraver/s of these stamps are unknown to me.

Lao Mythology - 1972
Designer: Chamnane Prisayane

This set of stamps depicting three characters from Lao Mythology. They are part human being and part animal:

Nakharath – Daughter of the Dragon King, a chimera of upper part as female human being and lower part as a Dragon tail.
Engraver: Jacky Larrivière

Nang Kinnali – A symbol of feminine, beauty, grace and accomplishment renowned for her dance, song and poetry. She is a chimera of lower part as a bird and the upper part as a winged female human being enables her to fly between the human and the celestial worlds.
Engraver: Claude Jumelet

Norasingh – One of Vishnu avatars (Incarnation of a divine being onto earth) that serves protective functions, often seen in temples and shrines entrances. He is a chimera of upper part as human being and the lower part as a lion body.
Engraver: Jean Miermont





The design of the 150K Norasingh is based on wooden engraving in temple door. I believe the other designs were taken from temple art too:

Boun That Luang - 1972

The That Luang (Large Stupa) Festival takes place at Vientiane, Laos. It is held during the full moon of the twelfth lunar month and is one of the important Theravada Buddhist Lao's festivals commemorates Buddha and Pha That Luang.

Lao people praying in front of Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos.
Designer: Ky Phungchaleun, Engraver: Claude Jumelet

King Savang Vatthana, Queen Tiao Kamphoui and other members of the Royal family in Boun That Luang procession.
Designer: Thong Ching, Engraver: Jean Miermont

Lao Women Costumes - 1973

Laos is known for its ethnic groups diversity. Each group has its own tradition costumes and each Laotian region may have particular clothing style. The clothing has classical Laotian figures and geometric designs.

Lao women wear the phaa nung, sarong skirt, over a tight fitting blouse or shirt and phaa biang, a wide sash worn across the chest and shoulders. Women from some different ethnics dress traditional hats. In special ceremonies and events, Lao women wear traditional silk skirts, blouses and scarves. This set of stamps depicts traditional women costumes from different regions of the Kingdom of Laos.

Attapu Region Costume
Designer: Thon Ching, Engraver: Jacky Larrivière

Phongsally Region Costume
Designer: Ky Phunchaleung, Engraver: Jacky Larrivière

Luang Prabang Region Costume
Designer: Ky Phunchaleung, Engraver: Jacky Larrivière

Vientiane Region Costume
Designer: Thon Ching, Engraver: Claude Jumelet

Lions Club International of Vientiane - 1973
Designer: Ky Phungchaleun, Engravers: Claude Jumelet and Jacky Larrivière.

The Lions Clubs International (LCI) is an organization with clubs and members around the world. The LCI purposes are to create a foster spirit of understanding among the people of the world, to promote a good citizenship, to take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community, to unite the clubs in the bond of friendship and mutual understanding. This set of stamps commemorates the Lions Club International of Vientiane.


King Setthathirath statue in front of Pha That Luang, Vientiane – Setthathirath (1534-1572), King of Lane Xang Kingdom, was one of the great leaders in Laotian history. He defended the Kingdom from the Burmese army headed by Bayinnaung. He built several famous Buddhist monuments as Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang and Pha That Luang in Vientiane. He was murdered at age 38 years old and was succeeded by King Saensurin.

Space in Retrospect - 1973
Designer: Marc Leguay, Engravers: Jacky Larrivière (80K) and Claude Jumelet (120K)

These stamps depicting modern and ancient space elements.


Modern Sputnik satellite passing Rahu:

Rahu legend - During the churning of the milk ocean, the gods received the immortalization nectar from Monini. Svarbhânu the demon sneaked between Sûrya the sun and Chandra the moon, and received nectar. Both, when realized this fraud, convinced Vishnu to cut Svarbhânu into two pieces. The upper part of Svarbhânu became Rahu, an immortal dragon head that swallows occasionally the sun or the moon as revenge causing eclipse.

Boun Bang Fai (Rocket festival) – In the beginning of rice planting season, in the sixth Lunar month, people request from rain god Phaya Thaen to bring rain. They launch large Bamboo rockets to symbolically fertilize the clouds. Model of a Naga dragon, that is considered as a protector, is placed on the rocket. Coincide with the rocket launching, Buddhist ceremonies such as water blessing are performed by the monks.

Centenary of Leprosy Bacillus Discovery by G. A. Hansen - 1973
Designer: Anoulom Souvandoane, Engraver: Jacky Larrivière

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that causes skin lesions caused by Mycobacterium leprae. This bacterium was discovered in 1873 by the Norwegian physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen (1841 – 1912) who searched for it in the skin nodules of leprosy's patients.

The stamps depicting Hansen and map of Laos and were issued to commemorate the centenary of the discovery. The map indicates five Lao leprosy cure centers each represented by special design: Houei Sei is represented by Wat Chomkhaomanira, Luang Prabang - by That Chom Si, Vang Vieng - by Meo woman, Vientiane - by Pha That Luang and Pakse is represented by Wat Phu Champassak.