I Muse...On a Nice Supplemental Stamp

This morning over coffee I was reading Issue 2 of Close Up (the quarterly newsletter of the Czeslaw Slania Study Group) and I came across a really great idea to supplement a Slania collection. So I thought I'd share it.

First, though, it is probably a good idea to establish a bit of Slania history. The die-hards would already know this, but I'm still learning stuff, so bear with me. In 1956 Slania left Poland and moved to Sweden. Initially there wasn't any work for him with the Swedish Post Office. In fact, in 1959, after still not being able to secure an engraving position, he was planning to move to begin working for the Canadian Banknote Company. Then, one of Sweden's master engravers took ill and Slania was offered his position. He began work for the Swedish Post Office in Stockholm on 1 October, 1959. The engraver he replaced was Sven Ewert, who worked for Sweden's Postal authorities from 1928 to the 1950's.

Now we come to the supplemental stamp I mentioned earlier. In 1986, Sweden and the US issued a joint commemorative set of stamps in booklet format. The subject of one of the stamps in the booklet is Sven Ewert - the man Slania replaced. This stamp was not engraved by Slania, But the connection, I think, is rather cool and could add a bit of extra colour to a Slania collection  And it's a quite attractive stamp, too!

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Interview... Roos Philately

One of the things that makes hobbies fun for me is the like-minded people you meet on your journey. I really get a kick out of chatting with people who have the same interests and passions as myself. Taking this into consideration, I thought to myself: 'Wouldn't it be fun to chronicle my stamp conversations with fellow Slania collectors in blog form!' I asked a couple of stamp buddies, and they seemed really keen on the idea. So I then thought: 'How do I go about this?' The answer came to me while I was outside gardening (another of my loves). I recalled reading, and really liking, the section in Stamp Magazine in which collectors were interviewed. I decided that was the way to go.

The first person I chose to interview was a fellow Aussie, who I speak to a lot over Facebook. We both share a love of Slania stamps and have fun chatting about him. He goes by the name Roos Philately. And I reckon he's the perfect choice for this the first in my 'I Interview...' series. So without further ado let's get into it. I hope you enjoy...

Slania Crazy: First of all thanks for taking the time to have a chat, Roos.

Roos Philately: My pleasure.

Q: When did you start collecting Slania stamps?

A: I started collecting the engraved stamps of Czeslaw Slania back in 2011.

Q: What drew you to start collecting Slania?

A: I'd have to say that it is the extreme detail that he puts into his work.

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

A: This is a very difficult question to answer as I have a few favourites, but if I had to choose one stamp in particular it'd have to be this stamp from Sweden "The Waxholm Boat."

The stamp shows the S.S. Storskar (former S.S. Strangenas Express) which is one of the large steam-powered archipelago ships still in operation. The ship was built in 1908 in Gothenburg. This lovely stamp was designed by Lemnart Peterson from a photograph, and engraved by Czeslaw Slania. The stamp was recess printed on fluorescent paper in blue and brown, by the Post Office Stamp Printing Works located in Stockholm.

I chose this stamp as a favourite due to the level of detail within the stamp, especially on the ship itself and the building in the centre background.

Q: Where do you usually get your Slania stamps?

A:The majority of the time I purchase them on-line from ebay, Delcampe, Bidstart, and the Stanley Gibbons Marketplace. I also purchase some at stamp fairs from dealers, and out of Circuit Books if I can find them in Mint Never Hinged condition.

Q: What references do you like using?

A:The on-line references I use are:-

•  www.slaniastamps-heindorffhus.com
• www.theburinofczeslawslania.com
• www.japhila.cz/hof/0451/index0451a.htm

I also have a couple of books:-

• Life work of Slania, edited by Harold Ashby Short (pdf version)
• Czeslaw Slania: Catalogue of Works, by Janusz Dunst 

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

A: The first purchase for my Slania collection was the 1993 Monaco Birds of Prey set

It isn't hard to see why these stamps helped with the choice to start collecting the work of Slania.

Q: Do you collect any other engravers?

A: I am currently only collecting the stamps engraved by Czeslaw Slania.

Q: What are your other stamp specialisms?

A: I have a real interest in the King George V issues of Australia. I really like looking over them for varieties and flaws.

Q: How do you store your Slania stamps?

A: They are currently housed in Hagner pages in folders. Later down the track I will consider other ways to store them.

Q: Do you have any collecting tips to share?

A: I believe in having fun when collecting stamps, be that Slania's engraved stamps or any other stamp collecting interest you may have.

I'd like to thank Roos Philately again for taking part in this new series. If anyone else out there wishes to participate, please let me know in the comments.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Muse...On One More to Get!

