Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i Stamp Collector

Michael Roberts FRPSL became President of the Royal Philatelic Society London at the Society’s recent Annual General Meeting. Michael thanked his predecessor, Peter Cockburn FRPSL, who, during his two years as President, had steered the Society back to normality following the disruption caused by the pandemic. Other Officers and Members of Council who were confirmed at the meeting are: Vice Presidents: Simon Richards and Simon Martin-Redman; Hon. Secretary: Steven Harrison; Hon. Treasurer: Alan Druce; Chair of the Collections Committee: James Podger; Chair of the Governance Committee: Nigel Gooch; Members of Council: Jon Aitchison, Mark Bailey, Gwynne Harries, Michael Hoffman, Daphne McMillan, Suzanne Rae, John Stimson, Kim Stuckey, Lillian Swift, Jack Zhang. At the same meeting, the awards for 2023 of the Royal Philatelic Society London were presented. The Tapling Medal…

Tristan da Cunha is commemorating the 100th anniversary of St Mary’s Church with new stamp releases. On 8 July 1933, the Anglican Church was dedicted to St Mary the Virgin. After the arrival of the first priest sent to the island in 1853, building the church was initially instigated by Edward Dodgson, the second priest sent to the island and the brother of Charles Dodgson, aka Lewis Carroll. Progress was so slow, though, that the church was not built until the arrival of the fourth priest, Rev. Martyn Rogers, in 1922. The new issue consists of four stamps and a first day cover, all designed by Andrew Robinson. The 45p value shows Rev. R. C. Pooley standing outside St Mary’s Church, 1929 (from image distributed by SPG); the 50p stamp…

Isle of Man Post Office is celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary with a set of seven commemorative stamps. The Isle of Man achieved postal independence in 1973, and the first six stamps in the set represent the history of Manx stamps by featuring collages of issued stamps. The seventh stamp in the set is a new design representing the Europa stamp 2023. ‘For 50 years IOMPO has been a key part of the Island’s infrastructure and a trusted partner for our community,’ said IOMPO’s cheife executive officer, Simon Kneen. ‘The postal industry plays an essential role in our society and the economy, linking the Island to the rest of the world. Whilst the landscape of the postal industry and our customer needs have drastically changed over time due to advancements…

Little mention seems to have been made in the philatelic press of Digital Stamps. These are authorised by Royal Mail being printed (but, incidentally, not digitally printed) impressions of stamps with printed ‘perforations’ (indicia), that can be used by bulk senders of mail in preference to the more familiar ‘Postage Paid Impressions’ (PPI). It has been shown that people are more likely to open mail that appears to have a postage stamp. I am certain that every UK household has at some time received an item of mail bearing a digital stamp. The ‘stamps’ that have been or are currently available through the scheme are: 1st class red, 1st Large red, 2nd class blue, 2nd Large blue, Alice in Wonderland 2nd class (the actual stamp was issued 6 January 2015)…

Stamp collecting is a global hobby. Whether you’re concerned with its appeal around the world or the practical nature of the postage stamp itself, it’s a simple fact that stamps reach every corner of our world. Of course, many of us choose to focus on stamps produced, or at least used, closer to home, and Great Britain’s vast and complex philatelic history is enough to keep a collector occupied for several lifetimes, but observing, understanding and, ultimately, collecting stamps from other countries is surely something we should also consider if we want a balanced, informed knowledge of stamps. In this special edition of Stamp Collector we’re celebrating this global aspect of the hobby, by taking an in-depth look at the stamp history of a selection of countries. From tiny territories…

The development of the mail service of Canada, with its challenges and innovations, has been one of the essential themes of Canadian history, as it is intricately bound up with all the major themes in the physical, economic and administrative growth of the world’s second largest country. The postal consequences of vast area, difficult terrain, extremes of climate, and a population distribution concentrated within a narrow band across a country stretching from Atlantic to Pacific, are intense logistical difficulties in delivery of the mail. It is 2,750 miles from Halifax to Vancouver, (without reckoning in St John’s Newfoundland or Victoria, British Columbia). It is unsurprising that the pioneers who developed the posts, their modern successors, and the transportation solutions they devised – from snow-shoes to modern snowmobiles, from early canals…

