International Ceramic Postage Stamp Collection

For many years, Guangzhen “Po” Zhou, an independent researcher specialising in world ceramic cultural heritage and an IAC goodwill ambassador, has been developing an exceptional international collection of postage stamps related to ceramics. This long-term research project has been made possible through the active support of IAC members from around the world. The IAC would particularly like to acknowledge the significant contributions to the collection made by Barbara Brown (1933–2025) and Shabanali Ghorbani.

The collection currently comprises around 3,000 stamps featuring ceramic themes from over 160 countries and regions. Together, they constitute a unique and highly valuable corpus, offering a virtual encyclopaedia of ceramic history and cultures. Through these small yet powerful cultural messengers, the collection provides an insight into the diversity of ceramic traditions and highlights the universal human connection to clay and earth.

The stamps depict a variety of ceramic styles, such as archaeological pottery, indigenous traditions, folk and vernacular ceramics, imperial and royal porcelain, industrial ceramics, contemporary pottery and ceramic art, as well as production processes. Acting as miniature ambassadors of their countries of origin, the stamps reflect national identity, cultural values and pride. By selecting ceramic imagery, nations affirm the significance of their ceramic heritage and the importance of contemporary ceramic practices on the global stage.

In recognition of the cultural and documentary value of this collection, the IAC submitted a proposal in 2025 for its inscription in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme. A multidisciplinary team of IAC members — ceramic specialists and historians — prepared the application following extensive research. The project has also benefited from the support of museums and philatelic experts worldwide.

The collection is open and evolving, and is being enriched by ongoing contributions from IAC members and their networks. Individuals with stamp collections featuring ceramic objects, ceramic production or related themes are warmly invited to contribute to this collective heritage.

Contact: Guangzhen Zhou zhouceramicart@gmail.com

The Swiss Post Office decided to make a postal stamp with the ceramic furnace held in the Ariana collection (https://www.musee-ariana.ch/collections/oeuvre/poele/ar-04206).

• Acknowledgements

The IAC would like to thank the following members for their hard work on the UNESCO application file over several months: Isabelle Naef Galuba, Phyllis Kudder Sullivan, Zhou Guangzhen and Patty Wouters.

We would also like to thank those who supported the creation of the project website and promotional video, and Yilin Sun (Rebecca) and Zhou Guangzhen for their financial contributions.

• Learn more

Project website: www.ceramicheritagestamps.org

Short presentation video: (link available on the website)