The Crowned Eagle

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In this post I like to share with you some 'oldies' from Russia...It is a group of stamps of the commonly called "Eagle and Crown" Series.. it is a vast and 'tricky' group of series, with lots of small differences in a picture that look's more or less the same with time...So, I have these stamps before me , and I am asking myself .. How do I start?? where do I start  ?? after some quick thoughts , I realized that I should start from highlighting  what is common to all of these series and dividing the stamp into some 'hot' points where all the action will take place... to begin I will describe the stamp in words and then present an image to clarify some points..

starting from the center of the stamp, we have a crowned double-headed eagle with it's wings wide open and in the left claw, the scepter and in the right one , the Globe...At the Heart of this strange animal there is something that remembers a coat of Arms (A small squared figure..it begins to 'sound' strange because the figure in it's totality meant to be a coat of arms..! ) ...At the Eagle's feet there are two post horns..At the corners of the stamp, there are numerals..between the oval figure and the frames of the stamp there is what I call the ' External Background' (because there is also a 'internal Background' inside the oval figure...)..of course we have to count also with the labels inside the oval frame and in the 'External Background' ... from the superior Oval Frame ,a beautiful Imperial Crown is born , so whatever is inside the Oval figure, is Crowned twice.!.Of course all of this is Heraldry Territory, with all the hidden significance's and other assorted mystery's..

This will be a post not dedicated to show the final data of the stamps , but more to explain  some of my personal approach to these series...I've worked with a lot of stamps as you can see in the pictures below , but most of them I already had in the collection, so there is a relatively small number of new entries...I will keep many of them in the collection as stamps with small variations in color..

I would like to begin , by leaving here some important data about this large group of series..

1) The first stamps of the series appeared in 1857 and the last ones in 1917 , without counting with overprints and surcharges...

2) Until 1882 the values smaller then 10k used the Numeral Background(B)...after that , the Network of geometrical figures (C,D) was used..(I must clarify that for values superior or equal to 10k this Network was always in use since 1857)..I think that now is the time to say that I'm using mainly the Scott World Catalog , and crossing references with Stanley Gibbons and a Russian Catalog (1857/1960)[the problem for me is exactly that.. it is in Russian language...(it is much more detailed..)]

3) There are two main designs that coexist's in almost all of the series...The type F2 stamp is used since 1857 in values equal or superior to 10k.. In the 1875/1879 series it is also used in values superior to 5.(F1).

3E1) Colored space between the oval figure and the stamp frames...Black oval frame..Black External Crown .. black Eagle ..numerals in black ...Numeral circle interior in white ; appears until 1875/1879

3E2) the same space is in white .. Black is replaced by the Dominant color in the stamp ....numeral Circle interior in white.; from 1883 to 1905

3F1,3F2) a sort of cloak descends from the External Crown... interior background colored and oval frames and cloak in the dominant color. numeral Circle interior in the dominant color... numerals in white ; 

since 1866 to 1906 there is an additional important point that we must have in mind...

In the back of the stamps appeared some lines , clearly visible .. in the left we have Horizontal lines and in the right Vertical lines...

From 1899 to 1917 some additional lines in the form of small lightning bolts appear together with the image of the small horns below the Eagle..

To complete all the data we need to study carefully our stamps, we need to know that some differences exists with time in the stamps F2...the labels below the oval figure appear with different forms (don't bother with what is written but how it is displayed..) ; we need to know that two different F2 types never coexist in the same series..!

The first of these Types [let us call them A,B and C..] (from the left..) exists from 1856 to 1875 (1868/1875 series) ..the second , only in the 1875/1879 series ; the third from 1884 to 1917...

I think that all our study could be systematized in a few lines:

1. search for the presence or not of the small lightning bolts...
2. search for the presence or not of the Hor/Ver lines in the back of the stamp..
3. What is the type of the stamp (E1,E2,F1,F2) ? at this level we should be working with smaller and better defined time frames.
4. IF (Hor Lines) then ; IF (Ver Lines) then
5. apply the 'external background' differences in E1 or the label differences in F2 types..
6. the final step  is also very important , but usual in this 'classifying' work .. the Perforation..this study is more important for the stamps with lightning bolt ...(never forget to do it , because it is needed..)

