I Muse...on Slania's Boxers

Silence. Suddenly lights flare to life, illuminating the battle arena. The spectators crowded around the boxing ring erupt in frenzied cheers and shouts. The gladiators stare at each other from opposite corners of the arena, their eyes seething with battle-lust. Then a man steps into the ring. The announcer. Grabbing the microphone dangling from a long wire before him, he takes a deep breath...

"L-l-let's get ready to rumble!" he shouts. Then leaves.

The crowd goes ballistic! The bell rings. The fight is on...

***

Anyone who is a fan of Czeslaw Slania probably knows that he was a huge boxing fan. So much so that hen produced a set of 23 engravings in postage stamp format of World Champion Boxers. These stamps were printed in 1964 and they are true masterpieces, each and every one. So without further ado, let us feast our eyes on some truly glorious engraved portraits.

John Lawrence "Boston Strong Boy" Sullivan

Born in Boston 1858

Defeated Jake Kilrain in 1889

Record: 40-1-2

James John "Gentleman Jim" Corbett

Born in San Francois 1866

Defeated John L. Sullivan in 1892

Record: 11-4-3

Robert James "Bob" Fitzsimmons

Born in Cornwall, UK, 1863

Defeated James J. Corbett in 1897

Record: 63-8-4

James Jackson "The Boilermaker" Jeffries

Born in Ohio USA, 1875

Defeated Robert J. Fitzsimmons in 1899

Record: 19-1-2

Tommy "The Little Giant of Hanover" Burns

Born in Ontario, Canada 1881

Defeated Marvin Hart in 1906

Record: 48-5-8

John Arthur "Galveston Giant" Johnson

Born in Texas, USA 1878

Defeated Denver Ed Martin in 1908

Record: 73-13-10

Jess Myron "Great White Hope" Willard

Born in Kansas, USA 1881

Defeated Jack Johnson in 1915

Record: 28-6-1

William Harrison "Kid Blackie" Dempsey

Born in Colorado, USA 1895

Defeated Jess Willard in 1919

Record: 54-6-9

James Joseph "The Fighting Marine" Tunney

Born in New York, USA 1897

Defeated Jack Dempsey 1926

Record: 55-1-1

Maximillian Adolph Otto Siegfried "Max" Schmeling

Born in Pomerania, Germany 1905

Defeated Jack Sharkey in 1930

Record: 56-10-4

Jack "Sharkboy" Sharkey (real name: Joseph Paul Zukauskas)

Born in New York, USA 1902

Defeated Max Schmeling 1932

Record: 38-14-3

Primo "Ambling Alp" Carnera

Born in Sequals., Italy 1906

Defeated Jack Sharkey 1933

Record: 89-14-0

Maximilian Adelbert "Max" Baer

Born in Nebraska, USA 1909

Defeated Primo Carnera 1934

Record: 68-13-0

James Walter "Cinderella Man" Braddock

Born in New York City, USA 1905

Defeated Max Baer 1935

Record: 50-26-7

Joseph Louis "Brown Bomber" Barrow

Born in Alabama, USA 1914

Defeated James J. Braddock in 1937

Record: 66-3-0

Ezzard Mac "Cincinnati Cobra" Charles

Born in Illinois, USA 1921

Defeated Jersey Joe Walcott 1949

Record: 93-25-1

Arnold Raymond "Jersey Joe Walcott" Cream

Born in New Jersey, USA 1914

Defeated Ezzard Charles 1951

Record: 51-18-2

Rocco Francis "Rocky" Marchegiano

Born in Massachusetts, USA 1923

Defeated Jersey Joe Walcott 1952

Record: 49-0-0

Floyd "The Gentleman of Boxing" Patterson

Born in North Carolina, USA 1935

Defeated Archie Moore 1956

Record: 55-8-1

Jens Ingemar "The Hammer of Thor" Johansson

Born in Gothenburg, Sweden 1932

Defeateed Floyd Patterson 1959

Record: 26-2-0

Floyd "The Gentleman of Boxing" Patterson

Born in North Carolina, USA 1935

Defeated Ingemar Johansson 1960

Record: 55-8-1

Charles L. "Sonny" Liston

Born in Arkansas, USA Unknown

Defeated Floyd Patterson 1962

Record: 50-4-0

Cassius Clay AKA Muhammad Ali

Born in Kentucky, USA 1942

Defeated Sonny Liston 1964

Record: 56-5-0

Incidentally, if we turn our attention back to stamp one, of John L. Sullivan, one notices he fought bare-knuckled. Slania actually used his own hands as models for the engraving.

