1100 Years...so much time!!

New Entries

Sometimes I have the conscience that the stamps I am showing and all "my talking" isn't enough to create an interesting post... however,there are days when I know for sure that that will be one of the top posts I ever done...and ,fortunately,this post will be one of those with a beautiful selection of stamps,enough to capture Your attention... 

My interest in Morocco stamps came from the first days of my collection.. I remember buying my first two lots of Morocco and Brazil in a Portuguese Stamp Auction... that lot of 300 stamps was enough to open my mind to these wonderful stamps, full of beautiful designs and history... Now I can say that I have all the Morocco stamps from the Classic French Period ,until 1960 (most part of them are not classified yet, so lots of Fun are waiting for us in future posts...).. talking of this large period of time is also talking of many French Master engravers and so, we should not be admired that some of these stamps are work of Great Artists of the French Cultural Panorama...

Let us start by the beginning,chronologically speaking...

These are the stamps that  complete this series from 1955 ,still as a French Protectorate...the stamps presenting Bab El Mrissa (50c,1f,2f,3f) and Casablanca (18f,20f) were already presented in previous posts...this series , like many others in Morocco's Philately, present us various designs of famous places of Morocco...

1955 "Various Designs" (17) [Des (A. Delpy)][Engr (Jules Piel 5f,6f,8f)(Charles Mazelin 10f,12f,15f)(Pierre Gandon 25f)(Roger Fenneteaux 30f)(Raoul Serres 40f)(Jean Pheulpin 50f)(A. Fréres 75f)][Recess (Paris)] Sc(315,...,320)(323,...,327)

The stamps presented above are from a Educational Fund from 1956...they are showed individually because I don't want the viewers to loose anything from all the Engraving details...some of the series I present today are really, really good , but I don't have the details of the engravers and designers (I doubt they exist , because they don't appear in any of the catalogs I have.)..this is one of those series, without any signature in the stamp (I have lost some time trying to find clues to the engraver ,but I didn't find anything..)

I want to highlight that in 1956 we were under the Rule of Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Yusuf... the sultan changed his title to King of Morocco and adopted the name Mohammed V in 1957...

the series show us the simple frame (double lined this time..) usual in these days in Morocco stamps, a small portrait of the Sultan at the top left corner and five different scenes of the educational process taking place...we will find also several Arab writings in these stamps, and this is for sure enriching to the final Good aspect of these stamps...(we must remember that Arab Calligraphy was and continued to be learned also as a form of Art, and we can find good examples of this fact in Algerian, Tunisian and Turkish stamps...).

1956 "Education Campaign" (5) [Recess (Paris) Sc(8,...,12)

Beautiful stamps, Great engraving,the same simple frame and some more complexity of the design and of the Arabic  labels...

1959 "50th Birtday of King Mohammed V" (3) [Des/Engr (Charles Mazelin)][Recess (Paris)] Sc(29,...,31)

A simpler stamp, much more oriented in it's conception to the Graphical aspect , with some logotypes and simple designs...it is in the end a well accomplished stamp,with good engraving and nice graphical Design Art...

1960 "Meeting of UN African Economic Commission, Tangier" (1) [Recess (Paris)] Sc(35)

This is a series with original design from 1956 (in fact ,stamps with this portrait of the Sultan,were the first series of postage stamps of the New State of Morocco,recognized by the International Community in March 1956...)...the surcharge was applied to the "Adulterating Cooking Oil Victims Fund " ... this was another of those very ugly aspects of Humankind ,and I don't want to talk about it ... Originaly the stamps were designed by Flandrin and engraved by Charles Mazelin...

