Stamps

Niue Christmas

For use on Christmas seasonal mails. Niue’s special stamp issue on November 28 also commemorated the 450th anni versary of the death of Florentine painter, Andrea del Sarto. Four paintings are de picted on the stamps, all en titled The Virgin and Child. On the basic stamps, the paintings arc from the Borghese Gallery, Rome (20c); the Flermitage Museum, Leningrad (25c); and the Prado Museum, Madrid (30c and 35c). The four basic stamps were also united in a souvenir sheet, and as another variation, the four designs were printed in expanded souvenir wheels, selling for 80c each plus i 5c surcharge, the tax being for :he benefit of schoolchildren on Niue.

Fongasurcharges

fwelve stamps were surcharged md placed on sale on December I to meet recently increased lostagc rales in the Kingdom of r onga. The surcharges were nadc on what remained of older ommemoratives, in varying uanlilies, the least available of ny one denomination being nder 10,000 copies. Denomi alions of the issue are: Ordi ary mail 9s, 13s (two arictics), 19s, 32s and 1

Pa’anga; Airmail —29 s varieties), 32s and 47s (two varieties); official airmail 2 Pa'anga.

Nauruan Error

Errors on stamps, much to the chagrin of the postal adminis trations which issue them, are usually found by unsuspecting members of the public after the stamps have been issued, caus ing widespread glee in the collecting fraternity and acute embarrassment to the officials concerned.

Collectors of the stamps of Nauru were disappointed then, when that country managed to put the brakes on the 30c stamp that was to be issued on December 3, 1980, to mark the United Nations Colonial Inde pendence Declaration be cause of a printer's error. The Nauruan philatelic consultant, based in London, did not de scribe exactly what that error was, but it must have been of sufficient importance to have the entire stocks destroyed, and a corrected version run-off.

The other two denominations in the set (25c and 50c) were released as intended, on December 3. The delayed stamp is identical in format to the issued 50c, which shows the UN Trusteeship Council in session when the Decolonisation Declaration was adopted on December 14, 1960.

Norfolk Aircraft

On January 13, Norfolk Island issued the third part in its new definitive stamp series, featur ing aircraft. Denominations and aircraft depicted are: 30c.

Lockheed PV 1 Ventura; 50c, Douglas DC3; 60c, Avro 691 Lancastrian; and 80c, Douglas DC4. The stamps were de signed by K. J. Williams and Baker McCoy.

The fourth part in the series will be released on March 3.

This comprises: Ic, Hawker Siddeley HS74B; 25c,

Lockheed Hudson; 40c, Avro York; and $l, Beech Super King Air. Earlier issues in the series, already in extensive use ° n Norfolkare Part 1 (issued on arch 1980): , 2c ' ,P H 60 b Mo ‘ h ; n Gur,lss ,„ tyhawk l P l°; 20c ,’ Cessna Hercules Cl3O. Part 2 (issued l9> J 9Blß) =‘* c - Cha " ce )-° Ught 1 . A Corsalr; sc ' GrummanTßF -' Avenger; 15c,

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless- and $2 Fokker F 27 Friendship

Pitcairn Voyage

To commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Pitcairners’ 25 ' migration to Norfolk Island. the Norfolk Administration will issue a set of three stamps and a Lit , Jo souvenir sheet on June 5. Pro posed values and subjects are: , s c. arrival; 35c, disembar katlon; and viewing the settlement.

The 30c Nauru stamp above was to be issued on December 3 but was withdrawn because of a claimed printer’s error. The Nauru authorities won’t say what the error was, and PIM frankly admits being stumped. Can any readers pick it? At left are two of the new Fiji landmark series, and below is a fine set of Vanuatu bird stamps to be issued on February 18. K

Norfolk and Pitcairn will combine to produce a joint first day cover. Each cover will bear a set of stamps from both islands, with the Pitcairn set postmarked on the anniversary of the date of departure and the Norfolk set postmarked on the anniversary of the date of ar rival. These covers are expected to be in great demand among collectors and will represent an interesting souvenir of the oc casion.

Kiribati Flora

Kiribati is not prolific in flora, the more common varieties be ing the hibiscus and the frangi pani, and the island adminis tration has chosen to show off some of its less familiar, but equally beautiful, flowers on postage stamps. John Cooler designed a set of stamps, which has been printed by Format International, for release on February 18.

Acalypha godseffiama, known to the Gilbertese as te toara graces the 12c stamp, and the 30c features one of the less common varieties of hibiscus, hibiscus schizopetalus. Te

bumorimori is the local name for calotropis gigantea shown on the 35c, and the 50c value is resplendent with euphorbia pulcherrima, known locally as te kabekau.

Christmas Island

The third of a four-part stamp series depicting the various stages of the phosphate indus try, will be issued by Christmas Island on February 9. Designed by Mr Leslie Curtis, the stamps feature screening and stockpil ing (22c), train loading (28c), railing (40c) and drying (60c).

Part 1 of the series was issued on May 5 last year when the first four stages of the industry were illustrated: Surveying (15c), drilling for samples (22c), sample analysis (40c) and mine planning (55c). On July 14, the second part in the series was released, depicting jungle clearing (15c), overbur den removal (22c), opencut mining (40c) and restoration (55c).

French Polynesia

Aircraft are featured on four stamps issued by French Polynesia on December 15.

Denominations and types of aircraft are: 15Fr, Catalina flying boat; 26Fr, Twin Otter feeder airliner; 30Fr, CAMS-55 seaplane; and 50Fr, Douglas DC6. Official maximum cards of the issue were also released.

These cards are based on the stamp design, with provision for affixing the appropriate stamp and having it postmarked.

Samoa Ships

The third in a series of stamps featuring ships was issued by Western Samoa on January 26.

Designed by John Cooler, the stamps depict the following sailing ships: Ocean, US whaler, 12 sene; Horatio. US whaler, 18 sene; HMS Calliope, British frigate, 27 sene; and HMS Calypso, British frigate, 32 sene.

Fiji Landmarks

Released in December was the second part in Fiji’s buildings and landmarks definitive stamp series. Denominations and de signs of the December release were Lautoka mosque (sc); GPO, Suva (6c); public school, Levuka (12c); Labasa sugar

mill (18c); Grand Pacific Hotel,, Suva (35c); Shiva temple, Suvaj (45c); Surua Island village; (50c); Solo lighthouse ($1); andl Baker Memorial Hall, Nausorii ($2).

The first part in this definitive; series, in concurrent use, was; issued on November 11, 1979..

Featured on these stamps are; the old town hall, Suva (1c);; Dudley Church, Suva (2c); Fijii international telecommuni cations building, Suva (3c); Fiji i visitors bureau, Suva (10c);; Colonial War Memorial Hos pital, Suva (15c); Rew bridge,, Nausori (20c); Sacred Heart cathedral, Suva (30c); and Government House ($5).

In Brief

On March 25, Papua New' Guinea will issue a set of four' stamps honouring the PNG Defence Force.

Four stamps designed by John Cooler, and depicting butterflies, will be issued by Kiribati on February 4.

New Caledonia issued a 60Fr stamp on December 13, depict ing one of the fluorescent corals at Noumea Aquarium.