Innehållsförteckning för April 2024 från Stamp Collector

At a display to members at the Royal Philatelic Society on 26 January, Julian Tweed shared his passion for Great Britain Express Mail, which began with a chance buy of a bundle of covers at an auction. Introduced by the British Post Office on 25 March 1891, the express delivery service was affected in different ways over the years, from the use of telegraph boys who carried the letter for its entire journey, to messages sent initially by telephone before reaching the recipient by messenger and the use of aircraft in wartime. Items shown included the labels, markings, stamps and forms that were used, with many proving scarce, especially the forms because these were usually destroyed. One striking item was a letter sent ‘Express’ from Balmoral Castle to Windsor Castle,…

The provisional designs for the series of limited edition souvenir sheets produced for the Europhilex Birmingham 2025 event have been revealed, with 12 of the sheets to be included with Stamp Collector magazine. The first sheet will be given away with the June 2024 issue of Stamp Collector, with a different souvenir sheet to be included with each issue up to and including the May 2025 issue, which will also include the official catalogue of the major event. Designed by Mike Hoffman, the sheets all feature the postal history of Birmingham, featuring postmarks and Cinderella stamps from the region, items held by the Birmingham Philatelic Society and ephemera from previous Philatelic Congresses held in the city. The Europhilex event takes place between 7 and 11 May 2025 at the National…

On 10 February, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands released the last issue in a series dedicated to the South Sandwich Islands with a four-stamp set illustrating the Traversay Islands. Located 500km south-east of South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands are a string of 11 volcanic islands stretching for over 400km. They were first discovered by Captain James Cook in 1775, when, through thick fog and snowstorms, he noted eight rocky masses, but due to the weather conditions, he did not explore them in detail. The region was next visited in 1819 by the Russian expedition led by Fabian von Bellingshausen, who was able to explore more thoroughly and confirm that there were actually 11 islands. The four island groups have been celebrated in this series of stamps, with…

There’s a popular meme going round that starts ‘We’re … of COURSE we …’, and when it comes to the inhabitants of these isles, no-one would be surprised to hear ‘We’re British … of COURSE we talk about the weather.’ And given that the British are such a weather-obsessed nation, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the UK has been at the forefront of developments in meteorology. The Royal Mail’s ‘Weather Forecasting’ set commemorates the 170th anniversary of the foundation of the Met Office in 1854, and the history and relatively new science of weather forecasting: the use of science and technology to predict atmospheric conditions at a particular given time and place. The special set of eight mint stamps uses composite images to depict significant advances in weather forecasting over the…

Grosvenor will hold one of its biggest ever auctions in March, with a mammoth 2,600 lots spread over three days. The sale will kick off on 13 March with mixed lots, closely followed by the collection of airmails and thematics formed by the late Grahame Boutle. The afternoon will feature the David C Mekie collection of Malaya and Borneo, featuring mainly collections of stamps, postcards and postal history, followed by the Mike Brown collection of Ascension, Saint Helena and Tristan da Cunha. An interesting item is one of the four ‘forgotten’ covers from the 1961 evacuation later picked up by the HMS Leopard. The next day, 14 March, will bring more Egypt from the late Alan Jeyes with rare essays and postal stationery. The highlight of which is a complete…

Looking back at the market for new issues in 2023, one specimen stands out from the crowd, which became the stamp with the strongest price increase within a very short time. It took less than a month for prices to increase a hundredfold, and less than half a year for 300 times the face value to be demanded. In the course of 2023, market prices climbed to over €1,000, surpassing all regular Vatican stamps from earlier decades. Some background to the discussion about the motif on the first version of the special €3.10 stamp from the Vatican City State to announce the World Youth Day in Lisbon in August was outlined in the July 2023 issue of Stamp Collector (page 6). The original design, dated 16 May, had already been…

