I Received - A Terrific Denmark Cover!

Just before Christmas last year I purchased some Faroe Islands stamps from a seller in Denmark as a bit of a stocking gift to myself. What I certainly didn't expect was an extra gift in the form of an excellent cover upon which were attached quite a few Slania engraved stamps. Wanna take a look? Yes?

Well, here is it is. Isn't it a beauty?

I really appreciate it when a seller goes that extra yard to give the collector something special for their collection. If only there were more sellers as caring as this.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Review - Czeslaw Slania: Catalogue of Works

Last year I gave you all a running commentary on my purchase, and eventual receipt, of Czeslaw Slania: Catalogue of Works by Janusz Dunst. After receiving the book in the mail I promised I'd write my own review of it. Well, it has taken rather a lot longer than I had anticipated to write it, but here it is, warts and all...

First of all I really need to stress that the thoughts expressed in this review are solely my own, and I'm sure there are those out there who have different opinions. If you feel differently to what I think please add your thoughts to the comments. I love hearing from fellow collectors! With that said, let's get into it.

The first step would be to take a look at the overall presentation of the book, which I think is excellent. It is hardcover, so very resilient to the rigours of regularly leaving through it. There are 230 pages, and they have been printed on thick, glossy paper, which I find quite robust. The only downside here, which is slight, is that the book is a little heavy. There is even an attached ribbon bookmark, which is a nice touch. So for presentation I'd give the book 10/10. This aspect of the book really is fantastic.

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Next we come to the layout, or overall design of information contained within the book. In general, this is also excellent. Every stamp is shown in full colour, and many of Slania's designs which never made it to stamps are showcased as full page images - a very nice touch. There is also a loose leaf article on Slania's Art School Graduation Project. It's a pity this wasn't finished in time to be added to the book, as the loose pages swimming in the book aren't ideal. For design I give the book 9/10.

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Now for some of the critical areas of the catalogue. How useful was the information in the catalogue? One thing I really did like was the way information was presented for Swedish booklets. An easy to read numbered table is provided to illustrate the different perforation types of each stamp. This is very handy, especially if, like me, you intend on collecting all booklet positions of, say, the Gustaf VI definitive stamps. I give this aspect 10/10.  

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One of the few things I was unhappy with was the lack of information given for each stamp. Now, I know space restrictions prevent a lengthy description of what each and every stamp is. But I felt a little more info could be added. I still find myself having to refer to Ann Mette Heindorff's wonderful Slania site for basic information. This I found a little sad. So for this aspect of the book I can't give it any more than 5/10. 

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Overall my score is 34/40, which is pretty good , I must say.

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I do, however, have some criticisms. One thing that I was hoping would be in the catalogue but is unfortunately lacking is an easy reference table of the number of stamps he engraved for each country and what year he started engraving for that country. For me this would be a very handy tool to have. 

Also, I would've liked for the numbering system to include a running total of the number of stamps he engraved. What I mean by this is if I, say, wanted to find out what his 55th engraved stamp was, I'd just need to flick through the book till I found number 55. This would've been absolutely fantastic!

So would I recommend this book to anyone? Well, that actually depends. If you're the type who doesn't get to the computer much or simply prefers books, then I would say go out and grab the book right now! But if you don't mind using the net, then, honestly, I have found that I hardly use the book because I get more information from the Heindorff site. This has left me feeling, overall, a bit disappointed. Purely because I personally wanted more out of the book. Others may think differently, since this is purely my own opinion, based on how I like to use catalogues and what I expect from them. Ultimately, I can't say one way or another if this book is for you, but maybe the information I have given can help you decide.

With all this said, I just re-read this review, and I asked myself: would I still buy this book, knowing what I now know? I have to honestly say - absolutely. It still is a nice book with lots of lovely stamp pics!

I hope my comments weren't too confusing and were of help in some small way.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy! 

Faroe Islands 1975 - Ancient Maps

In 1975 Faroe Islands issued its first postage stamps. And what better engraver than the one and only Czeslaw Slania to get your postage stamp history on the map?

Did I say map? Well, it just so happens that the theme for the Faroe Islands first issue is ancient maps. And I think they are absolutely beautiful. There are seven stamps in the set, three of which depict a map from 1673 by Lucas Jacobsen Debes. The map is taken from the book Faeroae et Faeroa Reservata. The other four stamps all depict the same small fragment of a larger Nordic Countries map by Abraham Ortelius, drawn in 1573. Another version of this map was printed on a stamp sheet, again engraved by Slania, and issued by Iceland, but more on that later.

Let's first take a look at the three stamps depicting the 1673 map. The man responsible for the map was one Lucas Jabobsen Debes. Debes was a priest, topographer, and a writer, specialising in the Faroe Islands. The map we are talking about here is the first known map of the Faroe Islands. This is an image of the actual map...