In this long group of series , only two different Wmk are used.. The first , a numeric Wmk, is just used from 1857 to 1958 (in the first Russia stamps...)[You are lucky,if You see one of them..!!.] .. then , beginning in 1866 another Wmk with wavy lines and some Cyrillic Letters (initials of the Printing Company..)[coexistent with the HOR/VER lines]

Let us talk about the real new entries in this post (there are only five of them...)

I have here 5 F2 type's.. the first three of them are F2(A) and the others F2(C)..the first two stamps differ from the third because of the non existence of visible lines in the back of the stamp..; I'm going to quote Stanley Gibbons Catalog to explain the overall condition of stamp 1.. " between 1858 and 1883 some of these stamps were printed on a specially prepared paper coated with chalk as a precaution against fraud. The strength of the applied solution varies, being in some cases so thick that the printing ink did not penetrate to the paper, with the result that if immersed in water, the picture dissolves."  ; I think it was clearly what happened to this stamp.. it has no numerals visible , but it can only be a 10k stamp, and the perforation is 14.5 (no Wmk), so it is from the 1865 series (Sc 15a [the a is for thick paper..]).. same thought's about the 30k stamp ( Sc 18)..

The third stamp has Horizontal lines but it is a F2(A) stamp , so it only can be from the 1866/1870 series (no perforation study necessary , this time...) Sc(23)

The 4th stamp is Sc (61) [Vertical lines, F2(C) and Perf 14.5]..

The 5th is Sc(64) [same thinking..].

To end this already long post, I like to focus for brief moment in the 'External Background' A..I haven't talked yet about it , because it is not very common..I don't see any remark about it neither in Sc or SG.. but in the Russian Catalog a small remark is made about this background , that only appears in the 1866 series in the values of 3k and 5k [please see note in the end ]...

I've got another one of these 5k stamps already in the collection,with the background much more visible , but it is not a new entry , so....

I would like that one of my Russian Friends that casually read this post, could translate the part about the 5k stamp, for me .. It would be of great help..! the ink is also vanished from the 1st stamp , but it has perforation 14.5 and horizontal lines so it matches also the 1866 series..[Sc(22)] (of course, this stamps will also be added to the collection ...)

All of this is just my personal view of this group of series.. after studying the catalogs , You will reach your own way to properly classify your stamps...but they are difficult series and a systematized approach is highly recommendable, because without it you will be lost ...

I'm tired and just to end , I need to say that more designs are available in the 'lightning bolt' series, but I prefered to remain focused in these two main designs..., for now!!..

SeeYou

[Update note : just to say that what is correct is  "in the value of 3k.." , and not 3k and 5k (so, there is a increased catalog value for stamps of 3k with an external background of small 'V' )]  updated 04/05/2015

Old Man in Uniform

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US stamps are the only delicacy in today's Menu... not a "Gourmet" one , more like a plate of beans and rice....Yes, the stamps that will enter the collection are very common, and almost everybody have them in their collection...some of them appear as replacements of others because these are in much better overall condition than the one's I had...however, the number of stamps in this post is greater then usual.. I have been preparing this post for two days, entering all the usual data , plus Designers and Engravers... 

I will start the post with the Famous 1938 'Presidential Series'

1938 "Presidential Series" (32) RPP Sc(803,804,805,806,807,809,810,811,812,813,814,815,816,817,820,824,825,829,830,831,832,834)

I don't have much to tell about these stamps , they have the perforations in ' more or less' good condition and that's the only thing that bothers me , because I had some stamps from this series in very bad conditions... the postmarks are something I have to live with , I don't like them ( some of them , of course...) but I'm beginning to learn that in the US , some people collect these postmarks.. so be it..! 

x  Designers   x (Green) Lettering Engraver (x) Vignette and/or Frame Engravers

 1954/1968 "Liberty Issue" (28) RPP Sc(1030a,1031,1054, 1033, 1055, 1036,1058,1038, 1039a,1042a,1045, 1046, 1049,1050, 1051)