As a final note, I'd like to thank Roos Philately for the excellent images. I can't wait to acquire this set myself.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Iceland 1986 - Bicentenary of Reykjavík

Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland, and it just so happens to be the world's northernmost capital city. It is believed the area was first settled around 870 by Ingólfur Arnarson from Norway. The story of how Arnarson decided upon the location of his settlement is rather interesting. He employed a traditional Norse ritualistic practice, involving the use of Öndvegissúlur, or high-seat pillars.  So just what are Öndvegissúlur? In Norse culture the leader of the family sat in a throne-like chair, known as the high-seat. Two wooden poles stood either side of the high-seat. These were the Öndvegissúlur.  The ritual basically goes as follows: upon sighting land, Arnarson took up his Öndvegissúlur and hurled them into the ocean, trusting they would find an ideal settlement location. He then waited to see where the pillars were washed ashore. The point at which they struck land was the site of the new settlement. Simple as that!

In this case it seems Arnarson's Öndvegissúlur had chosen wisely. They directed him to a spot literally steaming with geothermal energy. Energy, which over time, was harnessed by the people of Reykjavík in many utilitarian ways. As far back as the 1930's geothermal energy was being used to heat schools, hospitals, swimming pools, many of the homes in the city, and it has even been used to dry fish, a staple in the Icelander's diet. In fact, the abundance of Hot Springs are what possibly gave the city its name, Reykjavík, which means "Smoke Cove" or Smoky Bay". In 1786 the city was founded as a trading town, and from that point forward it grew steadily, and it now has a population of a around 130,000 people. 

I sometimes spend a moment to reflect on when and how I first heard tell of a particular spot on this globe we call home. For me Reykjavík became part of my known world back in the early 1980's while studying chess at school. I learned that Reykjavík hosted the 1972 World Chess Championship between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky.

***

In 1986 Iceland issued a set of four stamps to commemorate the Bicentenary of Reykjavík, two of which were designed and engraved by Czeslaw Slania.

The 12k stamp depicts a captured moment from 1856. This elegant scene brilliantly illustrates some of the intrinsic aspects of Icelandic life. 

In the foreground we see two men chatting near the 'Reykjavík Pond'. One of the men is holding a farming sickle. Agriculture was a vital industry in Iceland. Food crops included potatoes, turnips, cabbage, carrots, and grain for bread and livestock feed. Over time crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, and capsicums were grown in greenhouses heated by geothermal energy.

In the middle-ground a church and other buildings line the geothermal 'Reykjavík Pond', a crucial part of the local geography. While in the background we spy a ship lying at anchor, a reminder of the city's trading roots. Indeed, the man chatting with the farmer is perhaps a merchant come to trade with the locals.

While doing a bit of research into Iceland I came across a photo (seen below) from the 1860's. It is taken from a similar perspective as the stamp. Indeed, several matching features can be spotted. The pond, of course. The church and other buildings. We can even see wooden fences similar to the one in the stamp.

***

The 13k stamp depicts two women washing clothes in a hot water stream and hanging them on a frame straddling the stream. Below is a photo of a woman doing just this at Laugardalur c. 1902-1910.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Interview...Ed from Ottawa

A loyal follower of my blog, named Ed, graciously volunteered some of his time for a Slania Crazy! interview. Enjoy!

Slania Crazy!: Thank you very much for participating in my "I Interview..." series.

Ed: You are welcome.

Q: When did you start collecting Slania stamps?

A: About 3 years ago.

Q: What drew you to start collecting him?

A: I have always collected paper ephemera and became interested in stamps. I had started a collection of German stamps and was looking for more information and came across the 'Collecting by Engraver' posts on the Stamp Community Forum on the internet. It introduced me to Slania as well as many other engravers. Being of Polish descent, I was thrilled to find out that Slania was also Polish, and I already had some of his stamps in my small collection of Polish stamps without knowing it.

