Stamps

Free French

Some New Issues

Published by Kind Permission of the “Australian Stamp Journal”

THROUGH the courtesy of “Le Courrier Australien” we are able to illustrate below the designs of the stamps adopted for the Free French possessions of New Caledonia and French Oceania.

Reference has already been made to these forthcoming issues, but an inter esting booklet which has been published by the Free French headquarters in London, entitled “The Story of the Free French Colonial Stamps”, gives more detailed particulars concerning them.

Owing to technical difficulties, brought about by the use of the photogravure process, several of the original designs, which were the work of the eminent artist, Mr. Edmund Dulac, had to undergo considerable modification.

As we mentioned in December last, alternative designs were provided by Mr.

Dulac for New Caledonia. One of these showed a hand holding a sword upright before a rising sun, but is said to have been rejected by the Secretary-General of New Caledonia. Intended to symbolise the dawn of a new era in the Pacific, recent events have made it more emble matic of the aggressive spirit of Japan.

The selected design, illustrated here, fea tures the “Kagu” the national bird of

the colony. Its attitude of attack, with its brilliant-coloured wings outspread, is to typify the spirit of the Free French.

The ancient “tipairua” or travelling canoe, represented on the stamps of French Oceania, was described and illu strated by the artist Hodges who accom panied Captain Cook on his second voy age (1772-1774). The design is based upon an engraving after Hodges by W.

Watts, which is now in the British Museum. These canoes were about 3 feet

broad, 70 feet long, and 3* feet deep and each supported a central thatched cabin.

A high totemic mast, adorned with tra ditional carvings representing deities, protectors of the tipairua, was always placed at the stern and sometimes rose to a height of 21 feet. Affixed horiontally to the stern-post in proximity to the carvings of deities was a large willow basket.

In addition to the ordinary series, each of the Free French possessions will issue an air mail stamp of the same general design, depicting an aeroplane,

and inscribed with the name of the col ony. A great deal of difficulty was met with when this stamp was being pre pared, as it was desired to portray the most modern aeroplane in existence. The photograph chosen was of so recent a model that when the stamps were de signed the aeroplane itself was not yet under construction. The design also includes the cross of Lorraine emblazoned upon a shield with the letters “RF” on either side.

Corporal J. D. Wilkinson, formerly of Papua, and now back in Australia from the Middle East, sends greetings from an Australian address. He says that he and many other NGX and PX men who have returned are hungry for news of New Guinea and Papua people—and are finding it difficult to make contact with them,