Stellenbosch Filatelistevereniging Stellenbosch Philatelic Society Posbus/P.O

Stellenbosch Filatelistevereniging Stellenbosch Philatelic Society Posbus/P.O. Box 3950 SOMERSET-WES/SOMERSET WEST 7129

Telephone : 083-289-1825 (Niel) E-pos/mail : [email protected] Webwerf : stbphilatelic.wordpress.com

Klubaand : 1ste Dins van mnd om 19:00 Club night : 1st Tues of month at 19:00

Jaargang/Volume: 40 No/Nr: 3

Venue: Die biblioteek, Klubhuis, La Clémence, Webersvallei Road, Stellenbosch

NUUSBRIEF NOVEMBER 2018

VORIGE BYEENKOMS 2 OKTOBER Bywoning: Die Voorsitter en bywonende lede spreek hul verbasing uit oor die klein bywoning. Die Voorsitter (NM) verwelkom Robert Harm (RH), Pieter Jolie (PJ), Hugh Mulder (HM), Pieter Maritz (PM), Siv Borgin (SB), Günter Wossler (GW), Wilhelm Verwoerd (WV) en Wim van Zyl (WZ). Verskonings is deur die volgende lede aangebied: Anton Putter (AP), Ida Potgieter (IP), Claude Mathey (CM), Marlies Stephan (MSt) en Malcolm Suttill (MSu). Daar was geen besoekers teenwoordig nie. Weens die afwesigheid op sake van die Sekretaris besluit die Voorsitter om self nota’s van die byeenkoms te hou. Lief en Leed: Die volgende lede word met hul verjaarsdae geluk gewens: David Wolpe (5 Okt), Kraai van Niekerk (7 Okt) en Guy Morris (13 Okt). Vorige notule: Aangesien dit ŉ gesamentlike byeenkoms van die seëlklubs in die noordelike gebiede was, is geen notule gehou nie. ŉ Kort verslag oor die byeenkoms het in die nuusbrief van Sep 2018 verskyn. Korrespondensie: Die Voorsitter vestig almal teenwoordig se aandag dat JUNASS 2018 tans aan die gang is in die Atenaeum in Claremont, waar dit deur die Royal Philatelic Society aangebied word. Die prysuitdeling sal om 15:30 op die volgende dag (3 Oktober) gehou word. Club matters:  The Chairman expresses his satisfaction with our approach to give members an opportunity to display their collections. He refers specifically to Anton Putter, who dazzled us at the August meeting with his two exhibits. He was awarded the trophy for the best exhibit with his Cape Colony exhibit at the InterKlub in September. He thanks Wim for exhibiting his single frame exhibit in Bellville.  Kongres 2018: Die Voorsitter maak bekend dat Werner Barnard van Bellville ook ons klub by Kongres 2018 sal verteenwoordig. Die nodige volmagvorm is reeds voltooi, onderteken en ingedien.  Durbanville Stamp Fair: Robert reports that the hall being used has grown too small due to increasing attendance (sometimes as many as 120 people). The decision has been made to move the Stamp Fair from 12 Jan 2019 to the church hall, DR Church Bellville-Vallei, corner of Postma and Andrews Street, Oakdale. Robert will provide more detail, as well as a map how to get there.  Yearend function: The yearend function is discussed shortly. The members request that the function be held again at La Clémence, and that use is made of their catering, cost permitting. “Show, Tell and Ask”/Wys, Vra en Vertel: Die volgende word vertoon:  RH vertoon twee vlugkoeverte ter herdenking van die eerste vlug tussen Australië en Suid-Afrika in 1957. Hy vertoon ook die beplande seëluitgiftes vir Namibië wat nog voorlê, en hy wees daarop dat die land hoofsaaklik dier op hul seëls vir 2019 beplan.  WV wys twee seëls wat PJ hom gevra het om uit te ken. PJ kon dit nie self eien nie. WV verduidelik die proses wat hy gevolg het, en kon vasstel dat die seël van Toskana, ‘n Italiaanse staat, afkomstig is. Dit is ‘n taamlike skaars seël, maar die swaar afstempeling maak dit ongedaan. WV wys ook ‘n baie ou katalogus van die vroeë1900s  WZ vertoon ‘n aantal bladsye van sy nuwe projek oor seëls van die Kongo. Tema vir die aand/Theme of the evening: Die tema vir die aand is Perskes/Peaches. Nadat die lede gekla het oor die tema, wat hulle self voorgestel het, is dit duidelik dat daar weinig seëls beskikbaar is. Sbvertoon haar navorsing oor hoe om iets oor perskes te vertoon. Dit word ŉ baie interessante verteling, waarvoor Siv die beker vir die aand toegeken word. Verversings. Die lede geniet verversings terwyl die uitstalling vir die aand voorberei word. Uitstalling vir die aand: Die aand behoort aan Robert met seëls en materiaal oor die ontwikkeling van die vliegdekskip sedert die eerste vlug van dieWright broeres in 1903. Hy vertoon die seëls met illustrasies, sodat die skepe gesien kan word. Hy wys veral op die tegnologiese ontwikkeling wat die bou van sulke groot skepe moontlik gemaak het. Hy verduidelik ook die verskil tussen skepe en bote, waar skepe bote (veral reddinsbote) dra, terwyl bote nie skepe kan dra. Die enigste uitsondering is duikbote. Wilhelm sê dankie namens die lede, veral die tegniese verduideliking wat verstaanbaar gemaak is. Volgende vergadering: Die volgende vergadering is op 6 November, met as tema Water/Drought. Piter Maritz wys ons sy versameling van Jan van Riebeeck.

