Art – Page 4 – Willem's Planet

August 29, 2024

Thursday/ .. and mail from Belgium

A letter arrived today from Antwerp, with more South African stamps inside.

**Youth Philately**
Issued 1993, Oct.18
Perf. 11½| Photogravure
1508 Air Hostess Natacha, by François Walthéry| 15fr | multi-colored
[Source: 2018 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 1B]
From Wikipedia: Natacha is a Belgian comics series, created by François Walthéry and Roland Goossens. The series tells the adventures of Natacha, a young sexy flight attendant in the service of the flight company Bardaf, and her clumsy, hot-tempered colleague and friend Walter, with occasional participation by her flight captain Turbo and his co-pilot Legrain. Natacha was first published in the Franco-Belgian comics magazine Spirou on February 26, 1970.

**Belgian Railways 175th Anniversary**
Issued 2010, May 10
Perf. 11½| Photogravure & Engraving
2438 Belgian Railways 175th Anniversary| €1.18 | multi-colored
[Source: 2018 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 1B]

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024

Wednesday/ mail from Spain

Let’s see what’s on these stamps from Spain.
They were put on an envelope sent to me from an Ebay seller from Barcelona.
There was a single stamp from South Africa inside, to add to my collection .

**Architecture of Gates in Spain**
Issued 2015, Jan. 2
Die Cut Perf. 13 | Booklet Stamps | Lithography
4010a Moon Gate, Cordoba | 42c | multi-colored
4010c St. Mary’s Gate, Hondarribia | 42c | multi-colored
[Source: 2021 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 6A]

August 10, 2024August 10, 2024

Thursday/ mail from China

Stamps (from South Africa) that I had bought in March (on Ebay) from a seller in China, showed up in my mailbox today.

The sender used a greeting card envelope with a preprinted red stamp on (far right).
The cancellation mark shows that the envelope was sent on June 14 from the **city Anqing** (pop. 4 million) in **Anhui province**.
Anqing is some 250 mi due east of Shanghai.
My name and address were very neatly written in print style.
At the end, a nice reminder for me as to how to write ‘USA’ in Chinese: **美国 Měi guó** (or ‘Beautiful country’, literally translated).

Let’s take a closer look at the stamps:
**Insects (II)**
From a set of 4 stamps issued Aug. 23, 2023 by China Post in the People’s Republic of China
Perf. 13 with syncopated perf. left and right edge (one larger hole) |40 x 30 mm |Offset lithography printing
Colnect Code:CN 2023.08.23-01 |80 分 (fēn) |Multi-colored |Atlas moth (Attacus Atlas)

**Special Greeting Card Stamp**
Issued Aug. 8, 2013 by China Post in People’s Republic of China
Perf. Die Cut 13½ x 13 with syncopated perf. left and right edge (one larger hole) |30 x 30 mm |Photogravure printing
Cat.Code Mi:CN 4501 |3 ¥ (yuan) |Multi-colored |Bamboo plant

July 8, 2024July 9, 2024

Monday/ it’s hard to stop

.. being President of the United States*— or to collect stamps.
*President Biden sent a cease-and-desist letter of sorts to House Democrats today, telling them to support him in the election.

In the mean time it’s Christmas in July for me, because my latest two purchases from the UK landed on my porch today.

These are old labels used for registered letters or mail pieces in South Africa.
(Obsolete: printed barcodes without the sending city or town’s name on the label, are used nowadays).
I am still deciding if some of them will make it into one of my stamp albums.
Look for the label **VERWOERD- BURG 1** at the bottom of the picture.
Verwoerdburg in Gauteng Province, now goes by Centurion. It was named for H.F. Verwoerd, prime minister of South Africa widely seen as the architect of apartheid. Verwoerd was assassinated in 1966.
Then there is TECOMA— not to be confused with Tacoma, Washington State — a post office in East London, Eastern Cape Province, that has been permanently shuttered.

This is just part of a massive collection of mint issues from the 50s , 60s and 70s for South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia).
I have almost all of these already, but some in my album are used stamps with heavy cancellation marks, and I can add a few control blocks to my collection (four stamps with the margins from the original printed sheet).

July 4, 2024July 4, 2024

These are from my small collection of US stamps.
These coil stamps were still printed with engraved plates. Nowadays the vast majority of American-issued postage stamps are printed by using offset-lithography.

