THE WORLD’S BEST PHILATELIC MAGAZINE APRIL 2020

TM
MAGAZINE

Forgotten Ah, Mr Bond!

philately We’ve been
of Haiti expecting you

Post & Go
calamities
All that’s gone wrong with
machine-vended GB stamps
Art of Raphael
Stamps inspired by
sublime paintings

Canada classic
The stunning 1933
Royal William issue
www.stampmagazine.co.uk £4.75
COLLECTING GROUP
Great Britain & British Empire Specialised Auction
including the “Tatiana” Collection
April 1-3, 2020 in Geneva

This specialised Great Britain and British Empire auction week will feature 3 catalogues including a series of collections
from the famous 'Tatiana' philatelic holding:
• St. Vincent with many of the rarities from the Jaffé collection and much more
• Classic Mauritius
• Great Britain & British Empire with very comprehensive sections of India, Australian States especially New South
Wales and Western Australia, British North America, Cyprus, Gibraltar and Jamaica.

David Feldman SA 59, Route de Chancy, 1213 Petit Lancy, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. +41 (0)22 727 0777 Fax +41 (0)22 727 0778 Email info@davidfeldman.com

Browse the lots and bid on

www.davidfeldman.com
Europa 2020: Ancient Postal Routes ...masterpieces from the
Postal routes in the Faroe Islands have always been dificult remote islands in the North
and challenging. Formidable mountains had to be climbed and
deceptive straits crossed to deliver the mail - and sometimes
things went very wrong.

Áarskarð

Faroe Islands Stamps

Stamp Issues 16th and 27th April 2020
16th April - HM Queen Margrethe II’s 80th birthday
Celebrating the Queen’s anniversary Posta is issuing a souvenir sheet.
The motif is the Faroe Islands’ oficial present to the Queen on the occa-
sion of her 40th regent anniversary in 2012. The present was a painting
of the Queen by artist Edward Fuglø.

British FPO’s in the Faroes during WW2

The mini-sheet illustrates a photo of the military post ofice in Miðvágur
and a pencil drawing of the military post ofice in Tórshavn made by Far-
oese artist Ingálvur av Reyni. The three FPO cancellations (611, 695 and
219) which were used by the British on the Faroe Islands during WW2
are also illustrated on the mini-sheet.

FO 929

Sepac 2020:
Artwork in National Collections
One of the oldest Faroese artworks: “Moon
Pigeons” - approx. 1840 by Díðrikur á
Skarvanesi (1802-1865). Díðrikur must be
considered irst Faroese artist, creating his
works some hundred years before “Faro-
FØROYAR
ese art” became a recognized concept.

Posta Faroe Islands - one of the smallest Postal Services in the world, yet known for its unique, beautiful and creative
stamps, which have gained worldwide recognition since 1976.

Buy Faroese stamps at www.stamps.fo

Posta Stamps, Óðinshædd 2 Tel. +298 346200
FO-100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands stamps@posta.fo
 TM
MAGAZINE

WELCOME
IN THIS ISSUE
Post & Go machine-vended stamps have
been with us for more than 10 years
now, and in many ways they are the
strangest of all the collectables in the
Great Britain catalogue.
They’re odd in that some collectors are intrigued
by the minutiae of them, interrogating everything
from the datastrings machine-printed on them to the
receipts dispensed with them, while others choose to
ignore them altogether.
They’re also wierd in that it’s not the day-to-day
postal use of stamps from post office kiosks which
attracts devotees, so much as the philatelic products
vended by the Royal Mail machines installed at
exhibitions and in selected museums.
It could be argued that these stamps are a modern
equivalent of the Penny Black — an experimental
new way of paying for a postal service, which the
public may take a while to become accustomed to.
But can you imagine aficionados of classic stamps
ignoring commercial usage in favour of varieties
produced as souvenirs?
In truth, it’s not even the varieties which attract the
most interest, but the varieties of the varieties:
stamps vended by Royal Mail kiosks (or in some
cases pre-printed in a back office) which have errors
in the philatelic element of their inscriptions.
In the absense of a comprehensive catalogue of
these, we present an illustrated guide this month
(see page 52). With Royal Mail now shrinking from 40 The art of Raphael on postage stamps of the world
creating new commemorative varieties, you might
expect that the errors would be tailing off too. But
you’d be wrong!

GUY THOMAS, Editor 8 WORLD NEWS

guy.thomas@mytimemedia.com A Brexit commemorative from
Austria, a British territory’s
design competition and two
Stamp Magazine, My Time Media Ltd, Suite 25, Eden issues honouring sports legends
House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF
(please mark correspondence either ‘Editorial’ or ‘Advertising’)
10 NEW ISSUES
Jersey’s attractive tribute to the
Art Editor Publishers
Alexandra Bourdelon My Time Media Ltd
music of Ludwig van Beethoven 49 1933 classic from Canada
Advertisement Sales Consultant Tel: 01689 869840 (UK)
Jay Jones Tel: +44 1689 869840 (rest of the world) 14 AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
jay.jones@mytimemedia.com Printers Rarities under the hammer, from
Overseas Advertisement Sales William Gibbons & Sons Ltd
Uty Rohrs Belgium to Jamaica and from
Tel: 020 7834 0085 Subscriptions Spain to India
My Time Media Ltd, 3 Queensbridge,
Commercial Sales Manager
The Lakes, Northampton NN4 7BF, UK
Rhona Bolger
rhona.bolger@mytimemedia.com
Tel: 0844 243 9023 (UK)
Tel: +1 866 647 9191 (USA & Canada)
20 GB NEW ISSUE
Subscriptions Manager Tel: +44 1604 828748 (rest of the world) Full details of Royal Mail’s
Kate Hall help@stamp.secureorder.co.uk pending special issue celebrating
Chief Executive
Owen Davies
Current & Back Issues the James Bond films
Tel: 01795 662976
ISSN 0307-6679 www.mags-uk.com
22 GB COLLECTOR 14 What’s been raising eyebrows at auction?
USA Stamp Magazine, ISSN 0307-6679, is published monthly by MyTimeMedia Ltd, Suite 25S, Eden New booklets, collectables and
House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF, UK. The US annual subscription price is 108USD.
Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd definitives, plus the first major
Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: send
address changes to Stamp Magazine, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, error of the 2020s
NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained at DSB.net Ltd, 3 Queensbridge, The Lakes,
Northampton, NN4 5DT, UK. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.
28 LETTERS
Disappointment over Britain’s
upcoming miniature sheet and
delight over Alaskan postmarks 20 James Bond, licensed for postal use

4 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 CONTENTS
APRIL 2020 | Volume 86, Number 4 | www.stampmagazine.co.uk

64 The underrated stamps and postal history of Haiti 52 Royal Mail’s Post & Go machines have produced many errors, some more subtle than others

71 A first day cover with a difference 60 The finest engravings by Sverre Morken 89 When Christopher Columbus met Charles Lindbergh

FEATURES 35 DEVIL’S ADVOCATE COMPETITIONS

Is Great Britain’s special stamp
programme suffering from a lack
40 THEMATIC GUIDE of imagination? Win a Video Games
TO RAPHAEL presentation pack!
Five hundred years after his 49 COMMONWEALTH Or a copy of our
death, the classical art of one of CLASSICS GB price guide!
the greatest painters in history Canada produced one of the most
See page 37
continues to draw us in. Stamp beautiful stamps on the theme of
issues play a leading role, ships in 1933
especially at Christmas and Easter
60 GREAT ENGRAVERS ‘With the emphasis on rates and
52 POST & GO The long career of one of Norway’s
ERRORS most accomplished stamp routes, don’t neglect the written
Two-stage printing processes have engravers, Sverre Morken
always been prone to errors, and content of postal history’
Great Britain’s machine-vended 71 BLACK MAGIC
stamps are no exception. Are A Penny Black cover from the day
see page 29
technical glitches to blame, or the colour of cancelling ink was
human mistakes? changed in 1841 SUBSCRIBE
64 POSTAL HISTORY 74 WHAT’S ON
OF HAITI Exhibition, auction, fair and society
Take advantage of our
From its earliest stamps to modern dates for your diary special subscription offer
covers, this poor Caribbean and have Stamp Magazine
country is rich in philatelic 89 STRANGE BUT TRUE delivered to your door.
interest, and deserves more What possessed Costa Rica to put See page 72
attention from British collectors an aviation overprint on a stamp
recalling the age of sail?

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 5

250-258 CORINPHILA
26-30 MAY 2020

‘Plate 9’! The largest mint block

outside the Royal Collection.

ex Dublin Find (1899)

ex Earl of Crawford (1913)

All single lots of the May 2020

auction will be available for
viewing at LONDON 2020
International Stamp Exhibition. 2-9 May 2020

Highlights from the May 2020 sale

• Great Britain 1840-1910 – The ‘BESANÇON’ Collection (part II)
• British West Indies – The ‘BESANÇON’ Collection (part I)
• British Post Offices Abroad – The ‘Dubois’ Collection (part I)
• South & Central America – The Brian Moorhouse Collection (part III)
• Stamp Issuing Steamship Companies – The Gregory Frantz Collection
• Austrian Post Offices in the Levant – The Werner Schindler Collection
• Austria & Lombardo-Veneto – The ERIVAN Collection (part II)
• Switzerland, incl. The Jack Luder Collection (part VI)
• All World, incl. Austria, Italy 1855/63 – Rione Vittorio Emanuele II,
Rhodesia – The ‘BESANÇON’ Collection
AUCTION
www.corinphila.ch

1. July 1875: First Day UPU for

Great Britain – but not for France

ex Philipp von Ferrary ex Philipp von Ferrary

(1924) (1924)

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 WORLD NEWS

Brexit stamp
issued by
Austria!
A stamp has been issued to commemorate the UK’s departure from the
European Union, not by Great Britain but by Austria.
The €1.80 design shows an outline map of the remaining 27 members of
the EU in deep blue, while the UK is in very pale blue, as if a shadow of its
former self! Non-EU countries are omitted altogether.
Interestingly, the stamp carries the original date earmarked for Brexit,
March 29, 2019, crossed out and replaced with the eventual date,
January 31, 2020.
The correction is an overprint carried out after the original print-run,
which is reported to have been of 140,000 stamps, and small varieties
have been reported in its positioning.

Birthday issue for Children invited to

Liechtenstein royals
A miniature sheet has been issued by Liechtenstein to mark the
75th birthday of Prince Hans Adam II and the 80th birthday of his
wife, Princess Marie.
Based on a single photograph of the couple, the sheet has
se-tenant portrait stamps with values of 4.30f and 2.00f, printed
with hot-foil embossing in gold.
Hans-Adam II is the 15th reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, and the
first to have grown up in the principality. He has been the head of
state since 1969, although he handed over government affairs to his
eldest son, Hereditary Prince Alois, in 2004.
Despite the modest size of his Alpine country, Hans-Adam is
thought to be the richest monarch in Europe. He owns the LGT
banking and asset-management group.
Princess Marie was a Czechoslovakian countess, but her family
was expelled from her home country in 1945. She was educated
partly in England.
Their birthdays are on February 14 and April 14 respectively.
design Antarctica set
The British Antarctic Territory is running a children’s design
competition for a set of stamps celebrating the 200th anniversary of
the discovery of the continent.
Schoolchildren have been invited to come up with designs on the
theme of ‘Discovering Antartica’, a title deliberately left open to
interpretation. One drawing or painting will be selected from each
of four age categories: 4-6 years, 7-9 years, 10-13 years and
14-17 years.
The mainland of Antarctica was first discovered in January 1820
by an expedition led by Fabian van Bellingshausen, a German officer
serving in the Russian navy. Days later, it was also sighted by a
British expedition.
The British Antarctic Territory was established in 1962 and has
been issuing stamps since 1963.
The closing date for entries to the competition is May 12. For
details of how to enter, visit www.britishantarcticterritory.org.uk

ABOVE: British Antarctic Territory 1963-69 10s

8 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 WORLD NEWS AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS | FEATURES | EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
Stamps hail golf ...and cricket all- NEWS IN BRIEF

legend Palmer... rounder Benaud > Australia Post has

released a special
stamp pack to raise
funds for the Red
The United States has issued a stamp commemorating Australia’s stamp issue honouring popular sports Cross Disaster Relief
Arnold Palmer, one of the most successful golfers in commentators in February featured one who was & Recovery Fund in
history, who is credited with helping to give the game very familiar to British audiences: the cricket guru the wake of the
summer bush fires.
mass appeal. Richie Benaud. Containing five $1.10
Between 1958 and 1964, Palmer won seven major Benaud was an all-rounder who captained the self-adhesive
tournaments, including the British Open Australian team in the 1950s and 1960s before becoming stamps, die-cut in the
Championship twice. Only four men have ever won a journalist and commentator, regularly fronting test shape of Australia, it
is sold at face value,
more than his tally of 62 PGA Tour events. match coverage for the BBC and Channel 4.
with $2 donated to
the charity.

> The Machin

Collectors Club is
launching a regular
stamp and postcard
fair at Sutton Bridge
in Lincolnshire.
Events will be held
on the fourth
Saturday of alternate
months, starting on
March 28. Visit
www.machins.org

> The two-day

Liverpool Stamp
Fair in February
attracted 23 dealers
and reports a 50%
increase in
attendance over the
past two years.

> A guide to first

day and event
London hosts High-value BVI revenues covers on the theme
of James Cook’s

youth seminar The British Virgin Islands has

third voyage of
exploration in
released a set of six revenue 1776-80, in two
volumes totalling
The Federation of European Philately stamps, its first since 1996,
over 500 pages, has
will be holding a seminar on youth including some ultra-high been published by
philately on May 3 during the London values. Daryl Kibble.
2020 Exhibition, for youth leaders to Depicting the mourning E-mail: kibbled@
share ideas on promoting the hobby. dove, the national bird of the bigpond.com
Anyone interested in attending BVI, their denominations are > Entries are
should contact the hosts, the $10, $40, $50, $100, $300 and invited for the South
UK-based Stamp Active Network. $500. The latter is equivalent African Philatelic
E-mail: stampactive@btinternet.com to about £384. Federation’s virtual
one-frame
exhibition, Savpex,
which involves
displaying scans of
It’s the time an exhibit online.
The deadline is

of King April 30. E-mail:

jnc1@vodamail.co.za

George VI > American

film-makers are
planning to make
documentary about
The Jaipur Watch Company of Delhi is a valuable stamp
marketing a limited-edition gold watch collection believed
whose face is a genuine Indian postage to have been stolen
stamp, the 1937-40 King George VI 3p slate. from Jewish victims
of the Holocaust by
Although the stamp is catalogued at Nazi officers in
£3.50 in mint condition, the watch is Poland during
priced at about £1,500. World War II.

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 9

 WORLD NEWS
NEW ISSUE
Beethoven tribute hits
all the right notes
ersey is joining in the worldwide
J celebrations for the 250th anniversary
of the birth of the German composer
Ludwig van Beethoven, with an attractive
set of six stamps and a miniature sheet.
Born in Bonn, in what was then the Holy
Roman Empire, in 1770, Beethoven lived
and worked mostly in Vienna, capital of the
Austrian Empire. Considered revolutionary
in his day, he was a prominent figure in the
transitional period between the classical
and romantic eras of music, and is said to
be the most frequently performed of all
classical composers.
In a consciously contemporary style, the
stamps represent a selection of
Beethoven’s famous compositions, each
incorporating an excerpt from the musical
score, a stylistic number or letter
representing its title, a key instrument in
the composition (two violins, a piano, a
trumpet, a French horn and a cello) and a
portrait or bust of the composer.
Also appearing on each stamp is the
‘BTHVN 2020’ logo which is being used for
official anniversary events, alluding to the
10 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020
abbreviation the man himself used when
signing scores and letters.
The 54p stamp features Piano Concerto
No1 (opus 15), composed in 1795 and
revised in 1800. Beethoven himself was the
piano soloist for the first performance of
this work in Vienna.
The 70p value notes Romance For Violin
No2 (opus 50). Although not published until
1805, this was composed in 1798, before its
sister work which is known as No1.
The 84p honours the Coriolan Overture
(opus 62). This was composed in 1807 to
accompany a tragedy by the Austrian
dramatist Heinrich von Collin, which has
the same subject as William Shakespeare’s
play Coriolanus.
The 88p design notes the Egmont Overture
(opus 84), which was composed in 1809-10
to accompany a play by the German
dramatist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
The £1.05 value features Symphony No7
(opus 92), composed in 1811-12 and first
performed in Vienna in 1813 with Beethoven
himself conducting.
The £1.18 stamp celebrates Symphony No9
(opus 125), Beethoven’s final complete
symphony, composed in 1822-24. This is an
early example of a choral symphony; the
words sung in the fourth movement, well
known today as the anthem of the European
Union, are based on Friedrich Schiller’s
poem Ode To Joy.
The £2 miniature sheet focuses on a
portrait of the composer, while the border
commemorates Symphony No5 (opus 67),
composed in 1804-08. This is arguably the
best-recognised piece of classic music of
all time, thanks to its first four notes.
The issue will be released on March 26.
THE BOLAFFI AUCTION GROUP

Serving collectors across

the world
Since its foundation in 1890, Bolafi has been managed
by four generations of the same family. In 2018 the Group
expanded into Spain and Great Britain through the purchase
of Soler y Llach and Harmers of London. This expansion
was designed to allow all group companies to better serve
their domestic and international clients across Europe and
beyond.
Now, as in the past, the Bolafi Auction Group is committed
to providing the highest quality of expertise and customer
service to its clients in both the stamp and coin markets,
where it is a global leader.

www.harme rs.com

www.aste b olaf f i.it

www.sole ryllach.com
 SAVE THE DATE LONDON
SPRING AUCTION 1 April 2020
Westbury Mayfair Hotel,
37 Conduit Street, Mayfair,
London W1S 2YF

MON: 1854 - India second issue 1/2 a.

red strip of three Bol278253:
1839 - James Chalmers Essay 1 d. one
penny on laid watermarked paper - rare
Cert R.P.S.

1840 - 1 d. black two

strips of four used on
part printed music
sheet dated 31-08-1840
from Harrogate to
Bedford - Cert. B.P.A.
(S.G. 2) laid watermarked
paper - rare - Cert R.P.S.

1913 - King George V

Seahorse £1 blue-green block of four
Waterlow printing - Unmounted
(S.G. 404)

info@harmers.com
 AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

BELGIAN POST OFFICE IN CHINA 1900 JAMAICA 1920

R
Unissued overprints S O LD
FO
00
Spink China’s auction included a rare set of
seven of the proposed but unissued 1900
series for the Belgian Post Office in China.
This comprised ‘Chine’ overprints and
surcharges on Belgium
definitives of the 1893 series (a
1c on 2c brown and 2c on 5c
green), and on the designs which
would be used for the 1905
series (a 4c on 10c red, 10c on
25c blue, 20c on 50c grey, 40c on
1f orange and 80c on 2f mauve).
Devoid of ‘Specimen’
overprints, this set was complete
with the tabs, common on
Belgian stamps of the period,
declaring that they must not be
sold on Sundays.
It was once owned by the
USA 1851
1s with inverted
,3
famous China collector
£6 4 frame
Sir Percival David.
The 11th sale in Spink’s ongoing disposal of
SOLD BY SPINK CHINA £64,300 the Lionheart collection of Great Britain and
British Empire offered a fine unused
example of Jamaica’s most famous rarity:
the 1920 1s orange-yellow and red-orange
with the frame inverted.
Recess-printed by De La Rue, the stamp
shows the statue of Queen Victoria in
Kingston upside-down in relation to the
frame. The error was discovered in
March 1922 by a collector at the post
office in Manchioneal on the eastern side of
the island.
It is believed that only one sheet of 60 had
the error, with only half of that sheet being
sold in Manchioneal. It is possible that the
other half was sold in Kingston, because
one used stamp was cancelled there.
Fewer than 20 examples are known to
survive, used or unused.

1c blue type 1 on cover SOLD BY SPINK £16,000

Harmer-Schau’s auction included a cover
bearing what is considered the rarest
variety from the first 20 years of United
States stamp issues, the 1851 1c blue type I.
This type came only from the seventh
stamp in the top row of the right pane, of
what was the lowest value in second issue
of the USA.
Its status is verified on the back of the
cover by Stanley Ashbrook, who published a
definitive book on this stamp in 1937. The
cover also has a Philatelic Foundation
certificate of 1990.
Fewer than 20 examples of this
type are recorded on cover. This
one is tied by a circular
datestamp of Cincinnati, Ohio, on
a partly printed circular sent to
Mount Vernon, Illinois.
It sold for more than twice its
estimate of £5,800-£7,700.

SOLD BY HARMER-SCHAU
£15,900

DUNGARPUR 1945
Last printing of the ½a
A highlight of the Stanley Gibbons sale was a pair of the ¼a orange
from the 1939-46 issue of the Indian feudatory state of Dungarpur.
The horizontal pair, unused but without gum, is one of the later
printings, in 1945, perforated 10. These were made in sheets of four,
typically imperforate at the top, bottom and right.
Coming with a BPA certificate of 2006, the lot comprehensively
surpassed its estimate of £2,000-£2,200.
Dungarpur was a princely state of the British Raj, in the south of
what is now Rajasthan, which issued two series of stamps,
beginning in 1933. The last Maharajah, Lakshman Singh, who is
portrayed in this second issue, became an MP in the Indian
Parliament after independence in 1947. SOLD BY STANLEY GIBBONS £8,500

14 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 world News AUCTIONS GB collector | letters | coMMeNt | coMpetitioNs | features| eVeNts | straNGe But true
edited by Julia lee. stampauctionhighlights@gmail.com. prices quoted exclude buyers’ premiums

spaiN 1851 iNdia 1883-86

5r colour error
Soler y Llach offered a famous error of
colour from the second issue of Spain, the
5r chocolate brown.
The imperforate stamp portraying Queen
Isabella II was normally printed in pink.
This example, in unused condition with
strong colour and good margins, came with
Comex, Calves and Nussbaum certificates.
Imperforate imprimaturs
A set of imperforate imprimaturs for the 1883-86 Queen Victoria stamps of India, originally
from the De La Rue archive, came up in the sale of the Malcolm Domingo collection by
Stanley Gibbons.
The ½a blue-green, 1a brown and 2a blue were matching top-right corner examples, the 4a 6p
yellow-green a top marginal. All were on gummed, watermarked paper, with ‘Specimen’
overprints, inverted in the case of the 1a.
SOLD BY STANLEY GIBBONS £6,650

SOLD BY SOLER Y LLACH £8,400

spaiN 1942 swedeN 1910-18

Unissued Franco design Unsurcharged 55ö and 80ö
Another head- Examples of the two rare
turner at the values in Sweden’s
Soler y Llach 1910-18 definitive series
sale was a came up in the Philea
Spanish stamp auction.
design of 1942 The 55ö pale blue and
which was 80ö black, portraying
never issued. King Gustav V, were late
The 20c additions to the series,
violet portrays printed shortly before it
the dictator was surcharged with new
Francisco values in 1917.
Franco Although common in
wearing a surcharged condition,
winter cloak in they are scarce in
front of the unsurcharged guise,
Castillo de la especially so when
Mota in postally used.
Medina del These fresh copies
Campo, which on piece both have
had been given cancellations from
to the women’s section of his Falangist party three years earlier. Värnamo in 1918.
Fewer than 50 examples of the stamp exist.
SOLD BY PHILEA
SOLD BY SOLER Y LLACH £4,200 £3,000

april 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 15

 COMMEMORATIVE
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AND COLLECTABLES
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Selling your stamp collection?
Warwick and Warwick have an expanding requirement for world collections, single country collections, single items, covers,
proof material and specialised collections. Our customer base is increasing dramatically and we need an ever-larger supply
of quality material to keep pace with demand. The market is currently very strong for G.B. and British Commonwealth and
the Far East. If you are considering the sale of your collection, now is the time to act.

FREE VALUATIONS
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without obligation on your part to proceed. Either we will make
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offer, we ask you to cover the return carriage costs only.