I like to start by saying that the last two stamps (1$,5$) presented in the picture are of course of the "Presidential Series" .. this is a beautiful and complex series , with portraits monuments and building's designs... it is somehow complex , because in order to achieve a correct classification of the stamps , We must know something about Wet and Dry Printing...this series appears in a time frame where the BEP (Bureau of Engraving and Printing), was ending a modernization process and starting to work with new machinery and to apply new concepts and ideas generated in recent years...so in this series the two process's still coexist and in the most part of the stamps we have the 'old process' and the 'new process' stamp...All of these transformations had also a great economical impact.. productivity was increased , the number of employees decrease and all of these factors contributed to an additional income to the producers..I don't want to prolong myself to much with this subject because there is plenty of information about it available in the Net; 

    Sorry for another mistake... the $08 stamp is from the Liberty Series and shouldn't be here now... This is a small group of individual series, about Famous Americans...

1) 1961 "Liberty Series" (28) [Des ( Robert J. Jones)][Engr (Mathew D. Fenton)(George A. Payne / Lettering)][Recess] Sc(1042a)
2) 1948 "William Allan White Issue" (1) [Des (William Roach)][Engr (Charles A. Brooks)][Recess] Sc(960)
3) 1948 "Harlan Fiske Stone Issue" (1) [Des (Charles R. chickering)][Engr (C.T. Arlt)][Recess] Sc(965)
4) 1949 "Edgar Allan Poe Issue" (1) [Des (William Roach)][Engr (R.M. Bower)][Recess] Sc(986)
5) 1960 "Andrew Carnagie Issue" (1) [Des (Charles R. Chickering)][Engr (Charles A. Brooks)][Recess] Sc(1171)
6) 1960 "Senator Taft Memorial Issue" (1) [Des (William Schrage)][Engr (Charles A. Brooks)][Recess] Sc(1161)

[Left] 1962 "Charles Evans Hughes Issue" (1) [ Des (Charles R. Chickering)][Engr (R.M. Bower)][Recess] RPP Sc(1195)

[Right] 1964 "Sam Houston Issue" (1) [ Des (Tom Lea)][Engr (A.W. Dintaman)][Recess] RPP Sc(1242)




A complete series about the Protection of Wildlife.1956 "Wildlife conservation" (3,3,3) [Des (Robert W. Hines)][Engr (Charles A. Brooks)(M.D. Fenton)][Recess] Sc(1077,...,1079)

Another Group of Individual Series :
1) 1950 "Sesquicentennial of Indiana" (1) [Des (Charles R. Chickering)][Engr (G.A. Gundersen)][Recess] RPP Sc(996)
2) 1951 "Nevada Settlement Centennial" (1) [Des (Charles R. Chickering)][Engr (Charles A. Brooks)][Recess] RPP Sc(999)
3) 1951 "Colorado Statehood Issue" (1) [Des (William Schrage)][Engr (G.A. Gundersen)][Recess) RPP Sc(1001)
4) 1953 "National Guard Issue" (1) [Des (Charles R. Chickering)][Engr (H.F. Fitcher)][Recess)] RPP Sc(1017)

[Left] 1959 "150th Lincoln Birth Commemoration" (4) [Des (Ervine Metzl)][Engr (R.M. Bower)][Recess] RPP Sc(1113)

[Right] 1955 "Old Man of the Mountain Issue" (1) [Des (William Schrage)][Engr (R.M. Bower)][Recess] RPP Sc(1068)

 

Two stamps with the same design and thematics..

1) 1951 "United Confederated Veterans Final Reunion Issue" (1) [Des (Charles R. Chickering)][Engr (Charles A. Brooks)][Recess) RPP Sc(998)

2) 1949 "Final Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic , Indianapolis" (1) Sc(985)

SeeYou

Pigeons at the Fountain

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Finally I decided to make a post completely dedicated to Morocco Stamps..It only have stamps from the French Period.. I think I will need one more post to end this period.. 

I will make a Chronological approach , with stamps starting in 1914..