Isn't it always the way that when you come to the last stamp you need for a year set or - as in this case - a country set and you simply cannot find it anywhere!

I am now right near the end of collecting a copy of all the stamps Slania engraved for Poland. I have been collecting his Polish issues ad hoc so the stamp I can't find is not his last for Poland. The elusive stamp for me is the 1954 1,40zt 10th anniversary of the Second Republic in Liberated Poland. This is the offending stamp...

I can buy this stamp as a part of the set of ten. But the prices for a mint set are way too far out of my price range. So I'm hunting for it individually. This, so far anyway, is turning out to be more difficult then searching for a needle in an entire field of hay!

If anyone out there spots a mint one for sale on either Delcampe or ebay please give me a shout. I would massively appreciate it.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Poland 1953 - Wawel Castle

Wawel Castle is located in Krakow, Poland. It was built for Casimir III the Great, who reigned through the middle of the 14th Century from 1333 to 1370. It consisted of a number of buildings arranged around a central courtyard. 

It was rebuilt later in the 14th Century by Jogaila and Jadwiga of Poland. Incidently, Jadwiga, aka Hedwig, was the first female monarch of Poland. She reigned from 1384 till her death in 1399. Additional sections were added to the castle during the rebuild. One area known as the Jogaila and Jadwiga Chamber held the Szczerbiec sword, which was used in coronation ceremonies. This sword still resides in the castle and is part of a public exhibit. 

In the 16th Century the castle was further refurbished by King Sigismund I the Old. He hired Italian architects and sculptures a well as German decorators, transforming the castle into a beautiful renaissance palace.

For centuries, this castle was the residence for Polish monarchs, making it a valuable historical landmark and a representation of Polish statehood. 

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On 10 November 1953, Poland issued a set of three stamps to celebrate 'Renaissance Year'. Czeslaw Slania engraved one of the stamps in this set. Slania's engraving is based on a photo by St. Kolowca. The stamp depicts the Renaissance inner courtyard of the castle.

Looking at my Slania catalogue, I discovered that this stamp contains one of Slania's hidden names. Or is there two? (more on that in a moment) If you look closely at the third floor, centre left of the stamp, you will see a name engraved above the window. The name PILCH can be just made out. Pilch was a friend of Slania. Here's a close-up:

According to the Heindorff website there is another hidden name on this stamp in the spot I have marked...

When I zoom in on this spot, I have to admit I can't see anything, not that I'm saying there is nothing there! But while studying this area I DID find something else. Well, I think I did. Here's a close-up of what I found at the base of the pillar to the right of the window.

This looks to me remarkably like 'SL' with the strike-through on the L. This is exactly the same as the way Slania engraved his name at the bottom of the stamp.

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In 1956 this stamp was reissued with four different denomination change overprints. When I zoom in on each of these stamps, I can no longer find the markings that I believe say 'SL'. Below is a close-up of the 60 GR overprint, which, as you can see, no longer includes the letters.

When I zoom in on the other three overprints I find a similar scenario. Except for the 10 GR, which seems to have a slight remnant of the letters. 

You can just make out the struck-through 'L'.

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Now I am far from an expert of Polish Philately, so I'm calling on all you guys out there who are. Firstly, were the overprints a separate printing in 1956? Or were the overprints done on surplus stock? Was this stamp printed from multiple plates? Were the plate/plates retouched in any way? I'm keenly interested to find out.

This may all just be my imagination, but I reckon this could very well be another hidden name. And for all I know it is already documented elsewhere. What do you think? Is this mentioned somewhere as a hidden name?

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Poland 1952

Year Set.

10th Anniversary of Poland Workers Union (Slania Design)

18 January

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5th Death Anniversary of General K. Swierczewsky-Walter

28 March

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Aircraft Over Poland

10 April

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100th Anniversary of the Death of Nicoli Gogol

5 June

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International Children's Day (Slania Design)
1 June

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Concrete Factory, Weirzbica (Slania Design)
Issued 17 June

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70th Anniversary of Workers Organization

31 July

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Day of Shipyard Workers (Slania Design)

Issued 28 June

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New Jaworzno Power Plant (Slania Design)

Issued 7 August

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Aviation Day (Slania Design)
Issued 23 August

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Birth Millenary of Ibn Sina
Issued 1 September

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150th Anniversary of the Birth of Victor Hugo
Issued 1 September

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150th Anniversary of the Birth of Henryk Sienkiewicz
Issued 25 October

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Automobile Factory in Zeran
Issued 12 December

Poland 1952 - Aviation Day

To celebrate Poland's Aviation Day in 1952 a set of three stamps, two semi-postal and one standard post, were issued on 23 August. The high value of the semi-postal stamps of the set, the 45+15 GR, was designed by Slania. Interestingly, while compiling my Slania stamps of 1952, I noticed that with most of them he was responsible for the design only. The Aviation Day is one such example. The stamp was engraved by M.R. Polak. I have seen the name Polak on many a Poland stamp. I am assuming these were all done by the same Polak, but I could be wrong. And thanks to some info from a follower, Keram, I have discovered that Slania was in fact Polak's student. I love getting new info like this!