FREE VISITS
Visits by our valuers are possible anywhere in the country or
abroad, usually within 48 hours, in order to value larger and
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ADVISORY DAYS
We have an ongoing programme of advisory days, in all regions
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We will be visiting the following towns within the next few weeks:

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Because of the strength of our customer base we are in a
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Warwick & Warwick Ltd., Chalon House, Scar Bank,

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Auctioneers and Valuers Tel: (01926) 499031 • Fax: (01926) 491906
www.warwickandwarwick.com Email: patrick.collyer@warwickandwarwick.com

Get the experts on your side! /warwickauctions @warwickauctions

 WINSTON CHURCHILL
o be
❛To be really
really happy
happy and really safe, one
or
or three
three hobbies,
hobbies, and they must all be
Understanding Quality
Previously I have discussed the ‘Importance
of Condition’ – but how do you recognise and
understand quality?
Of course, the easy answer is ‘experience’, but how do you
gain experience when you have not physically handled a
particular type of stamp?
Obviously, there is no substitute for seeing or handling a
stamp ‘in the lesh’, but stamps possess an unusual quality
that makes them so suitable for sale upon the internet
and for posting and trading throughout the world – they
are basically lat. Over the past 10 years I have bumped
into a reasonable number of antique dealers who blame
the internet, and eBay in particular, for the demise of the
‘antique shop’...
... apparently the ‘transparency’ of information and
values upon the internet has ‘inished’ off the high street
‘antique shop’ as many remember it. Certainly, I know
this to be true of certain types of antiques in the U.K. -
dealers could ‘hide’ in their own mystique of knowledge
gained over many years of trading, visiting auctions, even
museums, that many collectors were unable then to access
during normal working hours. Additionally, most collectors
had an unreasonable ‘fear’ of attending and purchasing
at ‘public auction’ – citing all manner of ‘old-witch’ tales –
where they might ‹touch their nose› and end up winning a
lot they could not afford!
Those days of the ‘old boys club’ of dealers are gone, and
the transparency of the internet, apparently, is the
reason. But something different happened along the way
with stamps - stamp values were always that bit more
transparent in the irst place due to their being so well
catalogued by Stanley Gibbons and other publishers. Out of
interest in 1980 there were an estimated 300 stamp shops
in the UK – today there may be just 30. Stamp collecting
and stamp dealing went ‘underground’, long before the
internet took hold. Antique dealers’ average price of an
item might £100’s – whereas most stamp shops average
price might be pence to pounds.
So, most stamp dealers were forced to adjust to their
market conditions of selling by low-overhead methods –
from home or ofice, by mail or at fairs/exhibitions – which
is why stamps have uniquely adapted and transferred
themselves so well to sale by postal auctions and upon the
internet.
The internet is the key starting point to how to learn
about stamps and assess quality. Catalogue publishers
usually make a start at the front of their ‘physical’
catalogues by giving an illustration by appearance of good,
ine, very ine, and superb quality of an imperforate stamp
based upon appearance only. But it is so easy now being on-
line – to compare quality by image against description. Put
a little quality time aside and start by visiting the websites
of the more ‘expensive’ dealers who retail on-line. Look for
high quality and see the high prices requested ...
... Now, open another ‘browser window’ and go to eBay.
Start searching for similar, even the same catalogue number
stamps in differing conditions. Read the descriptions –
compare the starting prices and put some of these items
18
in your ‘watch’ category. Be prepared for a shock. You
are going to see the most horrendous variances between
descriptions, prices and realisations.
Unless you are ‘watching’ items from the most respected
‘main-stream’ dealers on-line – pay absolutely NO attention
to sellers with 100% on-line ratings. Yes, your purchases will
be delivered – but on the face of it – what you see on the
front of the stamp is what you get. There are thousands of
on-line sellers with little or no knowledge of what they are
selling and thousands with knowledge who know that what
they are selling is not what it is ‘cracked-up’ to be.
I see dealers with 1,000+ feedback 100% ratings offering
items described as ine used which are merely average. Be
aware that the oldest ‘trick in the game’ is to describe ‘good’
as ‘ine’, ‘very ine’ as ‘superb’, and so on. Stamps easily trap
the unwary in this respect.
In Part II of ‘Understanding Quality’ we will discuss what
to look for, how to look for it and ‘train your philatelic eye’.
Part II:
How to Train Your Philatelic Eye
In part I of ‘Understanding Quality’ we discussed the
beneits of stamps being ‘lat’(!) and just how helpful this
is in making quality comparisons. I hope you have been
making comparisons between the ‘best’ and most expensive
dealers internet illustrations and those of other vendors at
say, eBay.
Have you been horriied at what you have seen?
Certainly we are – regularly. We don’t profess to be perfect –
and with 20,000+ lot quarterly auctions we are always going
to make our share of errors too – but never deliberately,
and always guaranteed by prompt full refund or credit as
required …
But, over the years, one of the most important and
overlooked aspects of ‘understanding quality’ that I have
noticed – is ..... amazingly ....., that many collectors do not
carefully examine their purchases – but more than that –
they don’t appear to know ‘how’ – perhaps that’s because
nobody has ever explained ‘how to train your philatelic eye’.
How have I reached this rather fundamental conclusion?
I’ve lost count of the times that I have handed over a x10
magnifying glass to collectors, inviting them to look at the
stamp we are examining together. Most collectors do not
realise that the focussing distance of the most practical
magnifying glass is actually having their eye and the ‘glass’
approximately one to two inches from the stamp.
That’s how close you need to get in to examine the
detail of a stamp.
Understanding this opens so many doors to what you
are actually looking at and what you may start looking for.
Now that you are perhaps thinking of examining stamps
‘closer up’ than before – start by consciously selecting a
point that you will consistently start from – say the top
left north west (NW) corner ... then actually work your
way ‘clockwise’ around the stamp. What you are now doing
is ‘disciplining’ your eye to work to a pattern – you’ll be
conscious of this to begin with – but soon it will become an
unconsciously eficient process which will prove invaluable
when looking for varieties and checking for faults.
ought to have at least two
Sir Winston chose Painting,
real.❜ thank You for choosing Philately
1. Start by examining the perforations all of the way
around the stamp, are any too short, ‘pulled’ or
missing? Don’t forget to look for ‘closed tears’ – or even
scissor cuts. Closed tears are easily missed – but easily
detected if you look for fine lines emanating from the
perforations and running into the design. (Tip – flex
the stamp gently, but not with your fingers! – a good
time is when filing the stamp into a mount or a stock-
card).
Depending upon scarcity of the stamp, one pulled
out/missing perforation – upon a commonly available
stamp is not acceptable when you can so easily have a
perfect example. The scarcer and older a philatelic item,
the more ‘forgiving’ you can become.
2. Now examine the margins/centring of the design to the
perforations or the width of margins of an imperforate
stamp. How off-centre a stamp are you prepared to
have in your collection? This can have a big impact
upon price in classic issues, and in modern issues – do
you need it – when you may relatively easily obtain
better?
3. Next, look for thins or pinholes – not just upon the
reverse – but also for facial abrasions. Thinning has
one of the heaviest impacts upon price. Hold the stamp
against good quality background light – preferably a
‘daylight’ type bulb. Invest in a a good quality daylight
bulb/tube desk-light – seldom seen when we visit
collectors to value their collections.
4. Now, check the colours of the stamp – are they ‘true’
– how do they compare with other stamps in your
collection. Beware of faded stamps; consider the period
of stamp you are working with – for example Queen
Victoria GB often have crayon marks (from registered
envelopes) – stamp ‘improvers’ often ‘reduce’ such
marks in an attempt to reduce their overall impact
upon the stamps appearance.
5. Is the stamp ‘toned’? – if mint – is the gum creamier
than it should be. In this area – everything is ‘relative’
– toning on a modern stamp within the last 50 years
is pretty unacceptable as it is unnecessary to accept
it. Earlier stamps – a degree of overall toning becomes
more acceptable and in some cases virtually the only
quality available. But, beware of tone/rust spots –
these can be severe. As with everything the degree of
severity affects the price. Remember that some stamps
the gum was always brownish, creamy or off-white. In
the British Empire KGVI ‘key types’ high values, for
example, a brownish streaked gum often indicates an
6.
early printing which actually went to the colonies.
Creasing – look for creases – minor bends/ gum bends
are common in classic issues and in some cases hard
to purchase the stamp without such. In used stamps –
particularly the ‘top’ end, a pressed out crease can as
much as halve the value of the stamp, sometimes more.
Look for a crease as you would look for a phosphor
band – let the light from your desk-lamp glance across
the surface of the stamp. Remember that all creases are
not vertical – diagonal, even horizontal are common.
Victorian/classic stamps are likely to have the highest
chance of bearing a crease. A crease can convert an
‘exhibition’ appearance stamp to an ‘also-ran’ worth
50% or less. Be aware that heavy creases are often
‘pressed out’ –
so the crease
could be a ‘finer’
line. ‘Improvers’ use
‘hydraulic presses’ these
days to eradicate creases.
7. Look at the postmark – is it
a beauty? In the US they have a philatelic phrase
which has ‘travelled’ – SON – otherwise ‘socked on the
nose’ – probably the finest quality of a used stamp is a
full crisp clear cancel beautifully positioned and with
perfect balance/harmony between stamp and postmark.
However there are many who term a contemporary part
CDS (circular date stamp) cancel as the finest quality
sought – particularly clear of profile is highly desirable
in typically heavily cancelled Queen Victoria line
engraved issues such as the British 2d blue. No matter
how ‘sound’ the stamp, the heavier the cancellation –
the lower the resale price.
Finally consider that a combination of defects – whilst
acceptable in the unique British Guiana (a US$10 million
auction value) – are less and less acceptable in lesser
high-flying stamps. When you are considering the value of
a stamp – it helps not to think of ‘how many £’s or $’s to
deduct for this or that’ – a sure-fire way to confuse oneself
– think in terms of ... is this a super-fine stamp – in which
case you may think to yourself it’s an X % of catalogue
value example, incrementing down to it’s a ‘space-filler’ with
multiple faults worth say 5% to 10% of catalogue value to
you – or no value at all to you – if it lowers the tone of
your collection too much.
By adopting a systematic approach to examining stamps
you will soon ‘train your philatelic eye’ so that all of what
I have written automatically, effortlessly and enjoyably
becomes second nature to you. If you start to think how
faults relate to value, this will stand you in good stead
when understanding quality.
Dedicated to De-mystifying Philately
Andrew McGavin,
Author, Managing Director
ANDREW PROMOTING PHILATELY ON
Universal Philatelic Auctions (UPA)
THE ALAN TITCHMARSH SHOW UK ITV
P.S.
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19
 GB COLLECTOR
NEW ISSUE
On Her Majesty’s
Secret Service
oyal Mail’s third special stamp issue
R of 2020, on sale from March 17,
celebrates the hugely successful
James Bond films, based on the fictional
British spy originally created by the
novellist Ian Fleming.
Comprising six counter-sheet stamps and
a four-stamp miniature sheet, it is being
released two weeks before the latest Bond
movie, No Time To Die, is premiered in UK
cinemas on April 2.
This film franchise is claimed to be the
longest-running of all time, spanning
almost 60 years since Dr No was made in
1962. The latest release is the 25th from
British production company Eon
20 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020
Productions, during which time Bond,
famously codenamed 007 and licensed to
kill, has been played by six different actors:
three English, one Scottish, one Australian
and one Irish-American.
The individual stamps feature one film
starring each of these six, with a portrait of
Bond and a design inspired by the opening
title sequence. They come in se-tenant
strips of three.
The miniature sheet celebrates some of
the best-known gadgets supplied to Bond
by Q Branch, the fictional research and
development branch of the secret service,
with the border illustrating a silver Aston
Martin DB5. Each of these four stamps has
a special ‘007’ perforation in one corner.
Designed by Interabang, the issue was
printed in litho by International Security
Printers.
1st class CASINO ROYALE
Released in 2006 and starring Daniel Craig,
this film (based on Fleming’s first novel)
features Bond attempting to bankrupt Le
Chiffre, a ruthless financier of terrorism, by
defeating him at poker.
1st class GOLDENEYE
Released in 1995 and starring Pierce
Brosnan, this film sees 007 tackle a rogue
former secret agent, 006, who threatens
 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS GB collector LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS | FEATURES | EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
1967, this is an autogyro equipped with
machine guns, rockets and flamethrowers.

1st class Bell-textroN jet pack

As seen in Thunderball, released in 1965,
this strap-on personal flying machine could
propel Bond to an altitude of 18m (60ft) for a
short burst of controlled flight.

1st class aStoN MartIN dB5

As seen in Skyfall, released in 2012, and
other films, this elegant sportscar was
fitted with machine-guns, a bullet-proof
London with a terrifying space weapon Caribbean island who is seeking an shield and an ejector seat.
named GoldenEye. international monopoly.
otHer prodUctS
1st class tHe lIVING daylIGHtS £1.60 oN Her MajeSty’S Secret The presentation pack provides an overview
Released in 1987 and starring Timothy SerVIce of all 25 Bond films to date, and explores
Dalton, this fast-paced Cold War Released in 1969 and starring George 007’s relationships with allies and villains.
adventure has Bond outwitting a Soviet Lazenby, this film pitches 007 against Ernst A press sheet of eight uncut miniature
double agent, General Georgi Koskov, and a Blofeld and his Angels of Death as they sheets is available, as well as the usual first
rogue US arms dealer, Brad Whitaker. tried to blackmail the world powers using day covers and stamp cards, and myriad
biological warfare. additional souvenirs.
£1.60 lIVe aNd let dIe
Released in 1973 and starring Roger Moore, £1.60 GoldFINGer
this story sees 007 dodging danger and
voodoo while investigating a mysterious
Released in 1964 and starring Sean
Connery, this early movie sees Bond
VERDICT
drugs lord, Kananga, the dictator of a tracking gold smuggler Auric Goldfinger, coMMeMoratIVe WortH
foiling his bid to contaminate the US bullion James Bond is a British icon, and Bond
depository at Fort Knox. films are a great British export
PRICES
Set of 6 stamps £6.90 MINIatUre SHeet QUalIty oF deSIGN
Although based largely on film stills,
Miniature sheet £4.50 £1.55 lotUS eSprIt SUBMarINe the designs do scant justice to the
Presentation pack £12.20 As seen in The Spy Who Loved Me, released action-packed nature of the movies
in 1977, this is a car which can convert into a
Stamp cards £4.95
submarine, complete with torpedoes and WoW Factor
Press sheet £39.99 surface-to-air missiles. To the limited extent that they are used
First day cover (stamps) £8.90 on mail, these stamps will not set many
First day cover (mini sheet) £6.00 £1.55 lIttle NellIe pulses racing
As seen in You Only Live Twice, released in

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 21

 GB COLLECTOR

NEWS IN BRIEF

> A miniature sheet

commemorating the
James Bond stamps
300th anniversary of
the Declaration of
Arbroath is due to be
issued on April 6. It
will comprise
Scotland definitives
in booklets, sheets...
but no new stamp Accompanying the James Bond issue are a
designs. retail stamp book, a prestige stamp book
and a label sheet.
> The product list The retail booklet has four 1st class
distributed by Royal
Machin definitives along with both 1st class
Mail in association
with the James Bond designs from the Q Branch miniature sheet.
issue comprised no The latter are self-adhesive, and therefore
fewer than 40 items, without the special ‘007’ perforation.
including framed The 24-page prestige book focuses on
sets, enlarged
prints, a ‘secret behind-the-scenes details of the Bond
dossier’ and two gold films, and has four stamp panes.
proof coin covers The six James Bond designs are divided
priced £530 each. across two panes, in different se-tenant
arrangements, while the stamps from the
> The headline
changes in Royal Q Branch miniature sheet occupy a third
Mail’s new tariffs pane, in a non-se-tenant layout.
introduced on The fourth pane features two Union Flag
March 23 are that 1st class stamps, two Scottish Flag 2nd
the basic 1st class
rate rises from 70p class designs, two 2nd class definitives and
to 76p (the largest two 2p definitives.
percentage since A limited-edition version of the PSB, with
2012), and the 2nd a silver-foiled front cover and an embossed
class rate from 61p
tin display case, comes at a premium price.
to 65p.
The A4-size label sheet is not in the
> A new discovery traditional Smilers vertical format but in
being offered by GB horizontal format. Conventionally gummed,
dealer Rushstamps it features 10 James Bond stamps
is a copy of the 1990
Greetings booklet (including three each of the Casino Royale
with its stamp pane and Goldfinger designs), each se-tenant
inverted. The with a label reproducing a still from the
booklet is sealed in films, with a range of vehicles to the fore.
cellophane as
issued, with the
pane partly visible
through the
smile-shaped
window. Visit www.
rushstamps.co.uk

> For Valentine’s

Day, Royal Mail
decorated a postbox
with illustrations of
Cupid in the Wiltshire
village of Lover.

> The price of Royal

Mail shares fell to an
all-time low in
February, dropping
below 175p. At
privatisation in 2013,
it was 330p, and it
later peaked at more
than 630p.
...and silver!
Among the limited-edition souvenirs in the
> Among the James Bond product range are the stamps
activities now and miniature sheet reproduced in silver.
offered in The Postal Priced £199.99 each, these come in a case
Museum’s
underground Mail inscribed with the 007 logo in silver foil, and
Rail depot is with a certificate of authenticity. They are not,
Friday-night yoga! of course, valid for postage.

22 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS GB COLLECTOR LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS | FEATURES | EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
Hidden features HOT OFF THE PRESS
revealed by UV light Don Staddon has the inside line on British
stamp printings, post ofice supplies and
Two of Royal Mail’s first three special issues of 2020 have
developments in postal mechanisation
incorporated hidden features which become apparent only under
ultra-violet light. DEFINITIVE PRINTINGS
The Video Games stamps in January had phrases associated with New postage rates which will take
gameplay, such as ‘Congratulations’ and ‘Goal!’, while the effect from March 23 have prompted
accompanying Tomb Raider miniature sheet showed artefacts the issue of no fewer than 15 new
collected by Lara Croft during her adventures. These were not stamps on March 17.
announced at the time of issue, but were subsequently discovered There are seven new Machin
by collectors and gaming enthusiasts. definitives: the £1.42 garnet red,
The Q Branch miniature sheet in the new James Bond issue has £1.63 sunset red, £1.68 tarragon
hidden annotations itemising the special features of each vehicle. In green, £2.42 purple heather, £2.97
this case, the feature has been announced in advance by Royal Mail. rose pink, £3.66 harvest gold and
£3.82 holly green.
Printed in gravure by International
Security Printers, these stamps are
self-adhesive, with the usual security
features, and are expected to have an
‘M20L’ code in their overlay.
All of the colour descriptions have
been used previously.
Issued on the same day will be
£1.42 and £1.63 country definitives for
each of England, Scotland, Northern
Ireland and Wales. These issues are
gummed, and printed in litho by
Cartor (the French subsidiary of ISP)
in the usual designs reserved for the
higher values.
A full set of the Machins will set you
back £17.60 and a full set of the
country definitives £12.20. Pity the

The first major GB cylinder-block collectors!

error of the 2020s

Errors dealer Mark Brandon has reported a spectacular error
affecting the Tomb Raider miniature sheet issued alongside the
Video Games set in January.
The dramatic four-way perforation shift was discovered in dealer’s
stock obtained direct from the philatelic bureau in Edinburgh.
Visit www.regalstamps.co.uk
POST & GO PRINTINGS
We understand that collector’s strips of the Travelling
Post Office design vended by the Post & Go kiosk at
Steam, the Museum of the Great Western Railway in
Swindon, now have the year code ‘17’. The original issue,
in the Royal Mail Heritage set, had a ‘16’ code.

SLOGAN POSTMARKS
Slogan postmarks in use during February included
World Cancer Day (January 31-February 4), LGBT+
History Month, (January 31-February 10), Valentine’s Day
(February 8-14), Climate Action (around February 17) and
Pancake Day (February 20-25).

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 23

Invertebrates of Kalahari
No.2: Arachnids I (Spiders)

Philatelic Bureau
P.O Box 100, Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: (+267) 395 2806 | Fax: (+267) 391 3599 | Toll: Free: 0800 335577
philatelic@botswanapost.co.bw | www.philatelybotswana.co.bw
POSO HOUSE, Plot 539552, Khama Cresecent, Gaborone, Botswana
Select Your 1st 500 Stamps FREE
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Contrary to what you might think, or have been
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One of the biggest problems when I collected
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Q: What made me collect stamps this
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Yes, catalogue values… That’s not to say
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J. BAREFOOT Ltd
121 East Parade, YORK YO31 7YD Michael G. Read
Visit our new website www.michaelgread.co.uk
telephone 01904 400648 Poachers Retreat, Common Lane, Kings Langley, Herts, WD4 9HP
e-mail JBarefootL@AOL.com Tel: 01923 269775 - Email: mg.read@btinternet.com
website : www.jbarefoot.co.uk Est. 1976 - 45 Years of Care and Attention
 TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL
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Tony Lester
AUCTIONS LTD

5th April 2020 Sale

Our April auction will include GB with a good range of
1840 1d blacks, QE missing colours incl. scarce, British
Commonwealth collections and items incl. varieties etc.

Free Valuations
We are keen buyers of collections or can sell through our
auctions on commission. We can travel to value suitable lots or
you can bring them to us for an on the spot valuation.
Auctions
Our auctions cater for both collectors and dealers, with single
stamps and sets in addition to many collections and ‘box lots’.
2020 Auction Dates
5th April • 14th June
6th September • 22nd November

CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE COPY OF OUR NEXT CATALOGUE.

TO: Tony Lester Auctions Ltd (01926) 634809

The Sidings, Birdingbury Rd,
www.tonylester.co.uk
Marton, Nr Rugby,
tonylester@btconnect.com
Warwickshire CV23 9RX

TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL
 YOUR VIEWS
GET IN TOUCH
These pages are devoted to giving
you the opportunity to have your say.
Whether you want to praise or
complain, suggest or advise, add
information or correct it, or just get
something off your chest, we’d love
to hear from you.
Send your letters to:
Stamp Magazine, MyTimeMedia Ltd,
Suite 25, Eden House, Enterprise
Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF
Or send an e-mail to:
guy.thomas@mytimemedia.com
The Editor reads all letters, but is
unable to answer them all personally.
We reserve the right to edit letters
for publication.
Named and shamed?
Having read Alan Spencer’s Soapbox
column (January issue, page 29) about how
societies should reach out to new
members, I thought we at the Burnley &
District Philatelic Society ticked most of
the boxes.
So I was somewhat saddened to see us
mentioned in a letter from Peter Shaw
(March issue, page 30) suggesting that ‘a
warmer welcome’ was required.
Our evening with guest speaker Bill
Barrell, which Peter mentioned, was in
October 2013. On the night, Peter was
welcomed by name as a guest (this is
minuted), and during the interval, over
coffee and cake, I remember discussing
with him his collection of Great Britain, and
in particular the Castles high values.
I invited him to speak at a future meeting,
but he declined the offer.
Currently celebrating our 75th year, we
have former Blackburn PS members in
our ranks, and members of the Great
Britain Philatelic Society and the Royal
Philatelic Society London too. All are
welcome anytime.
Barry Evans, Honorary Secretary,
Burnley & District Philatelic Society
28 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020
LETTER OF THE MONTH
Royal Mail’s disappointing response to
Scotland’s important anniversary
In my hometown of
Arbroath, there will be
sixth months of events
celebrating the 700th
anniversary of the
Declaration of
Arbroath, an
extremely important
historical document in
that it asserted the
independence of
Scotland. So I was
extremely
disappointed when I
learned how Royal ABOVE: Unlike in 1970, when 5d was the 1st class rate, this year’s anniversary of the
Mail was intending to Declaration of Arbroath will not have a commemorative that will be seen in postal use
mark the occasion.
At first it looked as if there was to be no philatelic commemoration at all, as the
published stamp programme for 2020 made no reference to it.
After questions were asked by the MSP for Moray, Richard Lochhead (who had seen my
post on Facebook), and the story was picked up by the Aberdeen newspaper The Press &
Journal, a response from Royal Mail said that there would be an issue. But it would
simply be a miniature sheet containing four Scotland definitives, with no new
commemorative stamp.
Admittedly, given the Scottish government’s continuing demand for a second
independence referendum, Royal Mail is in a difficult position. If it ignored the
anniversary, it might be said to be against independence; if it produced a set of stamps, it
might look as if it was sympathetic to it. So this is a fudge.
The bottom line is that no-one will see a stamp relating to the Declaration in normal
postal use. Copies of the miniature sheet will be purchased by philatelists, and by others
as souvenirs, but who would break up such a sheet for postage when the stamps within it
are effectively the same as those that can be obtained over the post office counter?
Royal Mail is happy to celebrate relatively trivial subjects, as readers of this magazine
well know, but such an important historical document deserves rather more respect.
Jeff Dugdale, Fochabers
Typographical error?
As an experienced letterpress printer, I am
confused by the regular use of the term
‘printing by typography’ in philatelic
publications, such as in your recent feature
on the Straits Settlements stamp issue of
1903 (January issue, page 45).
Sure enough, ‘typography’ is the
description used in the Stanley Gibbons
catalogue for these stamps. In fact it uses
the abbreviation ‘typo’, which is even more
curious; in letterpress terminology, ‘typo’ is
an abbreviation for ‘typographical error’,
meaning a mistake in the typesetting.
Philatelic Terms Illustrated by James
Mackay (published by Gibbons) defines
typography as ‘the style and arrangement
or appearance of typeset matter, but loosely referred to by philatelists as surface-
used by philatelists to denote the printing or typography’.
letterpress process’. So why doesn’t the catalogue use the
It then defines letterpress as ‘the correct correct term?
term for the printing process sometimes Mary Bartlett, Totnes
 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR LETTERS COMMENT | COMPETITIONS | FEATURES | EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
SOAPBOX
When collecting postal history, by all means study rates and routes
but don’t ignore the written message itself, Russ Walker advises

With so much emphasis on rates,

routes and postal markings, I
believe the written content of
postal history has been badly
neglected over the years.
The prime purpose of the
original missive was not to
create something collectable but
to communicate.
So, surely, what was written,
by whom and to whom, should
rank in importance with those
other aspects?
For some time now, a few
philatelists have advocated
showing more interest in this,
and I want to make the case for
the importance of knowing what
was being communicated on
those little pieces of paper that
we collect.
I recently found this very
dramatic example.

