The Smiling Skeleton

New Entries

Some more stamps from Cuba... the 30's, 40's and 50's of Cuba's Society...It is a little hard to ignore Politics , when you are dealing with Cuban stamps.. Cuban always was, in my opinion, like a disinherited Son for US.. the proximity of the Island always led to business, contraband and other ways, legal or not, of prospering..The end of the war with Spain contributed to a bigger influence of US in Cuba , that as We all know ended in the 50's ..What really interest us , and Politics does not, is what the US left behind in Cuba's Philately, the influence in the design , the printing methods adopted, in a way  the influence of ABNC (American Bank Note Company)... I think that this influence was very positive, like in many other Central and South American Countries...

Let us start , chronologically , with a stamp from the 20's....

 this is a beautiful stamp, one of the almost 400 Air Mail stamps issued by Cuban Postal Authority..

1927 "Flying boat over Havana Harbour" (1) [Des (O. Fontes Y Acosta)][Engr (Security Bank note Co., Philadelphia)][Recess (Cia. Nacional de Artes Gráficas de Cuba)] Sc(C1)

It is significant that I really don't have much data about designers in these period of time, neither in Cuba or other Central america Countries..the name of this designer of Cuban Origin , for sure , appears twice in the production of these early Air Mail stamps.. In many cases , I have info about the Printing Process , but the Designer is neglected.. I think that in these cases we have the 'dissolution' of the individual designer in the total work of the big company's like ABNC, Waterlow, etc..it was a wrong procedure , because it kept the Artist from receiving the credits for his work..
I left you here a very interesting small pdf article about the individual designers and engravers in the early days of ABNC..it is about Chile stamps , but it is a very good Article (in Spanish...)

These are stamps from the two Air Mail series of 1931..As you can see in a close inspection of the pictures I present , these stamps are fertile ground for color and Printing variations...
These series were issued from 1931 to 1948 (the 1st series - with the airplane heading right..) and 1956 (the 2nd series - with the airplane heading Left..).. so in these long periods of time printing methods evolve, the workers evolve and the result is a better printing work, with more definition... in the 1st picture 4 stamps are presented with variations both in color and quality of printing.. in the 2nd picture two stamps are presented with an obvious difference in the quality of printing (only SG present the violet 5c stamp because the original is the Purple one..) ; in the 3rd picture there are still missing the 15c and 50c ..

UP/RIGHT : 1931/1956 "Air Mail" (6) [Des (O. Fontes Y Acosta)][Recess (Cia. Impresora de Cuba)] Sc(C12)
DOWN : 1931/1948 "Air Mail" (9) [Des (O. Fontes Y Acosta)][Recess (Cia. Impresora de Cuba)] Sc(C4,C40,C5,C7,C8,C9)

Here We have a Special Delivery stamp .. I couldn't refrain myself from thinking that the design is to simple.. it could be much better with some clouds in the Background....

1935 "Aeroplane near Morro Castle" (1) [Engr (ABNC, New York)][Recess (J.L. Rodriguez, Havana)] Sc(E7)

[Left] Complete series about the figure of General José Miguel Gomez, Ex- President of Cuba.1936 "Inauguration of the Monument to President Gomez" (2) [Recess (P. Fernandez, Havana)] Sc(322,323)

[Right] The influence of the Ideals of Democracy and Freedom from the US is the central point of these stamp and Series.. it is a rich stamp in history and Personalities.. At the Center of the stamp lies the Cuban Coat of Arms... The personalities presented in the stamp are: Lt. General José Antonio De Maceo Y Grajales , Simon Bolivar  , Benito Juarez and Abraham Lincoln

1942 "Spirit of Democracy in the Americas" (5) [Des (Cabrera Y Cuesta)][Recess] Sc(369)

from 1943 until 1952 , at least , there was a series every year with the label "Retiro De Comunicaciones" ... the money collected with these stamps was dedicated to the Postal Workers Retirement Fund.. I have some stamps of these series between those I have to show You today..