It is a paradox that although all but two of the 33 World Heritage Sites in the UK feature on Royal Mail stamps, only four of these are actually identified as such. The remaining properties, as explained in last month’s article, appear on stamps which either commemorate other themes, or incorporate images of World Heritage Sites incidentally. Table 1 (pages 72-73) lists the Royal Mail stamps issued for each of the World Heritage Sites in the UK. There are two blanks: neither Blaenavon Industrial Landscape nor Studley Royal Park have been included on GB stamps. As might be expected, the majority of stamps are commemorative issues, although the list also includes two definitive stamps depicting Caernarfon castle and Edinburgh castle respectively and a Northern Ireland 2nd class regional definitive stamp…

Following the recent holding of a virtual version of the event, Stampex, the UK’s largest stamp show, will take place in September offering a range of exciting activities and experiences across four days, including a late Thursday opening. With over 60 PTS members already confirmed, including Mark Bloxham Stamps, Stanley Gibbons, Michael Chipperfield, Glasgow Stamp Shop, BB Stamps, Trevor Pateman, Mulready Philatelics, Buckingham Covers, Lighthouse, Corbitts, Thematix and more, the show will give collectors the chance to add a range of philatelic material to their collections. The recently introduced ‘Table Top Zone’ will once again be hosted at the clock end of the main Mezzanine floor, offering visitors the chance to hunt through boxes of wonderful artefacts and postal materials. Stampex spokesperson Isobel Klempka said: ‘The show has something for…

Royal Mail have revealed a set of ten stamps that celebrate the diversity of birds, mammals, insects and fish that inhabit the UK’s rivers and streams. Featured on the stamps are the: Beaver; Atlantic Salmon; Kingfisher; Beautiful Demoiselle; Water Vole; Grey Wagtail; Common Mayfly; Otter; Brown Trout; and Dipper. Professor Steve Ormerod, of Cardiff University’s Water Research Institute and School of Biosciences said ‘These stamps are a timely reminder of the special, highly adapted, and diverse array of animals that need our streams and rivers to be in healthy condition. This is such a wonderful way to celebrate the UK’s rivers and to send a message – quite literally – of why they are important.’ David Gold, Director of External Affairs and Policy, said: ‘The UK’s rivers and riversides are…

Åland Post’s new contribution to the Sepac stamp series on the theme of traditional markets puts the spotlight on its Viking Market, which is one of the biggest in Europe. The spectacle of the summer market – one of Åland’s most popular – was captured by photographer Alice Åkerblom, who focussed on a more heartwarming image of human interaction rather than traditional depictions of fearsome warriors. ‘I thought it was great fun to get this request, and when we discussed the motif, I immediately pictured the women and children in front of me,’ said Alice. ‘I wanted to capture a gentler side that you might otherwise overlook, as the battles and chieftains generally take centre stage. You can’t really plan a picture like that. You just go in with an…

When George de Mestral saw little green balls – known as burrs – stuck to his trousers and his dog’s fur after a walking trip, he wondered if the sticky plant could be used for more practical purposes. The engineer turned to his microscope to figure out where the plant’s adhesive property came from and made a discovery: the burrs had tiny elastic hooks. He made use of this principle to try to perfect a new type of textile fastener. After months of work, he had the solution: a ribbon with hooks and another facing it with loops – the hook and loop fastener, better known by many by it’s brand name Velcro. His invention wasn’t an immediate success, but became a household item decades later, thanks in part to…

Guernsey Post is commemorating the island’s first regional postage stamps with a new set of four reproducing the originals. Although Guernsey did not achieve postal independence until 1969, with the approval of King George VI, the island issued two of its first four stamps on 10 May 1948, to mark the third anniversary of the liberation of The Channel Islands. Two of the new stamps (56p and 87p) depict the original 1d and 21/2d stamps, in which the portrait of the King’s head is accompanied by an image of seaweed gathering, or ‘vraicing’. A decade later, the first of Guernsey’s Queen Elizabeth II regional stamps was issued: a 3d stamp. The same design was repeated in a 4d stamp in 1966 and this is included on the new £4.38 stamp.…