TRAGIC MESSAGE
This rather crumpled British 2d
postal stationery card, uprated
with a ½d adhesive stamp, was
sent from Putney in London to
Vienna in Austria on May 4, 1953.
I bought it mainly for the Allied
censor mark applied in Austria,
although I felt its condition was
too poor for displaying.
When I read the message,
however, I realised that it
related a tragic piece of aviation
history. Translated from
German, it reads:
‘Dolly and Glenda (6) were in the
Comet crash. Her husband is in
Calcutta, and the poor man has
suffered a huge loss. I thought I ABOVE: Front and back of a postal stationery card sent from London to Vienna in May 1953.
would let you know quickly Written in German, its handwritten message proved to be worth translating and researching
before coming over. Geoff went to
pick them up yesterday and only two people referred to in the message: industry by several years, and allowed
then did he find out.’ Miss M G Maltman and her mother overseas competition to catch up rapidly.
As a postscript, the sender writes: Mrs D H Maltman. The main cause of the crashes was
‘I cannot believe it yet. 43 dead.’ Further internet research suggests eventually discovered to have been
The message is a reference to the first that they were the wife and daughter of structural failure caused by metal
passenger deaths on a commercial jet James Maltman, who at the time was fatigue, a little understood phenomenon
airliner, Britain’s world-leading De working at the Chowrassie Colliery at that time. A fatal flaw in the aircraft’s
Havilland Comet. BOAC flight 783 in Bengal. design had been its square windows,
crashed shortly after take-off from which had concentrated the stresses
Calcutta Dum Dum Airport on May 2, AIR SAFETY affecting the fuselage.
1953, killing 37 passengers and six crew. After a further fatal crash, the Comet This is why, on any flight you take today,
Apart from a baby, only one child was was withdrawn from service and you will look out of an oval window.
on board, and a search of the accident underwent a major redesign. The Russ Walker
report gives the probable names of the accidents set back the British aerospace Caledonian Philatelic Society, Glasgow

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 29

 YOUR VIEWS

Favourite Alaskan postmarks from the Forster collection

Your excellent account of the stamps, post offices and postmarks of post office survived only briefly, from 1950-52.
Alaska (February issue, page 38) would have delighted my late As a postscript to Nicholas Pertwee’s comments about the island
father, Ken Forster, whose column about postmarks appeared in of Little Diomede, the closest point to Siberia, I can add that the
Stamp Magazine nearly every month for 36 years until 2003. first person to swim the 2.3 miles from the United States to Russia
The family postmark collection, of which I am now the custodian, was Lynne Cox, in 1987, in a time of two hours and five minutes.
began in 1930, when one of my father’s daily tasks at his first job, at Crossing the International Date Line meant that she arrived the day
a printing company in Leeds, was to open the mail. It includes many before she left.
examples from Alaska, and here are some of my favourites: John Forster, Braunston
■ North Pole (not on the
Arctic icecap but near
Fairbanks in central Alaska)
used to offer collectors a
special ‘Season’s Greetings’
cancellation in December.
■ Igloo (near Nome in the far
west of mainland Alaska)
had a post office from
1901-52, and in 1948 the
postmistress was the
appropriately-named
Helen Frost.
■ Eek (in the southern part
of the Yukon delta) has a
population of 300 and a post
office which opened in 1949.
■ New Knock Hock (in the
northern part of the Yukon
delta) is a tiny place whose

Not enough space for societies at London 2020 Indian initiative

Just before Christmas I discovered that the
London 2020 international exhibition in May
would be making tables available to
philatelic societies, on the Wednesday only,
for £25 each.
When I tried to book one, however, I was
told that only 15 were available, and these
had all been taken.
Noting that Midpex regularly has 60
society tables, I asked if more tables would
be available, on different days. I was told
that the number was set based on the tables
booked at London 2010 and London 2015,
and the space was needed on the other days
for exhibitions.
One wonders whether making these
tables available was simply a box-ticking
exercise?
Terry Davies, Railway Philatelic Group,
via e-mail
Thumbs up to the Assistant Director General
of India’s postal service, who issued a memo
reminding clerks to stop using pen
cancellations (March issue, page 9).
I especially approve of his declared
motive, not simply to safeguard revenues
but to preserve ‘the sanctity of philatelic
material’.
Put him in charge of Royal Mail, please!
Christian Goff, Weybridge

HOT TOPICS
You can debate the philatelic
issues of the day, and exchange
opinions and information with
other collectors, in the Forums
section on our website. Visit
www.stampmagazine.co.uk

ABOVE: Society tables play an important role at major exhibitions. This is Europhilex in 2015

30 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 GREAT BRITAIN
POSTAL HISTORY
and STAMPS
to 1930
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Phone or email today for our free popular illustrated monthly catalogue.
We are also on-line at frenchcolonies.com.with SG, Scott & Yvert nos.
"Terry Garcia - supplying collectors since 1966"

4 Ascot Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex. BN20 7HL

Telephone: 01323 721444. philindex@btinternet.com
 www.robstine-stamps.com
www.robstineextra.com

Two great web sites for fine used stamps!

Trading in stamps since 1982, I have been known

especially for fine used European material. Now,
my range of Commonwealth stamps is equally
strong from QV to QE2. Go to either web site to
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 ElizabethanStamps.co.uk
Offering fine quality material related to the reign of Elizabeth II (excluding
Machins) with an emphasis on items for the more specialist collector but not
neglecting the discerning collector with general interests. Suited to those who
use references such as: SG Spec. Vol 3 & 5, Stoneham GB Catalogue, Collect
British Postal Stationery by Huggins & Baker, SG Collect British Postmarks, The
“Woodstock” Catalogue…… Prices range from under 50p to £000s
Missing Colours, Colour and Perforation Shifts, Inverted Watermarks, Cylinder
blocks, Constant Varieties, selected superb used sets & singles all illustrated
with actual item, Postal History, Postal Stationery…the interesting and unusual.
MachinStamps.co.uk
Devoted exclusively to the Machin issue and related material. Offering
specialised single stamps, cylinder blocks, booklets, errors & varieties. The
listings suited to those who use SG Spec. Vol 3 & 4, The Machin Collectors
Club Catalogue, The Deegam Machin Handbook……Prices range from under
50p for selected specialist items to £00s for scarce and rare items and major
errors.

1964 Botanical Congress. CANCELLED set on cover.

2003 £2 indigo De La Rue. MISSING “£” Row 18/1

GBPhilately.co.uk
The first of the websites owned and operated by Ian Lasok-Smith established in
1999. With the evolution of my portfolio of specialised websites covering the
range of Great Britain, Commonwealth and more recently all world, GBPhilately
now offers mainly higher value, scarce and “exhibition” quality items along with
a comprehensive listing of the increasingly popular area of QEII commemorative
Phosphor and Embossing errors including phosphor band shift varieties.
GBStampAuctions.co.uk
Listing material covering all aspects of GB Philately and related material from
general to highly specialist items. All items listed in auction format BUT with
some selected items with “make an offer” option. Duration of listings from 10
to 30 days. All items listed with starting price and NO RESERVE. Once a bid has
been placed the item will be sold. Starting prices from as little as 25p.
A proxy bidding system is used. Whatever bid amount you enter, if you
should be the highest bidder you will only pay one increment above the 2 nd
highest bid. EXAMPLE. Item Reserve £15.Increments between £20 and £50
are £1. Three bidders. Bidder A £20, Bidder B £60, Bidder C £25.50.
Bidder B will be successful with winning bid of £26.50. one increment above
2nd highest bid.

1964 Geographical Congress 8d (ord).

Superb unmounted mint marginal.
WATERMARK INVERTED. SG 653Wi.

1969 Concorde “FILTON, BRISTOL” FDI cds. Starting price 50p

Ian Lasok-Smith (Philatelist)

6 Hough Green, Chester, CH4 8JG
Email: enquiries@gbphilately.co.uk
Visit the “About Us” section of any of my websites to sign up to my regular e-Newsletter

Great Britain’s commemorative stamp programme for 2020 offers little
for anyone to get excited about. Has Royal Mail run out of ideas?
’m trying to be positive, I
I really am. I’ve filed my
return and paid my tax, so I
shouldn’t feel this broke again
until the same time next year.
The days are getting longer,
and there are signs of life in
the garden. At the time of
writing, at least, my favourite
football team is still in the
Champions League and the
FA Cup...
But then I glance through
the list of the commemorative
stamp issues Royal Mail has
planned for this year, and my
mood plummets. It would be
hard to come up with a duller,
less inspired programme.
I’m not sure who in Royal
Mail decides these things. I’m
guessing there is a cabal of
well-paid middle-managers
and account directors who
have monthly meetings in
which each person’s
favourite cause is argued
over passionately.
I can’t help feeling, however,
that you’d get better results if
you just asked a work-
experience intern to come up
with something on the back of
an envelope in half an hour.
I have no problem with an
issue to mark the 75th
anniversary of the end of
World War II. This was a
seminal moment in our
nation’s history, and to
celebrate it while a handful of
men and women who served in
the conflict are still alive
seems not just right but
important.
I’m also quite pleased that
Royal Mail has chosen to
celebrate the 250th
anniversary of the birth of
William Wordsworth, though
predictably it lacks the
confidence to devote the entire
issue to one of Britain’s greatest
poets, and instead has chosen
to have the stamps feature
Romantic Poets in general.
After these two issues,
WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS COMMENT COMPETITIONS | FEATURES | EVENTS | | STRANGE BUT TRUE
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
2020 VISION?
THE AUTHOR
John Crace is
a GB collector
specialising in
early booklet
panes, and
a newspaper
columnist
though, the rest can at best be
described as ‘fillers’. A blunter
word would be ‘dross’.
The 60th anniversary of the
first episode of Coronation
Street? What this shouts is
that Royal Mail has belatedly
realised that it missed the
chance to cash in on the 50th
anniversary back in 2010.
No-one will be making a big
fuss about this anniversary.
You might just as well
celebrate the 35th anniversary
of EastEnders and the 21st
anniversary of Holby City at
the same time.
Then there is the 100th
anniversary of Rupert Bear.
Really? I’m 63 years old now,
and no-one I knew was still
reading Rupert Bear comics
when I was a child. He’d
stopped being interesting,
funny or cool long before the
early 1960s. The only bear in
town back then was
ABOVE: World War II, William Wordsworth, Rupert Bear and Sherlock Holmes will all be Paddington, and he still is.
making repeat appearances on British stamps this year. Does this suggest that the Otherwise we are promised
issuing programme lacks imagination? some James Bond and Star
Trek movie tie-ins, which are
likely to be of as little interest
‘It would be hard to come up with a to film-goers as they are to
philatelists.
duller programme. I can’t help feeling Then there’s a random set
entitled Sherlock, perhaps to
you’d get better results if you asked a mark the 133rd anniversary of
the fictional detective’s debut
work-experience intern to come up appearance?
with something on the back of an There is a whole range of
other issues, but they are too
envelope in half an hour’ dull to mention. We are being
offered a world that is almost
imagination-free.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We stamp collectors are
often accused of living in the
Do you anticipate Britain’s 2020 stamp issues with excitement past. On the evidence of Royal
or indifference? How could the programme be improved? Mail’s current offerings, the
E-mail your comments to guy.thomas@mytimemedia.com past is an infinitely preferable
place to be. ■
APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 35
WD399 WALT DISNEY A fantastic collection of only
unmounted mint stamps covering the Walt Disney theme
mostly British Commonwealth countries noted including
Lesotho, St. Vincent, Grenada, Sierra Leone, Antigua, Turks
& Caicos Islands, Anguilla, Maldives & Barbuda. Other
countries noted include Bhutan, Gambia, and stamps of
the Union Island. All the favourite Disney characters are
included, namely Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Donald Duc
k, Goofy. Famous Disney films includes 101 Dalmatians,
the Lion King, Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Pocahontas.
Several complete sets in miniature sheetlets format plus
a mass of other Disney stamps. Hundreds of stamps, plus
special mint sheetlets. ........................................ Price £23
BE822 THE BEATLES A fantastic collection of Beatles
stamps. “The Fab Four” John Lennon, Paul McCartney,
George Harrison, and Ringo Star. Contains various Beatles
stamps including mint and used and miniature sheets
with catalogued and scarcer uncatalogued issues. Scarce
Beatles FDCs included, with Royal Mail Beatles official
postmarks. The important collection of Beatles stamps
FDCs and miniature sheets from different countries
including GB Royal Mail issue .............................. Price £16
J477 JAPAN A superb collection of Japanese stamps
with fantastic selection of used commemoratives includes
interesting group of Japanese occupation stamps of World
War II for Burma, Malaya and Manchuria. Hundreds of
different Japan stamps. ................................. Price £17.25
MS561 GB MINI SHEETS A specialised collection of Great
Britain Stamp Exhibition Miniature Sheets. Comprising
of over a dozen mint miniature sheets issued for British
Stamp Exhibitions. Includes Stampex and International Ex-
hibitions with Royal Mail postally valid sheets and scarcer
sheets with post office approval; which were not available
generally from the Royal Mail. The whole collection. ...........
.......................................................................... Price £9.75
PE.17 PERSIA SPECTACULAR ERROR Old engraved Per-
sian stamp depicted the Shah of Persia overprinted “IRAN”
on front as well as “IRAN” overprinted on back (gummed
side) of stamp in mirror offset printing. Valuable old error. ..
.......................................................................... Price £9.75
MZ112 MOZAMBIQUE COMPANY An impressive old col-
lection of the stamps of the Mozambique Company dating
back to the 1930s and earlier. With mint and used stamps
in singles and blocks including postage dues and early
air mail issues. The stamps are classically engraved and
superbly printed approx. 80 stamps. ................ Price £9.75
N-ALB7 ALBANIA A lovely collection of Albanian stamps,
including scarcer older stamps issued for King Zog, un-
mounted mint. Unusual items noted include 1952 stamps
issued by the Albanian government in exile. Also better
overprinted stamps. Containing 80+ stamps with blocks
and singles mint and used.............................. Price £12.25
SD.54 GREAT BRITAIN & BRITISH COMMONWEALTH
PROOFS Valuable specialised collection of G.B. and Brit.
Commonwealth proofs & progressive proofs includes
imperforate stamps and specimens all unmounted mint. ..
............................................................................. Price £18
LU328a LUNDY ISLAND A superb collection of
unmounted mint British local stamps of Lundy Island in
blocks, large multiples and singles + miniature sheets.
Starts off Puffin stamps overprinted with 1950s & 1960s
stamps on to more recent. With lots of “Puffin” stamps,
definitives, commemoratives & Air Mail stamps. Hundreds
of unmounted mint Lundy stamps.................. Price £27.25
SD.89 SPANISH COLONIES A fantastic lot of only
unmounted mint Spanish colonies in blocks, multiples and
singles. Includes Spanish Guinea, Spanish Sahara, Ifni,
Rio-Muni, Philippines. Does date back to pre-1900 but
mostly 1950’s and 1960’s period. Includes many complete
sets. Hundreds of mint stamps catalogued well over £100.
............................................................................. Price £19
WWI.74 GHURKA A valuable and scarce Ghurka cover
issued to commemorate the heroic Ghurkas at Gallipoli.
In 1915 the Ghurkas gained immortal fame at Galipoli
with the capture of “Ghurka Bluff”. The Ghurkas were the
only troops in the whole campaign to gain the ultimate
objective in capturing the Crest line that overlooked the
straits. The cover bears the official Royal Mail Ghurka
stamp issue with “Cape Helles” Gallipoli postmark. Dated
14/05/2015 in combination with the Royal Mail “We will
remember them” illustrated postmark. Dated 25/04/15.
The cover is highly recommended as only 60 covers exist
worldwide. ........................................................... Price £23
E32 GREAT BRITAIN XMAS ERROR Spectacular error on
1966 XMAS 3d value (SG713) shift of gold colour, causing
Queens Head Shift Error, superb unmounted mint together
with normal stamp for comparison. ................. Price £4.25
HK145 HONG KONG A fine collection of used stamps of
Hong Kong. Almost all the stamps pre date the handover
to China. Including $ values and popular Chinese New Year
Commemoratives. Totally unchecked for catalogue value,
over 100 old Hong Kong stamps.......................... Price £11
ATL5 WAR IN THE FALKLANDS Elusive South Atlantic
Task Force Cover. Falklands Victory Parade Cover, dated
12th Nov. 1982 with Falkland Islands Map and British
Union Jack Flag, Plymouth postmark. The cover was re-
posted in 2012 (thirty years later) and re-postmarked with
official Royal Mail “Falklands War British Task Force Anniv.
Portsmouth PMK.” Seldom available as only a handful of
this elusive cover exist......................................... Price £10
Z33EN UNORTHODOX STAMPS One of the most unusual
collections we have ever seen assembled, with everything
except normal stamps. Including triangular stamps, self-
adhesive ‘free form’, map shaped stamps, gold foil round
(circular) stamps, diamond shapes, ‘3 dimensional’ and
others. 100+ different mint and used unorthodox stamps.
........................................................................ Price £11.50
SF9 SCI-FI An impressive thematic collection of science
fiction stamps and covers, including several different
British “Dr Who” covers & PHQ cards. Also noted: Star
Wars stamps, Star Trek stamps and miniature sheets. Lot
includes scarcer covers and “$” values with unmounted
mint & used and mini sheets. All Sci-Fi. .............. Price £21
N.CIND21 “CINDERELLA STAMPS” An amazing esoteric
collection of worldwide Cinderella stamps: includes unis-
sued, bogus, forgeries, phantoms, reprints, essays, propa-
ganda issues, proofs and printers progressive proofs. Also
noted better local issues, postal strike stamps. From a
multitude of countries plus spectacular GB Queen Victoria
£1 Purple Brown, private delivery company stamps, GB
unadopted designs (essays) plus other items. If only a
few of these stamps were genuine the catalogue value
would be in excess of £30,000. But these are sold “as is”
not guaranteed as genuine. The spectacular collection of
Cinderella Stamps mint & “used”. ................. Price £15.25
SD.87 MALI A most unusual collection from Mali, formerly
known as French Sudan. Includes stamps in scarce
Gutter-Pairs blocks and tete-beche (upright & inverted
joined stamps). 80+ Mali stamps. ...................... Price £11
GBX5 GREAT BRITAIN PRESENTATION PACKS A valuable
and highly collectable collection of elusive Royal Mail
Presentation packs. Some earlier pre-decimal GPO packs
noted, but mainly modern Royal Mail recent issues. High
face values with catalogue value of over £200. ..................
........................................................................ Price £58.50
LEB.8 LEBANON Group of proof essay designs printed on
thin card. Designs vary and include some with missing red
colour (Red Cross) and some with blank “value” denomi-
nation tablet. Rarely offered for sale. Six different essays. ..
............................................................................. Price £18
SD.57 U.S.A. Collection of mint & used includes CIVIL
WAR 1863 CONFEDERATE Imperforate (without guarantee)
“as-is” also noted mint blocks for 1940 Olympic games.
Printed by the American Bank Note Company perforated,
engraved design, never issued due to American involve-
ment in World War II these are guaranteed genuine,
forming part of the larger collection of USA stamps. ..........
............................................................................. Price £10
MA15 MASONIC COVER Great Britain esoteric cover
commemorating the Tercentenary of the Grand Lodge of
England, celebrating 300 years of Freemasonry. Depicting
iconic symbols of Freemasonry only 50 covers were ever
produced, bearing the Royal Mail St. George’s Commemo-
rative stamp with official Royal Mail Masonic postmark. ....
.......................................................................... Price £8.50
BPO49 BRITISH POST OFFICES ABROAD An impressive
collection of over 100 unmounted mint British stamps
overprinted for British Post Offices abroad including sur-
charges in foreign currencies for use in Bahrain, Kuwait,
Morocco and Qatar; with scarcer multiple blocks including
overprints on Wilding definitive (St. Edwards Crown E2R
wmk.) Circa 1950s. This is a specialist collection. .............
............................................................................. Price £19
SD.32 SOUTH AFRICA A quality collection of South Africa
including King George VI bi-lingual stamps. Also First Day
Covers, miniature sheet, mint, used plus various Transkei,
Bophutatswana, Venda, Ciscei, South West Africa. Several
hundred different stamps plus F.D.C’s. ........... Price £19.25
E57 POSTAGE DUES Unusual collection of Postage Due
stamps, including GB, Br Cols and foreign. In singles,
blocks of multiples, uncatalogued. Mint (mostly unm.) and
used. About 120+ stamps. ....................................Price £8
RA8 DESERT RATS WAR COVER A sought after British
cover issued for the 70th anniversary of the Desert Rats
Battle for Migliano on 1/12/1944. The cover depicts
Migliano and the iconic Desert Rat Emblem, it bears the
British Spitfire Commemorative with scarce B.F.P.O 3181
Desert Rats 7th Armoured Brigade Postmark on the an-
niversary date 1/12/14. Most of this scarce cover are now
in specialist collections. Recommended at our price of ......
........................................................................ Price £12.50
BX486 BOXING A fine collection of boxing stamps over 80
stamps in blocks and singles, including champion boxers
such as Muhammad Ali. Mainly fine CTO used, mint noted,
with Great Britain Royal Mail 2012 Olympic Games Gold
Medal Boxing stamps. ..................................... Price £9.75
 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT COMPETITIONS FEATURES | EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
COMPETITIONS

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Send your answer on a postcard (or
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The closing date is April 9, 2020, and the first correct answer The set of eight stamps and accompanying miniature sheet recall
drawn from our postbag will win the book. Good luck! the best-loved British-designed games of the 1980s and 1990s.
To enter, visit www.stampmagazine.co.uk/competitions, answer the
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COMPETITION WINNERS

Gruffalo presentation pack

The answer to our competition question in the January issue was
purple, and the 12 lucky winners whose correct answers were
drawn at random were Euan Vivash from Manchester, Malcolm
Butterworth from Newquay, Angela Walker from Castleford,
James Duffin from Paddock Wood, Tina Ruddock from Altrincham,
Simon Adams from King’s Lynn, Artur Paniczek from Aberdeen,
Roger Stanley from Poole, Vaughan Dee from Lichfield, Christian
Carter-Stephenson from Cowes, Karen Webb from Newport, and
Dave Fowler from Exeter.

Spot The Stamp

The Spot The Stamp winner from the January issue is Vic
Darlington from Colchester, who correctly identified the mystery
stamp (right) as a 1st class value from the 2010 Olympic &
Paralympic Games set, illustrating hockey.

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 37

 91ST A A A
SCOTTISH
CONGRESS
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Friday 17th April 2020 A

A A A o o ‘Amazonie’
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A A
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35 dealers in stamps, A A A A A
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LATIN AMERICAN PHILATELICS
Organized by o A A
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 THIS IS JUST A SMALL PART AJH STAMPS LTD Registered Business No:
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RAPHAEL

Line of beauty
Raphael’s paintings and frescoes have a timeless quality
which ensures they are considered as paragons of classical
art, and have regularly adorned modern stamp designs
■ Report by John Winchester

he artist known around the RIGHT: Maximum card

T English-speaking world as
Raphael was born Raffaello
Sanzio in 1483, in the walled city of
for the 50l stamp in
Italy’s 1974 Italian
Painters set depicting
Urbino in the shadow of Italy’s Raphael, after his
Apennine mountains. Self-Portrait As A
The Duchy of Urbino, one of the Young Man,
Papal States, was an emerging completed in 1506
centre of art and learning in the
Italian Renaissance, and his father
was a court painter for the Duke.
But in other respects young
Raphael was less fortunate. By the
time he was 11 years old, both his
parents were dead, and was left in
the care of an uncle.
His natural aptitude for painting
and drawing, however, were
encouraged by the lyrical beauty of
the gently undulating countryside
around him.