Q:What is your favourite Slania stamp, and why is it your favouritre?

A: I would have to pick the Polish 1.40 zl Air Mail stamp issued in 1952 of an airplane flying over Warsaw. Having visited Warsaw many times, I recognised the old town of Warsaw depicted on the stamp.

Q: Where do you usually get your Slania stamps?

A: The internet, a local stamp shop and a monthly stamp bourse in Ottawa, where I live.

Q: What references do you like using? Which is your favourite?

A: The Heindorff website dedicated to Slania is fantastic.

Q: Do you remember what your first Slania stamp was?

A: Since I had some Slania engraved stamps in my Polish collection without knowing his involvement at the time, most likely one of the 1954 air mail issues (there are six in this set). I was also carrying a Slania engraving in my pocket, an engraving featured on a Canada $5.00 bill!

Q: Do you collect any other engravers?

A: Quite a few. I collect most of the French engravers, and besides Slania, a handful of the other European engravers as well. But my interest in engraved stamps begins to wane after the early 1980's.

Q: What are your other stamp specialisms?

A: I like First Day Covers (especially signed ones), souvenir sheets, cinderellas, and revenue stamps. The engraving work on some of the earlier Canada revenue stamps are quite ornate and spectacular.

Q: How do you store your Slania stamps?

A: Vario-Lighthouse stock sheets that are housed in three ring binders.

Q: Do you have any collecting tips to share?

A: A lot of great examples of engraved stamps are still reasonably priced. Work within your budget. Invest in a good magnifying glass so you can get a closer look at the engraver's art. Better yet, if you have a scanner, scan a stamp at 800-1200 dpi. You'd be amazed at the details it reveals. And at times it reveals faults unseen by the naked eye.

I'd like to thank Ed again for the interview. As always, if anyone else out there wishes to participate, please let me know in the comments.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Iceland 1984 - Nordia Exhibition

Have you ever wondered when the first ever world atlas was published? And who undertook such a mammoth task? Well, the when will come later, but as to the who...? If you shouted out the name Abraham Ortelius, then you are right on the money.

***

Abraham Ortelius was born 14 April 1527 in the city of Antwerp, which at the time was in the Habsburg Netherlands. Ortelius began his career in 1547 as a map illuminator in Antwerp. He also traded books, maps, and prints. It was during one of his yearly trips to the Frankfurt Book Fair in 1554 that he met a man who would change the course of his life. That man was Gerardus Mercator, a cartographer, geographer, and cosmographer .The two men began travelling together, and during this time, Ortelius developed an interest in scientific geography. 

In 1564 Ortelius published his first map, a large eight-leaf map of the world. Over the next few years he went on to publish several other maps. It  is perhaps important to note that up until this time the compiling of maps into a single volume was only ever done on a made to order basis. Would it not be a good thing to have a collection of maps of the known world gathered together into one book that was more readily available? 

Ortelius seemed to think so. And that is just what he did. In 1570 he published Theatrum Orbis Terrarum "Theatre of the World". This was the first ever world atlas - that we know of, that is. The atlas comprised 53 maps from some 33 different cartographers. Ortelius had the maps printed to a standard size to fit in the book. He also added some notes to each map along with a reference to who originally made it. Incidentally, the world map he had published in 1564 also appeared in the atlas, but at a smaller scale.

***

On 6 June 1984 Iceland issued a special mini-sheet, featuring one of the maps found in Ortelius' atlas, for the Stamp Exhibition Norda '84, held in Reykjavik from 3-8 July. Czeslaw Slania was asked to engrave this important mini-sheet.

This mini-sheet is a stunning piece of art in its own right. It is loaded with exquisite details. details so minute, it boggles the mind. What I particularly like are the various monsters adorning the map.

The third enlarged image also reveals that individual names on the map can be clearly discerned. Most impressive!

Incidentally, this is not the first time Slania turned to the Ortelius atlas to create stamp art. He also utilized this very same map for one of the two designs in his 1975 Faroe Islands stamp set. Click HERE for my blog post dealing with that lovely set.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!