GLOBAL POSTCARD SALES

Tirana, distant view

Code: 20501003
Price: $4.00

When we were much younger, Albania was without any doubt at the world's outer limits of isolation.  And now there are postcards and much more.  Unused card.  Grade: 1

Tirana, mosque and clock tower

Code: 20501004
Price: $4.00

Unused card.  Grade: 1

Shkodra, from a hill

Code: 20501005
Price: $3.00

Unused card.  Grade: 1

Saranda, Castle of Ali Pashe Tepelena - Butrint

Code: 20501006
Price: $4.00

Unused card.  Grade: 1

Kruja, wedding and multiple views

Code: 20501007
Price: $3.00

Unused card.  Grade: 1

Kruja, National Museum, GJ. K. Skenderbeu

Code: 20501008
Price: $4.00

Also known as Skanderbeg.  Unused card.  Grade: 1

Permet

Code: 20501009
Price: $3.00

Unused card.  Grade: 1

Sarande, Hotel Butrinti

Code: 20501010
Price: $3.00

Unused card.  Grade: 1

Shkodra, Eine gehende Flachsspinnmaschine

Code: 20501011
Price: $11.00

From long ago, and even though we don't speak German, we can make out what this means.  Unused card from Ndrek Kaculini of Shkodra.  Grade: 2

Shashica - Pamje nga skel'e Vlones vhe moli

Code: 20501012
Price: $9.00

Do you speak Albanian?  We entered this text into Google Translate, and it came back as:  "View from the dock vhe Vlones skel'e", as though the translator gave up halfway.  Unused and very old sepia card.  Grade: 1

Winter in Tirana

Code: 20501013
Price: $4.00

Unused, contemporary card.  Grade: 1

View from Vlora

Code: 20501014
Price: $4.00

Unused, contemporary card.  Grade: 1

View from Tirana

Code: 20501015
Price: $4.00

Unused, contemporary card.  Grade: 1

Dajti Mountain National Park

Code: 20501016
Price: $4.00

Unused, contemporary card.  Grade: 1

Tirana, View from Mother Teresa Square

Code: 20501017
Price: $4.00

Unused, contemporary card.  Grade: 1

The Best of Albania - folio (not actual postcards)

Code: 20501018
Price: $19.00

The scan shows you three facings of the accordion-style fold-out folio of 20 pictures of modern Albania.  They seem not to have been designed as postcards but could definitely be used that way if you were to cut them one by one.  We don't recommend doing that, though.  Unused, with imputed Grade: 1

Loto ticket (not a postcard)

Code: 20501019A
Price: $10.00

This is not a postcard, but an unused lottery ticket.  We have a few.  If you want to buy it, it's US$10.  But if you buy three or more Albanian postcards from us, and if you mention that you would like one piece of either 20501019A or B, we'll happily give you one for free.  (Limit one per customer, please.)

Tele Bingo ticket (not a postcard)

Code: 20501019B
Price: $10.00

This is not a postcard, but an unused lottery ticket.  We have a few.  If you want to buy it, it's US$10.  But if you buy three or more Albanian postcards from us, and if you mention that you would like one piece of either 20501019A or B, we'll happily give you one for free.  (Limit one per customer, please.)

Ancient Cities

Code: 20501020
Price: $4.00

Having visited all four of these cities, we agree they're "ancient" but Durrës in particular seems ready to shake all that off.  Unused card.  Grade: 1 

Albanian Castles

Code: 20501021
Price: $4.00

Unused Arba card 498.  Grade: 1

Man's Suit, Big Highland (Rrugova)

Code: 20501022
Price: $4.00

Rrugova (Albanian alphabet has "RR" and "LL" as individual letters) is more associated with Kosovo, but this is an Albanian card, Arba 138, unused.  Grade: 1

South Albania, Shepherd's Traditional Costume

Code: 20501023
Price: $4.00

Unused Arba card 205.  Grade: 1

Tropoje, Regional Women's Dresses

Code: 20501024
Price: $4.00

Unused Arba card 136.  Grade: 1

Permeti Highlands, The Distillation of Raki

Code: 20501025
Price: $4.00

It is not possible to go anywhere in Albania without being very close to--and urged to try--raki.  Let us know what you think.  Unused Arba card 141.  Grade: 1

Archaeological Albania

Code: 20501026
Price: $4.00

Unused Arba card 586.  Grade: 1

Ancient Albania

Code: 20501027
Price: $4.00

Unused Arba card 585.  Every country has its own version of "ancient," and Albania is in the process of discovering and dealing with what it has.  Grade: 1