Apprenticeship
In 1500 Raphael left Urbino for
Perugia, to serve his apprenticeship
in the studio of Pietro Perugino,
one of the earliest Italian
practitioners of painting in oils.
He started by assisting in the BELOW: Italy stamp
painting of frescoes and banners, of 2008 showing the
mostly for churches, but soon he medieval walled city
was undertaking commissions on of Urbino, with its
his own, such as an altarpiece for 15th-century Ducal
the Oddi family chapel, in 1502-04. Palace, a view which
In 1504 he created one of his first would be familiar to
masterpieces, Lo Sposalizio, or The the young Raphael

Marriage Of The Virgin, for the Chastity, Beauty and Love

Church of San Francesco in Città di
Castello. Inspired by an earlier
work by Perugino, it depicted the
marriage of Joseph and Mary.
At around the same time he
completed two major allegorical
works based on Roman mythology:
The Vision Of A Knight, depicting a
sleeping warrior flanked by the
goddesses Minerva and Venus
(representing the choice between
duty and pleasure), and The Three
Graces, showing the nude figures of
(representing stages in the
development of a woman).
Florentine period
Before long Raphael felt the need to
cast his net wider, and an obvious
destination was Florence, the
powerhouse of the Renaissance.
He arrived in the autumn of 1504,
just as Michelangelo Buonarroti’s
statue of David was being installed
in the Piazza della Signoria and
Leonardo da Vinci was working on

40 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020


ABOVE: The Annunciation (1502-04), part of Raphael’s altarpiece for the Oddi family chapel,
celebrated on a France 2005 miniature sheet in a joint issue with Vatican City
ABOVE: The Vision Of A Knight (1504-05), shown on a 1983 miniature sheet from the Maldives
his Battle Of Anghiari in the Great
Council Chamber. How well he
knew these two giants of the art
world personally is not entirely
clear (although Michelangelo later
showed an antipathy to him), but
he certainly thrived in this exciting
new environment.
The bulk of his commissions
during his productive Florentine
period were paintings with a
Madonna and Child theme, such as
the Small Cowper Madonna of 1505
and the larger Niccolini-Cowper
Madonna of 1508 (both named after
significant later owners).
Characterised by graceful modesty,
often achieved by giving their
subjects downcast eyes, these have
been widely used on Christmas
stamps around the world.
Another philatelic favourite, as a
candidate for either a Christmas or
WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
ABOVE: The Marriage
Of The Virgin (1504),
reproduced on a 1982
Christmas miniature
sheet from Antigua &
Barbuda
RIGHT: The Three
Graces (1503-05),
depicted on a stamp
of Bulgaria in 1984
an Easter issue, is one of Raphael’s
most symbolic paintings, the
Madonna del Cardellino, or Madonna
Of The Goldfinch. Completed as a
wedding gift to his friend Lorenzo
Nasi in 1506, it depicts Mary with
the infants Jesus and St John,
passing a goldfinch between them.
Mary is attired in red and blue,
representing the passion of Christ
and the Church, while the blood-
red markings on the head of the
goldfinch are symbolic of the
crucifixion, when a bird is said to
have pulled a spine from the crown RIGHT: The first of
of thorns and been splashed with many philatelic
the blood of Christ. representations of
In The Holy Family, sometimes nativity scenes by
known as Madonna With Beardless Raphael was a detail
St Joseph, painted in 1506, a from Christ Adored
striking feature is the elderly By The Magi (1503),
appearance of Joseph. on a 1959 Christmas
Several celebrated portraits of stamp of Vatican City
APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 41
RAPHAEL
ABOVE: Small Cowper Madonna
(1505) on a USA 1973 Christmas 8c
ABOVE: Six different Madonna and Child paintings by Raphael, issued as a se-tenant strip by Paraguay in 1982
ABOVE: Lady With A Unicorn (1505), on a maximum card for a San Marino stamp of 1963
42 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020
ABOVE: Niccolini-Cowper Madonna
(1508) on a USA 1983 Christmas 20c
unidentified women date from this
period. The curious Lady With A
Unicorn, from around 1505, is
something of a puzzle, but the
unicorn was an emblem of Urbino
and a symbol of virginity. Portrait
Of A Young Woman, also known as
La Muta, has echoes of Leonardo’s
Mona Lisa in the subject’s pose,
although the latter is thought to
have been unfinished when the
former was painted in 1507.
Also surviving from Raphael’s
Florentine period, painted in
around 1504-06, is his most famous
ABOVE: Aldobrandini Madonna (1509) on a self-portrait. Now housed in the
Cayman Islands 1982 Christmas 3c Uffizi Gallery in Florence,
Self-Portrait As A Young Man shows
the artist in his early 20s, with soft
facial characteristics and a serene
but neutral expression.
Papal commission
In 1508, Raphael received a life-
changing commission, from none
other than Pope Julius II. It took
him to Rome, where he was to
RIGHT: The Holy
Family (1506),
which hangs in The
Hermitage in
St Petersburg, shown
on a 1983 stamp of
the Soviet Union
RIGHT: Madonna Of
The Goldfinch (1506)
shown on a North
Korea stamp of 1983
 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
‘In 1508 a
commission from
Pope Julius II took
Raphael to Rome,
where he was to
spend most of the
rest of his life’
spend most of the rest of his life.
Julius wanted to redecorate the
Papal Apartments in the Apostolic
Palace at the Vatican, and invited
tenders from artists. Perugino, who
was now of advancing years, won
the commission but promptly
handed responsibility to his former
pupil, Raphael.
Even though he had little
experience of large fresco work,
Raphael’s task would be the
redecoration of the Stanza della ABOVE: A large part of the fresco The School Of Athens (1511) was reproduced on a Sierra Leone miniature sheet of 1983,
Segnatura (the room where official with Plato and Aristotle picked out by the stamp itself
documents were signed), which
would take him three years.
He began with the ceiling, and
personifications of Theology,
Philosophy, Poetry and Law. These
themes were expanded on the four
walls, populated by historical
characters, reflecting the
confidence of an age that believed
itself to be the heir of all human ABOVE: Details of the fresco reproduced by Vatican City in 1986, focusing on Pythagoras (left) and Euclid (centre), and by
achievement. Sierra Leone in 1983, including Raphael himself looking directly at the viewer
The most celebrated fresco, the
one which cemented Raphael’s
reputation as one of the great RIGHT: Self-Portrait room, the Stanza d’Eliodoro.
artists of the High Renaissance, is As A Young Man Raphael responded with a fresco
known as The School Of Athens. (1506), reproduced by entitled The Expulsion Of Heliodorus
Here, in an imaginary architectural San Marino in 1963 From The Temple, a biblical account
setting, all the prominent names of of divine intervention when the
Ancient Greek philosophy are envoy of the King of Syria tried to
gathered. At the centre, Plato and steal treasure from Jerusalem. Both
his student Aristotle grasp their Julius and Raphael are identifiable
principal works, making gestures among the onlookers.
that reflect their differing ideas. In Although Raphael’s commissions
the foreground to the left, for popes and wealthy bankers
Pythagoras writes out a theorem. were hugely prestigious, few
To the right, Euclid draws with a ordinary mortals were privileged
compass. Catching the light, and to witness them. To extend his
the eye of the beholder, on the reputation to a wider audience, he
extreme right is Raphael himself. employed the services of the
It’s a work of great complexity, Bolognese printmaker Marcantonio
totally unsuitable for a stamp Raimondi to reproduce many of his
image, but at least three countries villa outside Rome. The result was drawings, most famously Lucretia
have reproduced details from it. The Triumph Of Galatea, depicting and Massacre Of The Innocents.
the sea nymph riding a shell-
In demand chariot pulled by dolphins. Riding high
Another major commission came in Work on this was interrupted Julius II’s successor, Pope Leo X,
1511, when the banker Agostino when a new commission arrived was equally enthusiastic about
Chigi required a fresco for a from Pope Julius, this time for the Raphael’s work, and commissioned
garden loggia at his sumptuous decoration of another Vatican the decoration of another room

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 43

RAPHAEL

ABOVE: Vatican City’s image of Dante, for a 1965

stamp marking the 700th anniversary of his
birth, is taken from Raphael’s Poetry fresco
(1511) in the Apostolic Palace, shown in reverse

in the Palace, the Stanza

dell’Incendio di Borgo, depicting
episodes from the reigns of
previous pontiffs who had taken
the name Leo.
Raphael was now in such
demand that he had to delegate
much of the fresco painting to his
assistants, which inevitably led to a ABOVE: The Triumph Of Galatea (1512), illustrated on a Bulgaria miniature sheet in 1984
fall in standards. However, he did
find time to paint some of his most
beautiful Madonna images. RIGHT: Detail of The Expulsion Of
The most celebrated of these is Heliodorus From The Temple (1513),
the Sistine Madonna of 1513, illustrated on a Vatican City aerogramme
produced for the altarpiece of the of 1983, which also features a stamp
Church of St Sixtus. Flanking the portraying Raphael himself
Madonna and Child are Pope
Julius and St Barbara, but in many BELOW: Detail of a different part of the
ways they are eclipsed by the pair same fresco, reproduced on a Bhutan
of cherubs at the bottom, whose miniature sheet of 1983, picking out
images have adorned myriad Raphael’s self-portrait as a face in
commercial items in modern times, the crowd
including postage stamps.
If this Madonna was Raphael’s
most divine, surely his most
human was the Madonna della Sedia,
or Madonna Of The Chair, painted in
1514. This more informal depiction
of Mary embracing Jesus, with
St John looking on, demonstrated
the artist’s mastery of the tondo
(circular) form.

The baker’s daughter

Raphael’s success and his natural
good looks brought him many
female admirers, and his
popularity at the Vatican resulted
in an offer of marriage, when
Cardinal Bernardo Bibbiena, the
Pope’s private secretary, proffered
his niece, Maria.
His first love and muse, however,
was Margarita Luti, later
nicknamed La Fornarina (the

44 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
LEFT & ABOVE: The Sistine Madonna (1513), shown in its entirety on a Germany
miniature sheet of 2012 and as a finely engraved detail on a Saar stamp of 1954

LEFT: The very

characterful and
universally
recognised cherubs
from The Sistine
Madonna, picked out
for Costa Rica’s 1984
Christmas stamps
and the USA’s 1995
Love issue

baker’s daughter). She was almost
certainly the face behind many of
Raphael’s most famous paintings,
although precisely which ones is a
matter of dispute.
High on the list of probable
examples is a magnificent portrait
of 1515, entitled La Donna Velata, or
Woman With A Veil. The tiny pearl
in her hair may be a clue, as the
Latin word for this is margarita.
Many believe Margarita was also
the model for a sensual semi-nude
study, retrospectively named La
Fornarina, which was completed

LEFT: La Muta (1507),

The Madonna Of The
Chair (1514) and
La Fornarina (1520)
were three of seven
Raphael paintings
celebrated in
Hungary’s 1983 issue

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 45

 RAPHAEL
ABOVE: Christ’s Charge To St Peter, one of the Cartoons from which tapestries were made for the
Sistine Chapel (1515-16), was the subject of a Tristan da Cunha miniature sheet in 1983
‘Raphael’s muse, Margarita Luti, was almost
ABOVE: La Donna certainly the face behind many of his most
Velata (1515),
featured on one of the famous paintings, although precisely which
stamps in the 1963
set from San Marino,
ones is a matter of dispute’
seen here on a
maximum card Antiquities, responsibilities which
left little time for painting.
LEFT: Psyche In 1515, though, he embarked on
Presenting Venus one of his most ambitious projects,
With Water From The a set of ten huge paintings to be
Styx (1517), a reproduced as tapestries for the
preparatory sketch Sistine Chapel. Known as the
for a ceiling fresco, Cartoons, these depicted the stories
illustrated on a of the apostles; the seven that
France stamp of 1983 survive today are part of the British
Royal Collection, and on long-term
LEFT: A detail of The loan to the Victoria & Albert
Transfiguration Of Museum in London.
Christ (1520), A new commission from Chigi
Raphael’s last great saw Raphael make preparatory
work, shown on drawings for a ceiling, including
Mali’s Easter issue Psyche Presenting Venus With Water
in 1983 From The Styx, but work on this
project had to be delegated to his
assistants when two commissions
arrived from Cardinal Giulio de
Medici (who would later be elected
Pope Clement VII) in 1518.
The first was the design of a
grand villa and the second the
painting of a large altarpiece, The
Transfiguration Of Christ, for
Narbonne Cathedral. Neither
by Raphael’s assistant Giulio would be completed.
Romano after his death.
Death and legacy
Final projects In the spring of 1520 Raphael
Raphael was formally appointed developed a fever, which some
Papal Architect in 1514, and soon have attributed to working among
afterwards Conservator of Roman the excavations of ancient Rome
46 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020
and others to his amorous
activities. He died, with Margarita
at his bedside, on April 6, which
may have been his 37th birthday.
A huge funeral procession bore
him to the Pantheon in Rome, and
the unfinished Transfiguration was
placed at the head of his bier. The
inscription read, ‘Here lies
Raffaello, whom Nature feared
when he was alive, but when he
died, she wanted to die herself.’
The influence of Raphael on
classical art was huge. His painting
was more prolific than Leonardo’s,
and arguably more versatile than
Michelangelo’s. According to the
National Gallery in London, he was
‘a paragon of classicism who
dominated the academic tradition
of European painting until the
mid-19th century’.
His pre-eminence was
challenged at that time by the
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a
society of young artists who
believed Raphael’s style had a
corrupting influence on the
academic teaching of art, opposing
the Royal Academy of Arts’ view
that it exemplified the ideal.
Five centuries after his death,
however, admiration for the work
of Raphael is almost undimmed,
not least in the philatelic world. ■
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 MILLSTAMPS
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‘Thank you for all your help, we look forward to our next selection’ ‘May I add that the quality of the selections sent is exceptional’

See samples above of what we send out with many more available.
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Send to: Millstamps 14 The Spinney Ivybridge Devon PL21 9TU. 07972 846242
 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
COMMONWEALTH CLASSICS

Under her own steam

Canadian pride in the pioneering steamship Royal William produced a beautiful
commemorative stamp in 1933, even if the vessel herself came to an inglorious end
■ Report by John Winchester

T
he honour of having made
the first transatlantic
crossing under steam power
is contested, but Canada believes it
has the strongest claim. Unlike the
American-built SS Savannah, which
crossed largely under sail in 1819,
Canada’s SS Royal William made her
voyage entirely under steam in
1833, except for a short period
when boiler maintenance was
carried out.
Such was the sense of national
pride engendered by the ship that a
splendid commemorative stamp
was commissioned to mark the
centenary of the achievement in
1933, producing one of the finest
contributions to what is a very
popular theme.

The 160ft paddlewheel steamship

was built in Quebec by the Quebec
& Halifax Steam Navigation
Company, a consortium of
investors which included the
future shipping magnate Samuel
Cunard.
Named after King William IV
and flying the British flag as a mail
packet, Royal William began plying
routes between Britain’s American
colonies in 1831.
She was not a financial success,
however. The company went
bankrupt, and when its main asset
was despatched across the ocean to
Britain in 1833 it was in order to
find a buyer. She was laden with
coal, but carried few passengers
and little freight.
Eventually she was sold to the
Spanish Navy, to be renamed Isabel
Segunda, after Queen Isabella II.
Stripped of her engines, she would
MARKET VALUES
The stamp is catalogued at £20 in unmounted
mint condition and £5.50 fine used. First day
covers are easily acquired.
ABOVE: Canada
1933 5c blue
‘Creating an appropriate design for the
commemorating the 5c stamp turned out to be almost as
Centenary of the First
Transatlantic troublesome as the ship’s history’
Steamboat Crossing,
illustrating the end her days as a hulk, wrecked off
SS Royal William the French coast in 1860.
Nevertheless, her legend lived on,
especially in Canada.
When the country’s regular stamp
printer, the British American Bank
Note Company of Ottawa, was
asked to create an appropriate
design for a single 5c stamp, the
task turned out to be almost as
troublesome as the ship’s history.
This was due to the existence of a
second steam packet of the same
name, built in Liverpool in 1836
and later chartered to the
Transatlantic Steamship Company.
Unfortunately, the printers
initially selected the wrong ship,
and a painting by Samuel Walters
was faithfully copied by the
printer’s engraver Bruce Hay before
the mistake was realised.
The die for the stamp’s central
vignette was duly rejected (die
proofs are in the public domain,
and occasionally crop up at
auction), and Hay started again,
this time basing his engraving on a
painting by Stephen Skillett.
A conventional double-size format
was used for the issue, with the
ship’s name and the dates ‘1833’
and ‘1933’ inscribed below the
vignette. Maple leaves adorn the
upper corners of the frame,
completing a majestic design.
Almost five million stamps were
recess-printed in dark blue, in
sheets of 100, perforated 11, and
placed on sale on August 17, 1933.
In common with many issues
from this period, imperforate plate
proof sheets were prepared for
approval by the postal authorities,
and imperforate pairs from these
found their way onto the philatelic
market in significant numbers.
Collectors should also look out
for the ‘dots in the A of Canada’
constant variety. ■

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 49

COURT PHILATELICS THEMATIC OFFERS
We are also interested in buying any of your surplus stamps on or of
paper for payment or exchange.Guaranteed full refund if not satisied.
Please E-Mail us if you would like to receive our special ofer lists.Postage: LIECHTENSTEIN M/S 1589 2011 BIRDS AND WWF
UK customers pay no postage. Overseas, please add £4.00 / 1/4 lb, £5.00 / SHEET, U/M MINT .............................................................................. £20
1/2 lb, £7.00 / 1 lb and £3.00 for all collections ordered. We will use latest
MACAO 458/67. 1953 FLOWERS U/M MINT................................... £67.50
Commems including very rare high values!
470/79 1956 MAPS U/M MINT. ..................................................... £80.00
OFF PAPER MIXTURES
NEW! CANADA Becoming very hard to ind. A very colourful of paper 496/503 1966 MILITARY UNIFORMS. U/M MINT........................... £110.00
mixture of Commems only including scarce modern issues. Great vari- 525/26 1974 BRIDGE. U/M MINT .................................................. £20.00
ety. 2 oz £35.00, 1/4 lb £68.00.
578/83 1983 MEDICINAL PLANTS. U/M MINT ............................... £20.00
FRANCE An amazing collection of over 500 diferent Commemoratives
only from 2011 to 2018 all in complete sets!! List price £65.00. M/S 584 PLANTS SHEET. U/M MINT ............................................ £145.00
JAPAN A very colourful of paper mixture of Commems only including 592/7 1984 BIRDS.U/M MINT ....................................................... £25.00
many modern issues. Great variety. 2 oz £23.00, 1/4 lb £45.00.
BRTISH COMMONWEALTH A new mix for us of all Commems and 610/15 1985 BUTTERFLIES. U/M MINT ....................................... £28.00
Large only. A very colourful mixture with a great variety. 1/4 lb £30.00, M/S 616 BUTTERFLIES SHEET. U/M MINT ................................... £145.00
1/2 lb £62.00, 1 lb £120.00.
WEST EUROPE LARGE & COMMEMS ONLY A very colourful of 623/28 1986 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS U/M MINT. ....................... £60.00
paper mixtures with no GB. Includes Semi-Postals and High Values. ¼ M/S 629 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS SHEET U/M MINT ................... £200.00
lb £35.00, ½ lb £68.00.
QUEEN VICTORIA – KING GEORGE VI COMMONWEALTH This 641a1987 CERAMICS U/M MINT ................................................... £27.50
one is a real gem and very rare. Of paper and therefore no soaking 674/77 1988 OLYMPICS U/M MINT ............................................... £15.00
required. We were lucky enough to buy a retired dealer/collectors collec-
tion of albums and accumulations and was not sure what to do with it M/S 678 OLYMPICS SHEET.U/M MINT ........................................... £60.00
so have decided to treat you all by busting the whole lot into one of pa-
per mixture. As we do not sell stamps individually or by catalogue value
we have left that for you. Great interest for postmark collectors as many MORE MACAO AVAILABLE
of them will be now obsolete, and great for watermark, shade and perf OMAN M/S 412 1993 WHALE’S HALL SHEET U/M MINT................. £37.50
varieties. Majority being George V & VI but also contains Victoria and
Edward. Limited supplies and once sold out will probably not be seen
again. Around 2,000 stamps per ¼ lb and must be a bargain at around ______________________________________________________
3p a stamp. ¼ lb £65.00, ½ lb £125.00.
MICHAEL HALE
SPECIAL OFFER Buy 1 lb World, 1 lb British Commonwealth and 1 lb
PO BOX 5408
W. Europe Scoop for the discounted price of £130. List price £150.00.
WORLD SCOOP An Of paper mix scooped from our oddments tub.
WELLS BA5 9BT
Emanating from Charities, Auctions, personal collections etc. You will TEL 01749 677669
ind high Cat (please tell us when you do ) & many additions for your
collection. Each 1 lb lot is over 7000 stamps, costing around ½ p each.
½ lb £18.00, 1 lb £35.00, 5 lbs £155.00.
BRITISH COMMONWEALTH SCOOP Sold out over the last 8 The History & Local Post of
months, we can now supply more of our popular Of paper mixture
covering old Empire & modern Commonwealth. Several clients found RATTLESNAKE ISLAND, LAKE
stamps cataloguing £10 to £50 each. No promises but with at least 7,000
stamps/1lb you’ll have great fun sorting. ½ lb £31.00, 1 lb £60.00.
ERIE
WEST EUROPE SCOOP An Of paper mixture of small and large Revised and Updated - 2009
stamps with much earlier material. Many better and unusual values. In
great demand as our interests in the EEC grow. Approx. 10,000 stamps
to 1 lb costing around ½ p each. ½ lb £28.00, 1 lb £55.00. This modern edition contains
COMMEMORATIVES & LARGE ONLY More Local History
ON PAPER MIXTURES Additional Detail of the Ford Tri-Motor
Further discount, purchase 2 items and deduct 5%, 4 items deduct 10%
AUSTRALIA ¼ lb £22.00, ½ lb £40.00 AUSTRALIA HIGH VALUES All Stamps including 2009 issue
¼ lb £36.00, ½ lb £70.00 AUSTRIA ¼ lb £35.00, ½ lb £68.00. BO-
TSWANA ¼ lb £18.00, ½ lb £35.00 CANADA ¼ lb £40.00, ½ lb £70.00.
Over 200 Illustrations
CYPRUS ¼ lb £30.00, ½ lb £58.00 ESTONIA 2 oz £33.00. FAROES 2 oz
£42.00, 1/4 lb £78.00. FINLAND ¼ lb £20.00, ½ lb £39.00.
FRANCE ¼ lb £23.00, ½ lb £42.00. FRENCH AFRICA ¼ lb £47.00,
ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY
½ lb £90.00 GERMANY ¼ lb £16.00, ½ lb £30.00 GERMANY HIGH Send to:
VALUE COMMEMS ¼ lb £28.00, ½ lb £55.00 GERMANY SEMI-
POSTALS ¼ lb £22.00, ½ lb £40.00 GREECE ¼ lb £31.00, ½ lb £60.00
GUERNSEY ¼ lb £17.00, ½ lb £33.00 HOLLAND ¼ lb £18.00, ½ lb John Wells, P.O. Box 222
£35.00 HOLLAND SEMI-POSTALS ¼ lb £20.00, ½ lb £39.00 IRAN
¼ lb £30.00, ½ lb £58.00 IRELAND ¼ lb £32.00, ½ lb £60.00 ISLE OF Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, EN8 8GS,
MAN ¼ lb £17.00, ½ lb £33.00 ITALY 2 oz £26.00, ¼ lb £50.00 JAPAN
¼ lb £22.00, ½ lb £41.00 JERSEY ¼ lb £17.00, ½ lb £33.00 LATVIA 2 England
oz £33.00 LIECHTENSTEIN 2 oz £43.00, ¼ lb £85.00 LUXEMBOURG
¼ lb £39.00, ½ lb £77.00 MALAWI ¼ lb £20.00, ½ lb £39.00 MALTA ½
lb £16.00, 1 lb £30.00 MAURITIUS 1/4 lb £30,00, 1/2 lb £58.00 NEPAL Price including postage & packing only
¼ lb £20.00, ½ lb £38.00 NORWAY ¼ lb £23, ½ lb £45.00 SOUTH AF-
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£44.00 SWEDEN ¼ lb £23.00, ½ lb £45.00 THAILAND 1/4 lb £23.00, 1/2
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 Fine
British
Commonwealth
1840 - present

COME SEE US AT SCOTTISH CONGRESS PERTH, 17-18 APRIL

Website: http://www.nstaffsstamps.com
North Staffs Stamps
PO BOX 2701 Email: nstaffsstamps@yahoo.co.uk
Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 9AL Ebay: www.stores.ebay.co.uk/whitepeakplodder
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British Commonwealth 1840 - 1970
mainly priced from £10-£1,000.
POST & GO ERRORS 2012-19
Technical
dificulties
Machine-vended Post & Go stamps are popular partly because they are so susceptible
to errors. Which ones are most collectable, and how did they come about?
■ Report by John Gray
any Great Britain
M collectors regret that the
consistency of modern
printing robs them of the
excitement of finding errors. While
this may be true for regular
commemorative issues, it certainly
isn’t true for Post & Go stamps.
These self-adhesive stamps,
vended from self-service kiosks,
have base designs printed in
gravure but values and other
inscriptions thermally-printed at
the point of sale, which makes
them uniquely vulnerable to
software glitches or human error.
Whilst most of the Post & Go
stamps used on everyday mail are
dispensed by machines installed in
post offices, much of the philatelic
commotion surrounding them has
been driven by errors on stamps
dispensed from Royal Mail kiosks
installed in enquiry and delivery
offices, in a number of museums
and (temporarily) at philatelic
exhibitions.
Manufactured by Intelligent AR
of Portishead, these kiosks have an
unenviable record of producing
inscription errors. Despite not
being well catalogued, these have
become extremely collectable.
Although the recent absence of
new pictorial designs has led to
speculation about the possible
demise of Post & Go, the flow of
errors has continued unabated.
2012-13 errors
The first glaring errors were
produced at Autumn Stampex in
2012, when a ‘Diamond Jubilee
1952-2012’ commemorative element
was added to the machine printing
to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s
60 years on the throne.
This should have been applied
52 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020
ABOVE: Royal Mail’s only to the Union Flag stamps, but
Post & Go machines was also added by mistake to the
have vended stamps newly issued British Farm Animals
with a wide range of pictorial set depicting Cattle. Only
commemorative about 10 strips of these were sold
inscriptions over the before this was recognised.
past eight years, and In addition, the overprint exists
in the process with ‘1952-2012’ indented, which it
produced many errors was not supposed to be. This
affected the Union Flag stamps
printed on September 28-29, as well
as the Cattle stamps.
Indentation errors such as this
have recurred numerous times on
stamps printed by Royal Mail
kiosks at Stampex and at the British
Philatelic Museum & Archive (now
The Postal Museum).
For example, at Spring Stampex
on February 20, 2013, the Machin-
head stamps marking another royal
anniversary occurred with the top
line of ‘The Coronation 60th
Anniversary’ indented. These
stamps were pre-printed on a back-
office machine, rather than one
available to the public.
2014 errors
At Spring Stampex in 2014, two
different inscription errors
occurred on the Machin-head
stamps made available with the
event-specific overprint.
On the top line, ‘Stampex Spring’
was printed instead of ‘Stampex
2014’, and on the bottom line ‘19–22
February’ had spaces on either side
of the hyphen for a period of about
three hours on the first day, until
the errors were corrected.
On stamps pre-printed from the
back-office kiosk, meanwhile, the
service indicator appeared as ‘1st
Class Large’ instead of the
standard ‘1st Large’.
In the autumn of that year, a
different kind of problem affected
kiosk A001 at the BPMA. On
September 16, a software error
resulted in 1st class and 1st Large
service indicators, which should be
exclusive to olive stamps, being
applied to the blue Machin-head
stamps meant for 2nd class values.
The stamps affected carried the
‘Inland Airmail 1934’
commemorative inscription
(complete with wings motif)
marking the 80th anniversary of
 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
domestic airmail services. The
problem was quickly rectified.
The first example of an omission
of part of an overprint occurred
about a month later, on October 21,
at the National Museum of the
Royal Navy in Portsmouth.
The Common Poppy design from
ABOVE: 2012 British Farm Animals stamp in standard guise (left), and printed with a ‘Diamond Jubilee 1952-2012’ inscription in the Symbolic Flowers pictorial set
error at Autumn Stampex (right) was supposed to carry a two-line
‘The NMRN Remembrance’
inscription for the remembrance
period, but for the first 30 minutes
on the first day of issue the lower
line was missing. Once again this
was quickly corrected.

