Argentina 1985 - J.B. Alberdi Banknote

Czeslaw Slania engraved two banknotes for Argentina. The first was issued in 1984 with a value of 5000 Pesos Argentinos. The Pesos Argentinos was in use from 1983-85. In 1985 these banknotes were overprinted with 5 Australs, the new currency. The Austral was in use until 1991.  In this blog I will study the 1985 version of the banknote, which is identical to the original except for the addition of the 5 Austral overprint box (on the left side of the obverse and the right side of the reverse). The second banknote he engraved for Argentina was the 1993 50 pesos value. I'll cover this banknote in a future blog (after I've managed to buy it!).

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The obverse of the 5 Austral banknote is dominated by the portrait of Juan Bautista Alberdi, an Argentine diplomat and political theorist.

He was born in San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, on 29 August 1810. In 1814 his counrty was plunged into Civil War. The political tensions surrounding the Civil War cultivated in Alberdi a growing interest in such affairs. It became clear from his early career that he disagreed with the current political situation in Argentina. He was a founding member of the "Generation of 37", a group of liberal intellectuals. They criticised both factions of the Argentine Civil Wars; the Federals were too violent and the unitarians totally incapable of rule. The group was especially opposed to the Governor, Juan Manuel Rosas. The group was eventually discovered by Rosas' government and most of its members emigrated to other countries. Alberdi emigrated to Uruguay in 1838. This marked the beginning of his exile, which lasted most of his life. Whilst in exile he attained a Law Degree and he did a lot of writing which included theatre plays.

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In 1852 Juan Manuel Rosas' government was overthrown. Alberdi was instrumental in establishing a new constitution. The image on the reverse of the banknote depicts a meeting to discuss the writing of the new constitution. The engraving on this image is fantastic. From the expressions on the faces, most of which seem different, to the lovely balloon back chairs. Even the cloth draped over the table has a life of its own.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Sweden 1960 - World Refugee Year

Fifteen years after World War II there were still many refugees held in camps in Europe under deplorable conditions. In 1960, an initiative to sort this horrible situation out was put forth by the United Nations. The programme was launched with the goal to "clear the camps". It achieved excellent results. By the end of 1960 all refugee camps in Europe were officially closed.

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On 7 April 1960 Sweden issued a set of two stamps for World Refugee Year. One of the two stamps was engraved by Czeslaw Slania. The stamp engraved by Slania is incredibly poignant, and reflects the sadness and crowded conditions those unfortunate enough to be in these camps must have felt.

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The other stamp in this set was engraved by Arne Wallhorn. It depicts the uprooted oak emblem.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Found...An Excellent Tribute Essay

Yesterday I was once again perusing the Czeslaw Slania Study Group's newsletter Up Close. In it I stumbled across an excellent essay paying tribute to the work of Slania. I thought it would be really nice to share it on this blog. The essay was written by Alice Archie. It was printed in Vol. 1 No. 5 1986. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Muse...On Title Pages

For some time now I'm been pondering the idea of title pages for each country in my Slania collection. At present I use hagners to house my stamps, so for continuity purposes within the stamp folder I intend to use single strip hagners in which to place the title pages. That means the pages need to be designed to fit in this space...

This space is smaller than a regular A4 page, so I would need to add a border of these dimensions and cut the printed out page to fit. So far, so good.

Thinking about the design of the title pages, I don't want anything too busy. I want to try to convey simple clarity. I then had the idea to add a watermark to the page. At first I considered one of my favourite Slania stamps. I tried a few, but I found them too busy, making it difficult to read the text of the title. 

A few days ago it was the anniversary of Slania's death. While working on a tribute blog I came across a nice postcard image of Slania designed by Lars Sjööblom. I took the image and fiddled with it, turning it to gray-scale on Publisher and lightening it so it became a watermark. I then added a bit of text just to see what it would look like. This is what I have so far. It is by no means complete, but I like the look of it so far...

What do you think? Any thoughts? Ideas?

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Muse...On Czeslw Slania's Titles and Medals

Today is 17 March, which is the 11th Anniversary of the death of the stamp engraving virtuoso, Czeslaw Slania.

To commemorate this day, I was originally planning to do a bit of a biography of Slania. But then I thought, maybe it would be better to focus instead on the awards and titles he received during his amazing career. And there are plenty of them, let me tell you!

Below is a list of the awards and titles he received that I could find. I have no idea if it is complete, but even if it is, it is mightily impressive:

• He was appointed Court Engraver to King Gustav VI Adolph of Sweden.

• He was awarded the Order of the Dannebrog by Queen Margaret II of Denmark...

• He was awarded he King's Medal of the Eighth Size with Royal Blue Ribbon by King Karol XVI Gustav of Sweden...

• Order of Saint Charles awarded by Prince Rainier III of Monaco...

