FOR STAMP COLLECTORS

Evening Star, Issue 21891, 30 November 1934, Page 3

FOR STAMP COLLECTORS

[By Philatelist.]

YUGOSLAVIAN ISSUE. Great Britain is now the only European country that has not issued air njail stamps. Until quite recently Yugoslavia shared this distinction with her. The latter country, however, has now issued for tho first time a set of air stamps, comprising five values in as many different designs. There is much of historical interest in Yugoslavia, and this is to some extent reflected in tho designs, three of which depict places that were famous in the days of ancient Rome. Particulars of the set are;— 50 para, purple brown, the harbour of Dubrovnik, famous in Roman times as Ragusa; 1 dinar, green. Lake Bled; 2 dinar, scarlet, the Pliva Falls at Jajcc (a town which dates from the Roman era); 3 dinar, ultramarine, the Church of Oplcnac; 10 dinar, orange red, the famous bridge at Mo'star (a relic of the Romans). All of the designs include aii aeroplane. AIR STAMPS FROM ICELAND. Six new air stamps come from Iceland. The designs, of which there are three, are rather attractive. The stamps were printed by Messrs De La Rue and Co., London. The 10 aur (blue) and the 20 aur (green) both depict an aeroplane in flight over tho Houses of Parliament “The Althing”; the 23 aur (violet) and the 50 aur (purple) consist of an aeroplane and a symbolical design of rocks, glacier, and a snow-covered mountain. The aeroplane is shown flying in the light of the Aurora Borealis. On the krona denominations (Ikr, spia, and 2kr, vermilion) is an aeroplane over a map of Iceland. BULGARIAN COMMEMORATION. Fifty-seven years ago, at the battle of Skipka Pass, the Bulgarians inflicted a crushing defeat on the Turks. In commemoration thereof Bulgaria has recently issued a set of six stamps, each in a different design. The' 1 leva shows a picture of the battle, the 2 leva the new monument erected on the top of the pass, the 3 leva a Bulgarian stan-dard-bearer, the 4 leva a typical Bulgarian soldier, the 7 leva a veteran standard-bearer, the 14 leva a. mother pointing out the memorial to children. SUDAN ANNIVERSARY. The Sudan is to commemorate the fiftieth . anniversary of the death of General Gordon by the issue, early in the new year, of a special stamp issue. It is understood that the set will be in three designs, and consist of eight or nine denominations. The designs are expected to be (a) a bust of General Gordon, (b) the Gordon Memorial College, (c) the commemoration service outside Gordon’s ruined palace in 1898, when Khartoum was captured by Lord Kitchener. THE NY AS ALAND ISSUE. The new stamp series issued for the Nyasaland Protectorate is certainly one of the most striking British colonial issues of recent days. The same design is used-for each of the seven stamps in the series. The crouching leopard is symbolic of the territory, and the rising sun suggests the new undeveloped member of the British Commonwealth. ‘ Gibbon’s Stamp 'Monthly ’ makes a rather interesting ■ point concerning the. King’s'portrait. The view apparently is of the right side of His Majesty’s face; but actually it is the view of the left side, commonly used on British stamps, reversed for the purpose of the design. As a result the King is shown incorrectly, with his hair parted on the rig ll ! ■ . This is, of course, a very minor flaw in a striking issue that merits a place in every stamp album. Ifni, the Spanish settlement in Southern Morocco, is to have a distinctive stamp issue instead of using the stamps of the home country. • Pending the issue of the new the current Spanish stamps will remain in use; but will be overprinted with the name “ Ifni.” MORE FOOTBALL STAMPS. Football enthusiasts among our readers will be delighted with the new international football championship stamp series recently issued by Italy. The series comprises nine stamps, five (20c to 6L) for ordinary postage, and four (50c to 10L) for air mail use; and most of the stamps bear illustrations of footballers in action. The 20c shows a goalkeeper making a mighty effort to save a shot that seems bound to clear the bar in any event. The 25c, 50c, and 1L 25c share the same design, showing two players tackling the ball in very determined style; and on the, 5L stamp we are shown a goalkeeper making a clearance under pressure. This is quite the best design, and we have chosen it for reproduction. The series of air stamps show views of the great Stadium at Rome, where the finals of the competition, won by Italy, were played. The Italian Colonial issues in the same series are perhaps even more interesting than those of the parent country. There are five stamps (10c to 10L) in the general series and five (50c to 2SL) in the air set. We have selected two of the designs for reproduction. . The 10c design makes a curious spectacle for those of us brought up to the idea of football as solely a winter game. Here a ball js shown smashing into a football net, obviously placed in the midst of tropical sand. .The same design is used for the 50c and 1L 25c stamps. The second design of this series gives an interesting sidelight on the official attitude towards the game. Here a footballer, presumably waiting to start the game, as the ball is at his feet, is seen giving the Fascist salute. EMPIRE LOYALIST STAMP. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the settlement of the United Empire Loyalists in Canada a special 10c Canadian stamp has been issued. The new stamp is olive green in colour and of particularly large format, and will be available only for a limited period, after which the sale of the current 10c stamp is to be resumed. The inscription on the stamp includes the words “ 1776—United Empire Loyalists—l7B4,” and the year of issue, 1934, appears at the top 'with a representation of tho British Crown and the Union Jack in use in 1784. The centre panel shows a sculptural group of Loyalists consisting of man and wife and two children. Supporting this panel, on each side, are figures of Britannia and a North American Indian.

A 3c 'commemorative stamp marking ibe .Tncqnes Cartier cmarlri-centenary also bas been issued. Cartier \yas tbe Frenchman who took possession of Canada for Franca in 1534. and France also proposes to commemorate his memory by means of a special stamp issue to appear coincident with the Canadian celebration*