France 1958 - Lagrange

His name is on a plague on the Eiffel Tower. A street in Paris bears his name. There is even a crater on the moon named after him! Joseph-Louis Lagrange, born Giuseppe Lodovico Lagrangia on 25 January 1736, was a mathematician and astronomer during le Siècle des Lumières, the Age of Enlightenment, an intellectual and philosophical movement in Europe during the 18th century. He was known as a kind and quiet man, who had a life-long devotion to, and passion for, science.

Lagrange was born in Turin, Italy. His father was of French descent and his mother was herself born in Turin. His father, who worked as Treasurer of the Office of Public Works and Fortifications in Turin, had decided his son was to have a career as a lawyer. Lagrange attended the University of Turin, seemingly happy with the vocation that had been chosen for him. During the course of his studies he was obliged to complete some mathematical studies, such as geometry, which he found boring (who can blame the guy!).  His favourite subject at the time was Latin.

But Lagrange's attitude towards maths did an abrupt U-turn after reading a paper by Edmund Halley, after whom a comet was later named (which I was fortunate to see as a teenager). After a year of self-study, he was hooked on maths. And at the age of just 19 (some even say 16!) he was teaching mathematics at the artillery school of Turin. During this time his work focused on 'calculus of variations', which was well received in the mathematical community.

By the time Lagrange was 25 in 1761 he was already recognised as one of the greatest living mathematicians. Not bad for a guy who initially thought maths stuff boring! Three years later in 1764 he was the recipient of a prize awarded by the French Academy of Sciences for his essay on the libration of the moon, which is basically the study of the slight wobble or oscillation of the moon, which in turn present to us on Earth a visual change of lunar features. He also worked on theories relating the the motions of the satellites 'moons' of Jupiter.

In 1766 Lagrange was offered a teaching post at the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin. He was invited by the king Frederick the Great, who is believed to have said that it is the wish of “the greatest king in Europe” to have “the greatest mathematician in Europe” at his court. While in Berlin he worked tirelessly on the areas such as the 'three-body problem' (which relates to Newton' law of gravity),  differential equations, prime number theory. and the mechanics and stability of the solar system, He also devoted much time to the study of algebra, culminating in a long paper published in 1770, titled: Réflexions sur la résolution algébrique des équations (Reflections on the Algebraic Resolution of Equations”).

In 1787, after the death of King Fredrick, Lagrange was invited by Louis XVI to take a position at the French Academy of Sciences, which he gladly accepted. In fact, he remained in Paris till the day he died. His move to Paris was right before the French Revolution in 1789. During this turbulent time, Lagrange was, shall we say, prodded into joining the committee working to reform the metric system. then in 1794 the École Centrale des Travaux Publics (later renamed the École Polytechnique) was opened and Lagrange took a position as a leading professor of mathematics. Here Lgrange continued his work on calculus, producing the first analytical textbooks in the area. He also continued work on new edition of his  Mécanique analytique, but Lagrange died 10 April 1813 before it was published.

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On 17 February 1958, France issued a set of four stamps honouring famous scientists. Two of these stamps were designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. One of these two stamps featured Joseph-Louis Lagrange. it is a lovely design, which captures the true essence of this brilliant, kind, and gentle man.

Until next time...

I Muse...On Soaking Results

Several weeks ago I wrote a blog describing my successful win of two Tunisia 1953 airmail stamps. One of these two stamps, the 1,000f value was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. The 500f value was designed and engraved by Rene Cottet. The catalogue value of these stamps was quite high, but I managed to win them for just a couple of dollars. You may recall that the condition of the stamps wasn't 100%. They both had quite a bit of toning, the 500f more so. Of course, this is my Albert Decaris blog so I will only deal with the 1,000f stamp here. The 500f I will deal with in my French Stamp Engravers! blog (when it is done I will insert a link to it here). 

The stamp arrived a couple of weeks ago, and the other day I finally got round to giving it a peroxide bath. I have already written a blog detailing the method I use for soaking stamps in peroxide. You can check it out HERE. This time round I had to give the stamp (both stamps actually) two longer soaks than normal. And even then not all of the toning was removed. But it did freshen the stamps up quite a bit, and of course, it killed any and all mould present. That being said, I am still very happy with the results. Below is a 'before and after' for you to judge for yourselves.

So what do you think?

Until next time...

France 1957 - Cervantes

Perhaps the greatest writer in the Spanish language the world has seen, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born c. 29 September 1547 in Alcalá de Henares, Habsburg, Spain. It is said that his most famous work Don Quixote has been translated into more languages than any other book except the Bible.

Rather little is known of Cervantes's youth. What is known suggests his family was far from well-to-do. His father, who was deaf, was a barber-surgeon, a poor paying job at that time. Possibly due to their low income status, the family moved around a lot when Cervantes was a kid. Regarding his schooling, next to nothing is certain, but it is a hot topic of debate among modern scholars. It is very possible, based on analysis of his later literary work, that Cervantes was taught by the Jesuits. One fact is certain. Cervantes was an avid reader as a child.

