Europa - National Music Instruments

Each year a different theme is announced by PostEurop and each of the member postal authorities create unique stamp series based on the topic. For 2014 the subject is ‘National Music Instruments’ and our stamps feature some stunning photographic images of one of the Channel Island’s former favourite musical instruments – the chifournie.

Similar to the modern day hurdy gurdy the chifournie is an interesting instrument with its origins dating back to the tenth century.

Once playing an important role in island fetes, festivals and celebrations, sadly this interesting instrument’s melodies had disappeared from Guernsey by the mid-nineteenth century.