From this map Slania engraved a charming stamp that was printed in three different colours for the different denominations...

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As I said earlier, there are another four stamps in this set. The image on these stamps is a section of a larger map by Abraham Ortelius. This is an image of the original map...

Instead of squeezing the entire map onto a regular stamp, Slania chose to highlight a small section of the map. Incorporating both ships and the Nordic Countries, centre left of the map, Slania has produced a lovely image - in my opinion.

Isn't the detail just exquisite! Check out those ships. I know I'm biased toward ships, but they are great, aren't they. In fact, let's take a closer look at the ship to the bottom left...

Considering this image is but a tiny section of a small design, the detail here is truly staggering. Love it! What do you think?

But the story of this stamp doesn't end here. Slania returned to this map in 1984, producing a full version of it on mini-sheet for the Iceland Nordia Exhibition of 84 and 91. This map and the other maps he did in this series are masterpieces in their own right. I plan on writing a blog for each of these lovely mini-sheets, so I'll leave the images of them for those blogs.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Update - Faroe Islands 1978

Just a short note to let you all know I have just swapped the images on my Faroe Islands Library blog post with my own, higher res stamps. The additional clarity really makes a difference! Click HERE to take a look...

Enjoy!

Stay Slania Crazy!

Faroe Islands 1978 - National Library

1978 was the 150th anniversary of the Faroe Islands National Library. Czeslaw Slania engraved a set of two stamps to commemorate this event. In case you are interested the Faroe Islands are part of the kingdom of Denmark. The 18 island archipelago is located in the North Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and Norway.

The National Library of the Faroe Islands has a rather interesting history. It is a public library for residents of the island, and it is also used as a research library. The library is home to the largest collection of works written in Faroese. The library was the brainchild of the Danish governor, Christian Ludvig Tillisch, who in 1828, along with his Amtsrevisor, and Danish scholar, Carl Christian Rafn, began assembling works, creating the 'Faroe County Library'. The collection rapidly grew to over 2,000 volumes, and by 1830 the library had its own building. The library's first decade was a great success. by 1850 the collection grew to 5,000 volumes. But due to a change in funding the library went into a long period of decline. In fact, it wasn't until 1921 that it once again began to flourish under the linguist, Mads Andreas Jacobsen, who also was a trained librarian. The library was even used as a rallying point for national writers and politicians during the Faroese Language Conflict. Perhaps it is not out of place to imagine clandestine meetings around a table in a dark corner of the library, the participants talking in hushed voices as the light from the lone candle on the centre of the table danced over their faces... Or perhaps not :)

In 1931 to library moved into another building. This is where the first of Slania's two stamps enters the picture. In 1937 Danish artist, Flora Heilmann, produced a watercolour painting of the National Library. Try as I might, I haven't been able to find an image of that painting. If one is interested, apparently a poster sized print of the painting can be purchased from the library. Anyway, I digress. It was this painting that Slania used as his model for the first stamp in the library set. I have no idea what the colour painting looks like, but Slania's monotone stamp is simply stunning.

Fast-forwarding to 1980, we find the library in a different building again. this time a purpose built building. Personally, I'm not much of a fan of boxlike industrial architecture so I'm not all that inspired by the building that houses the present library. Slania's second stamp in the set captures this building in all its - well - glory, I suppose! What do you think?

Just as a bit of an addendum, as of 2013, the country now has 18 municipal libraries and 13 school libraries, and an Art Muesum library and a few others.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Muse on My Slania Crazy Goals for 2016

I'd like to wish all of my Slania collecting buddies out there a big Happy New Year!

2015 wasn't a great year for me. I spent most of the year weighed down by a shocking illness that sapped all my desire to do stamping, and other stamping stuff such as writing my blogs. But now I am getting on top of the illness and it is now a New Year.

I really look forward to 2016. I have plenty of new goals to strive to achieve,  one of these goals being spending more time on my stamps and on this blog and my other blogs. Although I haven't much felt like stamping and blogging for most of the year, I have been still buying stamps for my collection. In fact, I just pulled all of my purchases out and, whoa!, I have a heck of a lot to do. The pile is quite substantial. I had no idea I had purchased so much through the year!

I have more stamps from Poland to add - in fact, I'm quite close to completing my Poland collection. I now have a complete collection of Iceland to be sorted, albumed, and scanned. I have some more Monaco stamps, some banknotes,  and even some really cool covers! And I know some of you are waiting for my review of the Slania catalogue I purchased in 2015. I promise that is on its way too!

So, until my next blog, hopefully the first of many for 2016, be well, and...

Stay Slania Crazy!