Cervantes's first foray into the field of writing came in 1569 when he contributed some poetry to a collection compiled as a memorial after Elizabeth of Valois, the wife of Spain's King Philip II, died. But according to Cervantes himself poetry was not his strong point. Interestingly, for some reason not known now, Cervantes was forced into exile in this same year, and he moved to Rome. Cervantes hung up his quill, as it were, and worked for a short time as chamber assistant to a cardinal before joining a Spanish military unit stationed in Italy in 1570. As a soldier, he fought with distinction against the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571 aboard the ship La Marquesa. During this conflict he sustained several serious, debilitating injuries. He suffered "two chest wounds and the complete maiming of his left hand" (Biography.com). Despite these terrible injuries Cervantes continued to serve as a soldier for a further five years.

Compounding on his injuries suffered during his years of service, Cervantes was captured in 1580 by Turkish ships while attempting to return to Spain. He was imprisoned and for the next five years forced into slavery. After numerous failed attempts to escape, he finally gained freedom after his family paid a ransom for his release.

Safely back home in Spain, Cervantes decided to dust off his quill and resume writing. His first novel, La Galatea, was published in 1585. Unfortunately, this his first novel was not exactly a rip-roaring success among his contemporaries. To make ends meet, he took up a job as a purchasing agent for the Spanish Armada, which might sound impressive but was really nothing more than collecting grain from rural communities. Perhaps disillusioned by this grunt-work he decided to try his hand at writing for the theatre. Plays were all the rage in Spain at that time and becoming a successful playwright promised lucrative career possibilities. Alas, none of his plays were show-stoppers. 

We are perhaps fortunate that he did fail as a playwright. If he had been successful we may never have had the tremendous benefit of his most famous work Don Quixote. Cervantes published the first part of Don Quixote in 1605. This novel "tells the story of an elderly man who becomes so enamored by the old stories of brave knights that he seeks out his own adventures. The title character soon gets lost in his own fantasy world, believing he is one of these knights, and convinces a poor peasant, Sancho Panza, to serve as his squire. In one scene, the deluded Don Quixote even fights a windmill, mistaking it for a giant. Quixote finally regains his senses before the novel ends" (Biography.com). It is from this novel that the phrase 'tilting at windmills' to suggest madness was coined. This novel was a huge success, but since authors didn't receive royalties for their work at this time, it did not make Cervantes a wealthy man as it undoubtedly would have now. In fact, it has now been translated into over 60 different languages. 

Cervantes eventually went on to publish the second part of Don Quixote in 1616. This story has inspired many authors and artists through the centuries. It inspired the musical The Man of La Mancha and an artwork by Pablo Picasso.  

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On 12 November 1957 France issued a set of seven stamps featuring a cast of foreign celebrities (Célébrités étrangères). One of these stamps features Miguel de Cervantes. It was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. Decaris here manages to capture the brooding intelligence of Cervantes as he gazes into deep into his own creative imagination. Studying this portrait we could well believe Cervantes is right at that point of conceiving that quirky character, Quixote. A splendid portrait by the Master Engraver.

Until next time...

French Equatorial Africa 1939 - New York World's Fair

Experience "the world of tomorrow" and witness the "dawn of a new day". These were the slogans of the 1939 New York World's Far (NYWF). The event was held at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, which up until then was an ash dump (the largest ash pile was so big, some 90 feet tall, that it was actually given a name - Mount Corona). 

The event was conceived in 1935 by a group of New York businessmen in order to help lift the city and the country from the doldrums of the Great Depression. From offices high up in the Empire State Building, the committee imagined the biggest international event the world had seen since the horrors of the Great War. The theme of looking towards a bright and peaceful future full of scientific wonders was more relevant than ever in the current climate. In all, it took four years for the NYWF committee to bring their colossal vision into the realm of reality. 

The date chosen for the grand opening of the fair was Sunday, April 30, 1939, the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The opening speech was to be given by the current President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, in front of a crowd of 206,000 people. But this was to be no ordinary speech. Since new technologies and future innovations was the central theme of the fair, this was the perfect opportunity for RCA to introduce a new thing called 'television' to the public. Roosevelt's speech was not only broadcast by radio, but it was actually televised.  It is said that some 1,000 people watched the speech on 200 television sets scattered around the New York metropolitan area. In fact, many events throughout the course of the fair were broadcast on television. The speech coverage was used by the New York station W2XBS (now WNBC) to inaugurate their new system of regularly scheduled broadcasts in the New York area.

Anticipating skepticism among the public, RCA set up a television in their pavilion with a transparent case so the internal components could be easily seen. Also, in this pavilion (one I would have made a beeline for if I were there) a mini-studio was set up allowing people to see themselves on television. People could also see television demonstrations at the General Electric and Westinghouse pavilions.

Innovative architecture was for the various displays and pavilions was highly encouraged. Architects had nearly free-rein to be as "creative and energetic" as possible with their designs. Perhaps none typified the stunning vision for the future more so than the Theme Center, designed by Wallace Harrison and Max Abramovitz. This center "consisted of two all-white, landmark monumental buildings named the Trylon (over 700 feet (210 m) tall) and the Perisphere which one entered by a moving stairway and exited via a grand curved walkway named the "Helicline". Inside the Perisphere was a "model city of tomorrow that visitors" viewed from a moving walkway high above the floor level." (Wikipedia).

