Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2020 i Stamp Collector

It’s here! After weeks of hard work and collaboration we’re so excited to launch the Summer of Stamps virtual festival over on our website. This is your chance to discover more about the hobby, add to your collection and have fun! It’s been so rewarding to work with festival partners including The Postal Museum, the Royal Philatelic Society London, the ABPS, Stamp Active and the American Philatelic Society, as we created our festival programme. As you can see in our special pull-out guide the programme is packed full of video guides, exhibits and articles, we’ve even got an exclusive film screening! And, as I write, we’re still not done! The response to the online stamp celebration has been so positive we’re still receiving society displays, articles, exhibits and competition entries.…

The Postal Museum are searching for letters, envelopes, greetings cards and packaging from Lockdown – the latest chapter in the 500-year old story of postal services in the UK. The museum, which opened in 2017, explores British social and communications history as seen through the eyes of its iconic postal service. Now, they are seeking donations of items from across the UK, to add to the museum’s collection, telling the story of Lockdown through items sent and received in the post since March. Chris Taft, Head of Collections at The Postal Museum, said: ‘Postal networks have long been a part of our social infrastructure, but the COVID-19 emergency has created new and different meanings to the purpose and value of the post. We want our museum collections to reflect how…

Artists from the Western Desert region of Australia are featured in the latest commemorative stamp issue from Australia Post. Of the four featured artists, two have an association with the Wirrimanu (Balgo) community in Western Australia, and two with the artists’ cooperative at Papunya Tula, Northern Territory. Australia Post Philatelic Manager, Michael Zsolt, said that the new stamp issue highlights the uniqueness and individuality of Australian Indigenous artwork. ‘The Western Desert region of Australia is unlike any other in the world, and these works allow us to see it through the eyes of those who have an intimate relationship with the region.’ The four domestic base rate stamps are designed by Simone Sakinsfsky. The first $1.10 stamps shows Milnga-Milnga, the artist’s birthplace 1999, National Gallery of Australia by Boxer Milner…

AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS The recent e-Auction of GB material at Spink saw a 1953 cover fetch £520 thanks to its unique franking. The cover was sent from London to Australia and featured 1951 King George VI values of 2/6d., 5/-, 10/- and £1 used along with 6d. and 1/- on stamps. The lot was described as being ‘a scarce commercial franking of 39/-’. The recent sale of US postal history included a small piece of cover bearing an 1857 Hawaii 5c Blue on thin white wove paper, alongside an 1851 USA 12c Black, position 88L1. The stamps were affixed slightly overlapping and had been tied together by a light strike of San Francisco circular datestamp. The description for the attractive lot explained that ‘a full cover with this combination catalogues $9,000.’…

POSTCARDS Trapped in The Village You are a prisoner in your village and go out for exercise, but shopping facilities are limited and you get into trouble with the authorities if you roam too far from its boundaries. Sounds familiar? That was the premise of The Prisoner, first screened on TV in 1967-68, following on from the popular Danger Man which starred Patrick McGoohan. The Irish-American actor had previously turned down the role of James Bond, maybe because for the second series of Danger Man he had insisted on “no kissing”, something of a must-have for Bond. Instead, with George Markstein, he created The Prisoner, in which his character resigns from the secret service only to find it is a job for life and that he has been abducted unconscious…

On his second east-west crossing of the Atlantic in 1493 Christopher Columbus, driven from his planned route by adverse winds, sighted an archipelago on the eastern fringes of the Caribbean Sea. According to the explorer’s impressions from the deck of his ship, he saw eleven small islets hemmed around a larger central island. The scene reminded Columbus of a Spanish legend that tells of Saint Ursula, reputedly priestess over eleven thousand virginal handmaidens who tended to her needs. The recollection caused the explorer to name the group: Santa Úrsula y las Once Mil Vírgenes, soon shortened by English speakers to Saint Ursula And The Virgins, and later still to the Virgin Islands. Columbus did not land on that occasion, though he did name the large island Gorda (the Fat One,)…