1960 "Adulterating Cooking Oil Victims Fund" (3) [Recess (Paris)] Sc(B1,...,B5)

Well, this is a huge "Success" Series...for me it is one of the best engravings I ever saw...once again the simplicity of the frame clashes with the enormous complexity of the design and engravings... The Arabic labels are beautiful and turn the stamp even more appealing...all the work is Excellent but the Artists are unknown.. it is a shame that  we cannot  credit someone with the excellency of this work...I will try to get this information , contacting some of my Algerian friends... perhaps they know something...

it is somehow disturbing that  these stamps "talk" about a University with 1100 years of history...My own Country, Portugal, one of the oldest in Europe (when we talk of it's fixed borders...) has only 800 or 900 years of History,but no !! ,we are talking of 200 years before that.!!.it is normal that this University was from the days when the Iberian Peninsula was invaded by North African Warriors...and one thing I can be sure of..they left many ,many signs of their presence in Portugal and Spain's Culture... many names of Towns and villages from the South of the Peninsula continue to show Arabic names...many of the words commonly used in our actual languages came from this presence of Centuries in the Peninsula...I use to say that Portugal is the result of one of the most complex processes of Culture Mixing..with time,invaders from the North and East found here the Sunny weather they pursued,invaders from the South found here the water brought by Abundant rains in the winter  , and all of them were imprisoned here by the Ocean, there was no more land..!!! and they stayed, and they mixed.. all of them!! Celts , Muslims, Central European People, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, etc...and the actual result is this...We cannot even rule Ourselves!!!

1960 "1100th Anniversary of the University of al-Qarawiyyin" (5) [Recess (Paris)] Sc(39,...,43)

To end this post,here it is another one of those series that are like an Engravers Contest...All the stamps are designed by Albert Decaris, but  there are several engravers...I'm sure that this is not a very known series,but it is a great acquisition for a Sport or Olympic Topic Collector...my favorite stamp, is the 45f.. really beautiful!!!

1960 "Olympic Games,Rome" (8) [Des (Albert Decaris)][Engr (Albert Decaris  5f,40f,70f)(Jean Miermont 10f)( Claude Durrens 15f)(Charles Mazelin 20f,30f)(Pierre Gandon 45f)][Recess (Paris)] Sc(45,...,52)

... I think good engravings are pleasant  to almost every stamp collector, so I sincerely hope that You've  liked this post...

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Pigeons at the Fountain

New Entries

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)

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Towers

New Entries

This time I will make a small post ; some Morocco stamps and one series from China PRC.

French Protectorate

As you can see the order of the stamps is inverted [small values below and high above...my mistake and laziness..]

the series is not complete and represent's the Hassan Tower in Rabat...the French Period of domination in Morocco brought us stamps mostly dedicated to monuments and Landscapes, using French stamp designers and their work gave a high degree of detail to the pictures...( these are not a good example, perhaps due to a below average printing...)

1943 "Tower of Hassan (Rabat)" (19) [Perf 12] [Des (Charles Hervé)][Litho] Sc(264,265,266,267,268,270,272,273,274,275,276,277,279,280)

Morocco

We are now with a series representing King Hassan II .. this series is destined to Air Mail.. in the same year of 1962 another series was issued with the same design and of a smaller format (this one for current Mail)..the stamps are very beautiful and were designed and engraved by Charles Mazelin (1882/1984) , one of the most important stamp designers of France.. As we can see French designers continued to work with the former colonies and Protectorates for years after Independence..

1962 "King Hassan II (Air Mail)" (5) [Perf 13] [Des (Charles Mazelin)] [Engr (Charles Mazelin)] [Recess] Sc(C5,C6,C8,C9)

This kind of series about National costumes was , as I said in other post , in most countries issued during the 40's ,50's and 60's... In the Morocco case , and due to obvious reasons , was only issued in 1968... ; to a better understanding of the complexity of ruling a country like Morocco, I leave here a link about the 'genesis' and Geography  of Morocco Tribes...
These stamps appear much more appealing if you have a more distant look.. At a closer view , they present many imperfections and lack of detail, perhaps due to , one more time , a less accomplished printing work.

1968 "Moroccan Costumes (1968/1974)" (10) [Perf 13 x 12.5 (15 for the 1d stamp)] [Des (De La Rue Company Limited)] [Engr (Besancenot)] [Litho] Sc(199,200,201,202,203,205)

China PRC

Beautiful stamps , great design, great detail and nice printing... for me , these is the best Dr. Sun Yat-sen series.!.

