A cover from Vienna ,Austria

I found a very well preserved cover from a local dealer.The cover is from Austria having two very beautiful stamps.I thought of getting some details of the stamp over the net but mostly they were not in English but still I managed some information.

The red stamp with golden border contains the picture of Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II.
The stamps were issued in October 25,1996 to commemorate Austria's first official naming 1000 years ago.The Austrian Post and Telecom honoured the occassion with issuance of a ten-part commemorative series.The stamp is the sixth stamp of the series dedicated to two great reformers Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II.With their reforms they established a more effective administration and economy and secure the monarchy's continuation.

The second or the smaller stamp portrays the city of Vienna commemorating the German Order.The German Order has an interesting history.During the days of Crusades,hospital orders were established in the Middle East to treat the wounded or sick soldiers and pilgrims.The Brothers of the German House of the Virgin Mary of Jerusalem was founded in 1190 AD.Initially it had its headquarter at Akkon in Palestine and then shifted to Venice in 1291 AD after the fall of Akkon.Since 1805 AD ,however,Vienna has been its headquarter.

At last I found one-La Martiniere Schools -175 Years of great service

After a long search and a long wait I was able to get hold of this cover.I tried my luck with the GPO and with numerous dealers but I couldn't get one until yesterday at the weekly philately bazaar I found one piece tucked under many other Indian FDCs.It took quite a lot of convincing with the dealer to part with it because he himself wanted to keep it for his personal collection.

To mark the 175 years of La Martiniere Schools' establishment on 01/03/2011 India Post has released the stamp and FDC to pay rich tribute to the school.

The Rs 05 denomination stamp depicts the beautiful school building in the back ground and in the insight it potrays a bust of Major General Claude Martin.

Major General Claude Martin was an officer in French and later with the British East India acquired his fortune while serving Nawab of Awadh Asaf-ud-Daula. Martin ,in his will left the major part of his estate for the estatblishment of three schools to be named La Martiniere in his memory.

The schools were to be located at Calcutta,Lucknow and Lyon.