These are stamps from the 1st of these series...
1943 "The Long Road to Retirement" (3) [Recess] Sc(381,382)

[Left] stamp from one of the main series of the 40's in Cuba..The stamp is about Bartolomé de las Casas, protector of the native's... This Dominican Friar is seen as one of the first 'advocates' of the Human Right's..

1944 "450th Anniversary of the Discovery of America" (7) [Recess (P. Fernandez, Havana)] Sc(388)


[Right] 1944 "150th Anniversary of the Economic Society 'Friends of Cuba'" (2) [Recess] Sc(395) ; in these stamp are represented Luis De Las Casas (Governor General of Cuba , from 1790 to 1796) and the Bishop Luis Maria Penalyer , both Founding Members of the Society..

[Left] 1944 "Centenary of the 1st Postage Stamps of the Americas (Brazil)" (1) [Recess] Sc(393)

[Right] 1945 "Special Delivery" (1) [Recess] Sc(E12) ( Good Postmark.!.)

[Left] 1946 "3rd Anniversary of the Founding of "Manuel Marquez Sterling" Professional School of Journalism" (1) [Recess] Sc(403)

[Right] 1946 " 80th Anniv of International Red Cross" (1) [Recess] Sc(404)

These are once again stamps from the Retirement Fund I was talking about some lines above..The 1st image show us a complete series from 1948 and the 2nd show us two stamps , one from the 1945 series and other from the 1947 series... I have to highlight here that almost every time I say very good things about the Designers and their stamps, but in the particular case of this series from 1945 (1st stamp, 2nd image) I have to ask "How can a stamp like this could be issued???" do You believe in the old Woman's smile ??? It look's like a skeleton smiling..!!.. in this case I prefer not to know the Designer's name....

ABOVE : 1948 "mother and child" (3) [Recess] Sc(415,416,417)
BELOW : 1st image] 1945 "Aged Couple" (3) [Recess] Sc(397) 
                2nd Image] 1947 "Antonio Sarret (1st President of the Association of Retired Postal Workers)" (3) [Recess] Sc(417)

 

[Left] This series is dedicated to the Philanthropic life of Marta Abreu  ;
1947 "Birth Centenary of Marta  Abreu (philanthropist)" (4) [Recess] Sc(411)

In my last post about Cuban stamps , I believe I have shown the other stamp of this series about José Marti, a Cuban Hero..
1948 "50th Death Anniv of Jose Marti" (2) [Recess] Sc(419)

This Dull Yellow Green doesn't help at all to appreciate the quality of the stamps.. even the design details are kept from the viewer by this kind of fog that covers the pictures.. 
The 1st stamps show us a Spanish Fortress and the two other stamps are from the Retirement Fund series of 1950 and 1949 respectively..I like to say that the 1950 stamp is dedicated to the Employees of the Communications Department and not only to the Postal workers..
1st) 1949 "Bicentenary of Jagua Fortress" (2) [Recess] Sc(433)
2nd) 1950 "Train Wreck" (3) [Recess] Sc(452)
3rd) 1949 "Ismael Cespedes (Telegraph Worker)" (3) [Recess] Sc(438)

I Left this stamp to the end , not only because of the Chronological display I have assumed in this post, but also because of the it's Actuality .. Clara Louise Maass was an American Nurse that voluntarily accept death in the name of Science ( in this particular case , while experimenting new 'drugs' against the Yellow Fever ).. it is very Actual today , because of all the Physicians and Nurses that are losing their lives fighting the Ebola virus...  

SeeYou

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)

SeeYou

The Company

New Entries

Some beautiful stamps from North Borneo and some fine stamps from Spain are all I've got to show today...