Early 2015
In spring 2015, the BPMA kiosk
ABOVE: Machin-head stamp with ‘The Coronation 60th Anniversary’ commemorative inscription from Spring Stampex 2013 (left), provided an inscription which was
and with the first line indented in error (right) both indented and partially
missing. The final dot in ‘The
B.P.M.A.’ was omitted, and the line
was indented in comparison with
previous stamps.
This anomaly occurred initially
on Union Flag stamps on March 30;
it was corrected the following day,
although the affected line was then
at a lower position. It reappeared
ABOVE: Machin-head stamp with ‘Stampex 2014 19-22 February’ commemorative inscription (left), and with errors affecting both on Machin-head stamps on Friday,
lines of this (right) May 1 (the day before a bank
holiday weekend), and had been
corrected by Tuesday, May 5.
In the interim, a commemorative
inscription with a missing date
appeared on Machin-head (both
without a year code and with a ‘13’
code) and Union Flag stamps
vended at the Congress of the
Association of Scottish Philatelic
Societies in Perth on April 17.
ABOVE: Machin-head 1st class olive stamp with ‘Inland Airmail 1934’ inscription from the BPMA kiosk in 2014 (left), and the same
While stamps from the two
inscription and logo printed on a 2nd class blue base design in error (right)
self-service kiosks showed the
overprint ‘86th Scottish Congress
2015’, the ‘2015’ element was
omitted from those printed by the
back-office machine, an anomaly
which was not corrected.
Shortly afterwards came the first
major error in the logo element of a
commemorative inscription. On 1st
class and 2nd class Machin-head
ABOVE: Common Poppy stamp with ‘The NMRN Remembrance’ inscription from the National Museum of the Royal Navy kiosk in
stamps marking the 175th
2014 (left), and with one line missing in error (right)
anniversary of the Penny Black,
vended at the BPMA on July 8-9, a
symbol similar to that in the Inland
Airmail overprint in 2014 was used
in place of the intended Maltese
Cross motif.
The error was introduced during
an overnight software update, and
correcting it resulted in the logo
being repositioned 2mm lower
ABOVE: Union Flag stamp from the BPMA kiosk in 2015, with standard ‘The B.P.M.A.’ inscription (left) and with a missing dot and than previously, creating yet
indentation in error (right) another variant!

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 53

POST & GO ERRORS 2012-19

November 2015
Probably the most embarrassing
error produced by Royal Mail
machines occurred as a result of
the way that Post & Go technology
is shared with several other postal
administrations, such as Jersey,
Guernsey and Gibraltar.
At the international stamp ABOVE: Union Flag stamp from a public kiosk at the ASPS Congress, with an ‘88th Scottish Congress 2015’ inscription (left), and
exhibition in Hong Kong on from a back-office machine, with the date missing in error (right)
November 20-23, 2015, kiosks A008
and A009 vended stamps which
were perfectly valid for British
postage, with ‘BNHK15’ in their
datastring. Stamps printed in
advance by the back-office kiosk
B001, however, for mail order from
the philatelic service in Edinburgh,
carried the settings for Gibraltar,
with ‘BNGB15’ in their datastring. ABOVE: Machin-head 2nd class stamp from the BPMA kiosk in 2015 with a ‘Penny Black 175’ inscription and Maltese Cross motif
This meant they had service (left), and with a logo resembling that of the previous year’s Inland Airmail issue in error (right)
indicators such as Local Standard,
UK Letter and Registered Fee,
which have no validity in Britain!
Unfortunately, this was not
discovered until some of the
stamps had already been sent out
to collectors and dealers, at which
point the remainder of the initial
printing was destroyed and the
error corrected. ABOVE: 2015 Sea Travel stamp printed in advance in the UK for the international stamp exhibition in Hong Kong, with a 1st class
service indicator (left), and an example printed with a Gibraltar service indicator in error (right)
Spring 2016
A major issue affected all Royal
Mail kiosks on March 29, 2016,
during software changes to
accommodate the annual postage
rate increases. The ‘20g’ element of
the Europe up to 20g and
Worldwide up to 10g service
indicator was omitted, and the
error can be found on several
different designs. ABOVE: 2015 Winter Fur & Feathers stamp with the standard Europe up to 20g and worldwide up to 10g service indicator (left), and
It is also found on Union Flag, with the ‘20g’ missing in error from the kiosk at Bradford North Enquiry Office in March 2016 (right)
Machin-head and Heraldic Lion
stamps produced for the 87th
Scottish Congress held in Perth on
April 15-16. By this time the
original problem had been
corrected, but these particular
stamps had been printed in
advance by a back-office machine
for pre-orders.
At The Postal Museum, the ABOVE: Machin-head 2nd class stamp from The Postal Museum kiosk in 2016, with the standard location-specific inscription and
‘missing 20g’ error was envelope logo (left), and an example superimposed with a smaller version, without the logo (right)
compounded on 1st class
Machin-head stamps by a double-
print of two different forms of the
location-specific element of the
overprint. The standard form of
‘The Postal Museum’, with an
envelope logo, was superimposed
on a version in a smaller font,
without the logo, which was not in
regular use until 2017. ABOVE: Royal Mail Heritage Transport stamp from The Postal Museum kiosk in 2016, with the inscription arranged for pictorial
Doubled overprints also affected designs (left), and an example superimposed with the standard version in error (right)

54 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
2nd class Machin-head stamps and
the Union Flag and Royal Mail
Heritage Transport stamps (which,
as pictorial designs, had a different
form of the inscription); in the
latter cases, it extended over the
pictorial part of the design.
A unique error occurred on April
ABOVE: Machin-head 2nd class stamp from the BFPO kiosk at RAF Northolt in 2016 with the standard statue motif (left), and a 22, 2016, during the introduction of
stamp with a prototype image issued in error (right) stamps with a statue motif at the
British Forces Post Office
headquarters at RAF Northolt in
Ruislip. A single 2nd class
Machin-head stamp was printed
with a small prototype image of
the statue, of a soldier reading a
letter, instead of the clearer, larger,
finalised image which appeared on
subsequent stamps.
ABOVE: Winter Fur & Feathers 1st class olive design with a 2nd class service indicator in error (left), and 2nd class blue design Less than a week later, on April
with a 1st class service indicator in error (right), vended by the Bradford North Enquiry Office kiosk in 2016 27, a roll of the 1st class designs in
the Winter Fur & Feathers set
(illustrating a red fox and a red
squirrel) was placed in the 2nd
class printer unit, and a roll of the
2nd class designs (illustrating a
redwing and a mountain hare) in
the 1st class printer unit at
Bradford North Enquiry Office.
The inevitable result of this human
error was 1st class stamps with 2nd
ABOVE: Machin-head 1st class stamp from the Royal Marines Museum kiosk in 2016 (left), and the Common Poppy stamp vended
class values, and vice versa.
with the logo overlapping the pictorial element in error (right)
This sort of error is relatively
common on stamps from the NCR
kiosks in post offices, and there
have been only a few examples
from Royal Mail’s IAR kiosks.

Autumn 2016
The overlapping of machine
overprints into the pictorial side of
Post & Go stamps reappeared on
ABOVE: Machin-head 1st class stamp from the Postal Museum kiosk in 2016, with an inscription commemorating the reign of King
October 23, from the kiosk at the
Edward VIII (left), and a Union Flag stamp with an incomplete inscription which overlaps the pictorial element in error (right)
Royal Marines Museum in
Southsea. The ‘Royal Marines’
inscription and logo, intended for
Machin-head stamps, was printed
on the Common Poppy design,
where there was less space for it.
The announced release day of the
Common Poppy stamp, for the
remembrance period, was October
24, but it was introduced
ABOVE: Hibernating Animals stamp with the three-line ‘The Postal Museum’ inscription and large envelope logo designed for prematurely into kiosk A005 before
pictorial issues (left), and a Machin-head 2nd class stamp vended with that style in error in 2017 (right) the necessary software changes
had been made to the inscription.
Another example of an overprint
extending into the pictorial part of
the stamp occurred on stamps
vended at The Postal Museum on
October 24. Part of the inscription
noting the 80th anniversary of the
brief reign of King Edward VIII in
1936, normally applied to
ABOVE: Heraldic Lion stamp from a public kiosk at the ASPS Congress in 2017, with the inscription ‘88th Scottish Congress’ (left), Machin-head stamps, was applied
and a printing by the back-office machine with a different inscription in error (right) to Union Flag stamps in error.

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 55

POST & GO ERRORS 2012-19
Interestingly, however, only part
of the inscription was printed,
indicating that the error was
caused by an incomplete software
update rather than by the
premature insertion of a new
stamp roll into the printer unit.
2017 errors
Further examples of errors caused
by the early introduction of a new
roll of stamps before the software
had been updated occurred at The
Postal Museum on January 3, 2017.
The 1st class and 2nd class
Machin-head stamps were inserted
into units previously occupied by
the Hibernating Animals set, and
therefore received the large
envelope motif and three-line ‘The
Postal Museum’ inscription
designed to fit into the smaller
space on pictorial stamps. This was
a less visual error than the reverse
scenario, as the inscription did not
overlap the Queen’s head, but it
was an error nonetheless.
In April, at the 88th Scottish
Congress, the Lion design from the
Heraldic Beasts set and the Spear
Thistle design from the Symbolic
Flowers set carried the inscription
‘88th Scottish Congress’ when
bought from the two publicly
available kiosks, but ‘88th Scottish
Congress 2017’ when printed by the
back-office machine. The former is
regarded as correct, and the latter
as the error.
The year ended with two
embarrassing factual errors on
stamps from naval museums.
First, when the launch of a new
aircraft carrier was commemorated
at the NMRN in Portsmouth, on
August 19, the Union Flag stamps
were initially printed with ‘Royal
Navy QEII Carrier’ and the
Machin-head stamps with ‘Royal
Navy Queen Elizabeth II Carrier’,
whereas the ship’s correct name
was HMS Queen Elizabeth, after the
Tudor monarch. This was not
corrected for 10 days, so the errors
may be more abundant than the
corrected versions.
ABOVE: Machin-head 1st class stamp from The Postal Museum in 2018 noting the 50th anniversary of the ‘F’ box (left), and examples with the first line of the inscription missing in error
(centre) and with the first line misplaced and the second missing in error (right)
56 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020
ABOVE: Machin-head 1st class stamp from the National Museum of the Royal Navy kiosk in 2017 commemorating the launch of the
aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (left), and one quoting the name of the ship incorrectly (right)
ABOVE: Machin-head 1st class stamp from the museum ship HMS Trincomalee’s kiosk in 2017, celebrating the 200th anniversary
of her launch on October 12, 1817 (left), and one quoting the incorrect date (right)
‘All errors all appear to arise at resulted in the omission of ‘The
Postal Museum’ and a truncated
the point of human involvement, datastring reading ‘B918’ rather
than ‘B9GB18’.
most often when software A consistent error followed on
October 23, with the omission of
updates are required’ the top line of the inscription and
the bottom line moving down in its
Two months later, on October 20, place on all stamps in 1st class and
Machin-head stamps vended by 2nd class collector’s strips.
kiosk A006 at the NMRN in Corrected versions were available
Hartlepool, celebrating the 200th the following day, although on the
anniversary of HMS Trincomalee, 2nd class values the restored
incorrectly gave the date of the inscription had a small indentation
historic frigate’s launch as ‘19th Oct of ‘The Postal Museum’.
1817’, which quickly had to be
corrected to ‘12th Oct 1817’. 2019 errors
A year later, kiosk A001 at The
2018 errors Postal Museum printed another set
Towards the end of 2018, an of errors in celebrating the 50th
unusual combination of errors anniversary of the original
occurred at The Postal Museum, on National Postal Museum.
overprints noting the 50th The inscription ‘The Postal
anniversary of the F-type postbox. Museum NPM50’ had been applied
A two-line inscription of ‘The to strips of 1st class stamps with
Postal Museum ‘F’ box 50’ and a the Machin Anniversary design
postbox motif were applied to both from February 26, 2019, but a
1st class olive and 2nd class blue software error on October 11
Machin-head stamps from resulted in it being applied to
September 12. six-value collector’s strips.
On the day of issue, the The multicoloured Machin
Worldwide up to 20g stamp in 1st Anniversary stamps were then
class collector’s strips was affected replaced with regular Machin-head
by an inconsistent error which stamps, producing collector’s strips
 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
ABOVE: Part of a strip of Machin Anniversary stamps with 1st class service indicators and an inscription noting the 50th anniversary of the original National Postal Museum in 2019
(left), and part-strips of stamps vended with different values in error (centre) and with the inscription appearing on the standard Machin-head design in error (right)

banner, which was supposed to

ABOVE: Machin-head 1st class stamp from the Submarine Museum kiosk with the standard inscription and submarine motif (left),
and the same inscription applied to the Common Poppy stamp in 2019 in error (right)
with a commemorative inscription
not intended for this design.
To compound the error, the
original roll of Machin-head
stamps, which had no year code,
were quickly used up and replaced
by those with ‘14’ and then ‘15’ year
codes later the same day, creating a
new batch of errors.
Towards the end of the year,
more examples of inscriptions
overlapping the pictorial elements
of stamps were produced by kiosks
at various Royal Navy museums.
The ‘Royal Navy’ inscription
with a ship motif, intended for use
with Machin-head stamps, was
applied to Common Poppy stamps
at HMS Trincomalee on October 31,
and to the same design at the
NMRN on December 5. A similar
have been removed. The problem
was quickly corrected.
The final error of 2019 occurred
at HMS Trincomalee on December 2,
when the two-line ‘Royal Navy
Lest We Forget 100’ inscription,
applied to Common Poppy stamps
for the remembrance period, was
inadvertently printed on Machin-
head stamps. Once again, the
error occurred at the Royal Navy problem was that the software had
Submarine Museum in Gosport on not been updated before the stamps
December 4, this time with the ‘RN in the printer unit were changed.
Submarine’ inscription and logo.
In all three instances, the Human error
premature replacement of the This catalogue of errors affecting
Machin-head stamps with the Post & Go stamps from Royal Mail
remembrance stamps was to blame. kiosks over the past eight years
An error in updating the printer may be ascribed to the introduction
software affected stamps vended at of new technology for the printing
the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust of stamps at the point of sale.
gift shop in Stratford-upon-Avon However, the technology itself is
on November 4. quite robust. All the errors appear
New inscriptions recording the to arise at the point of human
dates of Shakespeare’s birth (1564) involvement, most often when
and death (1616) were due to be software updates are required.
printed on Symbolic Flowers and These problems don’t yet appear
Machin-head designs, respectively, to have been solved, so further
but the earliest printings showed errors can be anticipated on any
these clashing with the previous issues requiring a new overprint.
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Keep your eyes open! ■

ABOVE: Symbolic Flowers stamps with the standard inscription from the kiosk at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust gift shop (left), with the special commemorative ‘Shakespeare 1564’
inscription of 2019 (centre), and with a doubled overprint in error (right)

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 57

 ATTENTION OWNERS OF LARGE/ VALUABLE COLLECTIONS –
Are You THINKING of SELLING?
This is
HOW THE STAMP TRADE WORKS
Philatelic Expert Lets You into his Selling Secrets so you can benefit from
a totally different (and New) Selling Experience
1 If You want to learn how the stamp
trade works, please read on… When I was
15, I did. I wondered if there was some secret
source of supply? So, I bought my 1st stamp
mixture, (wholesale I thought), broke it into 50
smaller units, advertised it in Stamp Magazine
‘Classifieds’, and waited for the orders to roll in…
I’m still waiting, 48 years later !...
Wrong Offer ✗ Wrong Price ✗ Wrong Place ✗
(naïve seller✔ = H me but I was only 15 at
the time!)
2 Three years later, attending my first
public stamp auctions I wondered how
some bidders seemed to buy everything, paying
the highest price? It didn’t occur to me that
they were probably Auction Bidding Agents, paid
by absent (dealer) bidders to represent them. I
wondered why two collectors sitting side by side
muttered to each other “he’s a dealer” as if that
justified him paying the highest price…
…but did it really? What was the real reason?
About The Author ➳ Andrew found his
Father’s stamps at the age of 10. A year later at
Senior School he immediately joined the School
Stamp Club. He ‘specialised’(!) in British, but
soon was interested in Queen Victoria which he
could not afford. The 2nd to last boy wearing
short trousers in his school year, he religiously
bought Post Office New Issues on Tuesdays
with his pocket money. He soon found that he
enjoyed swapping / trading stamps as much as
collecting them. Aged 19, eschewing University
he quickly found a philatelic career in London,
leading to creating his own companies in
stamps. Andrew has authored many interna-
tionally published Stamp ‘Tips’ articles, appear-
ing on Local Radio and National TV promoting
Philately with Alan Titchmarsh. Andrew’s area of
expertise is unusual – in so far as his grounding
in collecting and wide philatelic knowledge has
given him a deep understanding of Philately.
He has studied Philately for the past 45 years,
in combination with Commerce and Marketing
Expertise, enabling him to create synergies in
‘lifetime’ interlinked Stamp Selling Systems, sell-
ing unit-priced stamps through to handling col-
lections & Rarities up to £700,000 each. Today
Andrew is fortunate to be co-owner with his
Wife, of Universal Philatelic Auctions (aka UPA)
– the Largest No Buyer’s Premium Reducing-Es-
timate System Stamp Auction in the World, cre-
ating records selling stamps to 2,261 different
bidders from 54 different countries in his latest
auction. Andrew stopped collecting
stamps aged 18 reasoning that his
enjoyment of stamps would be in
handling them and selling them…
REQUE
ST MY
THE TR
A
FREE B
ANDREW PROMOTING PHILATELY ON OOKLE
THE ALAN TITCHMARSH SHOW ITV
58
by Andrew McGavin
How could a Dealer pay a higher price than a Col-
lector? It doesn’t make sense, does it? Collectors
are customers. Customers usually pay the highest
price, unless… for a Collector, this was…
Wrong Presentation ✗Wrong Place ✗ ly evident that the problem for most Sellers of
therefore Wrong Price ✗ Stamps today is no longer absent stock – but
3 Fast-forward 48 years later
to a British Empire collection, lot #1 in
an International Stamp Auction – Estimated
at £3,000, but we were the highest bidder at
£21,000 – YES – some 7×higher. Including Buyer’s
Premium in the extraordinary sum of £4,788
we actually paid GBP£25,788= upon a £3,000
estimate… however, we broke it down into sets,
singles, mini-collections etc. We made a profit.
Some might say it found its price. Others may say:
Wrong Estimate ✗ Wrong Presentation ✗
Wrong Structure ✗ Wrong Protection of Price ✗
– Lucky for the seller that 2 well-heeled
bidders saw the potential value that day or
it could have been given away… the seller could
easily have lost out couldn’t he? or she?
So, by un-peeling the layers of obfuscation,
hopefully we can all agree:
The Secret is Simple –
it’s ALL About: TIMING,
Plus the 3 Philatelic ‘P’s –
Presentation ✔Place ✔and Price ✔
4 Understanding the problem…
I always remember the car trade had their
own little ‘bible’ – Glass’s Guide. I’ve no idea, I’ve
not even looked - in this internet-dominated
world, it may even have disappeared. Well, there’s
an insider Stamp Trade publication for Stamp
Dealers called “The Philatelic Exporter”. There’s
nothing that special about it – and you won’t
learn much or find massively reduced prices by
subscribing – BUT – it is a forum, a paper focal
point, a last ‘bastion’ in this on-line transparent
world that we inhabit… whereby dealers (and
auctioneers) can try and communicate with each
other. I publish my own articles there…
Recently I discussed the outcome of my 10
years’ simple research, asking dealers and auction-
eers ‘what is your biggest problem?’
To a man, (why are we almost all men), they
replied – “my biggest problem is stock, if I can
get more of the right stock I can sell
it easily”
Strange that, nobody ever asked me
the same question back – because
my answer would have been en-
tirely different (and I don’t treat
it as a problem) – I seek to satisfy
collectors
This is the reason why my company
has such massive advertising. This is
the reason why we spend up to 8% of
turnover – up to £200,000 per annum in
marketing costs. (Most dealers don’t even
‘TIPS O
F sell £200K per annum).
DE’
T
5 Why is that? Because, as the
world revolved the Stamp Market,
imperceptibly Changed, and incrementally –
Massively
So, although few will tell you this, it’s clear-
absent collectors in the place they choose
to sell their stamps in. Simply put, other Deal-
ers, Auctions, Stamp Fairs have not invested in
marketing to have a strong Customer-core. To be
fair, this is not true of all – but it is true of most
– so that our nearest competitor ‘Apex’ had 800
bidders in a recent auction. In my most recent
20,000+ lot UPA 65th Auction we had 2,261 dif-
ferent bidders from 54 different countries, 95% of
whom were Collectors. Some other well-advertised
auctions only have 200 bidders (a high percentage
of whom are dealers – so that, essentially they are
Dealer-dominated auctions) – so that when you
sell through them – you’re paying up to 18% (in-
cluding VAT) seller’s commission and the buyer is
paying up to 25% and more in Buyer’s Premium,
credit card fees, on-line bidding fee, delivery and
insurance etc… AND all of that so that your
stamps may be sold, wait for it – TO DEAL-
ERS (and some collectors), but Dealers, that
naturally must make a profit to survive…
6 Now, let’s examine the cost
implications – Example: Your
stamp collection sells in public auction for £800.
Upon a 25% buyer’s premium, the dealer pays
£1,000 and it could be more. He breaks it into
£2,000+ selling price (much lower and he’ll go
out of business). The auction charges you a
seller’s commission of up to 18% (VAT included)
upon the £800 sale price. This is GBP£144.
Therefore you receive approaching £656 – which
is approximately 33% of the dealer’s £2,000+/-
retail selling price - BUT… now that we have
identified the problem…
Isn’t the Solution Staring us
Right in The Face ?
7 Why Pay an Auction to Sell to
Dealers: Sell to Collectors instead
?In our example with buyer’s premium, sellers
commission, lotting fees, extra credit card
charges, VAT and even insurance - you’re already
being charged in different ways up to 40% of the
selling price to sell, possibly or probably, to the
wrong person.
Why not direct that 40% cost you’re paying to
sell to Collectors instead? Sounds good, so why
hasn’t this been done before ?
8 Truth is, it Has been done before…
Sometimes the ‘old’ ways are the best
ways aren’t they? But in today’s enthusiasm to
obscure the obvious so that money may be taken,
almost surreptitiously, in numerous different
ways, (without us apparently noticing until we see
the cheque in our pocket) – the transparent ‘seller
pays’ has been deliberately ‘obscured’ – so much
so that, amazingly, the latest 2017 European
Auction Selling Legislation just introduced – now
requires auctions that charge ‘buyer’s premiums’
to warn the buyer in advance. Just imagine