This is a stamp originated in France in 1900 and presented in Morocco in the Surcharged form , for the first time in 1903 (with the label 'Maroc' and surcharge in 'Centimos' / Spanish Currency)..In 1911 it was surcharged in French Currency and Arabic Label and in 1914 was Overprinted with ' Protectorate Française' ..
The stamp is commonly known as 'Type Merson' in homage to it's Designer Luc-Olivier Merson..

1914 "Overprint 'Protectorate Française' on 'Surcharged Type Merson 1911'" (5) [Des (Luc-Olivier Merson)][Engr (M. Thevenén)] Sc(51)

Two beautiful stamps from the first of the many series from this period , dedicated to Morocco Monuments and Landscapes..
The 1st stamp represents the Tower of Hassan, Rabat and the 2nd the Koutoubiah, Marrakesh.

1917 "Religious and Historical Monuments and Sites" (17) [Des (Joseph De La Neziere)][Engr (A. Mignon/1st)(A.Delzers/2nd)][Recess] Sc(55,64)

1917/1926 "Postage Due Stamps" (8) [Des (Joseph De La Neziere)][Engr (Ch. Crespelle)][Typo] Sc(J27,J28,J29)

The design of the first two stamps was already used in the 1st series of 1917...the 3rd stamp represents Bab Mansour,Meknes

1923/1927 "Religious and Historical Monuments and Sites" (26) [Des (Joseph De La Neziere)][Engr/Recess (Helio Vougirard,Paris)] Sc(102,105,107)

This is a 1933 Air Mail Series representing an Air view of Rabat and the Tower of Hassan.
It should be noticed the perfin present in the 2nd stamp (it has 3 letters and form the word 'BEM' / that means 'Banque d'Etat du Maroc' )

1933 "Air View over Rabat and Casablanca" (6) [Des (Belliot)][Engr (A. Delzers)][Recess] Sc(C15,C16)

From the more conservative style of Joseph De La Neziere , we are now entering the days of the more Modern vision of Camile Paul Josso . He was the Designer of the 1st and 2nd stamps, and was of great importance from now on , in the Morroco Philately..
The first two stamps highlight the importance of the Cedar in Morocco's Landscapes..the 3rd show us a View from Fez and the 4th represents a Mosque in Sale..

1939/1942 "Religious and Historical Monuments and Sites" (37) [Des (Camille Paul Josso /1st,2nd)(J.E. Laurent / 3rd)(H.Hourtal / 4th)][Engr (Pierre Gandon /1st,2nd)(J.Piel / 3rd)(G. Barlangue /4th)][Recess] Sc(155,165,170,171A)

Now we have stamps of smaller dimensions, but equally beautiful..The first two stamps represent the Oudayas Gate in Rabat.. the 3rd and 4th show us the Nejjarine Fountain in Fez; the 5th stamp take us to the Gardens of Mekne.. This post today seem's like  tourism Publicity , but in my opinion what counts it's the beauty of the stamps... now that I'm thinking of this particular aspect , and if we put side by side the visions of the French and that of the Portuguese (for example..)  in what concerns the Philately of their Colonies, We can for certain conclude that the French were much more concerned in highlight the Culture and Religion of the Colonies , and the Portuguese to pass the message of the Colonizer (with great focus in Portuguese Culture and History...there were exceptions, of course..)

1949 "Morocco City Views" (8) [Des (A. Delpy)][Engr (Feltess/1st,2nd)(Raoul Serres/3rd,4th)(Dufresne/5th)][Recess] Sc(248,250,252,253,255)

Once again we have small format stamps.. the 4 first stamps belong to a series and the 5th to other one..
1st) Karaouine Mosque, Fez
2nd) Oudayas Patio, Rabat
3rd,4th) Oudayas Point , Rabat
The 2nd stamp present us two varieties, differing one to another by the letters used to assemble the label 'Maroc' .. in this case we have a 'Type 2' stamp..