Chile is a geographically remarkable country that has been described as ‘a narrow, crumpled ribbon of land’. It is 2,635 miles from north to south but from east to west only 225 miles at its widest. It has the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes to the east. Chile had long been part of the Spanish empire before it declared its independence from Spain in July 1810 and established a governing junta in September of that year. This led to a prolonged struggle before Chile finally established full independence in 1818. Chile has often honoured with stamp issues those who were instrumental in the fight for independence, such as Bernardo O’Higgins and Jose Miguel Carrera. The first person to appear on Chile’s stamps, though, was Christopher Columbus, whose…

World Fairs rarely lead to stamp issues after the event. The Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques held in Paris in 1937 was exceptional. More than 80 years later, three pieces of art and architecture created for the exhibition can still be viewed – and continue to have postal relevance. The effects of the Great Depression were still being felt in 1937. As a result, the French left-wing coalition government employed thousands of workers to build the temporary pavilions. It also commissioned over 700 murals and 2,000 artists to decorate these. However, it was two works of art paid for by foreign governments that have stood the test of time and provided ongoing content for stamps and postal Cinderellas. Pablo Picasso, who was living in Paris at the time, was…

I see this 1978 Nepalese cover, marking the 25th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest, once or twice a year, but I was excited this time as I did not recognise the signatures, writes Brian Austin. The signatures I would have expected to see are Sir Edmund Hillary and/or Tenzing Norgay, and thought maybe I had discovered some members of the 1953 expedition team I had not seen before. As you can see, neither signature is very clear, but as I am fully qualified with my own bad handwriting, I thought one of them could be Greg Mortimer. A quick Google search, with mountaineer at the end, confirmed this was correct. This then led me to discover that the signature in red was Tim MacArtney Snape, and the reason…

A new philatelic show is set to take place in March. Sponsored by John Curtin Stamps, Kempton Park Stamp Show has had great support from the trade, with over 40 dealers scheduled to attend. There will be stands covering all aspects of philately and postal history, with many of the top dealers in the trade attending. The show is being held at the Exhibition Hall, Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury-on-Thames TW16 5AQ. The location is less than a mile from Junction 1 of the M3 and outside the ULEX and congestion charging zones. Additionally, there is a large, free car park located near the exhibition hall. For those travelling by public transport, Kempton Park railway station is alongside the main car park, with links to central London’s Waterloo…

A new set of stamps from the Isle of Man provides a mesmerising view of the world beneath the waves with beautiful mosaics by Kimmy McHarrie. A native of Castletown, Isle of Man, McHarrie has dedicated her life to capturing the essence of nature through her intricate artwork. Inspired by her connection to the sea and fuelled by a passion for conservation, Kimmy’s creations serve as a poignant reminder of the fragile beauty around us. Each of the six stamps in the set highlights a fish species native to the waters of the Isle of Man. From the humble herring, affectionately known as skeddan in Manx, to the majestic salmon (braddan), Kimmy’s mosaics pay homage to the rich maritime heritage of the island. The set features six stamps valued at…

A set of six stamps were released illustrating Alderney post boxes on 14 February. The story of the post box, or pillar-box, in Guernsey began after the Penny Postage Act of 1840 paved the way for affordable postage and easy-to-use adhesive stamps. Before the introduction of post boxes, senders had to either take a letter to a receiving house, which for many communities was miles away, or await the bellman, who walked the streets collecting letters from the public, ringing a bell to attract attention. In 1850, it was Anthony Trollope, who eventually became a celebrated novelist but at the time was working as a surveyor’s clerk for the post office, who is credited with the introduction of post boxes to Britain. It is likely that he had seen roadside…

The Osborn collection of rare stamps of the world was sold by Cherrystone on 7 February. Among the highlights was a very fine example of the 1850 2½r black and red ‘Winterthur’ issue from Switzerland (lot 3329). This colourful stamp was released by the Zurich postal administration to pay reduced postage for local mail in the larger towns of the cantons of Zurich, Zug, Schaffhausen and Thurgau. An unusual feature of the stamp is the ornamental design between the stamps. As the Federal local post appeared throughout Switzerland on 5 April 1850, this issue was in use for only a very short time. This unused example, in its original colours and including the complete dividing ornaments on all four sides, sold for $5,000. SOLD FOR £3,973 The Spink auction of…

