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!
This reminds me of Leopoldo Mendez's print of Posada in his workshop:
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Yes, it certainly has similarities. Thanks for taking a look at my blog. :)
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Matt
Sven Ewert and M.R. Polak were students of the famous Austrian engraver F. Schirnbock.
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