1951/1953 "Morocco City Views" (10) [Des (A. Delpy)][Engr (R. Cottet/1st)(Pheulpin/2nd)(Raoul Serres/3rd,4th)][Recess] Sc(272,276,277,278)

1954 "Morocco City Views" (3) [Des (A. Delpy)][Engr (Charles Mazelin)][Recess] Sc(297)

 
1955 "Bab El Mrissa, Sale" (10) [Des (A. Delpy)][Engr (Cheffer)][Recess] Sc(311,...,314)

This last stamp show us an Air View over Rabat and the Hassan Tower.. 

1955 "Bou Regreg Estuary, Rabat" (3) [Des (A. Delpy)][Engr (Munier)][Recess] Air Mail Sc(C54)

SeeYou

The Diamond Mountains

New Entries

Some stamps from Portugal and North Korea are today the in focus in this Post...

Portugal

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I will start by presenting a series from 1923 that in my opinion is very beautiful... the series is not yet complete , and I will present one of the stamps (The series has just one design..) in the left , for better appreciation , and the other stamps at the right..

I remember talking about 'empty stamps' as those who don't have a message or history 'attached'.. Here is a stamp that is the complete opposite of an 'empty stamp'.. This one has history and could be joined to various topics.. let us see..

The stamp is a commemoration of the Flight Portugal Brazil, that for the first time cross the South Atlantic by AirPlane. the Heroes of that voyage were Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, both represented at the middle of the stamp by their portraits ..At the left side there is the portrait of the Brazilian President Artur Bernardes and at the right we have the Portuguese President Antonio José de Almeida ... At the Center we have the plane that made the voyage ('Lusitânia') and a Boat from another days (1500's)( The Caravela..).. At the left below the president portrait we have a view of Rio De Janeiro and at the right , the Tower of Belem in Lisbon.. Down at the Center we have the Coat of Arms of Portugal.. these are only some of the topics we could take from this stamps.. It is indeed a Rich Stamp...

1923 "Flight of Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral from Portugal to Brazil" (16) [Des (Unknown Designer)][Litho (Waterlow and Sons Limited, London)] Sc(300,301,304,305,306,307,308,309,310,311,313)

North Korea

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I have a small group of stamps from the 60's and 70's to present..

the design of these stamps is very characteristic of the stamps from the 50's and 60's from North Korea (very simple , but beautiful..).. I am talking just of the non engraved stamps, because there are few Engraved stamps of good or Very good level..(perfect and well elaborated designs and good engraver work..)..

1959 "Animal Preservation" (6) [Litho] Sc(195,196,197)

[Left] 1960 "Sports and Games" (4) [Photo] Sc(265,266,268)

[Right] 1963 "Flowers" (5) [Litho] Sc(452)

This is a beautiful series about a group of mountains in North Korea, called the Diamond Mountains.. there are several series with views and landscapes of these Mountains.. it seems that this Mountain chain is divided between the two Koreas...

1973 "Diamond Mountains Scenery (4th issue)" (5) [Litho] Sc(1151,...,1155)

I will leave here two examples of the North Korean engraved stamps... they have some really beautiful engraved series like the 1963 "Ancient Korean Buildings " or 1965 "Wading birds"...All the engraved stamps are printed in just one color.. (perhaps this was the real 'deficit' that lead to the use of other printing methods..) [I think that they are really good stamps...]

[Left] 1967 "Freighter Collima" (1) [Recess] Sc(796)
[Right] 1967 "North Korean Cities" (3) [Recess] Sc(819)

[Left] 1973 "Historical Sites of War and Revolution " (4) [Litho] Sc(1166,1168)
[Right] 1973 "Secret Camps by Tuman-Gang in Guerrilla War, 1932" (2) [Litho] Sc(1113)

1974 "Kim Il Sung during the Anti-Japanese Struggle" (4) [Photo] Sc(1278,1279,1280)

[Left] 1974 " Five Fronts of Socialist Construction" (5) [Litho] Sc(1185,1189)
[Right] 1974 "The Works of Kim Il Sung (2nd series)" (2) [Litho] Sc(1180)

1974 "Civil Aviation" (5) [Litho] Sc(1254,...,1258)


Now, and to end this post , two MS, one of flowers and other os Pre-History..
I don't present any data from these MS..

Seeyou