FACTS AND FEATS: THE POSTAL SERVICES Advertising through the post was first used in 1840 when many of the Mulready wrappers and envelopes bore advertisements and were sold at a discount on packs of twelve. Advertising agencies, insurance companies and even the Inland Revenue tax offices used this medium, but the Mulready design was unpopular and was soon discontinued. In 1857 the Post Office offered companies and advertising ring round the embossed stamp on postal stationary. Only 9 companies used this facility before it was discontinued in 1893. Some other companies had these advertising rings applied privately. The first attempt to put commercial advertising on stamps occurred in 1862, when an American local postal service issued 1c stamps inscribed: Wedding Cards, Notices and Letters delivered by the California City Letter Express Co Office at Hoogs & Madison’s Real Estate, House Brokers & Rent Collectors, 418 Montgomery Street. The first attempt to transmit advertising on stamps issued by a government postal administration took place in 1887 when Pears Soup had their name printed in double-lined capitals on top of the gum on the back of British ½d and 1d stamps. This was only an experiment and never secured official sanction. The first country to permit commercial advertising on the back of its stamps was New Zealand whose definitive series of 1893 has been nicknamed Adsons by collectors. A different advertisement appeared on the back of each stamp in a sheet and it is therefore possible to reconstruct the entire sheet. Names such as Beecham’s Pills, Sunlight Soap and Cadbury’s Chocolate appeared. The overprint was applied to the stamps prior to gumming, but the public objected to the stamps on the grounds that they would be liable to lick of the ink. The campaign was discontinued within 2 years. Advertising on the back of stamps was revived by Sierra Leone in 1964 when the Butterfly brand logotype of Samuel Jones Ltd appeared on the backing paper of the self-adhesive stamps. This privilege was extended to other firms in 1965 but discontinued in 1972 when Sierra Leone reverted to stamps of more orthodox appearance. Usually a separate advertisement appeared on the back of each stamp. A loophole in Swiss Postal regulations enabled A Kocher et Fils of La Chaux de Fonds and Vevey to have private postal stationary franked with impressions of contemporary postage in 1909. By exploiting the letter, if not the spirit, of the regulation, this company had gummed advertising labels prepared with the stamps printed within a frame. When the Swiss postal authorities tumbled to this ruse they promptly withdrew the privilege of stamping private stationary, but not before some 16 000 of these unique stamps on stickers were issued. Facts and feats come from: Mackay, James, The Guinness book of Stamps, Guinness Publishing Ltd, Enfield, 1988 Please note that the information used for this article has in many cases been overtaken by events – Ed

THE EVOLUTION OF MAIL AND POSTAGE STAMPS (8) Grills

sample reverse front view

Stamp re-use has always been a problem, as people tried to wash cancellation ink to make them appear unused. Some U.S. stamps from 1867-1871 were impressed with a small square waffle iron type pattern of parallel rows. This broke the fibers of the stamp enough to allow the ink to penetrate thoroughly through the paper, creating a blotched, more blackened cancel. This is the most expensive U.S. stamp, known as the 1867 "Z" Grill. One of two known, it was most recently auctioned off by Robert Siegel Auctions (lot #226 of Sale #804) in November of 2005 and sold for a record- breaking $935,000. The other known copy is held by the New York Public Library as part of the MillerCollection of 19th century stamps and can never be sold.

