Stamps

Stamp Picture

Shows Error

Stamp dealers and collectors with sharp eyes sat up and took notice recently when they re ceived advance notice of a Pacific stamp issue which ap peared to contain a spelling error.

The notice came from the Cook Islands where stamp issues amount to a national industry and where issues are made under the separate names of islands within the Cooks. The Cook Islands notified the issue of three Easter stamps from the northern island of Penrhyn, together with three souvenir sheetlets. Illustrations showed that each stamp would contain part of a classical crucifixion painting, and that each sheetlet would show the full painting enclosed in a decorative border and with the perforated stamp in the centre.

One of the paintings was advised as being Van Dyck’s 17th century Pieta (50c for the stamp, 700 plus 50 charity surcharge for the sheetlet).

However the illustration which accompanied the notification showed the artist’s name en graved on the border of the sheetlet as Van Dik.

Collectors were cautious about the discovery which they said could have been a proofing error in the illustration. They said they were waiting to see the actual stamps. Australian col lectors contacted by PIM had not seen the stamps. They said the mere appearance of an error in a stamp issue did not make the stamps valuable provided the issue ran its normal course.

They added however that the way was left open for what they called ‘developments’. The issue could be withdrawn after only a few stamps had been sold and this would inflate values.

There have been instances in some countries where inside knowledge that a stamp issue is to be withdrawn has allowed unscrupulous manipulation of the market.

The two other paintings in the issue are Jesus at the Grove, by Veronese (300 for the stamp, 70c plus 5c charity surcharge for the sheetlet), and Christ with the Crown of Thorns by Titian (40c for the stamp, 70c plus 50 charity surcharge for the sheetlet).

Pacific Birds

Aitutaki (another of the stamp sources established by the Cook Islands) has just issued 16 new stamps featuring birds of the Pacific. This is only part of a planned series which will event ually consist of 32 stamps.

The 16 stamps just issued cover eight values, and the birds depicted are the Gouldian finch and common starling Ic, golden whistler and scarlet robin 20, long-tailed fantail and per egrine falcon 30, Java sparrow and barn owl 4c, Pacific lorikeet and white-breasted wood swallow SC, purple swamp hen and rock dove 60, chestnut breasted finch and peaceful dove 100, reef heron and com mon mynah 120.

Aitutaki also issued a set of Easter stamps in which the illustrations were taken from the statue Burial of Christ by Pedro Rodian. The statue is in the Charity Hospital, Seville, Spain. The three Aitutaki stamps based on the statue are the Virgin mourning 300, head of Christ 40c, and St John mourning 500. The three stamps, each surcharged 20 for local charities, are also united in a souvenir sheet.

Tuvalu Ships

Rich in naval history, it is appropriate that the Pacific Islands should feature ships on their stamps. The latest country to do so is Tuvalu, which re leased a colourful set of six stamps on this theme on May 13. The six vessels illustrated have all called at the islands of Tuvalu at some time over the last 200 years. Included are naval vessels, traders and a whaler.

Designed by Richard Granger Barrett, the stamps were printed in sheetlets of six, and they depict the following vessels: Brig Elizabeth 100, brigantine Rebecca 250, whaler

Independence II 350, HMS Basilisk 400, HMS Royalist 450 and MV Olivebank 500.

The earliest of these vessels to visit Tuvalu was the brig Eliz abeth, under the command of Captain Patterson, which visited the island of Nanumea in 1809.

On February 3, Tuvalu was granted membership of the Uni versal Postal Union, and to commemorate this important event in the postal history of the nation, two stamps (70c and $ 1) and a souvenir sheet will be issued on November 4.

A report from Funafuti indi cates that a series of postage due stamps is now in use in Tuvalu. Inscribed Postage Due, each stamp in the series bears the Tuvalu crest and the de nominations are 1,2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 cents and $l. The stamps are used on incoming mail on which postage has been insufficiently prepaid at the point of posting. The postage due stamps were designed by Gordon Drummond and printed in sheets of 50 by the House of Questa. No official first day of issue was announced.

A stamp issue featuring the Tuvalu Maritime School will be released on August 12. Denomi nations will be 10, 25, 35 and 45 cents.

Norfolk Stationery

Aerogrammes designed by the Australian artist and designer Roger Murphy will go on sale shortly on Norfolk Island. The aerogrammes will feature many of the colonial sites on Norfolk and are sure to be popular with tourists. Postal stationery will also feature flora and fauna of the island, and is likely to contribute to the already significant income from phila telic sales for Norfolk island’s 1700 people.

Pacific Flowers

Niue has released the first part of a colourful new series of definitive stamps which feature flowers of the South Pacific.

The stamps add to the increas ing material on Pacific animals, birds, insects, plants and fishes which is now being featured in South Pacific issues.

In releasing the stamps the Niue postal authorities said that most cultivation on the island was for food crops, and the law required every landholder to use land for growing food.

Flower cultivation for ornamen

tal purposes was not general, but a number of species were being grown successfully.

Twelve stamps are contained in the newly-released issues.

They are divided into six values, and each value consists of two stamps with a different illus tration of a single flower. The values and flowers illustrated are moth orchid 2b, poinsettia sb, black-eyed Susan 10b, but tercup tree 10b, frangipani 25b.

Kiribati Islands

The islands making up Kiribati are to be featured on an annual stamp series, the first of which was issued on May 6.

Designed by John Cooler and printed by Format International Security Printers, the stamps feature typical coral islands with colourful lagoons. The islands featured are Abaiang and Makakei 12b, Little Makin and Butaritari 30b, Maiana 35b and Christmas island $l.

Nauru Exhibition

As previously announced, Nauru has issued a set of four stamps (8, 20, 32 and 40b) titled Fishing A Way of Life. To commemorate involvement in WIPA ’Bl, the international stamp exhibition at Vienna, Austria, Nauru has now issued a block of four of the 40c values in a souvenir sheet, with a face value of $ A 1.60. The stamps and souvenir sheet went on sale on May 22 on Nauru, at the Republic’s exhibition stand at WIPA ’Bl and across the coun ters of Australian philatelic outlets. A special presentation pack containing the miniature sheet was also made available at SA2.

Apart from being an ideal opportunity to commemorate participation in such an import ant international stamp exhi bition, the fishing stamps also commemorated the first anni versary of the Nauru Fishing Corporation.

On May 22, Nauru also issued a special maximum card, its fourth, bearing the WIPA ’Bl exhibition emblem. A maxi mum card features the same design as a stamp, and the latest Nauruan card’s design is based on the current 40b definitive stamp featuring the iwiyi, a Nauruan wading bird. The maximum card is available on Nauru at 20b unused, or with the appropriate 40c stamp on the picture-side and post marked, 60b-

A link at the top: Part of the New Zealand link with the Pacific was demonstrated in an unusual way earlier this year when a delegation of chiefs and elders of the Siumu District in Western Samoa visited parliament in the New Zealand capital, Wellington. They bestowed the title of Leapasi, or chief, on Mr Robert Muldoon, the New Zealand Prime Minister, using the ceremonies and symbolism of their homeland. Mr Muldoon is shown here accepting the title. ‘A great honour is being done to New Zealand, and it demonstrates the continuing friendship between our two countries’ Mr Muldoon said after the ceremony.