Göta Canal Booklet

In 1979 Sweden issued a booklet of six stamps showcasing the magnificent Göta Canal. Sweden called upon the talents of the master engraver, Czeslaw Slania to bring this amazing canal to life on stamps. What he produced is a set of absolute masterpieces! In fact it was a stamp from this booklet that piqued my curiosity towards Slania in the first place.

The Göta Canal (spelled Göta Kanal in Swedish) is in Sweden. It was constructed in the 19th Century.When finished, the canal formed a waterway that was some 614 km (382 miles) in length. The canal bridged various lakes, forming a route from Göteburg on the west coast to Söderkoping on the Baltic Sea. Not including the many lakes through which it meanders, the canal is 190 km (118 miles) long. The canal has a staggering 58 locks, which makes it all the more majestic in my opinion. It is said that the canal is nicknamed "Divorce Ditch" due to the troubles that couples have to endure in passing through the many locks in the canal. (source: Wikipedia)

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Now we come to the stamp booklet. As I have already stated, the booklet contained 6 stamps. All stamps have the same value 1.15kr. I will study each stamp as it appears in the booklet from the top down. 

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The first stamp depicts the canal boat, Juno. This is the stamp that first inspired me to have a look at the works of Slania. Words of description could only belittle the stamp. It speaks for itself...

The Juno was built in 1874 in Motala. She is 31.45 m long and she hosts 29 cabins. For a look inside the Juno click HERE

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The next stamp depicts a canal boat - like Juno - descending through three of the canal's many locks. The height differences in the canal are truly amazing, and this stamp captures the journey in stunning detail.

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The next stamp gives us a glimpse of a lock gate from the high side on the canal.

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In this stamp we see a lady operating the mechanism for a lock gate.

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The next stamp depicts a sailing boat entering a lock. The boat and the people in the background provide a sense of scale, illustrating how narrow the locks actually are.

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Using a canoe for scale, this next stamp illustrates the size of a lock gate. The detail in the timber is superb!

What a wonderful set! I hope you enjoyed studying this booklet as much as I did. Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!