magnified reverse view

Ultraviolet Coatings Stamp producers began experimenting with near-invisible band of phosphor and fluorescent ink coatings on stamps in the late 1950's. These stamps "glowed" when exposed to UV light. Mail bearing these stamps could be sorted from the rest by running it through machines which look for these UV tags and orient letters properly for high- speed cancellation. Different tagging types developed through the years and eventually evolved into a security feature to detect counterfeits. Microprinting Printing technology has enabled stamp printers to insert "secret" words in various places in a design to prevent illegal reproduction. Designs have also incorporated these finely printed letters in other ways.

2001 British T.S. Eliot stamp with the entire "The Addressing of Cats" poem in readable

To be continued… COUNTERFEIT OR BOGUS STAMPS Albanian Mirdita stamps The Republic of Mirdita (Republika e Mirditës) was a short-lived unrecognized republic declared in northern Albania by Marka Gjoni and his followers. It existed between 17 July and 20 November 1921. Gjoni led his Roman Catholic Mirdita tribesmen in a rebellion against the Albanian regency and parliament established after the World War I. The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia), and its newly enthroned King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic backed Gjoni based on its interest of having another separatist region within Albania, weakening the newly created Albanian state and sharpening the religious antagonism. The region of Mirdita has been traditionally known for the Catholic resistance against the ruling Ottoman Muslims. This resistance has its roots in the 15th century, when the Mirditors fought Ottoman armies under the leadership of Gjergj Kastrioti – Skenderbeg. Furthermore, the Mirditors are said to be the direct brothers of the Dukagjini tribe, meaning both regions were directed by one ancestor. The Mirditors were successful in uniting with Kurbin, Lezhë, Dukagjin, Pukë, Shkodër, and Malësia areas in order to preserve their culture, religion, and obtain autonomy from the Ottoman Empire. As the republic violated the sovereignty of the Albanian state, Albanian government troops fought and eventually extinguished the republic. The putative government of the republic was overrun by the Albanian government, though no real persecution fell on the main leaders. Gjoni fled to Yugoslavia, but later returned to Albania and remained active in the political life of the highlands until his death in 1925. Depending on the resource, the stamps of Mirdita are deemed either as complete bogus/fantasy stamps or unissued locals of uncertain origin; at the moment none of the major stamp catalogues list them besides (illustrated) footnotes about their highly questionable status. Stamp Collecting Blog, Wikipedia and other sources

TIMELINE René Magritte. René François Ghislain Magritte was born 21 Nov 1898, in Lessines, in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. He was the oldest son of Léopold Magritte, a tailor and textile merchant,[1] and Régina (née Bertinchamps), who was a milliner before she got married. He began lessons in drawing in 1910. On 12 March 1912, his mother committed suicide by drowning herself in the River Sambre. Magritte's earliest paintings, which date from about 1915, were Impressionistic in style. From 1916 to 1918, he studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, under Constant Montald, but found the instruction uninspiring. The paintings he produced during the years 1918–1924 were influenced by Futurism and by the figurative Cubism of Metzinger, after which he devoted himself to surrealism, with Paul Delvaux being the largest exponent in Belgium. Magritte married Georgette Berger in June 1922, the daughter of a butcher in Charleroi. He first met Magritte when she was only 13 and he was 15. They met again in Brussels in 1920, and Georgette subsequently became Magritte's model and muse. Magritte died of pancreatic cancer on 15 August 1967, aged 68, and was interred in Schaerbeek Cemetery, Evere, Brussels. The Belgian surrealist artist became well known for creating a number of witty and thought-provoking images. Often depicting ordinary objects in an unusual context, his work is known for challenging observers' preconditioned perceptions of reality. His imagery has influenced pop, minimalist and conceptual art. Many of his famous works, many of which are depicted in the stamps of his country: the pipe des images (1929), the son of man (1964), the lovers (1928), Golconda (1953), the forbidden reproduction (1937) the false mirror (1928), the time pierced (1938), the mysteries of the horizon (1955), the threatened murderer (1927), the listening chamber (1952), the elected (1933) Personal Effects (1952). International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors, Wikipedia and other sources

Geskryf deur Robert Harm 22 Oktober 2018

CLUB PROGRAMMES (Western Cape)

Bellville Philatelic Society, at the Bellville Public Library at 19:00 on 2nd Wednesday of the month. 14 Nov 2018 Visitor’s evening. 5 Dec 2018 President’s evening – members only.