No one really knows how or when the xylophone evolved, but it’s likely that early hominids crafted a wide range of what’s known as idiophones, which create music from the simple vibrations produced when you hit rocks or wood. One of the earliest known idiophones, called a lithopone, is a prehistoric instrument that uses either natural rock formations or carved stones to create music. Prehistoric people seem to have had extraordinarily rich cultural lives and alongside telling stories, painting cave art, making jewellery and sculptures, some cave systems may have actually been chosen for the tonal qualities of their stone. So, rather than simple shelters, they become cathedrals of music where our ancestors gathered to listen to the ethereal sounds of the very rocks around them. Xylophones, which use wooden…

Hans Christian Andersen, whose literary fairy tales include ‘Thumbelina’, ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’, is one of the most unforgettable writers for children, with his stories beloved by generations of readers. That’s why, since its inauguration in 1967, International Children’s Book Day is celebrated on or around his birthday on 2 April. International Children’s Book Day, designed to promote a love of reading in childhood and draw attention to books written for children, is a wonderful excuse to explore the way children’s books have been featured in philately. Children’s literature has included so many memorable characters and featured such iconic illustrations – think Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Winnie-the-Pooh for imagery you’d recognise instantly – that it’s no surprise to find them having a perennial appeal to…

This was actually the last occasion for some time where there could be said to be a distinct new ‘set’ of definitive stamps. The high inflation of the 1970s and increasing postal costs led to regular tariff changes, and as the years went by, Machin values were added or dropped on a rolling basis to reflect the current rates. Of this set, the first to be withdrawn was the 3½p in 1975, followed by the 1½p, 2½p, 3p and 4p in 1977 and the 6p and 7½p in 1979, with the colour of the 9p changed in 1976. Several were later reintroduced in different colours when needed as makeup values – only the 1p and 2p were constants throughout the life of the Machins. While this process had certainly happened…

As 2023 drew to a close, so did the Post & Go kiosks at museums up and down the country, writes Stuart Leigh. We have known for a few months that it was going to happen, but we were not aware of the actual wording of the final overprint. At the Postal Museum in London, the stock used was the 50th anniversary of the Machin, and the overprint read ‘End of Post & Go at’ followed by ‘The Postal Museum’. It was the same at the Mail Rail kiosk, which was based at the Postal Museum. The Postal Museum ran out of the 50th anniversary stock, and in the last half hour on 31 December, they reverted to the standard Machin. All the naval museums, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and…

A new stamp release from the Royal Mail made headlines recently when it was launched on 15 February. The eight new stamps, which were issued on 20 February, celebrate the history, impact and legacy of Vikings in Britain and mark 40 years since the JORVIK Viking Centre opened in York. Since it opened in 1984, JORVIK has welcomed over 20 million visitors. It had its origins in the Coppergate Dig, which began in May 1976 and led to the creation of the JORVIK Viking Centre on the excavation site, showcasing the finds and recreating the urban landscape of Viking Age York – including its sounds and smells – all based on detailed research. When it opened, the centre made a global impact. It showed that the Viking world was based…

Released on 2 January, a €2.60 miniature sheet from Croatia marks the 125th anniversary of the Rijeka electric tram, which entered service on 7 November 1899. In the second half of the 19th century, Rijeka, on the Adriatic coast, began developing as a port and industrial centre. In 1873, a new railway linked it with Zagreb and, with urbanisation along the coast, efforts were made to connect outer areas to the city centre using carriages and omnibuses, with trams an alternative option. After a proposal for a steam-powered tram was rejected in 1875, it was another 15 years before the idea of a tram was considered. Then, after tenders had been submitted in 1892, Baron Oscar Lazzarini’s suggestion for a horse-drawn tram was accepted, which later developed into an electric…

