PICTORIAL STAMPS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 89, 15 April 1935, Page 11

PICTORIAL STAMPS

TILE NEW ,SET

VARIETY IN DESIGN

AN INTERESTING SERIES

The photographs published in tonight's "Post" of the complete new pictorial set of postage stamps to be issued on May 1 at all post offices throughout the Dominion will give the public some idea as to what the new stamps will look like. But however good photographic reproductions may be, they can hardly do the new stamps justice, the colour, for one thing,'being lacking. When the public see the actual stamps, it is fairly safe to assert that they will be agreeably surprised at the beauty of '; most of them. The pictorial set of 1898 was undoubtedly a good advertisement for New Zealand, pictorial stamps in those days , being a much greater novelty than they are today. But the pictorial set of 1935 should be an even better advertisement, and they are certainly on the whole more artistic productions than their predecessors. One fault which might be found is that those stamps which would make the best advertisement overseas are of values which- are comparatively little used. The new set, nevertheless, should do much towards advertising the Dominion's scenic wonders, unique flora and fauna, native life, rural activities, history,. and facilities for sport. Scenic charms figure on three of the new stamps, and it will generally be conceded that the 2Jd value, with its view <jf | Mount Cook embellished on either side with ranunculus—the miscalled Mount Cook lily—is the gem of the series. This is- printed in two colours, the,centre being in sepia and the remainder in a pleasing shade of indigo-blue. The 3s stamp, with its picturesque view of Mount Egmont, is also printed in two colours, sepia and a rich yellow-brown, and the effect is nearly as pleasing as that achieved in the 2|d stamp. The 4d Mitre.Peak is somewhat similar to one of the stamps of the old pictorial set, but is larger in size. It is another good scenic view, but printed in some other! colour rather than black it might have looked better still. , ...

The native fauna figures on the Jd (Fantail), Id (Kiwi), 5d (Swordfish), 8d (Tuatara), and.ls (Tui). In addition to the ranunculus on the 2Jd Mount Cook, the native flora is given special prominence in the $d stamp, the fantail being accommodated in a bdwer of clematis, while the Tui on the Is stamp also has a background of native foliage. Tree ferns and* cabbage trees appear as part of the designs on several stamps, and particularly well done is the foliage around the Maori carved house which figures on the 2d stamp, although the colour of this, a rich orange, makes it rather difficult to; distinguish detail.

NO MOAS OR DRAGONS,

j The kiwi on the Id stamp, as a native and curious bird, will probably interest people overseas much more than the fantail on the id stamp or the tui ion the\ls. It is a far better-drawn kiwi than that which figured on the 6d stamp of the old pictorial set, and there should be> no occasion 'to mistake it for a moa. The greatest care has been taken to see that all the birds, etc., have been correctly drawn, and the, fan tap, for .instance, will be found to have exactly the right numItfer of feathers in its tail. ...

1 The blades of grass and other details in the 8d Tuatara stamp are supposed to be sufficient to indicate to the uninitiated the relative size of this unique reptile. Although it is possible that the erroneous impression may be created by this stamp that New Zealand is the home of gigantic and/ formidable reptiles, it will be admitted that this stamp is a very fine piece of work. ■

The 5d Swordflsh, leaping from the water to escape the angler's,hook and line, is undoubtedly a novelty in stamps, besides being a good advertisement overseas for the Dominion's deep-sea fishing. Unfortunately it is of a value not likely to be extensively used.

THE MAORI FEATURES,

Naturally the new set is strong in its Maori aspect, and in native designs and ornamentations around the borders of stamps there is some remarkably fine detail work which cannot but be favourably commented upon. Maori design is the essence of the unique 9d stamp, but one almost needs to be-of.the., lineage of the late Pae-rangi-o-te-maunga-roa to appreciate it. to the full. The pakeha may possibly hold quite different views about it. This is probably the stamp" of the series which will be most widely criticised. Its design is taken from a carving on a Maori sliding door, and its colours, black and carmine, are those which the Maoris used in their decorative work. ' .

The carved Maori whare on the 2d stamp makes quite a good design, while a feature of Maori life is represented on the lid stamp. This, is a scene taken from the thermal district and is intended to represent a Maori girl cooking in a hot pool, but to those not acquainted with New Zealand it may not be quite apparent exactly what is happening. It is to be hoped that the head, of the Maori maiden figuring on the 3d stamp, which is one of the most beautiful stamps of the series, will not convey the impression to foreigners that New Zealand is ruled by a dusky belle! The only stamp of the ■ whole set which cannot claim to be distinctively New Zealand in character is the 6d one, the use of the reaper and binder being known to other agricultural countries. Curiously enough, it is the only one of the stamps which was not designed by a New Zealander, the artist being a resident of India. It, too, is the only stamp, of the set depicting an industry, and, as far as detail is concerned, it is one of the best of the series.

ONE HISTORICAL SCENE.

Only one stamp features a historical scene, this being the 2s value, depicting the landing of Captain Cook at Poverty Bay in 1769. Why some of the stamps should be labelled, such as "Mitre Peak" and "Swordfish," and. not others, is somewhat of a mystery. One, would have thought, for instance, that the kiwi might have had its name appended to it just as much as the swordfish.

Criticism of the new stamps is sure to abound, but there is no doubt that the new pictorial set is very much better than the old one. It ought-to be, too, for the art of the stamp-maker has greatly improved since the end of last .century. ( Anyway, it is quite time New.Zealand.had a new set of postage stamps. Georgian ones have done duty for the last twenty years, and the present penny stamp of that series is generally regarded as nothing to be proud of. There is dne marked advantage about having a pictorial set of stamps like the new ones. That lies in the fact that it need not be changed when the Sovereign dies, or if the monarchy gives place to a dictatorship. New Zealand's new pictorial set will probably be, made to do duty for many years. ,

E. Johnston' and Co., auctioneers, will sell unclaimed cargo at their mart, 8 WilIfiston Street, tomorrow at 10.30 a.m. also I'iiniisliiiifrs at the Glide-Kink Factory, Wakcfield Street, at 1 p.m..