CASPIP, home of Dennis Landau, 24 Lochiel Road, Rondebosch at 20:00 on 3rd Wednesday of month. 21 Nov 2018 19 Dec 2018 ?????

Fish Hoek Philatelic Society, at Minor Hall, Fish Hoek Civic Centre at 19:30 on 1st Tuesday of the month. 6 Nov 2018 All members night. 4 Dec 2018 President’s evening; Christmas celebration.

Paarl Filateliste, MBA Boland-Gebou, Concordia Street, Paarl at 19:30 2nd Thursday of the month. 8 Nov 2018 Tema; Letter C. 13 Dec 2018 Auction and Sales.

Pinelands Stamp Circle, at Activities Room, Pinelands Library at 19:00 on last Wednesday of the month. 10 Sep 2018 Intersociety Quiz and exhibits at Royal Philatelic Society. 26 Sep 2018 My other hobby; Personalities beginning with “H”.

Royal Philatelic Society of Cape Town, at Atenaneum on 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month. 12 Nov 2018 Armistice Day. WW2 Military Mail – Brian Franklin and members. 26 Nov 2018 Society auction. 10 Dec 2018 President’s evening. 14 Jan 2019 Postal History of Indian and Gulf Agencies – John Carter 245 Apr 2018 Rare and Mysterious Columbian Stellenbosch Philatelic Society, at La Clémence, Webersvallei Rd, Stellenbosch at 19:00 on 1st Tuesday of month. 6 Nov 2018 Theme: Water/Drought: Pieter Maritz’s evening: Jan van Riebeeck. 4 Dec 2018 Year-end function for members.

Walker Bay Stamp Club, at the Hermanus Bowling Club/Kleinmond Public Library at 17:30 on 1st Monday of month. 5 Nov 2018 3 Dec 2018

Thematics SA (WC Chapter), at Church Hall of the DRC Bergsig, c/o Boland Road/Protea Street, Durbanville at 09:30. 3 Nov 2018 All members show pages from exhibits they working on to get comments. 1 Dec 2018 All members show pages from exhibits they working on to get comments.

STAMP FAIRS Durbanville,at Church Hall of the DRC Bergsig, c/o Boland Way and Protea Street, Durbanville at 09:00 until 12:30. 3 Nov 2018 10 Nov 2018 Auction 1 Dec 2018 This will be the last Stamp Fair at this venue.

PHILATELIC TERMS : S-7 Bibliography: McKay, James, Philatelic Terms Illustrated, Stanley Gibbons Publications, Ringwood, 2003. Nováček, Jiři, Guide to Stamp Collecting, Chartwell Books Inc, New Jersey, 1989. Smith, Anna H. (Ed), The language of stamp collecting, Johannesburg Public Library, 1959. Wood, Kenneth A. (Ed), This is Philately, Van Dahl Publications, Albany, 1982 Graham, Harold T. (Ed), A Glossary of Philatelic Terms, Philatelic Congress of Great Britain, 1951 Wikipedia Encyclopaedia at www.wikipedia.com.

Soldier’s stamps These are stamps issued by many countries to denote the exemption of servicemen’s mail from postage, or special concessionary rates applicable in such cases. Such stamps include the unofficial Army franks (USA) and the Melilla labels (Spain), but the most prolific of these issues are those which have been produced by Switzerland for every regiment, squadron and unit since the First World War. See also Franchise Stamps, Free Mail, Guerrilla Stamps and Military Posts.

Space filler The term describes a stamp in damaged or heavily cancelled condition which fills a space in the collection until a better specimen can be obtained.

Spargummi This is German term for economy gum.