**Flag Over US Supreme Court**
Coil stamp Issued Dec.17, 1981
Perf. 10 vert. |Engraved |No Watermark
1895 A1281 20c Black, dark blue and red

**Flag Over Capitol Dome**
Coil stamp Issued Mar.29, 1985
Perf. 10 vert. |Engraved |No Watermark
2115 A1498 22c Blue, red and black

**Flag Over Mt. Rushmore**
Coil stamp Issued Mar.29, 1991
Perf. 10 vert. |Engraved |No Watermark
2523 A1878 29c Blue, red and claret
[Source: Scott 2003 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 1]

June 17, 2024June 18, 2024

Monday/ papers & watermarks

I already had this 1969 stamp from South Africa, but these control blocks were for sale for just a few dollars, and I bought them.
The two control blocks were printed on different types of postage stamp paper.
(Are these two distinctly different postage stamps— and should the philatelist put one of each in his or her album? I say yes: if you have both types, put both in your album.)

When the stamps are held up against a light, it’s easy to see the watermark clearly, in the white margins of the block.
These are some of the last South African stamps issued with watermarks.
In the United States, stamps with watermarks were issued only for a short time— from 1895 to 1916.

**Stagecoach of 1869 on Harrison Paper**
Issued Oct 6, 1969
Perf. 13½x14 | Photogravure printing on Harrison paper | Watermark RSA in triangle
357 A140 2½c Ocher, Prussian blue & yellow
Harrison paper has a grey or fluorescent back.

**Stagecoach of 1869 on Swiss Paper**
Issued Oct 6, 1969
Perf. 13½x14 | Photogravure printing on Swiss paper | Watermark RSA in triangle
357 A140 2½c Ocher, Prussian blue & yellow
Swiss paper has a dull pink non-fluorescent back.
It’s hard to tell from these scanned images, but comparing the physical paper with the Harrison paper, the Swiss paper seems to look just a touch whiter.

Watermark is a tiled pattern of tête-bêche* rounded triangles with R inside at the top and SA at the bottom. RSA for Republic of South Africa.
*Upright and upside down next to each other

June 16, 2024

Sunday/ Father’s Day

June 10, 2024June 10, 2024

Monday/ mail from Poland

My stamps from a seller in Poland arrived today.
There were no Polish stamps on the outside (international registered mail is franked by machine), but the seller put some Polish stamps inside for me.

**Polish Paintings**
Issued 1969, Sept 4.
One of a set of 8, with a label inscribed with the painter’s name
Perf.11×11½ |Photogravure printing |No Watermark
1676 585 |40 grosz |Gold & multi-colored |”Hamlet” by Jacek Malczewski
[Source: Scott 2003 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue: Countries of the World, P-SI]

[From Wikipedia] “Polish Hamlet” was painted in 1903, and is one of the most famous works of Malczewski. It presents the grandson of Aleksander Wielopolski – Polish politician, a member of the Polish Kingdom government in the early 1860s, who tried to maneuver between the interests of the invaders and the Polish population – in the act of considering his grandfather’s legacy. The painting is symbolic and patriotic, it can be read in several ways. The women placed on both sides of the picture are an allegory of two different visions of the fate of their homeland. Located to the right is an elderly woman with white hair, dressed in dark robes, her hands cuffed by shackles, and her face takes on an expression of sadness, despair and awareness of their situation. She embodies Poland enslaved, experienced by fate, remaining under the yoke of others, and who can not be liberated. On the left side there is a young girl, half-naked, shown at the time of breaking the shackles. She is full of energy, and her face is very expressive. It symbolizes the “young Poland” – capable of action and being able to release from the long-term captivity.

June 5, 2024June 6, 2024

Wednesday/ stamps from the UK

These UK stamps arrived on the outside envelope of my latest order of South African stamps from a seller in Great Britain.

**150th Anniversary of Metropolitan Police**
Issued 1979, Sept.26 Perf.15×14 Phosphorised paper
1108 585 |15p |Grey-black, magenta, brown, slate-blue, deep brown & Greenish black |River Patrol Boat
[Source: Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue Part I British Commonwealth Volume 1]

**Christmas 1979**
Issued 1979, Nov.21 Perf.15×14 Phosphorised paper
1108 585 |15p |Orange-vermilion, steel blue, drab, grey-black, deep blue-green & gold |The Annunciation
[Source: Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue Part I British Commonwealth Volume 1]

**Christmas 1989— 800th Anniversary of Ely Cathedral.**
Issued 1989, Nov.14 Perf.15×14 One phosphor band
1462 924 |15p |Gold, silver and blue |14th-century Peasants from Stained-glass Window
[Source: Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue Part I British Commonwealth Volume 1]