Obsession, love, money & postage. That’s the tagline for this critically acclaimed documentary that sheds light on the world of stamp collecting. The film features interviews with columnist and author Neil Steinberg, footwear guru Stuart Weitzman and bond king William H. Gross, in addition to an enthusiastic collection of life-long, stamp collectors. According to film-maker Mark Cwiakala, ‘the film is a commentary on how we’re all searching for ways to express ourselves, make order out of chaos, and to connect with one another through our hobbies.’ Exclusive screening We’re very excited to reveal that the documentary will be available to view on Saturday 25 July as part of the Summer of Stamps festival. We’re also very grateful to Mark for giving us all the opportunity to watch his film. If…

Treasures at The Royal The Crawford Medal The idea of awarding Society medals was first discussed in 1904 with the project being finally approved and a committee formed in 1914. The breakout of war, however, postponed any further progress on the matter until 1920, writes Nicola Davies, Head of Collections at the Royal Philatelic Society London. Since the death of the Earl of Crawford (1847-1913), the Society was keen to find a way to perpetuate his memory in recognition of his outstanding contribution to philately and to the Society of which he had served as President from 1910-1913. It was therefore decided that one of the medals should be named after the late Earl. An avid bibliophile (his collection of philatelic books is now held at the British Library), it…

Richard Scott Morel, Curator, British Library’s Philatelic Collections, examines the many stamps issued around the world to celebrate Buddhism With over 500 million practising Buddhists, Buddhism is the fourth largest faith in the world. Consequently, numerous countries produce stamps with Buddhist themes and imagery. Stamps may now largely be viewed as a superseded technology, and are certainly less commonly encountered than in the past, but they remain an intrinsic part of our global visual and material culture. This raises the question of whether such stamps depicting Buddhist themes have any inherent didactic religious purpose, or whether they are merely pieces of visual ephemera? The selection of late 20th century Sri Lankan stamps issued for Vesak, celebrating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death, may provide some tentative answers. Since Buddhists start…

Most readers will know of the benefits of sending and receiving letters, but how many are aware that Britain has a Loneliness Minister? Baroness Barran MBE includes ‘loneliness’ in her range of ministerial responsibilities and is encouraging people to write letters to ensure those people isolating due to the coronavirus don’t feel forgotten. As part of the recent campaign, Royal Mail introduced a ‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’ postmark which was stamped on ‘most letters’ delivered during Loneliness Awareness Week (15 to 19 June), to raise awareness of loneliness and help tackle the stigma. Minister for Loneliness, Baroness Barran said: ‘The last few months have brought loneliness to the forefront of our minds. We all have a role in being kind and looking out for each other, and as some of us…

Guernsey Post will release a six-stamp set showcasing the work of Guernsey artists on 21 July 2020. Featuring a diverse range of artistic styles and themes, Artwork Collection includes a stamp bearing the logo of SEPAC, the Small European Postal Administration Co-Operation, and forms part of a joint stamp issue entitled Art in the National Collection. It was prepared with the assistance of Guernsey Arts Commission (GAC), which supports the island’s arts community. Bridget Yabsley, head of philatelic at Guernsey Post, said: ‘Although Guernsey doesn’t have a National Gallery, it has a very active and vibrant arts community, so we decided to showcase the wonderful work of some of Guernsey’s artists on our stamps. ‘We had an overwhelming response and it was incredibly difficult to choose which pieces of work…

Switzerland, International Bureau of Education, Intellectual Aid Service for Prisoners of War, labels in sheetlet (cancelled) Zanzibar, Postage due letter franked 1a + 1a6p cancelled German Maritime post 1896 for Potsdam (Germany) Belgium, 1 franc violet Leopold I 1865 MNH France, 30c Olympic Games Paris 1924 proof on sheetlet (in the final colour) Belgium, Tintin in the Congo, bloc of 4 imperforated stamps 2001 MNH with margins Monaco, 500th anniversary of the birth of Albrecht Dürer 1972, error ‘Albert’ instead of ‘Albrecht’ MNH Argentina, 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games imperforated MNH Buy and sell on Delcampe, more than 80 million collectables are waiting for you!…