Born in Poland, Czesław Słania emigrated to Sweden and engraved designs for a number of countries, predominantly European postal administrations. He was even appointed as the Royal Swedish, Danish and Monegasque Court Engraver. In time for his 100th birthday, Posta Faroe Islands issued a miniature sheet on 12 August 2021, with a 39kr stamp included showing him at work. The beautiful engraving was by Martin Morck, who is widely considered to have taken the mantle from the ‘master’. Another mini sheet had celebrated the occasion of his 100th stamp for the Faroe Islands in 2003. Sweden Post had already issued a special 70th birthday booklet of Czesław Słania on 5 October 1991, followed by a large-format souvenir sheet on 17 March 2000 on the occasion of stamp No. 1000 created…

For some time now, the stamps and miniature sheets used for first day covers produced by Royal Mail have been from a separate printing. The stamps have been printed in rolls (or coils as they are sometimes known), rather than sheets. Specialists of the Machin definitives would examine the stamps on Royal Mail first day covers very carefully to note minor differences from the normal releases as counter sheets, booklets and so on. It must be emphasised the key point is that these are covers produced by Royal Mail, not those produced privately. Recently attention has been focussed on the covers of the King Charles III definitives, as these were without the U-shaped slits found on the standard stamps. As we know, the slits are present to prevent uncancelled stamps…

In 1987, the British crown colony of Hong Kong introduced a new set of definitive stamps featuring a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and stylised local scenery, writes Christer Brunström. The $10 value is devoted to Victoria Harbour. The set was reprinted in 1988 and the portrait of Her Majesty had been slightly amended. In the 1987 version, the shading under her chin was quite dark. In the 1988 reissue, the shading was considerably lighter. On 24 August 1990, the Hong Kong Post Office released a souvenir sheet including the $10 stamp printed in 1988. It was issued in connection with Hong Kong’s participation in the World Stamp Exhibition in Auckland, New Zealand. The souvenir sheet shows a ship loading cargo in what must be Victoria Harbour. In recent years,…

The Gambia is a sliver of land in West Africa, facing the Atlantic and bordered on three sides by Senegal. It measures only 500 square miles, but the River Gambia has been an important trade route for hundreds of years, and from the 17th century, the Portuguese, French, Dutch, English and Courlanders (now Latvians) all vied for control of the territory and its lucrative trade. Gambia ended up a crown colony from 1766. But it had spells of being ruled from Sierra Leone and as part of Senegambia until it became the Gambia Colony and Protectorate in 1894. Gambia’s stamps start on a high note, with DLR’s embossed series, which ran from 1869 to 1894. These were followed by the standard key and duty plates and then variations on the…

Greetings for birthdays and other events are now often sent via the internet or by a telephone call using a smart phone. It hasn’t been that way for long, and probably won’t be the same in 50 years time. It’s been over 150 years since the postcard was created and began to be used. At first, just a plain card, and then with a printed design, image and later a photograph. The first known printed picture postcard with an image on one side was created in 1870. The bookdealer August Schwartz from Oldenburg in Germany is regarded as the inventor of the illustrated postcard, for on 16 July 1870, he mailed a post-correspondence card with an image of a man with a cannon, signalling the looming Franco-Prussian War. In the…

Ask people to name a psychologist, and the answer you will get most often is Sigmund Freud. Yet his first major work was written nearly 130 years ago, and many of his ideas are now discredited. Such is the power of original thought. Of course, writing about sex helps. Freud blew apart the prim Victorian era with his theories that mental illness was caused by sexuality, either a past trauma or current, forbidden desire. His specific theories have not turned out to be helpful outside uptight, Imperial, late 19th-century Vienna, but his underlying message, that a culture (or an individual) ignores or represses human desire at its peril, has stood the test of time. Maybe he tells us some deep truths that we still need to hear, even if he…