**Queen Elizabeth II Definitives**
Issued 2002, Feb.6
Re-issue of 1952-54 definitive series stamps of Dorothy Wilding portrait of QE II
Booklet sheets w. new values & syncopated perforation (elliptical holes)
522 T157 33p Brown |George Knipe design
525 T158 37p Magenta |Mary Adshead design
530 T160 1st Class |Green |E. Dulac design
[Source: Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Concise Stamp Catalogue 2009]

May 23, 2024May 23, 2024

Thursday/ another credibility implosion

So Nikki Haley* will vote for Trump, she said on Wednesday. She had called him ‘bad’, ‘unqualified to be President’, ‘do not trust him’ blah blah blah.

She didn’t bother to wait for the outcome of Trump’s first criminal trial— 34 felony counts over allegations that he falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. (Closing arguments for Trump’s case are on Tue May 28 and then the case goes to the jury).

*Former governor of South Carolina, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration, and the last remaining challenger to Trump in the 2024 Republican primaries until she dropped out of the race after Super Tuesday in March.

Cartoon by Michael Ramirez/Las Vegas Review-Journal for The Washington Post.

May 21, 2024May 21, 2024

Tuesday/ stamp of the day

I bought this single stamp from a seller in Canada.
It’s the highest value stamp (10 shillings) in the series known as the 1927-1930 London Pictorials; the last South African stamps printed in London.
(After that stamps were printed in South Africa).
The Afrikaans-English se-tenant (joined) stamp pairs are very expensive (up to $200), but the single ones are $10 or so.
I’m still looking for an English one with ‘SOUTH AFRICA’ inscribed at the top.

From the 1927-1930 London Pictorials
Issued 1927, Mar. 1
Perf. 14 | Engraved printing | Wmk. Multiple springbok’s heads
29 16 | 10sh | Bright blue and brown | **Cape Town, Table Mountain and Table Bay**
[Source: 2016 Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue for Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840-1970)
My notes: The prominent white tower might be Mouille Point Lighthouse— built in 1842 but demolished in 1908. To its right and further back would be Cape Town City Hall, a large Edwardian building built from honey-colored oolitic limestone imported from Bath in England, and located on the Grand Parade.
It was completed in 1905 and is still there today.

May 16, 2024May 16, 2024

Thursday/ mail from Great Britain

Mail from Great Britain with Sherlock Holmes stamps on the outside, and South African stamps inside, arrived yesterday.

I am hounding down the last ones I need to complete my Union of South Africa (1910-1961) collection.

**Sherlock Holmes: Centenary of the Publication of The Final Problem.**
Issued 1993, Oct. 12
Perf. 14×14½ Phosphorized paper
Colors: blue, greenish yellow, magenta, black & gold
1785 1112 24p The Hound of the Baskervilles
1786 1113 24p The Six Napoleons
[Source: Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue Part I British Commonwealth Volume 1]

May 4, 2024May 4, 2024

Saturday/ Mystik Dan by a nose

Congrats to the owner and team for Mystik Dan, the winner of the 150th Kentucky Derby, by a nose.

Run, horsies, run!
These are wildebeest, actually: large African antelopes of the family Bovidae.
From an updated issue of the **1926-27 London Pictorial definitive series** (the first series of stamps were printed in London, thereafter by South Africa government printers in Pretoria)
Issued Jan. 1950
Perf. 15×14 | Screened rotogravure | Afr. & Eng. inscriptions for South Africa | Wmk Multiple Springbok heads
SG120 13 | 1 shilling | Brown & chalky blue | Black and blue wildebeest
[Source: 2016 Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue- Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps]

April 30, 2024

Tuesday/ stamps with tulips

Hey, and the envelope with my latest order of stamps (from a seller in Belgium) has stamps with tulips on.