going into the petrol station, and being warned
that the price you’re paying to put fuel in you
tank is not the real price, you have to pay a
premium! Obviously, there would be an uproar…
How can you cut out the
9 middleman and sell to Collectors
instead? Well, I can think of two ways. 1). DIY
- Do It Yourself selling on eBay. That may be fine
for lower grade material – but, would you risk
auctioning relatively unprotected rare material
on eBay ? We don’t and we’re professionals, so we
should know what we’re doing. Or 2). Cut out the
extra middle-man. Use my company UPA, which
reaches collectors instead. Here’s how it works:
Continuing from our previous Example:
The auction sold your stamps to a dealer for
£1,000 – but You received circa £656
UPA sells them to collectors for you for up to
£2,000 – even after 40% commission you receive
up to £1,200. Up to £544 more. Now that’s amaz-
ing, isn’t it? G
Sounds Good Andrew, but Can
10 You ‘Deliver’? Obviously, nothing
is as simple as that, and as we auction stamps
to collectors some collections may ‘break’ to the
example £2,000+/- but the stamps may be sold
for more or less – especially as we reserve all lots
at 20% below, (Estimate £2,000 = £1,600 reserve)
and not everything sells first or even 2nd time so
prices may come down… Naturally, it’s not that
straightforward for a dealer either – he may sell at
a discount to ‘move’ stock OR, like many dealers he
may be sitting on the same unsold stamps, that you
see time and time again, in dealer’s stocks years
later and still at the same unattractive prices… So,
I think it is more reasonable for you to expect up
to 36% to 50% more, indirectly or directly via my
Collector’s Secret Weapon: Universal Philatelic
Auctions, which moves material more quickly, by
incrementally reducing estimate (and reserve)
price in a structured selling system…
Q.❱ What is the Collector’s
11 ‘Secret Weapon’?
A.❱ It’s called the
Unique UPA Reducing
Estimate System... L
This is a rather long explanation, I don’t want
to bore you, but 17 years ago, when my wife and I
set up Universal Philatelic Auctions I detected that
the stamp trade’s biggest problem then was not
what sold – but what didn’t sell… So, because
I didn’t want to try to keep on offering the same
either unsaleable or overpriced stock I created the
unique UPA Reducing Estimate (and reserve) Sell-
ing System. Simply put, if a lot doesn’t sell in the
1st auction we reduce the estimate (and reserve)
by 11% and unlike other dealers and auctions WE
TELL YOU – ‘US’ = once unsold. If unsold after
the following auction we reduce by a further 12%
and WE TELL YOU ‘US2’, if unsold after a 3rd UPA
auction we reduce by a further 13% and WE TELL
YOU ‘US3’ and so on till the lot finds its price, is
✔
sold or virtually given away...
Any Scientist will tell you
12 that combinations of ingredients
can produce powerful results. So we created
the unique combination of my UPA Reducing
Estimate System, married (in stone), with UPA’s
fair ‘NO BUYER’S Premium’ policy, PLUS each lot
carries my total ‘no quibble’ guarantee – this
formula is the reason why within the span
of 4 auctions (one year)… 90%-95% of lots
broken from a collection have sold. This Unique
Philatelic Selling System Formula is the reason
why we are the largest stamp auction in the UK
today with 2,261 different bidders in my recent
auction.E
In Hindsight Dealers warned me 17 years ago
that my idea wouldn’t work. 17 years later I think
I’ve proven that it does. (Reader: Please Request a
UNIVERSAL PHILATELIC AUCTIONS SM 04/20
4 The Old Coalyard, West End, Northleach, Glos. GL54 3HE UK
Tel: 01451 861111 • Fax: 01451 861297
www.upastampauctions.co.uk • info@upastampauctions.co.uk
Contact UPA: 01451 861 111
UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL:
Dear Folk at UPA,
I’ve dealt with the public for 37 + years, and as
both a consumer, and a businessman, I have
created huge numbers of orders from all over
the world from a complete range of suppliers
from all aspects of our daily lives.
But I don’t believe I have ever encountered
such sensitivity, such kind thought, such
understanding as I have with you in our
initial meeting, our subsequent successful
transaction, and now this.
I recall well the item you highlight, and
realise that this one item has such colossal
personal value, I could never part with it.
It has been an absolute pleasure dealing
with yourself, and I am more than willing for
you to use this e-mail as commendation to
others who may be thinking of disposing of
their collection.
Many, many thanks for a memorable
experience, and I will try to emulate your
thought and care in my own business sphere.
Yours sincerely
D. E. B. Bath, UK
complimentary UPA catalogue – using the contact
details further below)
OK, Cut to the Chase
13 Andrew, what’s the offer? All of
my Selling Systems are based upon selling to
Collectors Globally, so that 95% of stamps sold
by UPA are sold directly to Collectors. If you wish to
benefit by up to 50% or more, depending upon your
circumstance and type of material, by cutting out
the middleman – then this offer may be for you.
Generally ‘time’ is the enemy in our lives, and for
most dealers not being able to sell stock. Now is the
time to let ‘time’ do the ‘heavy-lifting’ and consider
making ‘time’ work for you, so that at UPA you can
make time your friend. I Act NOW: Contact Andrew or an
14 AND the SMALL PRINT?  Some lots
are too small in value for us to offer this
system. Other lots may not be suited to selling in this
manner (e.g. surplus mint British decimal stamps best
used for postage) – especially if the market is heavily
compromised by stock overhang in specific areas. Some
Collectors will not wish to use time and systems to
leverage price, others will want to agree a specific price
and know that they are paid precisely this amount. No
client is treated like a number and no client is forced
like a square peg into a round hole. M
OK, What Do I Do Next?
15 a). You contact UPA to discuss with
Andrew or a highly-qualified Auction Valuer/
Describer what you have to dispose of and your
options bearing in mind your specific interests /
requirements
b). If you wish, get a 2nd opinion, but in-
vestigate what type of auction / dealer you are
dealing with. Is it a Dealer’s auction with relative-
ly few collectors? Can you see where / how the
Dealer sells? If you can’t easily see any pricelists
or high quality selling catalogues – that Dealer
may sell your stamps to other dealers…
c). Finally you ask U P A to collect your
stamps, insure in transit for an estimated replace-
ment retail value…C B S
What Happens then? A member
16 of my Team telephones/e-mails you
to confirm safe receipt. ‘Overnight’ valuations,
unless simple, are rare. Valuing stamp collections
that have taken tens of years to create takes time.
Depending upon your priorities / timescale I, or
an experienced member of my Team will contact
you to discuss your requirements and the options
available to you for the sale of your collection.
Provided only that you feel well-informed and
comfortable do we agree strategy T D
How Strong is the Stamp and
17 Cover Market? Everybody knows that
the strongest areas are GB and British Empire. Post-
Independence / QEII material sells but if hinged
at considerable discount. Mint hinged material
pre 1952 is regarded as the industry ‘norm’ and
therefore desirable – but genuine never-hinged
commands a premium. Europe sells but at reduced
levels, Americas is good, as generally is Asia but
the ‘heat’ has come off China which is still good –
and Russia which can still be good. East Europe is
weaker. Overall, Rarities throughout can command
their own price levels and real Postal History has
good demand.
18 What
Next?
Should I Do
Discuss your
collection with U P A. Contact
Andrew or an experienced
member of his Team now… B C
19  Guarantee: I want You to be
absolutely Sure So If You’re not
sure we’ll transport and return your stamps for
FREE up to £200 in actual shipping cost at our
expense. It sounds generous (and it is), but it’s
far less than the cost of driving 100+ miles each
way and 3 to 6 hours in your home valuing your
stamps U
20 My Double Cast Iron Guarantee: We
can do a better job valuing your stamps
in our office than in your home. If you don’t agree
I’ll pay you an extra £50 for you to pay somebody
trusted to open the boxes and put your albums
back, in the same place, on the shelf they came
from. U U
21 experienced member of his Team using
the on-line selling form at our website, by fax,
telephone or by mail. We’ll work harder for you
not to regret the decision to sell all or part of your
collection…C B
A
Andrew McGavin, Philatelic Expert,
Author, Managing Director
Universal Philatelic Auctions UPA
59
 GREAT ENGRAVERS

Survival of the fittest

Sverre Morken excelled throughout a 45-year career engraving stamps for
Norway, helped by a love of portraiture and a rigorous fitness regime
■ Report by Adrian Keppel

P
hysical fitness is perhaps not
something you would
identify as an essential
quality for an engraver, but Sverre
Morken has always been quite a
sporty type.
While working, he would stop
every hour or so and do some
exercise, such as push-ups or
rope-jumping. A pull-ups bar was
installed in the room above his
studio, to boost the blood
circulation in his arms.
He also had a special routine
which he followed to keep his hand
steady. Every day, before starting
work, he would let his arms hang
loose for a couple of minutes.
Simultaneously, he would try to
empty his mind and evoke a sense
of calmness in his whole body.
These are habits that served him
well during a productive 45-year
career as a stamp engraver, which
came to an end as recently as two
years ago.

Born in 1945 in Folldal, in ABOVE: The 2.20k design in Norway’s 1981 set celebrating the Sailing Ship Era, depicting the cadet ship Christian Radich, lovingly
mountainous central Norway, engraved by Sverre Morken. Remarkably, Morken himself was a former member of the vessel’s crew

Morken went to sea when he was

just 15 years old, on the cadet ship
Christian Radich (a vessel which,
remarkably, he would later engrave
for a stamp).
Once he was back on dry land,
however, he attended the State Arts
& Crafts Industry School (SHKS) in
Oslo, learning about graphic art
under a number of well-known
teachers.
He admired the work of historic
engravers, such as the 17th-century
artists Gérard Edelinck and Robert
Nanteuil, and especially the
16th-century polymath Albrecht
Dürer, with his talent for
illustrations which were precise
but at the same time sensitive
and alive.
When it became known that the
Norwegian Bank Printing Works
ABOVE: This exquisite 1993 stamp celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg with a was looking for new talent, one of
sensitive portrait is one of many which have won awards for Morken his teachers suggested Morken

60 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020


should apply. He spent two
summers there, learning the ropes
of banknote engraving, and in 1972
was given a full-time job.
With experienced stamp
engravers Henry Welde and Knut
Løkke-Sørensen among his tutors,
Morken learned quickly, and he
was soon approached by the
postal authority. His first stamps
were a pair marking the
bicentenary of the Norwegian
Geographical Survey in 1973.
He never looked back, and has
gone on to engrave more than 70
stamp issues for Norway, as well as
some for Sweden, the Faroe Islands
and the United Nations.
Like many of the greatest
engravers, Morken always enjoyed
working on portraits.
Among his favourites are two he
‘Morken’s portrayal of Edvard Grieg in 1993
beautifully captured the composer’s
sensitivity and sorrowful expression’
did in 1997 for the Birth
Anniversaries set, of the composer
Harald Saeverud and the author
Tarjei Vesaas. It was an extra
special assignment because
Morken is very fond of classical
music and literature, but it was also
a very time-consuming job as he
strived to capture each man’s
personality.
Saeverud was memorably
WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
Printers’ Association awards for his
Horses stamps for the Faroe Islands
in 1993. He would win the same
category again in 2000, this time for
a pair of Norwegian stamps
marking the centenary of the
National Theatre in 1999.
Morken’s portraits for Norway’s
2001 set marking the centenary of
Nobel Prizes, which included
Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther
King and Mikhail Gorbachev, were
hailed as the most beautiful issue
of that year at the WIPA
international exhibition.
Morken officially retired in 2004,
and was awarded a gold medal by
King Harald V of Norway for his
achievements in graphic design. He
kept on working in a freelance
capacity until 2018, however,
engraving the odd issue.
portrayed as aristocratic, with his ABOVE: Morken’s only Highlights of his later years have
snowy white hair, yet rather piece of work for the included an engraving of the Lion
modest, with a slightly wandering Faroe Islands came in of Parliament for the 2014
gaze. Vesaas, with his striking 1993, with this high- Bicentenary of the Constitution set,
forehead, was shown gazing firmly value stamp in the and his swansong, a miniature
into the distance. Horses set depicting sheet celebrating the Golden
Although it is obvious only to the a mare and foal Wedding Anniversary of the King
initiated, Morken used to enjoy and Queen. ■
incorporating references to the
mountains and wildlife of the
Folldal area into his stamp designs
wherever possible.
But a far more personal touch can
be found in his 2005 engraving of a
lady writing a letter, for the issue
marking the 150th anniversary of
Norwegian stamps: he included his
grandmother’s name and address
(Ragnhild Morken, Folldal), on a
letter lying on the table!
Morken’s stamps have garnered
some prestigious awards
through the years.
In 1994, he was awarded the
Robert Stolz trophy by the
Philatelic Music Circle, for his
portrayal of Edvard Grieg in 1993,
which beautifully captured the
composer’s sensitivity and
sorrowful expression.
In the same year, he won the Best
Intaglio Stamp category in the ABOVE: One of the artist’s personal favourite engravings is this portrait of
Government Postage Stamp the composer Harald Saeverud, on the centenary of his birth in 1997
APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 61
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HAITI

Haiti days
Known for its instability and poverty, Haiti deserves closer attention for its philately.
Its stamps and its postal history are diverse yet affordable, with stories to tell
■ Report by Alastair Gunn

aiti rarely impinges on the RIGHT: The 5c green

H British consciousness,
except when there is a
humanitarian emergency or a
from the 1881 first
issue of Haiti, an
imperforate set of six
military coup. depicting Liberty,
Although it is in the Caribbean with values ranging
Sea, occupying the western part of from 1c to 20c
the large island of Hispaniola, it is
not a major tourist destination. It
has one of the largest populations
in the region, but also one of the
poorest, dogged by political
instability.
There were British postal
agencies in Haiti from 1830-81, but
the country was never part of the
British Empire. It has closer links
with France, having been part of
the French Empire until 1804,
and the USA, because almost a
million Americans are of
Haitian descent.
But don’t ignore Haiti’s philately.
It has been a stamp-issuing
country for almost 140 years, yet
most of its stamps, even the classic
issues, are reasonably priced. The
majority have been produced by

‘Haiti has been a stamp-issuing

country for almost 140 years,
DID YOU KNOW?
and the majority of those stamps
have been produced by The first European colony in the
Americas during the Age of
well-known security printers’ Discovery was founded in what is
now Haiti.
well-reputed security printers, and La Navidad, on the north coast
there is no long-running history of of Hispaniola, was established in
excessive thematic issues. 1492 by 36 Spanish explorers from
Postal history is not easy to find, the first voyage of Christopher
but that makes it an interesting Columbus.
challenge. It was based around a small fort
built from the timbers of his
Early stamp issues wrecked flagship, Santa María,
Issued on July 1, 1881, Haiti’s first after she ran aground locally on
stamps were an imperforate set of Christmas Day.
six, typographed from a die based Within a year, however, the
on an engraving in wood. settlement had been destroyed,
Somewhat French in style, and all the settlers killed by ABOVE: Haiti 1970 Christmas 3c showing
depicting the head of Liberty and native people. the fort of La Nativité (La Navidad)
inscribed ‘Republique d’Haiti’, they
were denominated in Haitian

64 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020


ABOVE: Most early Haiti stamps featured either a head of state, such as the 1887 1c lake portraying
President Lysius Salomon, or the nation’s Coat of Arms, such as the 1893 1c purple
centimes, with values of 1c, 2c, 3c,
5c, 7c and 20c.
The same six values were
perforated from 1882, and
remained in use for a further five
years. Forgeries of these issues
exist, and often they can be worth
more than the genuine stamps.
Subsequent series portrayed a
succession of national Presidents or
depicted the national Coat of Arms,
which has a palm tree topped by a
Phrygian cap, flanked by draped
flags and cannons.
The first commemorative issue
was the Centenary of
Independence set in 1904, printed
in two colours, depicted some of
the heroes of the 1804 revolution.
By the early 20th century, many
of Haiti’s stamps were being
recess-printed by the American
Bank Note Company, improving
their quality. Yet there were several
confusing issues: many stamps and
overprints were issued in the
1906-15 period denominated in
piastres, when the local currency
was gourdes, and a 1914 series has
dubious catalogue credibility
because it was never available from
post offices, having been stolen in
transit from the printers!
American occupation
Political and economic instability
in Haiti, and concern over German
attempts to exercise influence over
the country, prompted the United
States to embark on a military
occupation of the country during
World War I.
The occupation would last from
from 1915-34, and the USA
controlled the Haitian economy
until as late as 1941. Haiti’s
infrastructure improved during
this period, but much of it was built
by forced labour.
US military mail is readily
WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
identifiable from its distinctive
cancellations, of which 37 types
have been recorded.
It was the American military
which brought aeroplanes to Haiti,
and flight covers exist from as early
as 1919, although these are very
rare. A regular domestic Post
Office airmail service commenced
in May 1925, operated by the US
military.
The first civilian airmail flight to
the neighbouring Dominican
Republic was made in December
1927, and the famous American
aviator Charles Lindbergh carried
three mailbags from Port-au-Prince
to Cuba in Spirit Of St Louis in
February 1928.
Commemorative first-flight
covers are quite common, perhaps
due to the American influence.
ABOVE: Strips of
seven and three of Post-occupation period
the 1881 1c red on a After the American occupation
remarkable cover ended, Haiti reverted to political
from Jacmel to instability, with many short-term
Italy, posted on presidencies. But there were also
June 8, 1883 some notable philatelic firsts.
The first charity stamp issue was
released in 1939, to raise money
ABOVE: From 1906-15, some stamp issues switched from being denominated
in gourdes (the local currency) to being denominated in piastres
APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 65
HAITI

‘Postal history
from the Duvalier
era can be some of
the most difficult to
find, as Haitian
links to Europe
were minimal’
fled the country.
When he died in 1971, his power
transferred to his son Jean-Claude
‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier, who ruled in
a simlar way until he was
overthrown by a popular
ABOVE: First flight cover for the West Indian Aerial Express civilian airmail service to the Dominican Republic on December uprising in 1986.
13, 1927, franked with 10c and 50c stamps from the 1924 definitive series and signed by the owner of the WIAE The stamp-issuing programme
expanded hugely during this
period, and many issues of 1968-73
have been relegated to appendix
status in the Stanley Gibbons
catalogue as being in excess of
postal needs.
The Duvaliers were only
occasionally portrayed, however,
soon after their inauguration or in
connection with major government
projects or reforms.
Postal history from the Duvalier
era can be some of the most
difficult to find, as Haitian links to
Europe were minimal, especially
with a declining economy limiting
for a new athletics stadium in the ABOVE: Twice rapidly made himself a dictator. the need for foreign contact. Most
capital, Port-au-Prince. Portraying censored wartime But it came at a price. His time was international trade was with
Pierre de Coubertin, the French airmail cover of marked by appalling violence, American companies, as Haiti
founder of the modern Olympic February 23, 1945, persecution and corruption, became the poorest country in the
Games, all three values are from Port-au-Prince and much of the educated class western hemisphere.
comparatively rare; probably few to New York, franked
Haitians could afford to pay extra, with a 1933-series
and the outbreak of World War II 60c brown airmail
made the prospect even less stamp and a 1944 5c
appealing. blue obligatory tax
Obligatory tax stamps later stamp for the United
became common, including sets for Nations Relief Fund
the United Nations Relief Fund in
1944, the bicentenary of Port-au-
Prince in 1949 and the Cyclone
Hazel Relief Fund in 1955.
A pair of mourning stamps was
issued in 1945 for Franklin D RIGHT: Cover of May
Roosevelt, the President who had 28, 1949, from Cap-
withdrawn the American Haitien to London,
military from Haiti, and a long franked with a 1945
commemorative set in 1954 for the Red Cross 50c red
150th Anniversary of and brown airmail
Independence. stamp and a 1g slate
from the 1946 series
Duvalier era commemorating
Political stability came only when François Capois, a
François ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier was military hero of the
elected to power in 1957 and Haitian Revolution

66 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
ABOVE: Slogan postmark promoting the International Exposition in
Port-au-Prince in December 1949, as Haiti’s capital marked its bicentenary

ABOVE: Airmail cover of September 30, 1956, from Port-au-Prince to London, franked with a 1954 1.50g
stamp commemorating Yolette Magloire, the wife of President Paul Magloire, who was popular for her
charity work, and a pair of the 10c obligatory tax stamp for the Cyclone Hazel Relief Fund. Just 10
weeks after this was sent, the Magloires were forced into exile

ABOVE: 50c stamp from a 1961 set honouring the Dumas family. Alexandre
Dumas, the author of The Three Musketeers and The Count Of Monte Cristo,
was the grandson of a French nobleman and a Haitian slavewoman

Modern malaise
Haiti’s questionable governance
has continued to this day. It wavers
between ineffective democracy,
military rule and American ABOVE: Cover of December 19, 1962, addressed to Zürich in Switzerland, bearing three 50c stamps from
intervention, most visibly apparent the 1960 set celebrating the naming of Miss Haiti as that year’s World Sugar Queen, and a 20c
in a 1994 military invasion to obligatory tax stamp from the 1959 set in aid of the Literary Fund
reverse a 1991 coup d’état.
Centuries of economic
mismanagement and corruption
have served only to exacerbate RIGHT: 1960s airmail
natural disasters such as cholera cover, addressed to
outbreaks, hurricanes and the London, franked with
devastating earthquake of the 50c and 1g
January 2010, leaving the stamps from the 1958
country in desperate need of set portraying
humanitarian aid. President François
The postal system is ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier
and a pair of the
triangular 5c values
from the 1962
Eradication of
Malaria set

DID YOU KNOW?

ABOVE: Regular appearances on Haiti stamps
have been made by Jean-Jacques Dessalines,
the revolutionary leader and first ruler of
independent Haiti. This 5c value is from 1955
Haiti is the only state in world history to have been established
by a successful slave revolt.
The revolution of 1791-1804, initially against the fledgling
French Republic and latterly against the French Empire of
Napoleon Bonaparte, was led by slaves of African descent who
worked on the island’s profitable sugar plantations.
The ultimate success of the revolution created the first
independent nation in Latin America, and only the second republic
in the Americas, after the USA. ABOVE: 1904 Centenary of
Haiti was also the first country in which slavery was abolished. Independence 1c green

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 67

 HAITI

RIGHT: Registered
airmail cover of
July 13, 1977, from
Port-au-Prince to the
UK, with seven 50c
stamps from the
1974 issue portraying
J-J Dessalines,
unusually cancelled
in blue

functioning, if inefficient, and there

is a post office in many towns.
Bucking the international trend,
the number of new stamp issues
declined sharply after 1986. Very
few have been released in the 21st
century, although many bogus
thematic stamps have appeared on
the philatelic market, especially
since 2005.

Collecting corners
The philately and postal history of
Haiti has an interesting range of
further material to collect,
including provisional surcharges,
postal stamps overprinted for
revenue use (and sometimes used
on postal covers), parcel post
stamps, official stamps, postage
dues and postal stationery.
Despite being widely ignored by
British philatelists, the country has
everything required to keep a ABOVE: Haiti’s first stamp issues following devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010, were two
collector busy for years! ■ sheetlets released in March, one of which focused on the destruction of the main post office building

DID YOU KNOW?

Haiti has always endured a difficult Subsequently there was a diplomatic
relationship with the Dominican resolution to the border dispute in 1929,
Republic, a legacy of their divergent which both countries marked with
colonial past (as part of the French and commemorative stamps.
Spanish empires respectively) and
Haiti’s annexation of its neighbour from
1822-44. The border between the two
has long been a bone of contention.
In 1900 the Dominican Republic
controversially issued a set of stamps
showing the whole of the island of
Hispaniola but with the boundary shifted
significantly into Haitian territory.
In 1924 Haiti retaliated with a map
stamp of the West Indies which omitted
the name of the Dominican Republic and
declined to show a boundary at all. ABOVE: Dominican Republic 1900 Island of Hispaniola ¼c ABOVE: Haiti 1924 Map of West Indies 20c

68 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 ON SALE NOW!

BETTER
VALUE THAN
ANY OTHER
PRICE GUIDE
Order your copy at www.mags-uk.com
Or telephone 01795 662976
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› Fully updated to mid-2019 £12.99
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 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS FEATURES EVENTS | STRANGE BUT TRUE
BLACK MAGIC

Black on black
Here’s a first day cover with a difference, from the day the ink for cancelling
Britain’s 1d postage stamp officially changed from red to black, in February 1841
■ Report by Norman Watson

A
t first glance this appears
to be a routine Penny Black
entire: a stamp from plate 9
used on cover from Doncaster to a
solicitor in Rotherham (albeit
affixed at the top-left, contrary to
regulations).
What raises it beyond the
ordinary, however, is the Doncaster
twin-arc datestamp of February 10,
1841, nicely struck on the right of
the cover.
This was the first day on which
postmasters were instructed to
strike the familiar Maltese cross
cancellation in black, rather than
red, and the stamp has been duly
obliterated (although barely tied to
the cover) in the new ink.