North Borneo

-------------

 [Left] 1894 "Motifs of North Borneo (Issue of 1894)" (15) [Recess (Waterlow and Sons Limited, London)] Sc(61)


[Right] 1901 "Overprint 'British Protectorate' on 'Motifs of North Borneo (issue of 1895)'" (15) [Recess (Waterlow and Sons Limited, London)] Sc(108)

We need to know that the British North Borneo Company , ruled over the state from 1881 to 1946, when it becomes a British Colony ...Then the state of North Borneo joins with Singapore and other territories to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963..

the usual 'Tropical' Topics appear also here in North Borneo, with lots of Fauna and Flora.. In these early series from North Borneo ,we must always look if the stamp have English and Indigenous language labels or just English labels .. it is important, because some of these designs are repeated in just one or two languages..    

I like very much this great diversity in the frames used in these stamps.. they are all different in most of the series...It is a fact that most of these stamps are designed and printed by Waterlow and Sons..But it is also a fact that the final result is a Great number of Beautiful stamps..!! the 1st stamp show us a Malaysian Tapir , the 2nd the traveller's Palm and the 3rd a General Assembly of the Company with the presence of the Sultan..

1909 "Motifs of North Borneo (Issue of 1909/1923)" (13) [Recess (Waterlow and Sons Limited,London)] Sc(136,137,140)

[Left] 1931 "50th Anniversary of the British North Borneo Company" (15) [Engr (J.A.C. Harrison)][Recess (Waterlow and Sons Limited, London)] Sc(186)

[Right] 1939 "Motifs of North Borneo (Issue of 1939)" (15) [Recess (Waterlow and Sons Limited, London)] Sc(199)

SPAIN

------

A very nice group of Spain's new entries to the collection... mainly from 30's and 50's..

Let us start..

Here are some stamps from one of the most famous Spanish series.. the series is designed and engraved by Bartolomé Maura...the series tell us the fantastic story of D. Quixote (5c - D. Quixote starts his journey 10c Attack to the windmills 15c Scene with some people from a small village..); The right stamp show us the numeric identifier in the back of all stamps from this series.. (common in Spain's Monarchic series...)

1905 "Tercentenary of Publication of Cervantes' "Don Quixote" (10) [Design (B. Maura)][Engr (B.Maura)][Typo] Sc(287,288,289)

  now, stamps from a beautiful series from 1936..
1936/1937 "National Defense" (12) [Litho] Sc(627,630)

[Left] Great stamp from King Alfonso XIII.. The original stamp is from a Red Cross series of 1926 ; The stamps were then Overprinted, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Enthronement of the King.. Then the stamp was Surcharged with 10cts.. 
there are 6 different overprints, for the various designs..

 1927 "Surcharge over 'Overprint 25th Anniversary Enthronement of King Alfonso XIII' on 'Red Cross 1926'" [Recess (Waterlow and sons Limited, London)] Sc(B34)

[Right] at our right are represented stamps from two different series ; the two stamps from the top (representing Queen Isabella , The Catholic) , at a first sight , are similar , but As you became used to them you'll see they have some differences..let us keep the most important one: the background of the first stamp is solid White.... the 2nd has a 'engraved' style background.. Now I must say that the 1st stamp belongs to the same series as the two stamps below, representing "Cid, El Campeador"... the 1st of these two 'Cid' stamps is a new entry , but the 2nd is only a shade variety ( as you can see it is clearly a Rose Red , instead of the Red or Carmine Red... So we have :
1st , 3rd, 4th) 1937 "Numerals, Cid El Campeador & Elizabeth, the Catholic" (18) [Litho] Sc(644,??)[I cannot find the code for the 10c Red stamp..but it exists in the Spanish Edifil catalog..)
 2nd) 1938/1939 "Elizabeth, the Catholic" (6) [Des (Sanchez Toda)][Litho] Sc(675)

Now I must talk about the symbol presented at the right.. it will appear again in other stamps in today's post... It is the sign used by the Master Engraver/Designer Sanchez Toda to sign his works.. when the name of the Artists don't appear in the down frame he used this sign (the letter's S and T just in one..)