• The Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland awarded by President Aleksander Kwasniewski...

• Order of Saint Gregory awarded by Pope John Paul II...

• Guinness Book of Records for the largest ever engraved stamp, which was also his 1000th engraved stamp. Issued in Sweden on 17 March 2000, which I only just now realised is the same date as his death five years later.

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His amazing stamp engraving career notwithstanding, Czeslaw Slania's awards and titles are truly something to be admired.

On 17 March 2005 the supremely talented artist, Czeslaw Slania, died at the age of 83 in Krakow and he was buried in the Rakowicki Cemetery. Your stunning visual legacy lives on and will continue do to so for, I hope, a long time to come. Your work has certainly touched and inspired me. You are a legend, Mr Slania!!

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Sweden 1960 - Anders Zorn

I've always been a bit of a fan of discovering firsts. What was the first stamp for a particular country? What was the first decimal stamp for that country? And so on... In this blog I'm looking forward to studying Czeslaw Slania's first stamp for Sweden. As most Slania collectors out there probably already know, Slania emigrated from Poland and moved to Sweden in 1956. He lived in Sweden for three years before he was given a position with the Swedish Post Office after one of Sweden's premiere engravers, Sven Ewert took ill and needed replacing. The first stamp Slania engraved for Sweden was issued in 1960 in two values. Let's now take a look at the subject of the stamp, then the stamp itself...

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Anders Zorn was an incredibly gifted Swedish artist. He was born 18 February 1860 on the farm of his grandparents in Yvraden in the parish of Morna, Dalarna. He studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts from 1875 to 1880. There he dazzled his teachers with his amazing talent. 

Zorn quickly became and international success, practising his art in places such as London, Spain, Paris, Italy and the United States. He is primarily known for his character-filled portraits. And he painted more than a few famous people, including three American Presidents, the King of Sweden, Oscar II, the Queen consort of Sweden and Norway, Queen Sophia, and Mrs Walter Bacon to name but a few. He was also an exceptionally talented landscape artist. In fact, it was one of his landscapes, Sommamoje, that fetched the highest sale price ever for a painting in Sweden. It sold for a whopping 26 million SEK on 3 June 2010. He also painted incredibly life-like nude portraits. Click HERE for some examples of his work. Anders Zorn died at the age of 60 on 22 August 1920.

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On 18 February 1960, Sweden issued a commemortive stamp in two values, depicting the artist, Anders Zorn. The design was engraved by Czeslaw Slania. As mentioned above, this was his first full stamp engraving for Sweden.

The 30o value. From a vertical coil. This stamp was also printed in booklet format.

This is a lovely engraving of the artist, based on an etching produced by the artist. This image suggests to me the artist, Zorn, sitting and ruminating over a potential subject with pencil poised over an art pad ready to pounce the moment inspiration strikes. In the bottom left just above the country name is a reproduction of Zorn's signature, almost as if he had signed off on the work.

The 80o value. From a vertical coil...

As mentioned above, this stamp was based on an etched self-portrait by Zorn. I'd like to thank a couple of my followers for giving me this information. Here's what the etching looked like...

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Sweden 1978 - Edible Mushrooms

On October 7 1978 Sweden issued a lovely booklet of six stamps, the theme of which was edible mushrooms. All six stamps were engraved by Czeslaw Slania. The booklet was printed se-tenant in two rows of three stamps. The top three stamps are imperforated (imperf.) along the top, and the bottom three stamps are imperf. along the bottom. In this blog I shall number each stamp in the booklet from 1 to 6 starting in the top left and moving across, like this...

Important: I'd like to add a word of warning before I get going with the description of the mushrooms in the stamp booklet. These mushrooms are listed as edible, but there are many species of mushrooms that are deadly poisonous. Never eat a mushroom unless you are absolutely certain it is edible. If unsure, leave it be! 

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The 1,15 Kr Russula decolorans. Position 1 in the booklet.

The Russula decolorans has a dull orange to coppery orange cap. They are often found on conifers - which which they have a symbiotic relationship (growing together for mutual benefit). They also grow in woods and on the ground in groups or alone. R. decolorans can be found in the USA and Europe, but they are rare in the UK except in Scotland. They are often harvested for food in Finland.

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The 1,15 Kr Lycoperdon peratum. Position 2 in the booklet.

The Lycoperdon perlatum has a white to cream colour. It is popularly called 'the common puffball, warted puffball, or if you are slightly more daring, the devil's snuffbox. L. perlatum s a widespread species that grows in fields, gardens, roadsides, wooded areas, and clearings. It can be found throughout North America and Europe.

As far as edibility goes, L. perlatum can be eaten when young. They have been referred to as 'poor man's sweatbread'. They can be crumbed and fried or used in soups as a substitute for dumplings.

