Brazil 1994 - Hummingbird

In 1994 Czeslaw Slania engraved his final two banknotes for Brazil. It is the second and final banknote he engraved for Brazil that will be the focus of this blog. Slania engraved the reverse side of the R$1 banknote. The subject is hummingbirds. The engraving has been done in vertical or portrait format, and it is truly beautiful.

Below are a couple of close-ups.

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After studying this exquisite engraving I went on-line to try to identify the type of hummingbird depicted. I discovered that there are many different species of hummingbird in South America. None of the Slania dedicated literature was any help here. They all just say - hummingbird.

While looking at some of the different hummingbird species I came across an image of a hummingbird, the configuration of the feather colours of which seem to match with Slania's engraving. The bird I think it might be is the glittering-throated emerald (Amazilia fimbriata). This particular species of hummingbird can be found in the Amazon Basin, Venezuela, the Guianas and Brazil. But is it the bird on the banknote? Can anyone out there verify this one way or other? 

By Dario Sanches - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3154468

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For those who are interested, the obverse of the banknote depicts the Laureated Liberty. It, too, is a stunning engraving. I have no idea who the engraver was, as yet.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Faroe Islands 1980 - Famous People

In 1980 Faroe Islands issued its second set of Europa stamps engraved by Czeslaw Slania. the first being in 1979. The 1979 set was dealt with in a previous blog. Click HERE to read. The subject of the 1980 Europa set is famous Faroese people. This set was issued 6 October 1980.

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Dr Jakob Jakobsen was born 22 February 1864 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. He is the first Faroe Islander to earn a doctoral degree in literature. His work focused on Faroese folktales and oral poetry. He believed that these stories were an important source for studying Faroese history.

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Venzel Ulrich Hammershaimb was born 25 March 1819 in Sandavágur, Faroe Islands. He was a Faroese language and folklore researcher. He was also a Lutheran pastor. 

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Both portraits have been engraved with Slania's usual extreme attention to detail. The skin is alive and full of texture. The eyes of both men are so captivating and lifelike, one expects them to perhaps turn our way and give us a wink.

Until next time...

Faroe Islands 1979 - International Children's Year

On 1 October 1979 Faroe Islands issued a charming set of three stamps in honour of International Children's Year. Each stamp depicts a drawing made by a Faroe Islands child. I presume there was some form of contest and there were three winners. The stamps were engraved by Czeslaw Slania. And he has done a masterful job capturing the beauty of each of the children's drawings.

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The 110o stamp features a girl wearing a festive costume. The original was drawn by Edel Davidsen, who was 8 years old.

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The 150o stamp depicts a fisherman in a boat, complete with some fish swimming about beneath the boat. The original drawing was made by Rasmus Fossa, aged 7 years old.

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The 200o stamp features two friends, perhaps playing, on the grass. The original was drawn by Snorri Peterson, aged 8.

These three stamps are truly delightful. I really like them.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Poland 1956 - Summer Olympic Games

A big hello to my fellow Slania collectors! It has been literally ages since I last did a blog. My health has been on the fritz, and doing anything, let alone writing a blog, was too much to get my head around. But I'm back - hopefully permanently. A few months ago I prepared a blog to publish in time for the Olympics in Rio (5-21 Aug), but I never got around to completing it. So I thought what better way to get back in the saddle, as it were, than to start where I left off. So here goes...

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The Games of the XVI Olympiad were held in Melbourne, Australia in 1956, between 22 November and 8 December. This was the first Olympic Games ever to be held in the Southern Hemisphere. All events, accept equestrian, were held in Melbourne. The equestrian events were held in Stockholm five months earlier, due to Australian quarantine regulations. Incidentally this was only the second time in Games history that the events were split between two countries.

Seventy-two nations competed in 151 events. Two Australian athletes were later to become sporting icons after their success in these Games. Betty Cuthbert became Australia's "Golden Girl" by winning three gold on the track. Also, Murray Rose won three gold in the swimming. The top three countries were as follows:-

1956 Summer Olympics medal table

Rank Nation                         Gold

1         Soviet Union (URS) 37

2         United States (USA) 32

3         Australia (AUS)         13

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In 1956 Poland issued a stunning set of 6 stamps to commemorate the Games of the XVIth Olympiad. One of the designs, the 60g value stamp, was engraved by Czeslaw Slania.

This fantastic engraving is based on a photo of a Polish javelin thrower by the name of Janusz Sidlo. Sidlo competed in an amazng five Olympic Games. The XVIth Olympiad was Sido's 2nd Olympics. As a matter of interest, Sidlo won a silver medal in the 1956 Games.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!