just the two varieties of the stamp Pegasus... they are different because of the name of the designer printed or not in the down frame...
1939 "Pegasus" (2) [Des (Sanchez Toda)][Litho] Sc(E19) 

Here we have some additions to both issues of "Juan De La Cierva" series.. If you search above the currency label, you will find again the mark of Sanchez Toda..
[Left] 1939 "Juan De La Cierva (1st Issue)" (7) [Des (Sanchez Toda)][Litho] Sc(C103,C108)
[Right] 1941/1947 "Juan De La Cierva (2nd Issue)" (8) [Des (Sanchez Toda)][Photo] Sc(C113,C115,C116)

1951 "V Centenary of the Birth of Elizabeth the Catholic" (5) [Recess] Sc(C132,C133) AIR

In the end of this post , I have some few stamps about an activity that has been generating Passion for some centuries in Spain ( and in Portugal , as well..!) .. In recent times not only is a point of discussion and division but also a reminder of the difficulty to change tradition..!. 

1960 "Bullfight" (15) [Recess] Sc(909,911,917,918,C162)

SeeYou

Do you Remember??

New Entries

Today's post is small ... 

Angola

As you know I had to buy some Japan stamps to end the Matsuo Basho post (" The Promise and the Traveler's Poem")... I also bought 2 stamps of this beautiful Angolan series , just to end it also.. the rest of the stamps were not classified yet, so I present them today...

It a series with common designs used in all the former Portuguese Colonies... it emphasis's Explorer's , Navigator's , Warrior's and Men of Knowledge, that distinguish themselves in Portuguese History..

In this particular series , we have designs of Vasco Da Gama , Mouzinho de Albuquerque , Prince Henry the Navigator , and Afonso De Albuquerque..

1938 "Portuguese Colonial Empire" (18) [Perf 13.5 x 13][Des (Arnaldo Ressano Garcia)][Intaglio (Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., London)] Sc(274,...,291)

Turkey

In these stamps from Turkey there are two distinct groups... one from the Ottoman period and other from the more recent , Republican period.

1916 "Overprint (Moon & Star 1916) on '50th Anniversary of the Introduction of Postage in Turkey'" (4) [Perf 13.5][Litho] Sc(B42,...,B45)

There are two possible perforations ( 13.5 and 12.5)

1960 "Manisa Festival" (4) [Perf 13][Offset] Sc(B75,...,B78)
The monuments highlighted are the Manisa Asylum (1st,2nd) , the Blue Mosque (3rd)... 
I cannot find data about the Personality represented in the 4th stamp .. (only sites in Turkish language and I don't even know the right name ...  it's better not to invent one.!) 

   

      United States of America

In the next posts , I will include some US or Spanish stamps , because I have many of them to classify... also from Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Russia ... I will leave a small part in the end of the posts to show some of these stamps...

 [Left] 1958 "Mackinac Bridge Commemoration" (1) [Perf 10.5 x 11][Des (Arnold Copeland)] [Recess (R.M. Bower)][Rotary Press Printing] Sc(1109)

[Right] 1957 "B52's and Lockheed F104" (1) [Perf 11 x 10.5][Recess][Rotary Press Printing] Sc(C49)[AIR]

1941/1944 "Two Motored Transport airplane" (7) [Perf 10.5 x 11][Des (William A. Roach)][Recess (Picture : J.R. Lowe , Labels : J.S. Edmondson and T. Vail)] [Rotary Press Printing] Sc(C25,...,C30)

All the stamps are issued in 1941 except the 8c stamp that was issued in 1944..there is only one stamp missing , the 50c...

1956 "50th Anniv of Devils Tower National Monument" (1) [Perf 10.5 x 11][Des (Charles R. Chickering)][Recess (A.W. Dintaman)][Rotary Press Printing] Sc(1084)

Do you Remember??

Seeyou