JAPANESE GEM! ‘One of the greatest gems of Japanese and Asian philately’ recently went under the hammer at David Feldman in Geneva. The 1874 20 sen reddish violet, was also described as ‘an “aristocrat” of worldwide rarities’ and featured a remarkably vivid colour and very clear impression, with full to large margin. The auction house explained: ‘Only five examples of 20 sen syllabic 1 are believed to exist according to the Yamazaki Yoshiyuki (Narumi 2018) handbook where all the existing examples are illustrated, all with normal “sumi ten” ink spot. Only three examples are sound, of which two are in private hands… The JHES considers this stamp to be the biggest challenge among all “Tebori” Issues (Hand Engraved Issues 1871-1876).’ SOLD FOR £154,225 JUBILEE GEMS The ‘Libra’ Collection of 1935…

Since 1970 the UK has held an International Stamp Show every ten years, writes Brian Austin. In the three-year run up to both the 1980 and 1990 shows Royal Mail issued one miniature sheet per year to go towards the costs of holding the event. In 1988 the Edward Lear issue was chosen and was issued on the 27 September, with the original set of stamps issued on the 6th. That is the background, and now to this month’s cover. By now you know I like a cover which is a little bit different. So, the collector carefully stuck the original set just above the illustration and had this cancelled with the Knowsley Owl and Pussy Cat 6 September special postmark, so when the miniature sheet was issued on the…

Although the stamps of Denmark display many of the same characteristics as those of Great Britain – an attachment to definitives depicting the current monarch, increasing complexity (and quantity and cost) of recent releases, the sale of many stamps in booklets and ‘sheetlets’, and occasionally efforts to match design appeal and marketing to ‘young collectors’ – there are several important differences. Few Danish commemorative sets run to more than four values, there remains care and cleanliness in the cancellation of stamps affixed to letters, and there is a continuing commitment to the release of recess-printed stamps. In 2010 a new Danish definitive stamp series was commenced, the ‘70th Birthday Portrait’, in which the profile of Queen Margrethe was engraved by Martin Mörck. Alongside the profile is a coloured band bearing…

On 9 November, 1989 the government of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) announced that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin. This followed indirectly from widespread disgust at the falsification of the results of local elections in the spring of that year and demonstrations calling for political freedoms and change in cities across East Germany, notably in Leipzig (SG E3011). On and after 9 November, small sections of the previously tightly sealed ‘Berlin Wall’ were opened, and thousands of East Germans were enabled to cross in to West Berlin (a part of the Federal Republic of Germany, or ‘West Germany), nearly all of them for the first time since the wall was constructed in 1961, specifically to prevent movement of people. The same month, the ruling…

The Isle of Man Post Office recently celebrated 50 years of postal independence with a series of activities and events, including a special exhibition at the Manx Museum’s Cabinet of Curiosity, the planting of fifty trees, and a ‘paint a post box competition’ for children. Simon Kneen, Chief Executive Officer IOMPO said: ‘For 50 years IOMPO has been a key part of the Island’s infrastructure and a trusted partner for our community. The postal industry plays an essential role in our society and the economy, linking the Island to the rest of the world. Whilst the landscape of the postal industry and our customer needs have drastically changed over time due to advancements in technology and habits, the loyal and dedicated team at IOMPO has worked incredibly hard to retain…

Birmingham will host a European philatelic exhibition from 7 to 11 May 2025, marking the first time such a major international event has been held outside of London. EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025, to be held at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), will feature over 3,000 frames of philatelic material, traders’ stands, meetings of specialist societies and an extensive programme of social activities. A spokesperson for the event said: ‘EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025 will be one of the largest, best and most enjoyable exhibitions of the decade. Please put the dates in your diary now. The exhibition website is still under development but you can now register your interest to receive updates and important new announcements at www.europhilex2025.co.uk. We look forward to seeing you at EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025.’ The event has been granted…