View of the Northern Highlands

Code: 20501028
Price: $4.00

Older (1989) card from the emergent period.  Unused.  Grade: 1

The Bunkers of the Communist Regime

Code: 20501029
Price: $9.00

When we were (much) younger, Albania to our perception was hermetically sealed from the rest of the world.  These bunkers--and many survive--are a legacy of that era.  You might be surprised what's happening with them now!  Unused Arba card 831.  Grade: 1

Apolonia-Fier

Code: 20501030
Price: $4.00

Unused Klea Kolor card 96/4255.  Grade: 1

Fier, Apollonia

Code: 20501031
Price: $4.00

Reckoned to be from the 4th-5th Centuries B.C.  (The temple, not the postcard.)  Unused Arba card 329.  Grade: 1

Berat, Kalaja (Castle)

Code: 20501032
Price: $4.00

We've borrowed this from Wikipedia, and abridged it slightly:  "After being burned by the Romans in 200 B.C., the walls were strengthened in the 5th century under Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II, rebuilt during the 6th century under the Emperor Justinian I and again in the 13th century under the Despot of Epirus, Michael I Komnenos Doukas.  The fortress of Berat in its present state, even though considerably damaged, remains a magnificent sight. The surface that it encompasses made it possible to house a considerable portion of the cities' inhabitants. The buildings inside the fortress were built during the 13th centurys. The population of the fortress was Christian, and it had about 20 churches (most built during the 13th century) and only one mosque, for the use of the Turkish garrison (of which there survives only a few ruins and the base of the minaret). The churches of the fortress were damaged through years and only some have remained."  We went.  Actually there's a fair bit of residential activity up there, and some wonderful fresh cherries.  Unused Foto Art card.  Grade: 1

Berat, Muzeu Onufri

Code: 20501033
Price: $4.00

The Onufri National Iconographic Museum is inside the Berat Castle, which means a short walk or a long drive to get up there.  It has quite a few nice displays, which they might want to start protecting soon against all manner of possible situations.  Unused card, with detailed captions in Albanian and English explaining the views.  Grade: 1

Berat, Muzeu Etnografik

Code: 20501034
Price: $4.00

Ethnographic museums are scattered all around Albania, as well they should be, with such a rich and varied history.  Unused card.  Grade: 1

Berat, Xhamia e Beqarëve (Bachelors' Mosque)

Code: 20501035
Price: $4.00

The Bachelors' Mosque is a Cultural Monument of Albania, located in Berat. It became a Cultural Monument in 1961 though it dates from 1828. The mosque is located in the lower Mangalem neighborhood. It has two floors and arcades on three sides of it.  Unused postcard, captioned in Albanian.  Grade: 1

Berat, Epitaphe de Gllavenice

Code: 20501036
Price: $3.00

Looks like just another ancient artwork but when we go to Wikipedia (slightly abridged version):  "The Epitaph of Gllavenica is a 14th-century epitaph, written on a shroud made of silk, linen and gold, symboliz(ing) the burial cloth of Christ, used in Orthodox Good Friday's processions.  The Epitaph represents the dead Christ lying on a linen, Saint Mary, John, other Four Evangelists, prophets and angels with spread wings. It was commissioned by the Albanian ruler Gjergj Arianiti in 1373.In 1994, the shroud was stolen from the National Historical Museum of Albania in Tirana.  In 2005 an international symposium assessed that the shroud should be restaured for the amount of 25-50k Euros because it risks to be irreparably deteriorated and damaged from the lights of the Albanian National Museum."  So it was stolen and then found?  In any event, this is an older card predating that "theft".  Unused.  Grade: 1

Berati, Mangalem Quarter by Night

Code: 20501037
Price: $4.00

Throughout the Albania section, and other theme categories, you will see variations on city name spelling.  We tend to follow what the card uses.  (Ref:  Venezia, or Venice, in Italy.)  This is unused Arba card 902.  Grade: 1

Berati, View from Mangalem Quarter

Code: 20501038
Price: $4.00

Unused Arba card 791.  Grade: 1

Berati, View of Mangalem Quarter

Code: 20501039
Price: $4.00

Albanian postcards--at least the contemporary ones--don't have very fulfilling or complete captions.  At most, they tend to say "View from (city)".  We will embellish when we can.  Unused Arba card 262.  Grade: 1

Berati, View from Mangalem Quarter

Code: 20501040
Price: $4.00

Our hotel was up in here, a restored old structure, and it was just wonderful--the kind of place you settle in and don't want to leave--except of course that you want to see the city, too.  Unused Arba card 783.  Grade: 1

Berati, Gorice Quarter

Code: 20501041
Price: $4.00

Unused Arba card 116.  Grade: 1