1956 " 90th Birth Anniv of Dr. Sun Yat-sen" (2) [Perf 14] [Des (Lu Tianjiao)] [Engr (Tang Linshen)] [Recess/Offset] Sc(304,305)

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P.S) sorry , but it in the 4f stamp , Dr. sun Yat-sen appears with a strange black dot near the eye.. it isn't in the stamp ; Sorry , I did not noticed it , but I don't want to change the picture... {Updated 29/07/14 14.58)

Dancing in the Festival

New Entries

In my last post I said that some attention would be given to the designers and engravers of these new entries of stamps in the collection..Why this sudden interest in this aspect of our hobby?? Well, the other day I was thinking about the reason people like more some stamps than others... In my case , the answer is easy...there are stamps that are more beautiful than others.. who is responsible for this.??.. Yes , the Artists that always lies behind every great work.. so, I decided to give them the attention they deserve , because the real Art is theirs , not from any other aspect of the production...

 Morocco 

First I will start with some stamps from the French period.. this 1st series, obligates me to divide my thinking into 3 different steps, for viewers who don't collect French Morocco stamps could have all the information..

A) in 1902 , stamps from 3 different French series were emitted with the label "Maroc" and Surcharge in Spanish currency and labels ; these series were : Blanc, Mouchon and Merson series...

B) in 1911 , the same stamps were emitted with Surcharge in Red and Blue..

C) in 1914 the stamps from B) were Overprinted with the label "Protectorat Français" ; these 4 stamps we have here , are part of this C) step.

The first two stamps are from the Original France "Blanc" series, named in honor to its designer Paul-Joseph Blanc and the last two from the "Mouchon" series (with the name of the Designer/Engraver  Eugéne Mouchon) ; both these series were originally issued in France in 1900 [Blanc (1900/1924) Mouchon (1900/1901)].

So, we have stamps from the series (17) "Overprint 'Protectorat Français' on «Surcharge on ««France 'Blanc','Mouchon' and 'Merser' series (1911/1917)»»» (1914/1921)".

Perf: 14 x 13.5
[Des] Paul-Joseph Blanc : (b 1846/d 1904) painter and designer of Historic Scenes. Grand Prix de Rome in 1867.. Professor of design in the School of Arts in 1893.
[Engr] Emile Thomas (d 1907)
SG(40,41,45,49) Sc(38,39,43,47)
[Typo]

these are 4 beautiful stamps of a Air Mail series (11) "Flight over Casablanca" (1922/1927)" ; the stamp of 80c was issued in 1927 while the others are from 1922. for the enthusiasts of aviation , I can tell that the picture represents a 'Breguet 14T Biplane'..

[Des] Joseph De La Néziere (b 1873/d 1944) French painter.. during his travels through North Africa , he became an Orientalist Artist.. in 1910, was commissioned to illustrate the stamps of the North Africa French Colonies. Died in Casablanca.
[Engr] Printing Helio-Vaugirard,SA (b 1897) since 1917 to 1951 the company has specialized itself in stamps , with the commission of works in Morocco, Lebanon,Syria, Madagascar, Vietnam, etc (SAAR protectorate also).
Perf: 13.5
SG(114,117,118,121) Sc(C4,C6,C7,C10a) [ I am considering the 2F stamp as 'Deep Violet'(Sc 10a) and not only 'Violet' (Sc 10)]
[Photo]

Complete series 1950 "Stamp Day and 25th Anniv of First Mail Flight from Casablanca to Dakar"
Perf: 13
SG(374) Sc(CB35)
[Engr][Typo]

from a Air Mail series (3) 1955 ; the picture represents a small village in the Anti-Atlas Region.