Jersey Post has issued 150 Years of the Société Jersiaise, a new set of eight stamps celebrating the 150th anniversary of the illustrious Societé Jersiaise. The Societé, which was founded in 1837, is dedicated to the study of Jersey’s archeology, history, natural history, ancient language and the conservation of its environment. Today the Societé enables Jersey’s inhabitants to connect with the island’s past and its heritage through a programme of research, education and outreach. The eight stamps in set feature portraits painted by Jersey artist Kevin Pallot, depicting past members who have left a lasting legacy in their specific field: historian and author Guy de Gruchy; naturalist and cinematographer Roderick Dobson; author of Old Jersey Houses Joan Stevens; photographer Emile Guiton; botanist, ornithologist, and conservationist Frances Le Sueur; teacher and archaeologist…

On 21 June 1948, MV Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury following a three-week voyage from Jamaica. The following day, 22 June, its passengers, amongst them 492 Caribbean migrants, first set foot on British soil. That ship and its passengers, each of whom paid £28 10 shillings for the ticket to start a new life in Britain, have gone down in history. Iconic black and white footage of the nattily clad passengers disembarking has cemented the moment in history, the arrivals’ symbolic status marking the start of ‘The Windrush Generation’ – the mass migration of people from the Caribbean to fill post-war labour shortages in the UK. 75 years later, the Royal Mail is marking the anniversary with Windrush 75 Years, a set of eight new stamps vibrantly illustrated by Black…

The world of Cinderella stamps is rich in items which puzzle many collectors, writes Christer Brunström. There are multiple reasons why they are difficult to identify, including writing in unfamiliar languages or unknown acronyms. Some knowledge of basic geography is undoubtedly needed in order to correctly identify the illustrated stamp as the design features a map, the letters H.F.H.J and the denomination 60 øre. Perhaps the best clue is the denomination of 60 øre as this refers to a monetary unit used in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. However, the use of the letter ø narrows down the possibilities to either Denmark or Norway. With a good magnifying glass it should be possible to discover a number of names on the map starting with Hillerød which is a city located in…

In 2011 eight new definitive stamps appeared; seven of these reprised old designs, including the bistre-brown Baron Maeshima design which dates back to 1951. Collectors can engage in a serious exercise to pick up all the variants of these designs sold over the years. Here are basic details of the 2011 variations of the seven: 1 yen - Baron Hisoka Maejima, 1835-1919, founder of Japanese postal system, government minister, entrepreneur. Bistre-brown. ‘1’ has seriph hook on top; NIPPON is larger and repositioned; addition of brown frame line across top of design 3 yen - Japanese small cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus. Bright green. Figure of value wider with round top; NIPPON is larger and repositioned; colour shade 5 yen Mute Swan, Cygnus olor. Deep blue. NIPPON is larger; figure of value is…

On 1 January, 1913, nine US Parcel Post stamps, which had been made available to purchasers at Post Offices in December 1912, became valid for postage. The January date was the official start of the Post Office’s own parcel post service, in competition with a number of private contractors who had been reaping large profits over the preceding decades. Included in the nine pictorial stamps was the world’s first stamp depicting an aircraft, and possibly the world’s first stamp depicting a traction engine. The 20c stamp, inscribed ‘AEROPLANE CARRYING MAIL’ illustrated a Wright Type A, the world’s first serial production aircraft; seven examples were built in the USA at the Wright’s bicycle factory, but dozens more in Europe, mostly in Germany. The Flyer shown on the stamp was photographed at…

THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE. THE ADDRESS ONLY TO BE WRITTEN ON THIS SIDE STO Postcards Postcards were first introduced in 1870 and offered cheaper postage for short messages, but at first only the official postal stationery cards were allowed at the reduced rate. Following complaints from the stationery trade, STO for private cards was introduced on 10 June 1872 (use of adhesives on plain unstamped cards was not allowed until 1 September 1894). The rules required that only the standard wording be printed on the front (which was reserved for the address), although the sender was free to put what they liked on the back. The PO cards were printed by De La Rue and used letterpress ½d dies, but the first STO cards were…