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This stamp is an absolute stunner. The more I look at it the more it is becoming a favourite.

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Speaking of looking at the stamp, I have done quite a lot of that while working on this blog. I have spent a fair bit of time trying to identify the type of plane depicted on the stamp. Here I must thank Keram for assisting me in the identification of the plane. It is a Zuch- 2.

The Zuch was a Polish aerobatics and training aircraft built in 1948 by LWD (Lotnicze Warsztaty Doświadczaine). The Zuch-2 was LWD's second prototype. It had a radial engine with seven cylinders. There is a bump out in the cowling for each of the cylinders. It was first flown on 1 April 1949. This plane was also a trainer so it seated two - the trainee pilot and the instructor. LWD built 5 of this type of plane, all of which were in service to aero clubs. I am assuming then, that at least one of these planes appeared at Poland's Aviation Day in 1952.

If you are interested in Polish aircraft, give THIS site a look.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Brazil 1984 - Oswaldo Cruz "Ancient Currency" Banknote

In a blog post I wrote last year I studied the 1986 "New Currency" version of Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz banknote. Click HERE to view the blog post. At the time I didn't have a copy of the "Ancient Currency" version of the banknote. Well, late last year I managed to find one. Now, I am no banknote expert, but I don't need to be to know it is in pretty poor condition. One day I'll grab one in better condition, but for now this one will suffice.

This banknote was issued in 1984 and it has a denomination of 50,000 cruzeiros

Obverse

Reverse

You may remember that in last year's blog, I mentioned that there was the possibility that Slania worked on the trees on the reverse of the banknote only. I have since discovered that he aided a protégé of his by working on the trees with him. Does anyone know if this is true?

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Poland 1952 - International Children's Day

International Children's Day was established by the Women's International Democratic Federation at its congress in Moscow on 1 June 1950. It is now celebrated in many countries. In 1952 International Children's Day was introduced in Poland. It is celebrated there on 1 June coinciding with its establishment day. This day falls at the beginning of summer in Poland, which happens to be the beginning of the school holidays, so it is treated as a holiday. During the first week of June various festivities take place in parks and entertainment centres for the children to enjoy. On this day parents also give their children a small gift. Cool!

On 1 June, Poland issued a commemorative semi-postal stamp for International Children's Day. This stamp was designed by Czeslaw Slania. It was printed in photogravue (thanks Keram for the stamp details).

This stamp features President Boleslaw Bierut strolling through a field of flowers with a group of school girls. Bierut was President of The People's Republic of Poland twice. From 1944-47 and from 1947-52. The People's Republic was founded on 31 December 1944 while under the protection of the Soviets. Bierut was the first and last President of the People's Republic. The position of President was abolished on 20 November 1944, just six months after this stamp was issued.

I have to admit that the image chosen for this stamp isn't exactly one of my favourites. I don't really like it much at all. It just screams propaganda to me, which could well have been the intention of the issue. 

There is an interesting little titbit about this stamp. An irregularity for Slania, I guess you could say. Can you see it? If you answered that Slania's' name does not appear on the stamp, you are correct! I wonder why? Perhaps because he designed but didn't engrave it.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Faroe Islands 1976 - Opening of Faroese Post Office

On 1 April 1976, the Faroese Post Office was established as an independent body. The first two stamps celebrating this event were engraved by Slania. Both stamps are inscribed Postverk Foroya with the date of the Post Office opening.

The first stamp depicts a Faroe Islands postman carrying a stout walking stick, and a bag of letters strapped to his back. This is quite a stunning image which Slania engraved from a photo by Otto Blehr. I did a bit of a Google search to see if I could find anything on this guy, and all I managed to find was an Otto Blehr who was the Prime Minister of Norway, who died in 1927, well before the photo in question woukd have been taken. So I guess he's not our man! According to the Heindorff site, the postman's name is J.P. Henriksen.  

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The second stamp in the set is one that is right down my alley, seeing as though I'm heavily into boats and ships on stamps. This lovely stamp depicts a Faroese boat sitting atop some raw building materials. This style of boat derives from the Viking long boat. They are traditionally a rowing boat, constructed in the clinker method - in this method the planks overlap forming stepped sides.

Here is an image of an actual Faroese boat, sourced from the website: faroestrands.wordpress.com

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!