[Des] A. Delphy
[Engr]  Raoul Serres : (1881/1971) "Grand Prix De Rome 1906" and numerous other Honors during his life ; Book Illustration and Stamp Engraver...60 postage stamps in France and others in North Africa French Colonies.
Perf: 13
SG(465) Sc(C53)
[Engr]

Complete series 1960 "World Refugee Year"
[Des][Engr] Albert Decaris : (1901/1988) Grand Prix de Rome 1919 ; illustration of books, designer and engraver of more then 170 stamps in France and about 400 in North African Countries.. Also make several large formats Art works with 1 meter large.. numerous honors by France and French Postal Authority.
Perf: 13
SG(73,74) Sc(36,37)
[Engr]

Complete series 1960 "900th Anniv of Marrakesh."
Perf: 13
SG(75) Sc(38)
[Engr]

Here we have stamps from the two first series of King Hassan II of Morocco ; these two series have similar designs 
[Left] from the series (10) 1962 "King Hassan II (1962)" [1c,15c and 80c are missing] SG(112,113,114, 116, 117,118,119) Sc(76, 77,78,80,81,82,83)
[Right] stamps from the series (5) "King Hassan II (1964/1965)"  SG(116b,117a,117b,118a) Sc(111,112,113,114)

[Des][Engr] Charles Mazelin (1882-1984) studied at the decorative arts school in Paris and received the Prix de Rome twice, in 1906 and 1908. He began engraving in the field of philately only in 1939.He worked also in collaboration with other painters in the illustration of numerous books. Mazelin's style is considered to be sober and classic.
Perf: 13.5 x 13
[Engr]



Two complete series 

[Left] 1978 "National Folklore Festival, Marrakesh."
Perf: 13.5 x 13
SG(504) Sc(420)
[Right] 1979 "National Folklore Festival, Marrakesh."
Perf: 13
SG(519) Sc(434)

[Des] Jean Marie Louis
[Photo]

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Horses in the Sand

New Entries

The stamp represents Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif, king of Morocco from 1672 to 1727..from all the countries of North Africa, Morocco ( or "Marrocos" in Portuguese.)  is the one that had direct intervention in Portugal's History..My interest in Morocco's Philately has began when I bought a small lot of French Morocco's stamps.. they were beautiful, I bought more, but slowly, a desire to have some stamps of the Independent Morocco has grown.. so in recent times (a year or two ago..), I start buying some of these stamps..[now I don't buy anything, as you know..!.]

The stamp is a complete series from 1963.. The King appears because he was the responsible for the Upgrade of Meknes to Morocco Capital..This is a series that commemorates the " 300th Anniversary of Meknes as Morocco Capital"

Perf: 12.5

SG(131) Sc(85)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismail_Ibn_Sharif

the stamp is a reproduction of a painting by Eugene Delacroix (1845 'Sultan of Morocco').. the painting represents Sultan Abderrahmane of Morocco (ruled from 1822 to 1859)..

Complete series 1964 "3rd Anniv of King Hassan's Coronation"

We have some more King Hassan II stamps to show , in the end of this post..

Perf: 13 x 12

SG(147) Sc(101) [Engraved stamp]

Complete series 1966 "20th Anniversary of UNESCO"

Perf: 11.5 x 12

SG(187) Sc(C13)

[AIR MAIL] [Engraved and Lithographed]

I heard more experienced Philatelists talking about "téte béche" pairs , but I actually didn't saw one  'live'... I have many thousands of stamps and this is the only pair I've got with these characteristics.. so i conclude that it isn't a common item to have ...

In this particular stamp it is not uncommon because the stamps of this series are printed this way ( téte béche sheets of 10..)..

series 3 1967 "fishes"

Perf: 11.5

SG(194) Sc(150)

Definitive series of King Hassan II of Marocco... it is not complete..

I had to classify all of these 14 stamps yesterday night, so it is why there are so few stamps in this post..(There was no time for more..)

series 20 "King Hassan II (1968/1974)"

Perf: 13

SG(224,225,226,227,228,229,230,231,232,233,234,235,238,239)

Sc(169,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,182,183)

Complete series 1986 "Horse Week"

Perf: 13

SG(708) Sc(626)

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