Association of Great Britain First Day Cover Collectors Since 1994 GBFDC has enabled GB First Day Cover Collectors to contact each other, share knowledge, and enjoy a range of benefits. Forces Postal History Society Established in 1952, the Forces Postal History Society aims to bring together the many collectors interested in the postal history of the Armed Forces of all countries, (and United Nations). Channel Islands Specialists’ Society The Channel Islands Specialists’ Society was founded in 1950 by Bill Newport and John Simpson, along with thir teen other members, to study the stamps and postal history of the Channel Islands. Faroe Islands Study Circle Take a voyage of discovery to explore the Faroe Islands. Islands of the far nor th. Islands with a Viking heritage and a wealth of interest…

STEP ONE: SIGN UP! Sign up to the free newsletter and we’ll keep you updated with the festival programme, offers and festival news. You’ll need to register on the website, it’s quick and easy, just visit www.allaboutstamps.co.uk/account/register STEP TWO: FOLLOW US! Social media isn’t just for certain orange-faced politicians to vent their anger, or for people to share videos of kittens, it’s a great way to keep connected with the world of stamp collecting. We’ll be announcing the latest plans and festival activities on all the Stamp Collector platforms, so make sure you’re part of the gang. Just visit the website (allaboutstamps.co.uk) and click on the facebook, twitter, and instagram icons at the top of the page. We’ll see you there!…

The Organisers of OSTROPA, which was to have taken place in June 2020, have set new dates for the exhibition. It will now be held at the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin from 5 to 8 November 2020. Find out more at: www.ostropa2020.de The International Philatelic Exhibition (IPEX) in Cape Town will now take place from 9 to 13 November 2021. Items set to be on display include a letter written by Nelson Mandela whilst in prison, and the Court of Honour will feature awardwinning international exhibits. Special sections will be devoted to an exhibition of the philatelic Gems of Africa; and to Gerhard Kamffer’s award-winning exhibit, the ‘Road to Democracy’. More information can be found at capetown2021.org The Nordia 2020 exhibition will now take place from…

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With 1933 came the news that the Chancellor of Germany had assumed greater authority in the Third Reich, and the development of air power was of paramount importance to his long term plans for Europe, and beyond. It was therefore natural that contact would be made with other countries and air forces, both discreetly and directly, to gain knowledge and information on aircraft structure and flight. At this time, the Armstrong Siddeley organisation designed and produced aircraft engines, as well as motor cars and other light engineering, merging two years later in 1935 with Hawker Aircraft. Throughout the 20th century, the aircraft industry was one of continual mergers and acquisitions, and changes of names. This cover is addressed to the Development part of Armstrong Siddeley to an address in Piccadilly,…

The man on this stamp is Alfonso XIII, who had been King of Spain from his birth in 1886 – there are stamps showing his boyish face dating from 1889. He came of age in 1902. The original version of this stamp, and the set of fourteen definitives it belongs to, dates from 1922. The name at the bottom is that of the engraver, Enrique Vaquer. By the time these original stamps came out, Alfonso’s reign was already in crisis. The king had been keen to keep an empire in Africa, especially the Rif, the mountainous part of northern Morocco across the Straits of Gibraltar, which the Spanish had controlled since splitting Morocco with the French in 1911. The Berbers who inhabited the Rif were rather less keen on this,…

The stamps were designed to be a representation of the French Republic and the artist and engraver, and the printer, were ahead of their time in both fashion and attitudes Let’s ‘face’ it, for most of 2020 we haven’t been able to get to the barbers or beauty salons. I’ve been hauled up in a house with three ladies for the last few months and although it matters little that my male grooming has slipped a grade or two, it seems to matter a little more for my house-mates; there are some grumblings within the female camp that their beauty regime is being uncomfortably hampered. It’s a good job for social distancing then, because staying two metres away from everyone you meet whilst on a foraging mission at the local…