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The 1,15 Kr Macrolepiota procera. Position 3 in the booklet.

The Macrolepiota procera is popularly known as the parasol mushroom due to its large fruiting body, which resembles a parasol. M. procera can be found globally in temperate regions. This mushroom is very popular in Europe due to its size - it can reach a height of 40cm - and versatility in the kitchen. 

The parasol mushroom is slightly toxic uncooked, so it should be never eaten raw. It can, however, be cooked in a variety of ways. Sautéed in melted butter. It can be crumbed and pan fried. There is a Slovak recipe in which the cap of the mushroom is stuffed with ground pork, oregano, and garlic, and then baked.

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The 1,15 Kr Cantharellus cibarius. Position 4 in the booklet.

The Cantharellus cibarius is popularly known as the chanterelle. It has a beautiful vibrant orange colour and is considered an excellent edible mushroom. It can be found in Northern Europe, North America (including Mexico), Asia, and many parts of Africa. Chanterelles tend to grow in clusters in mossy coniferous areas, and in birch forests.

Chanterelles have a wide variety of culinary uses. They can be included in sautés, soufflés, soups, and cream sauces. They can also be dried and crushed, then used as seasoning on sauces and soups. In fact, some chefs believe dried chanterelles have more flavour than those that are fresh.  

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The 1,15 Kr Boletus edulis. Position 5 in the booklet.

The Boletus edulis has many different common names depending on the country in which you reside. The English call it the penny bun. In Italy it is called the hog mushroom. In Austria it is called the noble mushroom. There are many other common names for this popular mushroom. B. edulis is wide spread in the Northern Hemisphere. It does not occur naturally in the Southern Hemisphere, but it has been introduced in such places as southern Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. It can be found in deciduous and coniferous forests.

This mushroom is a highly regarded edible. It can be used in soups, pastas, and risottos. It can also be dried and pickled.

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The 1,15 Kr Ramaria botrytis. Position 6 in the booklet.

The Ramaria botrytis is commonly known as the clustered coral, the pink-tipped coral mushroom, or the cauliflower coral. It is widely found in North Africa, North America, central and eastern Europe, Asia, and Australia.

This mushroom is sold in Japan for culinary purposes as Nedzumi-take. In Italy it is stewed or pickled in oil. It can also be thinly sliced and dried.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

Sweden 1978 - Brown Bear

The Ursus Arctos better known as the Brown Bear, is the largest terrestrial carnivoran.  It can stand upwards of 150 cm at the shoulder, and an adult can weigh in at an impressive 640 kg. The Brown Bear can be found lumbering about India, Canada, China, United States (particularly Alaska), Scandinavia, and parts of Russia. There are many recognised subspecies of the Brown Bear. Click HERE for more details.

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On April 11 1978, Sweden issued a stamp, engraved by Czeslaw Slania, which, I think is truly stunning...

The subject of the stamp is a Brown Bear stalking the bogs of Sörvattnet, Härjedalen. Czeslaw Slania engraved this stamp from a photograph. And he has done a superb job. The detail is exquisite. One can almost see the muscles of this majestic creature rippling beneath its thick fur as it travels the bogs, hunting for a good feed.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Interview...Keram from Poland

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

Slania Crazy: Thank you very much for participting in my "I Interview..." series.
Keram: You are welcome.

Q: When did you start collecting Slania stamps?

A: I became seriously interested in the stamps of Czeslaw Slania back in 2007 after I purchased Czeslaw Slania: Catalogue of Works, by Janusz Dunst. From that moment on I was hooked, and I have now gathered almost all the stamps engraved and designed by Slania,some banknotes and also many other items related to Slania, such as folders, booklets, cards, FDC's, maximum cards, cancellations etc...

Q: What drew you to start collecting Slania?

A: He was a Pole like myself and a great artist. He was the author of over 1000 stamps, and he was a champion engraver, which earned him the position of court engraver for the Swedish king. Also important for me was the fact that he was an artist renowned throughout the world, not just Poland. Another thing that impresses me is his engraving technique. He was able to engrave seven lines per millimetre, which created amazing detail and enabled him to include microprints. I commend his hard, painstaking work, using only burins and loupes. On top of all this he was a descent person, with a great personality and sense of humour. He was always willing to share with collectors many anecdotes and interesting stories from his life. And last but not least, he saw the world in lines and points.

Q: What is your favourite Slania stamp, and why is it your favourite?
A: It is very hard to choose one fvourite stamp. If I had to choose one it'd have to be the Ksiaz Castle Souvenir Sheet issued in Poland in 1999.

This stamp is special to me as it looks so realistic. So much detail in such a small space.

Q: Where do you usually get your Slania stamps?
A: I prefer to do exchanges with other Slania collectors. And I have or have had connections with collectors from the USA, Spain, Great Britain, and Sweden. I have even had contact with a close friend of Slania's. I have purchased items from both foreign and Polish auctions. I also get many items from Polish Web Shops.