In the early years of adhesive

postage stamps, the postal
authorities were paranoid about
fraud. And there were growing
fears that the red cancelling ink
which had been used to cancel
the Penny Black since its
introduction in May 1840 could be
chemically removed, and the
stamps used again.
Experiments were therefore
conducted with different colours of
ink and stamps, and eventually it
was decided that the 1d stamp
should be red, and the
cancellation black.
Printing of the new Penny Red
duly commenced, and on February
10, 1841, to coincide with its release,
the General Post Office issued
instructions to change the
obliterating ink to black.
So this is a first day cover, not for
the stamp, whose days were now
numbered, but for the cancelling
ink. What makes it especially
appealing is that the datestamp
evidence is on the front, which is
uncommon.
There has been increasing
appreciation of such covers in
recent times, and one catalogue has
priced a black Maltese cross from
its first day of official use at £4,000.
There are several ironies to the
reforms of February 10.
One is that first day covers of the
Penny Red on this same day are
virtually unknown. That is because
counter clerks were busy using up
remaining stocks of the Penny
Black first.
A second is that not all
postmasters received stocks of the
black ink in time to introduce it on
the day, as there had been delays in
its distribution due to a shortage of
tin bottles. One result was that,
even though printing of the Penny
Red had already begun, a further
order of Penny Blacks would be
made after this date.
Only 16,000 sheets of the Penny
Black were printed from plate 9,
which is around half the number of
those printed from plates 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
‘Ironically, first day covers of the
Penny Red on this same day are
virtually unknown, because
clerks were using up remaining
stocks of the Penny Black’
ABOVE: Penny Black
cover of February 10,
1841, the day on
which black
cancellations
officially replaced
red cancellations
RIGHT: The stamp is
from plate 9, with
check letters B-F
and 8. Its earliest known use was
on November 18, 1840, but it would
have a long life as it was retained
for printing the Penny Red.
This particular stamp shows the
‘O’ flaw between the letters ‘O’ and
‘N’, and its position on the sheet
shows the B-F check letters high to
right at bottom left and high
central at bottom right.
As if to ease its passage through
the postal system, at a time when
the use of adhesive stamps was still
only nine months old, this cover
was unnecessarily endorsed
‘Prepaid’ in manuscript. ■

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 71

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 WHAT’S ON: EXHIBITIONS To include an event in this listing, we need at least two months’ notice.
Send details to What’s On, Stamp Magazine, MyTimeMedia Ltd,
Suite 25, Eden House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF.
UK & WORLDWIDE EXHIBITION E-mail: guy.thomas@mytimemedia.com

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

March 19-21 May 2-9 Contact: Graham Winters, Nordia 2020 Venue: Griffith College Conference
NEThErLaNDS UK UK Commissioner Venue: Malmömässan Convention Centre, South Circular Road,
Hertogpost 2020 London 2020 International Tel: 01924 259713 Center, Mässgatan 6, Hyllie, Dublin 8.
Venue: Brabanthallen, Diezekade 2, ‘ Exhibition j.g.winters@hotmail.co.uk Malmö. Contact: Stampa 2020, PO Box 12624,
s-Hertogenbosch 5222, Netherlands. Venue: Business Design Centre, www.refs.ee Contact: Lars Nordberg, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16, Republic of
Contact: Hertogpost 2020 52 Upper Street, Islington, London Maskinmästaregatan 2, SE-233 43 Ireland
Tel: +31 73 629 3911 N1 0QH. aUGUST 6-11 Svedala, Sweden www.stampa.ie
www.hertogpost-event.nl Contact: London 2020 INDONESIa Tel: +46 725 446 598
admin@london2020.co Indonesia 2020 World Stamp info@nordia2020.se OcTOBEr 23-27
March 19-22 www.london2020.co Championship www.nordia2020.se TaIWaN
NEW ZEaLaND Venue: Indonesian Parliament Complex, Taipei 2020 International Stamp
NZ 2020 JUNE 25-28 Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto No1, SEpTEMBEr 30- Exhibition
Venue: Ellerslie Event Centre, GErMaNy Jakarta 10270, Indonesia. OcTOBEr 3 Venue: Hall 1, Taipei World Trade
Ellerslie Racecourse, 80 Ascot Ostropa 2020 Eastern European Contact: John Jackson, UK Center, Hsin-Yi Road, Xinyi, Taipei City,
Avenue, Remuera, 1050 Auckland, Stamp Exhibition UK Commissioner Autumn Stampex Taiwan.
New Zealand. Venue: Russisches Haus, john.w.jackson@care4free.net Venue: Business Design Centre, Contact: Federation of Inter-Asian
Contact: Bob Gibson, NZ 2020 Stamp Friedrichstrasse 176-179, www.indonesia2020.com 52 Upper Street, Islington, London Philately
Exhibition Inc, PO Box 58139, Whitby, 10117 Berlin, Germany. N1 0QH. www.asiaphilately.com
Porirua 5245, New Zealand Contact: Frank Blechschmidt, aUGUST 28-30 Contact: Philatelic Traders Society,
Tel: +654 4 234 7218 Commissioner, Dorfstrasse 68a, BELGIUM PO Box 290, Lingfield, Surrey FEBrUary 11-14
secretary@nz2020.nz Bermsgrün, D-08340 Schwarzenberg, Antverpiade 2020 RH7 9AX aUSTraLIa
www.nz2020.nz Germany Venue: Hall 1, Antwerp Expo, Tel: 01342 830225 Melbourne 2021 International
blechschmidt@ostropa2020.de Jan Van Rijswijcklaan 191, Fax: 01342 837888 Stamp & Coin Exhibition
March 28-29 www.ostropa2020.de 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium info@thepts.net Venue: Caulfield Racecourse,
FINLaND Contact: Antverpiade 2020 www.thephilatelictraderssociety.co.uk Station Street, Caulfield East,
SFEx 2020 JULy 10-12 exhibition@antverpiade2020.be Melbourne, Victoria 3145,
Venue: Kaapelitehdas, Tallberginkatu ESTONIa www.antverpiade2020.be OcTOBEr 9-11 Australia.
1, 00180 Helsinki. Estonia 2020 IrELaND Contact: John Moore, President
Contact: SFEx 2020 Venue: Estonian National Museum, SEpTEMBEr 4-6 Stampa 2020 Irish National moore.john@optusnet.com.au
www.sfex2020.info Muuseumi Tee 2, Tartu 60532, Estonia. SWEDEN Stamp Exhibition www.melbourne2021.com.au

LONDON 2020
Among the star attractions at the The Philatelic Traders’ Society stand of 18, one from plate 1b and the other
London 2020 International Exhibition in will be celebrating the 180th anniversary from plate 4.
May will be two of the largest surviving of the first postage stamp by displaying Part of a private collection, they are
mint blocks of Penny Blacks. two of the three known unused blocks worth an estimated £1 million each.

Every care is taken to ensure the details published are accurate, but we cannot be responsible for any errors or cancellations. You are advised to check with the event organisers before setting out.

74 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

SD.78 SAHARA Mint & used collection dates back to
mid-1950’s Spanish Colonial issues to more recent
Sahara stamps in blocks & singles. Over 100 stamps. ....
............................................................................Price £8
VR7 GREAT BRITAIN POSTAL HISTORY 1d BLACK
VALUABLE COVER Issued to commemorate the first
known use of the 1d Black. This scarce cover is illustrat-
ed with the Mulready design and bears an imperforate
1d Black stamp (four margins). Issued by the Royal Mail
ex-special exhibition sheet tied to the cover with superb
red Maltese Cross postmark. In addition, the cover bears
duel Royal Mail official postmarks both “Bath” one dated
2/5/15 exactly 175 years to the day of the first 1d Black
ever postmarked. A second official Royal Mail postmark
in Red inscribed “Bath” 2/5/1840 ties Royal Mail 1d
Black and 2d Blue commem. stamps to the cover on first
official day of issue 6/5/15. The cover’s restricted issue
of only 75 must surely make this highly desirable cover
one of the rarest of all Royal Mail 1d Black commemora-
tive covers. ........................................................Price £38
NE832 BRITISH LOCALS A phenomenal and valu-
able collection of British Local Island’s stamps. Only
unmounted mint, including Lundy Island, Davaar Island,
Cain Iar, Isle of Easdale, Bemara Island, Staffa, Stroma,
Isle of Pabay, Bardsey, Herm, Calf of Man, Hildasay –
Shetland Islands, Jethou, Alderney, St Kilda, St Marys,
Calvey Island, Gugh, St Martins. With blocks, multiples,
singles and miniature sheets. This important and valu-
able collection with only unmounted mint stamps and
many high £ values. The normal face value is well over
£150 .................................................................Price £33
EUR33 EUROPA A specialised European thematic col-
lection of Europe stamps, spanning from the 1950’s to
more modern stamps. Includes Italy, France, Germany,
Iceland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Netherlands,
G.B., Denmark, Portugal, Spain, Swiss, Finland, Greece,
Sweden. Also scarcer local issues for Channel Islands
and Isle of Man. Hundreds of all different Europa stamps,
mainly fine used, but mini noted........................Price £17
SD.70 BRITISH COMMONWEALTH A massive hoard
of unmounted mint British Commonwealth stamps in
sheets, multiples, blocks and singles, from an ex-stamp
dealers wholesale stock. Includes some earlier King
George VI colonials, but mostly Q.EII. Estimated at well
over 800 unmounted mint stamps. ...................Price £43
LOT K2 GREAT BRITAIN, UNMOUNTED MINT COM-
MEMORATIVES & DEFINITIVES UNSORTED ACCU-
MULATION Items noted include Traffic Light Gutter Pair
Missing Phosphor Error coil strips. Well over 500 stamps,
only unmounted mint. .......................................Price £18
MI349 MALDIVE ISLANDS An impressive stamp col-
lection of only unmounted mint blocks of Maldive Island
Stamps. The collection is rich in thematic commemora-
tives. Several hundred mint Maldive Islands stamps .......
..........................................................................Price £16
SW86 SWITZERLAND A great starter collection to build
upon of fine used Swiss mainly commemorative stamps.
100 + All different. ..............................................Price £7
MARG7 PRINCESS MARGARET MOURNING COVER
This scarce Royal Cover is hardly ever offered for sale.
Illustrated with a classic portrait of Princess Margaret
1930-2002 and postmarked exceptionally with Royal
Mail Brighton internal enquiry office postmark dated
9/2/2002. The cover is of special postal history interest
due to the use of the rare postmark. ................Price £21
SD.83 SPORT Themed collection of worldwide sports
stamps includes mint sheets, miniature sheets and
scarcer sports covers signed by famous sportsmen.
Hundreds of sports stamps mint & used with a Stanley
Gibbons catalogue value of over £200. .............Price £21
NCR785 CRICKET A valuable specialised collection of
cricket stamps & scarce cricket covers, including signed
covers autographed by famous cricketers. Comprising
of unmounted mint Great Britain and British Common-
wealth stamps in blocks of four or singles with several
high value ($) Dollar values. Approx. 18 cricket covers
including scarce autographed covers & a quantity of
unm. Mint cricket stamps..................................Price £25
GB482 GREAT BRITAIN Impressive collection of over
500 British stamps dating back to K.G.V. including Wild-
ing, Machins and commemoratives. Includes mint but
mainly used stamps also contains miniature sheets &
F.D.C’s. With decimal & pre-decimal G.P.O. & Royal Mail
issues................................................................Price £23
BOB2 WINSTON CHURCHILL One of the scarcest
Churchill covers ever. The combination cover is a dual
commemorative of 50th anniversary of Churchill’s death
in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the Battle of
Britain. Depicting the iconic war poster with Churchill’s
quote “Never was so much owed by so many to so few.”
The cover bears the Royal Mail Churchill Commemo-
rative stamps issue with Churchill Blenheim Palace
postmark, dated 24/1/15 anniversary of Churchill’s
death. The cover was unusually reposted on 16/7/15
with Battle of Britain spitfire anniversary postmark on
the Royal Mail Spitfire commemorative stamp issue.
From a restricted limited edition of only 50 covers. ........
..........................................................................Price £21
SD.73 INDIA From 1852 to modern. Includes official
stamps and scarcer overprints for the “International
Commission in Indo China”. Scinde Dawk (Embossed)
½a, white (SG.S.1) cat. £2000 alone. May be faux “as
is” likewise “AZAD HIND” imperforate block “as is”. The
collection contains hundreds of unmounted mint stamps
in singles & blocks values up to 10 Rupees mint, plus
French Indian Settlements. All guaranteed genuine not
counting, used stamps and “as is” items. .........Price £28
FS40 FENCING & SHOOTING A lovely sports stamps col-
lection, specialising in stamps with fencing and shooting
themes in blocks and singles. Approx. 130 stamps of
these unusual and interesting specialist sport themes. ...
.......................................................................Price £8.75
SD.66 MARITIME, STEAMSHIPS, SHIPS, BOATS Spe-
cialised lot, Paquebot covers, stamps in blocks & singles.
Some stamps date back to pre-1860. Cannot be guaran-
teed and included “as-is”. Hundreds of stamps including
faux and genuine. If all were genuine the catalogue value
would be thousands of pounds. ........................Price £33
MC334 MUSIC An awesome & valuable collection of mu-
sic stamps begins with an orchestra of musical instrument
stamps. The specialist classical section includes: Mozart,
Beethoven, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Bartok. Also jazz and
pop music stamps, with Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra,
Oasis, Marlene Dietrich. With G.B. Royal Mail stamps of
Freddy Mercury, The Beatles and Pink Floyd. A multiple
of other issues for Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Michael
Hendrix, Michael Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Elvis Presley
and many more. Hundreds of stamps – mint and used
with several miniature sheets. The best music collection
we have ever seen. ........................................ Price £29.25
NY146 ENTOMOLOGY One of the most unusual the-
matic subjects we have ever seen, insects on stamps.
Hundreds of them. ..............................................Price £7
PM8 THERESA MAY Official Royal appointment com-
memorative cover. The cover shows Theresa May being
received by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who instructed
her to form a Government. The cover bears an official R.M.
Buckingham Palace stamp, tied to the cover with a Royal
Mail 13/7/16 illustrated Buckingham Palace Postmark.
Only 75 of this scarce cover are known to exist. . Price £21
SAA144 SAAR A specialised collection of Saar stamps
includes used, but mostly unmounted mint in blocks
and singles including some complete sets. Over seventy
stamps from the German Saarland. ..................Price £11
SD.64 GREAT BRITAIN ESSAY Printers unadopted
design essay for Royal Mail 1995 Wildlife issue printed
by Questa. Designed by Nikesh Patel without Queens
head and denomination. Ex-exhibition sheet. ...................
.......................................................................Price £9.30
SD.60 NAZI OCCUPATION OF THE CHANNEL ISLANDS
During World War II, the ultra-specialised collection
comprises of over 60 mint/unused and used stamps of
the German Nazi occupation of Jersey & Guernsey. With
imperforate & rouletted stamps / gutter pairs, singles
and blocks. Both genuine and forgeries. If all were genu-
ine the catalogue value would be in excess of £3000.00.
As we cannot guarantee all of the stamps, the collection
is being sold “as-is”. ........................................Price £29
PAD.5 PADDINGTON BEARS’ 60TH BIRTHDAY COVER
Depicting Paddington holding his favourite jar of marma-
lade. The cover has official Royal Mail Paddington Bear
stamp issue postmarked with illustrated “Paddington
Station PMK” dated 18/6/18 for the bears’ birthday. Only
60 of these iconic covers exist worldwide. ....Price £9.50
SD.74 BELGIUM AND BELGIUM COLONIES A fine
collection of mint and used stamps dating back to King
Leopold II, 1869 Belgium mostly singles, with Belgium
colonies & ex.cols. Includes superb Belgium Congo
engraved stamps, mint blocks. Hundreds of different
Belgium and Belgium Colonies stamps..............Price £14
R339 HORSE RACING A fine specialised collection of Great
Britain superbly illustrated commemorative horse racing
covers; with Royal Mail Horse Racing stamps and official
Royal Mail Jockey Club Postmarks. Includes: Newmarket,
Haydock Park and Greenwood – races for: Sprint Cup and
Stewards Cup and more. The whole collection..........Price £7
GB32EP GREAT BRITAIN ACID RAIN ERROR STAMP
A super GB stamp error has recently come to light. The
error a “must” for any complete GB collection shows a
“full stop” at the base of the 24p denomination. As it is
a constant error only one such stamp appears in each
sheet of 100 stamps. So, it is 99 times scarcer than
the normal stamp (SG1629). Many serious GB stamp
collectors are now realising that their collections are
incomplete without this important value denomination
variety. We offer the Acid Rain error stamp, together with
normal stamp for comparison. .......................Price £8.75
SC17 SCOTLAND Important and historic cover for the
700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. The
cover bears the Royal Mail Robert The Bruce commemo-
rative stamp issue tied with official Royal Mail Edinburgh
illustrated postmark dated 24/6/2014 – exactly 700
years to the day of the historic event. Only 100 of this
important Scottish cover exist. ......................Price £9.50
 WHAT’S ON: AUCTIONS To include an event in this listing, we need at least two months’ notice.
Send details to What’s On, Stamp Magazine, MyTimeMedia Ltd,
Suite 25, Eden House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF.
UK & WORLDWIDE AUCTION E-mail: guy.thomas@mytimemedia.com

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

March 11 Venue: Cottons Hotel & Spa, info@heinrich-koehler.de Stockholm, Sweden.
engliSh-language
aJh StaMpS Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 0SU. www.heinrich-koehler.de Contact: AB Philea poStal SaleS
Venue: The Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Contact: Sandafayre. Tel: +46 86 40 09 78
Spa, Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire Tel: 01565 653214 april 1 bids@philea.se county
BB5 5JP. stamp@sandafayre.com WarWick & WarWick www.philea.se county@stampauctions.co.uk
Contact: AJH Stamps www. sandafayre.com Venue: The Court House, Jury Street, www.stampauctions.co.uk
Tel: 01254 393740 Warwick CV34 4EW. april 3-4
MayFair
sales@ajhstamps.co.uk March 21 Contact: Warwick & Warwick poStilJonen
info@mpastamps.com
www.ajhstamps.co.uk South WeSt Tel: 01926 499031 Risto Pitkänen collection of Mail
www.mpastamps.com
philatelic auctionS info@warwickandwarwick.com Routes from and to Finland
March 13-14 Venue: 2nd Floor, The Watermark www.warwickandwarwick.com Venue: Hotel Savoy, Norra Vallgatan MoWbray
Dutch country Erme Court, Leonards Road, 62, SE-211 22 Malmö, Sweden. mowbray.stamps@xtra.co.nz
auctionS Ivybridge, Devon PL21 0SZ. april 1-3 Contact: Postiljonen www.mowbrays.co.nz
Venue: Auction Gallery, 4115 Concord Contact: SWPA DaviD FelDMan Tel: +46 40 25 88 50
Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, USA. Tel: 01752 698089 British Empire & Commonwealth stampauctions@postiljonen.se SaJal philatelicS
Contact: Russell Eggert, richardswpa@outlook.com Venue: David Feldman SA, 59 Route www.postiljonen.se brian@brian-reeve.com
Stamp Center Inc www.swpa-stamp-auctions.com de Chancy, 1213 Petit Lancy 1, Geneva, www.brian-reeve.com
Tel: +1 302 478 8740 Switzerland. april 5
SanDaFayre
auctions@dutchcountryauctions.com March 24 Contact: David Feldman tony leSter
stamp@sandafayre.com
www.dutchcountryauctions.com robert a Siegel Tel: +41 22 727 0777 Venue: Holiday Inn, Hinckley Road,
www.sandafayre.com
Dubois collection of British info@davidfeldman.com Coventry CV2 2HP.
March 18 North America 1694-1861 www.davidfeldman.com Contact: Tony Lester Auctions univerSal
Spink Venue: 6 West 48th Street, Tel: 01926 270107 info@upastampauctions.co.uk
Dubois collection of British 9th Floor, New York 10036, USA. april 2-4 tonylester@btconnect.com www.upastampauctions.co.uk
Commonwealth Stamps & Covers Tel: 020 3372 4312 (London) corinphila-veilingen www.tonylester.co.uk
Venue: Royal Philatelic Society www.siegelauctions.com Venue: Mortelmolen 3, 1185 XV vance
London, 15 Abchurch Lane, London Amstelveen, Netherlands. april 8 mail@vanceauctions.com
EC4N 7BW. March 24-28 Contact: Corinphila- Veilingen aJh StaMpS www.vanceauctions.com
Tel: 020 7563 4000 heinrich köhler Tel: +31 20 624 9740 Venue: The Dunkenhalgh Hotel &
info@spink.com Jan Berg collection of info@corinphila.nl Spa, Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire
www.spink.com Ship Letter Stamps www.corinphila.nl BB5 5JP. engliSh-language
Venue: Hasengartenstrasse 25, Contact: AJH Stamps online SaleS
March 21 65189 Wiesbaden, Germany. april 2-4 Tel: 01254 393740
cheShire StaMp Contact: Heinrich Köhler ab philea sales@ajhstamps.co.uk Dalkeith
auctionS Tel: +49 611 34 14 90 Venue: Svartensgatan 6, SE-116 20 www.ajhstamps.co.uk www.dalkeith-auctions.co.uk
DelcaMpe
www.delcampe.net
LOT TO BE DESIRED MccuSker
www.jamesmccusker.com

Heinrich Köhler’s sale on March 24-28 offers a rare cover bearing the Bergedorf 1861-67 3sch. MoWbray
www.mowbrays.co.nz
The auction house describes the 3sch blue on pink as having fresh colours and full to excessive
margins, with a light line-cancellation. The cover itself, addressed to Schwerin, has a Bergedorf philatino
datestamp of March 1864 on the front and a Hagenow-Rostock railway postmark on the back. www.philatino.com
This lot is estimated at the equivalent of about £5,000. raSMuSSen
www.bruun-rasmussen.dk
regency
www.regencystamps.com
rogerS
www.michaelrogersinc.com
SaMMarineSe
www.filsam.com
SanDaFayre
www.sandafayre.com
SkanFil
www.skanfil.no
StaMp center
www.thestampcenter.com
StaMpFair
www.stampfair.com
Stanley gibbonS
www.stanleygibbons.com
torreS
www.antoniotorres.com
traFForD bookS
www.traffordbooks.co.uk

Every care is taken to ensure the details published are accurate, but we cannot be responsible for any errors or cancellations. You are advised to check with the event organisers before setting out.

76 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 Buying British Stamps
Current Market Values
BUYING & SELLING - DISCOUNTED GB POSTAGE DAILY
• Top Rated eBay Selling Service • High Prices Realised! • Low Commission Fees

For more details visit our shop

www.philatelink.co.uk
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Call David Waldie on 01896 759703 or 07510 312271

19October2017
Email: info@philatelink.co.uk

See me at:
3rd April, Royal National Hotel, London
New Website
11th April Kenilworth
www.jcstamps.co.uk
13th April Loughborough
 WHAT’S ON: FAIRS To include an event in this listing, we need at least two months’ notice.
Send details to What’s On, Stamp Magazine, MyTimeMedia Ltd,
Suite 25, Eden House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF.
UK STAMP FAIR E-mail: guy.thomas@mytimemedia.com

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

MARCH 13 Longfield, TR11 4SU. MARCH 18 169 First Lane, Hessle,
LONDON Time: 10am-4pm EAST GRINSTEAD HU13 9EY.
(stamps, postal history) Contact: Falmouth Philatelic (stamps, postal history, Time: 9.30am-3.30pm
Venue: Royal National Hotel, Society postcards) Contact: H V Johnson & Co
Bedford Way, Russell Square, Tel: 01326 372991 Venue: Chequer Mead Arts Tel: 01909 563394
WC1H 0DG. Centre, De La Warr Road,
Time: 9am-4pm NORTON RH19 3BS. MARCH 28
Contact: Kate Puleston (stamps, postal history, Time: 10am-3pm BRISTOL
Tel: 020 8946 4489 postcards) Contact: Malcolm Green (stamps, postal history)
Venue: Norton Methodist Tel: 01342 327554 Venue: Shirehampton Public
MARCH 14 Church Hall, High Street, Hall, Station Road,
COLWYN BAY TS20 2QQ. MARCH 21 Shirehampton, BS11 9TX.
(stamps, postal history, Time: 9.30am-1.30pm BRIDGWATER Time: 9.30am-4pm
postcards) Contact: Graham Whitewick (stamps, postal history) Contact: Kevin Noble Fairs
Venue: Ysgol Eirias, Tel: 07849 904353 Venue: Westfield United Tel: 07599 001101
Eirias Road, LL29 7SP. Reformed Church Hall,
Time: 9.30am-3pm MARCH 15 West Street, TA6 7EU. BROUGHTY FERRY
Contact: Steve Chapman BOWDON Time: 10am-4pm (stamps, postal history,
Tel: 01745 826434 (stamps, postal history, Contact: Michael Hall postcards)
postcards) Tel: 01749 677669 Venue: St Aidan’s Centre,
DERBY Venue: Mercure Hotel, 408 Brook Street, DD5 2EY.
(stamps, postal history) Langham Road, WA14 2HT. EASTBOURNE Time: 10am-3pm
Venue: Nunsfield House Time: 10am-4pm (stamps, postal history, Contact: Chad Neigbor,
Community Hall, Contact: Howard Hatton postcards) North East Fairs
33 Boulton Road, Alvaston, Tel: 0161 766 9031 Venue: St Mary’s Church Hall, Tel: 01674 832823
DE24 0FD. Decoy Drive, Hampden Park,
Time: 9.30am-3.30pm DRONFIELD BN22 9PP. MILTON KEYNES
Contact: H V Johnson & Co (stamps, postal history) Time: 9.30am-3pm (stamps, postal history)
Tel: 01909 563394 Venue: Coal Aston Village Contact: Chris Rapley Venue: Methodist Hall, MORLEY Contact: H V Johnson & Co
Hall, Eckington Road, Tel: 07711 677760 Queensway, Bletchley, (stamps, postal history) Tel: 01909 563394
FALMOUTH Coal Aston, S18 3AY. MK2 2HB. Venue: St Mary’s Church
(stamps, postal history, Time: 9.30am-3.30pm HULL Time: 10am-4pm Hall, Commercial Street, NORTHAMPTON
postcards) Contact: H V Johnson & Co (stamps, postal history) Contact: Karen Goodger LS27 8HZ. (stamps, postal history)
Venue: St Francis School, Tel: 01909 563394 Venue: St James Centre, Tel: 01908 521220 Time: 9.30am-3.30pm Venue: The Abbey Centre,

Every care is taken to ensure the details published are accurate, but we cannot be responsible for any errors or cancellations. You are advised to check with the event organisers before setting out.