**Booklet Stamps**
Issued 2003 in booklet panes Perf. Die Cut 9¾ on 2 or sides
1991 A858 0.59€ Multi-colored Yellow Tulips

**Windmills**
Issued 2002, Jul. 15
Perf. 11½ Photolithogr.
1925 A824 0.42€ Multi-colored Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Lombeek windmill, Azores
[Source: Scott 2018 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 1B]

**Leffe Abbey**
Issued 2002, Jun. 10
Perf. 11 ½ Photolithogr.
1917 A820 0.42€ Multi-colored Leffe Abbey, 850th Anniversary

**Belgian Castles**
Issued 2002, Jun. 10
Perf. 11 ½ Photolithogr. Mini-sheet of 10
1918a A821 0.42€ Multi-colored Ecaussinnes-Lalaing
1918c A821 0.42€ Multi-colored Corroy-le-Chateau
1918d A821 0.42€ Multi-colored Alden Biesen
1918e A821 0.42€ Multi-colored Modave
1918f A821 0.42€ Multi-colored Horst
1918j A821 0.42€ Multi-colored Wissekerke
[Source: Scott 2018 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 1B]

**Birds**
Issued 2005 (types of 1985 with Euro denominations)
Perf. 11 ½ Photolithogr.
2072 A524 0.05€ Multi-colored Bruant zizi (Belgium Cirl bunting bird)

Issued 2023, Jan.23
Perf. Die Cut 11½ Litho. Self-adhesive
Registered Mail Multi-colored Red-Knot Sandpiper
[Source: Scott 2018 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, Vol. 1B]

April 16, 2024April 17, 2024

Tuesday/ mail from Spain

Cancellation mark:
POSTAL EXPRESS
Siempre a tiempo (Always on time)
Mailed on Apr. 3 in Sant Cugat del Vallès— a town and municipality in Catalonia, Spain, located north of Barcelona.
Let’s see what the stamps tell us about España.

**Flowers**
Iss. 2002, Feb.20 Die Cut Perf. 13 Litho.
3145 A1129 € 0.25 Orchid
**Clocks from Royal Palaces in Spain**
Iss. 2004, Mar.31 Perf. 13¼x12¾ Litho. & Engr.
3284 A1246c € 0.77 Clock w. Empress Maria Luisa, child & harp, 19th Century
3284 A1246a € 0.27 Clock w. Muse Calliope, 19th Century
3284 A1246b € 0.52 Clock w. Cupid, 18th Century
[Source: Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog Vol. 6A, 2021 Edition]

**King Felipe VI**
Iss. 2015, Jan.19
Perf. 13¼x12¾
Litho. & Embossed
4019 A1796
1c orange-brown
[Source: Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog Vol. 6A, 2021 Edition]

April 9, 2024April 10, 2024

Tuesday/ I got royal mail

There was mail from the Royal Mail in Great Britain for me today— with South African stamps inside, of course.
I looked up the details of the stamps used on the envelopes.

**Birth Centenary of Sir Winston Churchill**
Issued 1974, Oct. 9. | Perf.14×15 | ‘All-over’ phosphor Gum
962 444 4½p | Prussian Blue, pale turqoise-green and silver | Churchill in Royal Yacht Squadron Uniform
[Source: 1997 Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogue Part I Volume I]

**King Charles III Definitive Stamps**
Issued 2023 | Perf. 15×14½ | Gravure print with phosphor bars | Bar-coded | Self-adhesive
£2.20 Dark green Portrait of His Majesty King Charles III
[Source: royalmail.com]

April 7, 2024April 7, 2024

Sunday/ the black sun is coming

Anticipation of the total eclipse of the sun that is about to be visible in a large swath of North America, is at a fever pitch.
The eclipse will be visible starting at 12:06 p.m. CDT near Eagle Pass, Texas, before progressing to totality by about 1:27 p.m. CDT.
It will progress along its path to the northeast over the next few hours and the last of the eclipse in North America will be seen from Caribou, Maine at 4:40 p.m. EDT.

It does look like there will be cloud cover in several places along the way.
Here in the Pacific Northwest we will only see some 20% of the sun being obscured by the moon, and that is if the clouds allow it.

The Black Sun at Volunteer Park tonight.
The sculpture of black Brazilian granite on a concrete base was created in 1969 by Isamu Noguchi.

March 25, 2024March 25, 2024

Monday/ crypto stamps?

I scrolled through a bunch of crypto stamps listed on my regular online stamp marketplaces last night.
Should I buy some? Just one, for fun?
They go for $15 to $50— or more, each.
They may be worth a lot more 5 to 10 years from now.
Hmm. No, I decided. Not yet, anyway. (I don’t own any cryptocurrency, either).

Crypto stamps are valid for postage, but they are really aimed at collectors— collectors of digital works of art, or of the collector’s interests (digital comics, video clips, tweets, emails).
The buyer gets a physical stamp, as well as a digital version of it, that has a non-fungible token (NFT) associated with it. (NFT: a unique cryptographic token that exists on a blockchain, and that cannot be replicated.)