COMMEMORATIVE DEFINITIVE DECIMAL STAMPS The cddstamps virtual stand presents a range of Great Britain and British Commonwealth stamps at competitive prices. GUERNSEY POST A wonderful variety of new issues for Guernsey and Alderney. HISTORYSTORE LIMITED A wide range of postal history and ephemera on offer. Plus, stamps including Brunei. JERSEY POST Beautiful stamps inspired by Jersey’s heritage, anniversaries and world events. PORTOBELLO STAMPS David Bailey has been trading in Portobello Market since 1993. Post-Covid, he is moving more online with mini-sheets and multiples. POSTA FAROE ISLANDS Each stamp must tell a story and serve as a small window into Faroese society, its nature and culture. We must always ask ourselves: ‘What are the Faroe Islands?’ Knud Wacher, Head of Philately 1976-2006 STANLEY GIBBONS Stanley Gibbons Publishing create the world’s most…

www.allaboutstamps.co.uk/stamp-festival Thursday, 9 July 2020 • Marketplace open from 9am• Official stamp launch: Jersey Post’s ‘Harry Vardon’ golfing great stamps• Video: GB ‘Wilding’ Queen Elizabeth II definitive issues 1952-1967 (Royal Philatelic Society London)• Exclusive Festival First Day Covers available to buy (Queen)• Virtual goody bag available Friday, 10 July 2020 • Invited Display available to view: Great Britain Revenue Stamps Printed by Perkins Bacon, Frank Walton RDP, FRPSL• Spotlight on rock music on stamps: stamp guides and inspiration, plus inside John Lennon’s childhood stamp album• Video: National Anthems on stamps (British Library Philatelic Collections) • Stamp Collector, August 2020 issue on sale Saturday, 11 July 2020 • Take a virtual ride on Mail Rail, from The Postal Museum• Spotlight on Victorian stamps: stamp guides and inspiration• Society Display: The RAF in…

When Uniform Penny Postage was established in 1840 Rowland Hill pinned his faith on the pictorial envelopes with their allegorical design by William Mulready. When it was pointed out to him that people might not be able to buy these wrappers from their nearest post office he came up with the solution, some kind of gummed slip bearing the stamp which the sender of a letter could affix to the cover. Thus, almost as an afterthought, adhesive stamps came into being. Putting this idea into practice proved more difficult, because there was no precedent for it. The design competition promoted by the Treasury in 1839 received more than 2,000 entries but relatively few of them focused on adhesive stamps. Sir George Mackenzie of Coull came nearest, with an essay showing…

When you think about a ‘judge’, it conjures up images of a lofty wigged individual, presiding over court proceedings, making weighty impartial decisions based upon the letter of the law, writes Devlan Kruck. And Frederick Philbrick (1835 - 1910), or Judge Philbrick as he was later known, was precisely that. A barrister who worked his way up the legal system in London to the pinnacle of his profession. However, there was another side to Judge Philbrick, and a much more parental one, because Frederick was also known as a ‘Father of Philately’, being on the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. And Mr Philbrick, or Father to us Philatelists, got in early on all this philatelic development, because no sooner had our numero uno Eminent Philatelist Monsieur Georges Herpin invented the word…

Plenty can also be translated as ‘generosity’ and her Greek counterpart, Rhea, was sister and wife to Chronos, who was famed for his munificence. So plenty can be interpreted as not just how much you have, but how much you give, your generosity of spirit. Opis is usually depicted as a mature woman, with her hair covered, holding a horn of plenty (known as a cornucopia) in one hand and sheaths of wheat in the other. Usually, she’s shown wearing classical robes but Belgian’s 1953 semi-postal and Nicaragua’s Seebecks are notable exceptions. In both instances, she seems to dressed as a native peasant-girl. On Belgium’s stamp she carries a key and a pomegranate in place of her usual trappings. Interestingly, this fruit is associated with her Greek counterpart, Rhea. While…

Knots were one of mankind’s earliest tools, helping turn simple fibres into useful items. Long before our ancestors set out to sea, a knowledge of ropework was a vital life-skill. Today, knot craft is something that few ordinary people practice but its importance is frequently celebrated in philately. Nautical knots are many and varied and their visual appeal has made them a popular stamp thematic, from Norway’s elegant 1970 reef knot definitives, Sweden’s lovely 2003 Sailor’s Knots issues, to Jersey Post’s 2018 Post & Go nautical knot labels. As an island nation Britain is awash with nautical terms, from ‘hanging on to the bitter end’ (the ship-end of the anchor rope) to ‘tying the knot’. As such terms moved into the general population, so their usage became more generic. The…