78 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS | FEATURES EVENTS STRANGE BUT TRUE
Hall, Ryknild Street, Contact: Howard Hatton KENILWORTH Wellington, TF1 1HJ.
WS14 9XU. Tel: 0161 766 9031 (stamps, postal history) Time: 9.30am-2pm
Time: 9.30am-3.30pm Venue: Kenilworth School, Contact: Richard Camp
Contact: JRS Fairs OXFORD Leyes Lane, CV8 2DA. Tel: 01952 405458
Tel: 01785 259350 (stamps, postal history, Time: 9.30am-3.30pm
postcards) Contact: JRS Fairs APRIL 12
MANCHESTER Venue: Women’s Institute, Tel: 01785 259350 CHELMSFORD
(stamps, postal history) North Hinksey Lane, (stamps, postal history,
Venue: Sale Grammar School, OX2 0LT. MAIDSTONE postcards)
Marsland Road, Sale, Time: 9am-1.30pm (stamps, postal history) Venue: Old Chelmsfordians
M33 3NH. Contact: T Brittain Venue: Grove Green Club, Roxwell Road,
Time: 10am-4pm Tel: 07957 158299 Community Centre, CM1 2LY.
Contact: George Wewiora Penhurst Close, ME14 5BT. Time: 9.30am-3pm
Tel: 0161 427 2101 WOLVERHAMPTON Time: 10am-3pm Contact: Steve Burnell
(stamps, postal history, Contact: Brian Stonestreet Tel: 07867 787630
NORWICH postcards) Tel: 01622 675784
(stamps, postal history, Venue: Bradmore Social Club, CHESTERFIELD
postcards) 60 Church Road, WV3 7ER. NORTON (stamps, postal history,
Venue: Hewett Academy, Time: 9.30 am-2.30pm (stamps, postal history, postcards)
Cecil Road, NR1 2PL. Contact: John Coaten postcards) Venue: Chester Street Club,
Time: 10am-3.30pm Tel: 07808 864297 Venue: Norton Methodist Chester Street, S40 1DL.
Contact: Norfolk & Norwich Church Hall, High Street, Time: 10am-4pm
Philatelic Society APRIL 11 TS20 2QQ. Contact: Howard Hatton
Tel: 01328 829318 DERBY Time: 9.30am-1.30pm Tel: 0161 766 9031
(stamps, postal history) Contact: Graham Whitewick
APRIL 5 Venue: Nunsfield House Tel: 07849 904353 WOKINGHAM
BOWDON Community Hall, (stamps, postal history)
(stamps, postal history, 33 Boulton Road, Alvaston, TELFORD Venue: St Crispin’s Centre,
10 Overslade Close, East Venue: Royal Clifton Hotel, postcards) DE24 0FD. (stamps, postal history, London Road, RG40 1SR.
Hunsbury, NN4 0RZ. Promenade, PR8 1RB. Venue: Mercure Hotel, Time: 9.30am-3.30pm postcards, coins) Time: 10am-3pm
Time: 10am-3pm Time: 10am-4pm Langham Road, WA14 2HT. Contact: H V Johnson & Co Venue: Belmont Community Contact: T Brittain
Contact: T Brittain Contact: Howard Hatton Time: 10am-4pm Tel: 01909 563394 Hall, off Tan Bank car park, Tel: 07957 158299
Tel: 07957 158299 Tel: 0161 766 9031

PLYMOUTH APRIL 3
(stamps, postal history, LONDON
postcards) (stamps, postal history)
Venue: Plymstock Community Venue: Royal National Hotel,
Centre, The Broadway, Bedford Way, Russell Square,
PL9 9GH. WC1H 0DG.
Time: 9.30am-3.30pm Time: 9am-4pm
Contact: Peter Eagles Contact: Kate Puleston
Tel: 01395 516060 Tel: 020 8946 4489

SUTTON BRIDGE APRIL 4

(stamps, postal history, BECKENHAM
postcards) (stamps, postal history,
Venue: Curlew Centre, postcards)
Bridge Street, PE12 9SA. Venue: Azelia Halls,
Time: 10am-3.30pm Croydon Road, BR3 4DA.
Contact: Machin Time: 9am-3pm
Collectors Club Contact: Ray McQuade
Tel: 01406 350896 Tel: 020 8395 9285

MARCH 29
DONCASTER
(stamps, postal history)
Venue: Park Social Club,
Eden Grove Road, Edenthorpe,
DN3 2LS.
Time: 9.30am-3.30pm
Contact: H V Johnson & Co
Tel: 01909 563394
PETERBOROUGH
(stamps, postal history)
Venue: The Holiday Inn,
Thorpe Wood, PE3 6SG.
Time: 10am-3pm
Contact: Richard Lewis
Tel: 01945 700594
DURHAM
(stamps, postal history,
postcards)
Venue: Bowburn Community
Centre, Bowburn, DH6 5AT.
Time: 10am-4pm
Contact: Graham Whitewick
Tel: 07849 904353
LEICESTER
(stamps, postal history)
Venue: Derby Room, The
Holiday Inn, St Nicholas Circle,
LE1 5LX.
Time: 9.30am-3.30pm
Contact: John Suschitzky
Tel: 0116 2350441

SOUTHPORT LICHFIELD
(stamps, postal history, (stamps, postal history)
postcards) Venue: Boley Park Community

Every care is taken to ensure the details published are accurate, but we cannot be responsible for any errors or cancellations. You are advised to check with the event organisers before setting out.

APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 79

 WHAT’S ON: SOCIETIES To include an event in this listing, we need at least two months’ notice.
Send details to What’s On, Stamp Magazine, MyTimeMedia Ltd,
Suite 25, Eden House, Enterprise Way, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF.
SELECTED UK PHILATELIC SOCIETY E-mail: guy.thomas@mytimemedia.com

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

March 12 soLihuLL ps Mid-Kent ps Contact: Richard Smith Centre, Ross Road, Hereford, by John Roe
soLihuLL s&pc GB 1883 Lilac & Greens Haiti by Geoff Hanney Tel: 07818 061336 HR2 7RJ. Venue: Kilkenny Court,
Up to 16 Sheets: Something by J Roe Venue: St Paul’s Church Hall, Time: 7pm Clifton Terrace, TA2 7QL.
Unusual Venue: Solihull Tennis & Boxley Road, ME14 2AH. March 25 Contact: Janet Nelson Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Solihull Tennis & Cricket Club, Marsh Lane, Time: 7.30pm BarnsLey ps Tel: 07887 997932 Contact: Chris Catley
Cricket Club, Marsh Lane, B91 2PF. Contact: Brian Stonestreet Ladies Night by Elaine Tel: 01884 798370
B91 2PF. Time: 7.30pm Tel: 01622 675784 Schofield and Valda spaLdinG &
Time: 10.30am Contact: Paul Woodness Fountain district sc apriL 7
Contact: Paul Woodness Tel: 01564 776879 March 20 Venue: Friends Meeting Straits Settlements scarBorouGh ps
Tel: 01564 776879 coLchester & House, Western Street, by Bill Shand Anything Philatelic
March 18 district ps S70 2BP. Venue: The Frasier Room, Venue: Scarborough Library,
March 16 GriMsBy & Aspects of Colchester Time: 7pm Gosberton Road, Surfleet, Vernon Road, YO11 2NN.
taunton sc district ps by Peter Nason Contact: Philip Reynolds PE11 4AB. Time: 7pm
The Committee Entertains Club Auction Venue: Room 6, The Wilson Tel: 07805 509469 Time: 2pm Contact: Chris Phillips
Venue: Kilkenny Court, Venue: Grimsby Central Hall, Marriage Centre, Barrack Contact: Derek Pollard Tel: 01723 368475
Clifton Terrace, TA2 7QL. Duncombe Street, DN32 7EG. Street, CO1 2LR. March 26 Tel: 01778 426904
Time: 7.30pm Time: 7pm (viewing 5.30pm) Time: 7pm BristoL ps soLihuLL ps
Contact: Chris Catley Contact: Chris Dodsworth Contact: Paul Miller Bohemia & Moravia apriL 2 British Post Offices in Latin
Tel: 01884 798370 Tel: 01652 654928 Tel: 01255 242115 by James Hooper pooLe & America by W Gibb
Venue: Redland Park United BourneMouth Venue: Solihull Tennis &
March 17 waKeFieLd ps March 21 Reformed Church, 1 Redland s&pc Cricket Club, Marsh Lane,
dundee & Annual Competition Great Britain ps Park Road, BS6 6SA. Members’ Displays: Travel B91 2PF.
district ps Venue: Standbridge Lane Queen Vicoria Mixed Time: 7.30pm Venue: Upton Community Time: 7.30pm
Visit from Aberdeen PS Community Centre, Frankings by Ray Simpson Contact: Mike Breward Centre, Poole Road, Upton, Contact: Paul Woodness
Venue: Art Society Gallery, Kettlethorpe, WF2 7NP. and Karl Louis Tel: 01179 567853 BH16 7JA. Tel: 01564 776879
17 Roseangle, Dundee Time: 7pm Time: 11am Time: 7.30pm
DD1 4LP. Contact: Philip Reynolds Members’ Displays apriL 1 Contact: Mike Houchen apriL 8
Time: 7.30pm Tel: 07805 509469 Time: 2.15pm GriMsBy & Tel: 01202 622873 BarnsLey ps
Contact: Charles Lloyd Venue: Royal Philatelic district ps Registration
Tel: 01241 852210 March 19 Society London, 15 Abchurch Six-Sheet Challenge yeoviL & district by Peter Robinson
BurnLey & Lane, London EC4N 7BW. Venue: Grimsby Central Hall, ps Venue: Friends Meeting
newcastLe upon district ps Contact: Phil Waud Duncombe Street, DN32 7EG. Dealers’ Evening House, Western Street,
tyne ps Visit by Leeds PS Tel: 07484 629171 Time: 7pm Venue: St Marks Church Hall, S70 2BP.
Panama Canal Zone Venue: Central Methodist Contact: Trevor Smith Milford Road, BA21 4PU. Time: 7pm
by Mike Ellison Church, Hargreaves Street, March 24 Tel: 01469 572354 Time: 7pm Contact: Philip Reynolds
Venue: Literary & BB11 1DU. Leeds ps Contact: David Bryant Tel: 07805 509469
Philosophical Society, 23 Time: 7.30pm Postal Stationery Cards hereFordshire & Tel: 01460 74422
Westgate Road, NE1 1SE. Contact: Dr Barry Evans 1869-1900 by David Druett Mid-waLes ps BroMLey &
Time: 6.45pm Tel: 01282 616156 Venue: St George’s Centre, Aspects of Philately apriL 6 BecKenhaM ps
Contact: Stephen Dixon Great George Street, LS1 3BR. by Nick Nelson taunton sc Trans-Siberian Railway
Tel: 0191 428 2261 Maidstone & Time: 6.30pm Venue: St Martin’s Parish GB Miscellany 1808-1939 by Peter Pugh
Venue: Public Hall, Bromley
Road, Beckenham, BR3 5JE.
CHANNEL ISLANDS SPECIALISTS SOCIETY Time: 7.30pm
Contact: David Rennie
Tel: 020 8778 7001
Some 20 members and one guest
carMarthen &
attended the December meeting of district s&pc
the Channel Islands Specialists Dealers’ Night
Society in London, where the Venue: 132b Priory Street,
SA31 1LR.
theme of the displays was the letters
Time: 7pm
P and O. Contact: C Williams
Amongst these were ‘paid’ machine Tel: 01267 236680
cancellations by David Winnie, packet
mail to overseas destinations by GuiLdFord &
district ps
Richard Flemming, parcel post labels
GB Postal History
by John Triggs, postage dues by by Michael Lockton
Gerald Marriner, picture postcards Venue: Quaker Friends’
by Steve Wells, petitions for the Meeting House, Ward Street/
North Street, GU1 4LH.
establishment of sub-post offices
Time: 7pm
and postboxes by Nick Stuart, and Contact: Barry Stephens
poppies (the Royal British Legion) by Tel: 01483 828630
Mark Bailey.
Leo Mayr, visiting from Austria, MatLocK ps
Belgian Congo
was presented with the Joan Flood
by Gerald Marriner
Salver, for the best piece of research Venue: The Imperial Rooms,
on a Channel Islands topic, for his Imperial Road, DE4 3NL.
monograph Waists Getting Waspish. ABOVE: Leo Mayr (left) receives the Joan Flood Salver from President Gerald Marriner Time: 7.30pm
Contact: Les Pearcy
Tel: 01629 582595

Every care is taken to ensure the details published are accurate, but we cannot be responsible for any errors or cancellations. You are advised to check with the event organisers before setting out.

80 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 Come & Join us for
an exciting new event!
SUTTON BRIDGE
STAMP &
POSTCARD FAIRS
at the Curlew Centre,
Bridge Street
SUTTON BRIDGE
Lincolnshire
PE12 9SA

FREE Parking FREE Entry FREE Valuations

Starting on Saturday March 28th,

we serve the Lincoln, Boston, Grantham,
Peterborough, Wisbech, Norwich,
Cambridge & Kings Lynn areas
These fairs will be held on the 4th Saturday on
alternate months starting on March 28, then May 23,
July 25, Sep 26, Nov 28 & in 2021 Jan 23rd
For much more information please visit
www.machins.org

Wakefi
eld Phi
lateli
cSoci
ety
Founded 1938

We usually meet at the Standbridge Lane Community Centre, Kettlethorpe, Wakefield WF2
7NP, on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Wednesdays of the month, from September to June, inclusive, at
7.00pm; and occasionally in July/Aug.
We welcome visitors of all philatelic abilities & interests.
01924 271364 - 01924 271218 - 07805 509469 - Visit us on Facebook
email life.draw@btinternet.com for our future syllabus programme
and for our current list of remaining UK stamp shops

We also value our links with

BarnsleyPhi
lateli
cSoci
ety
which meets at the Friends (Quakers) Meeting House on the corner of Western Street and the
Huddersfield (A635) Road, S70 2BP, on the 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month (September to June
inclusive) at about 7.00pm

For further details: life.draw@btinternet.com - nigelharpham@yahoo.co.uk - 07805 509469

 GP KEEF ALL WORLD
Philatelist NEW ISSUES
JOIN THE MANY SATISFIED COLLECTORS
who receive our selections of stamps on approval
each month from this old established firm who have
supplied collectors for over 85 years.
COUNTRY OR THEME
Beginners welcome as well as more advanced collectors.

HURRY! FREE MONTHLY LISTS

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14 days approvals 20% discount on
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Post Code............................................................... TORRINGTON DEVON EX38 8HZ
Collecting Interests................................................
................................................................................. TEL: 07941 39 14 66
FAX: 01805 601111
G P KEEF, 14 CHURCH STREET, WILLINGDON,
EASTBOURNE, SUSSEX, BN20 9HR E-MAIL: iansnewstamps@gmail.com
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 Missed an issue?
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it online, subject to availability plus p&p

ALSO AVAILABLE
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n dozens of other hobby magazines
Order online: www.mags-uk.com
Order by telephone: 01733 688964
TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL TEL: 01689 869 852 FAX: 01689 869 874
STAMP SHOPS

CORNWALL WARWICKSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRE

West Cornwall Phill-lately & M & C Stamps

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Gloucester,
Bond’s
Prinz Publications UK Ltd, Unit GL1 2NG.
Antiques and Tel: 01452 506361
3a, Hayle Ind Park,
Hayle, Cornwall TR27 5JR Interiors Fax: 01452 307161
Tel: 01736 751910 Dodwell Trading Estate, GB, Commonwealth and
www.prinz.co.uk Evesham Road, World Stamps. GB New
prinzpublications@gmail.com Stratford-Upon-Avon Issue Service.
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West Cornwall’s only stamp Tel: 07972 078971 collectors.
shop! Wide range of philatelic www.phillatelyandstamps.co.uk Open: Thursdays -
material on offer – plus largest Open to buy and sell Monday
stock of albums and accessories Wed to Sun 10am - 5pm. 10.00-5.00pm, including
for stamp and coin collec- Stamps, Postal History Sunday
tors in the South West. Shop and collections of GB and 11-5 pm. Access and Visa
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I hold over 1 million stamps of GB, Commonwealth and Foreign, covering
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Refreshments are available whilst you browse and study our stamps.
Our comfortable premises is open all day and most evenings,
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I offer easy off road parking on the fringe of the pretty Hertfordshire
village of Kings Langley and am 10 minutes drive from J21/M25/M1 and 5
Minutes from J20/M25. Alternatively if you prefer to travel by train, Kings
Langley Station (Euston, Birmingham line) is a 10 minute drive.
I can collect and take you back to the Station.
Please ring in advance to book appointment.
I like to discuss your collecting needs to enable me to prepare stamps and
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Alternatively for collectors who cannot journey to our office you
might like to trial
THE STAMP PAD
Poachers Retreat, Common Lane, Kings
our Approval Service. We hold over 800
Langley, WD4 9HP
single country books.
Tel: 01923 269775
Please write, phone or email indicating mg.read@btinternet.com
countries; your period and mint or used preference. www.michaelgread.co.uk

84 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020

 WEB DIRECTORY
WEB DIRECTORY YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST PHILATELIC WEBSITES

FEATURED WEBSITES www.philatelie-gaertner.de

More than 80,000 offers
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T: +44 (0)1189 344151

www.Stamps-Europe.com
www.robinhood-stamp.co.uk
www.Stamps-America.com Singles, sets and collections from around the World.
Retail Shop open every Friday.
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Tel:0115
Tel: 0115982 6152
9826152

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mint and used Perfect for www.brianreeveauctions.com

Beginners/General Collectors Regular public. Stamps

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APRIL 2020 www.stampmagazine.co.uk 85

TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL TEL: 01689 869 852 FAX: 01689 869 874
CLASSIFIED GUIDE TO THE SPECIALISTS
APPROVALS BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

GB AND KG VI Collectors List 1 Indian Feudatory

States. List 2 Convention both for Crown and
COMMONWEALTH New Age Albums List 3 earlier or other
issues of the Indian States
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GVI TO 2016 FINE USED STAMPS or you may send a wants list for a irm quote
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DISCOUNT ON SG CATALOGUE Tel: 01915 235 811 Mob: 07764 830 136
PRICES, WANTS LISTS Email: bill@sunstamps.co.uk
WELCOMED. POSTAGE PAID
BOTH WAYS.

E PICKUP,
8 FAIRDOWN AVE,
WESTBURY, WILTSHIRE,
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TEL: 01373 865474,
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BRITISH COMMONWEALTH

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Our price guarantee – has been for the last 35 years!
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Retail Shop open every Friday
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RUSHCLIFFE HOUSE, 17-19 RECTORY ROAD WEST BRIDGFORD, NOTTINGHAM. NG2 6BE
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I buy Bushire Under

“ NEW ZEALAND” BritishOccupation.
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g.isher243@btinternet.com

86 www.stampmagazine.co.uk APRIL 2020


FOREIGN
EUROPE • GERMANY
UM, Mint, Used, East and West Europe
A D Stamps, 72 Lowerhouses Lane,
Huddersfield HD5 8JW
Tel: 01484 318987 or
adyer@adstamps.co.uk for current lists
Lists also available on website:
www.adstamps.co.uk
TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL TEL: 01689 869 852 FAX: 01689 869 874
GREAT BRITAIN
6
EASTERN EUROPE GREAT BRITAIN
SCANDINAVIA FIRST DAY COVERS
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Early Covers listed by cover producer and design
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ICELAND, NORWAY, SWEDEN RAF Museum Covers, Railway, Royalty, Maritime,
Flight, Military, Sport and Special Event Covers
Free lists sent on request, or download Free 150 page illustrated Price List

AUSTRALIA USED 1913 - 2009 from www.djmkerr-stamps.com STEVEN RILEY

FAROE ISLANDS MINT AND USED 1860 - 1985 D J M KERR
PO Box 7082, Grantown on Spey
PH24 2WW Tel/fax 01479 831374
E-mail: david@djmkerr-stamps.com
37 BADGER GATE, THRESHFIELD,
SKIPTON BD23 5EN
Email: stevenrileycovers@btinternet.com

75
can be viewed/downloaded from our website

Federal USA State

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for details and price list, contact
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P.O. Box 222, Waltham Cross, Herts EN8 8GS
Tel: 01992 628976 Tel: 01386 841923 Email:blomeield@aol.com
E. mail: john.wells123@btinternet.com

GREAT BRITAIN

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 WORLD NEWS | AUCTIONS | GB COLLECTOR | LETTERS | COMMENT | COMPETITIONS | FEATURES | EVENTS STRANGE BUT TRUE
STRANGE BUT TRUE

Columbus meets Lindbergh

To commemorate the visit of a heroic aviator in 1928, Costa Rica chose to overprint
not an airmail stamp but one honouring exploits from the age of sail
■ Report by John Winchester

F
ollowing Charles Lindbergh’s spectacular achievement of
completing the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in
1927, the US aviator was persuaded to embark on a Good
Will Tour of Latin America with his aircraft Spirit of St Louis.
He would visit 16 countries in a 9,000-mile tour, frequently
drawing crowds of tens of thousands of people. In Costa Rica,
where he landed on an athletics track in San José, the crowds
were so tumultuous that they burst through a barrier and had to
be driven back by soldiers wielding bayonets.
The postal authorities had decided to mark the visit with a
commemorative overprint, but their choice of stamp was a
curious one. A surcharge, an aeroplane motif and the inscription
‘Lindbergh Enero 1928’ (January 1928) were applied to 20,000
copies of the 1923 12c stamp noting the first Panamerican Postal
Congress, which depicted Christopher Columbus and his
flagship Santa María.
It could be argued, of course, that Lindbergh possessed the ABOVE: Costa Rica 1928 10c on 12c overprint, marking the visit of Charles Lindbergh
same pioneering spirit as Columbus. Surely, though, a more
obvious selection for the overprint would have been Costa Rica’s be taken to imply the existence of an airmail plane, an airmail
first airmail stamp, issued in 1926? One likely explanation for the service, an airline or even an international airport. In truth, the
decision was that the postmaster-general was keen to keep the country had none of these, and it would be another few years
country’s airmail credentials away from public scrutiny. before they were anything more than fanciful aspirations.
The 20c stamp, with its image of a Curtiss Jenny biplane, might No wonder Lindbergh was treated like a god! ■

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London 2020 exhibition
King George V ■ The first stamps
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Collecting the pioneering Wembley ■ Greatest engravings

Exhibition and UPU issues on cover by Canada’s Yves Baril
■ A recess-printed 1899
classic from Mauritius

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............................................................................................................................................................ LATIN AMERICAN PHILATELICS .........38
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............................................................. POSTCODE........................................................ SM 04/20
05/17

POST TO: Universal Philatelic Auctions, 4, The Old Coalyard, OF LONDON ................................... 11
West End, Northleach, Glos. GL54 3HE, UK : 01451 861111 LONDON 2020 .................................11

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A FREE 4 MARGIN 1841 BLUE CAT. £90 WITH 3rd SENDING ONE OFFER PER UK CDD STAMPS ...................................81
I collect  MINT and/or  USED Philatelic Household MICHAEL HALE ................................50
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ADDRESS ........................................................................................................................................ CORINPHILA ....................................6,7
MICHAEL G READ .............................26
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............................................................. POSTCODE........................................................ SM 04/20
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P.O. Box 10, Tewkesbury, Glos GL20 8YX Tel: 01684 299278

PLEASE MAIL, WITHOUT OBLIGATION, UPON APPROVAL FAROE ISLANDS POST OFFICE............3 NORTH STAFFS ................................51
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NAME ............................................................................................................................................... GARY J LYON ...................................16 ROBSTINE ........................................33
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GERMANIA STAMPS .........................82 ROWLAND HILL ................................26
............................................................. POSTCODE........................................................................
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POST TO: Avon Mixtures, P.O.Box 10, Tewkesbury, Glos GL20 8YX SM 04/20
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NAME ...............................................................................................................................................
PHILATELIC AUCTIONS ................... 69
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............................................................. POSTCODE....................................................SM 04/20
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