Special event postmark This is a postmark, usually hand struck but occasionally applied by machine, used at or in connection with a special event of a temporary nature. These have been used at temporary exhibition post offices since 1855, but in more recent years many of these, particularly the pictorial types, are applied to mail posted in special posting-boxes or send under cover to postmasters at permanent post offices temporarily equipped with such hand stamps. The postal administrations of the UK and the Crown dependencies (Isle of Man, Channel Islands) formerly made a charge for each philatelic mail, but nowadays, in common with many other countries, they operate a return posting facility at no additional cost so long as a minimum of postage equivalent to the basic first class rate is affixed. Some countries (notably New Zealand) have produced special pre-stamped post cards in connection with this service.

Special flight stamps

These are stamps issued by the Netherlands and Switzerland for use on mail carried on special flights. The Dutch stamps were inscribed Bijzondere Vluchten whereas the Swiss stamps were inscribed Pro Aero.

Spif This is an acronym from Stamps Perforated with Initials of Firms, coined in Britain but now largely superseded by perfins.

Sponsored booklets, stamps and postmarks The term refers to the underwriting of the costs of production and/or distribution by some body other than the postal authority making the issue. Many special event and slogan postmarks are sponsored by either by government departments, tourist and civic authorities, commercial firms, charitable institutions and even private individuals who often publish souvenir covers and cards in association with these postmarks. Sponsored booklets arose out of the practice of selling advertising space in the interleaving and covers. Shown is a sponsored postmark commemorating the centenary of Gibbons Stamp Monthly.

Squared circles This was the first type of combined date and obliterating stamps used in England and Wales, and current between 1879 and the First World War, although isolated examples are recorded until the 1930s. These postmarks derive their name from the rectangular corners and concentric arcs surrounding the central date circle. Squared circles were also used in Canada, New Zealand and Italy at the beginning of the 20th century.

Stamp This is a device or instrument for stamping, hence also the impression or mark made by stamping or printing, a printed or stamped piece of paper that for some restricted purpose is used as a token of credit (e.g. a postage stamp), or occasionally of debit (e.g. a postage due label). When Rowland Hill spoke of stamps in 1838-9 he had in mind a hand struck or printed impression indicating the prepayment of postage, mainly a stamped letter sheet or wrapper, and only considered small pieces of gummed paper bearing the stamp as an afterthought. Postage stamps may be hand struck (e.g. the Dockwra stamps of 1680-2), impressed on postal stationary, or printed on gummed labels to be affixed to postal packets. Collectors restrict the use of stamp to labels prepaying postage, as opposed to seals, stickers and other pieces of gummed paper without postal validity.

Stamp card This is a laminated card resembling a credit card, bearing peelable self-adhesive stamps. Pioneered by North Korea in 1993, although actually manufacture in Sweden.

Stamp currency This is another term for Encased Postage Stamps, Fractional currency and Postal Currency.

Stamped paper This is paper bearing an impressed or embossed fiscal stamp intended for a non-postal purpose.

Stampless cover This is a cover, wrapper or letter-sheet which has been passed through the post since the advent of adhesive stamps in the country of origin, but which does not bear either adhesive or imprinted stamps. In this category come covers bearing hand struck or machine-applied Paid or Official Paid marks, even though these are, strictly speaking, postage stamps of a sort. The term is at its most precise when describing free mail, forces’ mail on active service, or covers which have been endorsed in some way to indicate that stamps were unavailable, either in wartime or in times of financial upheaval (e.g. the German hyper-inflation of 1923). Similarly metered and permit mail and items bearing postage paid impressions cannot be regarded as stampless in any real sense.

Star plate This is a US plate with a star in the imprint or near the Plate number to indicate an experimental spacing of the subjects to obtain better-centred stamps.

Stereoscopic stamps These are pairs or strips of stamps whose images are slightly out of alignment with each other so that when viewed at a certain point the impression of a three- dimensional effect is created. This technique was pioneered by New Caledonia in 1994 in a strip of five Christmas stamps in which the position of the decorations on the tree varied slightly. A similar technique, involving latent imaging, was used by Guernsey in the stamps of 1995 celebrating the 50th anniversary of peace and freedom.

Stitch watermark The term refers to extraneous portions of a normal watermark, caused by the stiches in the web-cloth or wire – on which the paper is manufactured. Good examples of this may be found on US stamps.

Strip The term refers to three or more stamps joined in a single row, horizontal or vertical. Compiled by Robert Harm 13 Oct 2018