Q: What references do you like using?

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

•  www.slaniastamps-heindorffhus.com
• www.theburinofczeslawslania.com
• Slania engraving Yahoo mailing list
• Bulletins and Polish magazines
• And Slania Crazy, of course!

Books:-

• Life work of Slania, edited by Harold Ashby Short
• Czeslaw Slania: Catalogue of Works, by Janusz Dunst
• Slania II, by Zygmunt Jagodzinski
• My Great Artists, by Zygmunt Jagodzinski 

Q: Do you remember what your first Slania stamp was?
A: I don't really remember, but it would have to be one from 1950's Poland. I do, however, remember my first foreign Slania stamp. It was a pair of USA Christmas stamps depicting the Madonna and child. This item is signed by Slania in the margin. I got this from a colleague.

Q: Do you collect any other engravers?

A: Yes, I have some Piotr Naszarkowski stamps. He was another great Polish engraver, and successor to Czeslaw Slania. They even did some stamps together.

Q: What are your other stamp specialisms?

A: Besides Slania stamps, I collect West Germany, Berlin, Austria, and the early years of Poland.

Q: How do you store your Slania stamps?

A: I keep my stamps, cards, and FDC's in albums. And I have many, many boxes both small and large containing various items.

Q: Do you have any collecting tips to share?

A: It is important to establish contacts with other Slania collectors. And if you store your collection in boxes, it is essential to label the boxes with a description of the contents.

I'd like to thank Keram 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!

Poland 1951 - General Dabrowski Revisited

In one of my first ever Slania Crazy! blogs last year, I did a review of Poland's 80th Anniversary of the Paris Commune stamp. You can check out that blog HERE. In the blog I discussed the fact that the portrait on the stamp was not that of General Jaroslaw Dubrowski as it should have been, but Henryk Dabrowski, the painter and composer. At the time I didn't know a lot about the stamp, so I questioned how it was known that the portraits were wrong. Well, I finally found some answers.

Issued 24 March 1951

In Close Up vol. 1 issue 4 (the Czeslaw Slania Study Group Quarterly Newsletter) I discovered a very interesting article that put my questions to rest. It seems that the portrait on the stamp actually is wrong. And the mistake dates to a long time before the 1951 stamp issue.

Our story starts with the painter and engraver, Achilles-Isidore Gilbert (1828-1899). Gilbert painted a portrait of General Dabrowski, but for some reason he based his painting on a portrait of composer Henryk Dabrowski, which was painted in 1862. So the mix-up has been started. And it gets worse! A man by the name of Charles-Jules Robert made an engraving of the General, but... That's right. He used Gilbert's painting - with the wrong guy on it - as the basis for his work. This engraving was then published in L'Illustation Journal Universal, No. 1469, 22 April 1871. Further exacerbating the confusion, this engraving was used repeatedly as a portrait of General Jaroslaw Dabrowski. In fact, it wasn't until 1971, when Dr Jerzy Zdrada discovered the historical confusion and published his findings in the Polish Weekly Przekroj, No. 1357, 11 April 1971.

So what did the real General Jaroslaw Dabrowski look like? Well, it turns out that an actual photograph of him was used as the basis for two later Poland stamp issues. 

Issued 20 June, 1962

Issued 10 March, 1971

I have also now discovered that the general appeared on a Polish banknote...

So there we have it. The mystery that has been bugging me since I worte that first blog last year has been finally solved!

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!

I Interview...Nivelle from Belgium

While chatting with a fellow Slania collector from Belgium, I asked him if he would be interested in a Slania Crazy! interview. He happily agreed.

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Q: When did you start collecting Slania stamps? 
A: I started about 9 years ago.

Q: What drew you to collecting Slania Stamps?
A: The sheer beauty of his work.

Q: What is your favourite Slania stamp? 
A: It is difficult to choose just one. This one from Sweden shows so much emotion.

And this one I have is signed by Slania.

Q: Where do you usually get your Slania stamps? 
A: I live in a small village with no stamp shops so I get my stamps on ebay, Delcampe, and Bidstart.

Q: What references do you like using? 
A:

•  www.slaniastamps-heindorffhus.com
• I have a Facebook page which people add to with information.

Q: Do you remember what your first Slania stamp was? 
A: Yes, the Faroese Ram. It is beautiful.

Q: Do you collect any other engravers? 
A: I also collect Albert Decaris.

Q: What else do you collect?
A: I collect classic stamps, stamps with tabs, errors. I also collect Algeria and the Ottoman Empire. I also collect and repair ladies' mechanical watches.

I'd like to thank Nivelle for taking the time to partake in my little questionnaire. If you would like to participate, please let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!