Some of the highlights of the fair included exhibits featuring nylon fabric, Secentovision (a forerunner to Smell-O-Vision), and an exhibit featuring what was perhaps one of my favourite toys as a kid, the View-Master (remember those?). People could also see a new futuristic car design in the General Motors pavilion. There was even a talking robot that - you wouldn't believe it - actually smoked! As the song goes: "it's all happening at the fair!"

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On 10 May 1939 an omnibus set of two stamps of a single design was issued in twenty-four French colonies to celebrate the New York World's Fair. The stamps were designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. This was Decaris' second foray into omnibus stamp design, the first being the 1937 Paris Exposition set. Below is a list of all the colonies in which this set was issued (it should be noted that these stamps are available with several different overprints, but I'll leave that for another time).

• Cameroun
• Dahomey
• Fr. Equatorial Africa
• Fr. Guiana
• Fr. Guinea
• Fr. India
• Fr. Polynesia
• Fr. Sudan
• Guadaloupe
• Indo-China
• Inini
• Ivory Coast
• Kwangchowan
• Madagascar
• Martinque
• Mauritania
• New Caledonia
• Niger
• Reunion
• St Pierre & Miquelon
• Senegal 
• Somali Coast
• Togo
• Wallis & Futuna Islands.

Of course, it would be difficult to display images of all the stamps of all the colonies, so considering I am in the process of studying Albert Decaris' work for French Equatorial Africa, I will showcase those ones here (in the future, I will be doing separate blog posts for each of these omnibus issues).

Until next time...

I Review... My New Decaris Catalogue

Not long after I started collecting the philatelic work of Albert Decaris about two and a half years ago, I came across a collected catalogue of his work in book form. The book is by Bernard Gontier and it is called Maitre Albert Decaris, sa vie son oeuvre philatelique. I thought to myself, "great, this is exactly what I need!" As it turns out - like with most things that would be handy to have - it was nigh on impossible to track down. And the one copy that I did happen to find on Delcampe had a ludicrous price + postage cost attached to it. Every other option I looked into, the book was simply not in stock. I filled out the requisite details on heaps of sites that would inform me of one being in stock. I could hope, right? Sadly, not in this case. As of this moment, I've heard back from exactly none of those sites.

But then about a month ago whilst I was doing an image search related to a blog post, I came across an image of the cover of the book that I hadn't seen before. Just like the actual book, images of it are fairly scarce. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the image and it took me to a French philatelic shop that had a whole range of products available. But what interested me was that they had the Gontier book on their order list. I clicked on that, expecting to see the same old story. Sorry, not currently in stock. But no! Miracle of miracles, they had one copy in stock! And the price on it was excellent. I couldn't bring myself to believe it at first. Surely it was a mistake. Or just a printed image of the cover for sale. Or maybe the postage on that site was ridiculous. First I checked out the postage - reasonable. Then I had a hard look at everything about the book. Seemed fine. Now growing somewhat excited I looked around the site a bit to see how valid it was. It seemed legit. With trembling fingers (not much hyperbole here!), I returned to the item page. And I clicked "Purchase". For a few days afterwards I could still hardly believe my luck! Then skip forward a few weeks, and what was in the mail? The Decaris catalogue! And it is everything I'd hoped it to be. On my Slania Crazy! blog I did a review on the catalogue of Slania's works, so I thought I'd do the same here.

***

First of all I really need to stress that the thoughts expressed in this review are solely my own, and I'm sure there are those out there who have different opinions. If you feel differently to what I think please add your thoughts to the comments. I love hearing from fellow collectors! With that said, let's get into it.

Maître Albert Decaris, sa vie son travail philatélique, by Bernard Gontier. Published by Monde des philatélistes. Printing date unknown.

The first step would be to take a look at the overall presentation of the book. I was really surprised at the dimensions of the book. It measures a whopping 32cm x 24cm. It has 40 pages and it is bound in a soft cover. The fact that it is so large with only a soft cover is really my only criticism. This makes it a little difficult to consult time and again without any fear of damage. Its unusual height also makes it difficult to store on my shelf. 

Not surprisingly, the book is written entirely in French, which doesn't bother me, but some may find information extraction a little more difficult. The book is printed mostly in black & white, including the stamp images. But there are several lovely full page colour phtotos included.

The contents of the book include: a catalogue of all Decaris' stamps; a few full page colour images of a selection of unadopted designs; and a group of three interesting articles in the back including an interview with Decaris. 

The catalogue portion of the book is brilliant. The stamps are arranged by year with the actual date of issue and Y&T catalogue numbers included. It is divided into three sections. The first section lists all the stamps Decaris designed and engraved. The second section deals with the stamps he only engraved. And the last section lists the stamps he only designed. 

Below is a small selection of images from within the book. Unfortunately due to the size of the book, it wont fit in my scanner, so I have to include photos instead of scans. But the images are just to give you an idea of the content.

In all I love this catalogue, and honestly I find it a lot more useful than my Slania catalogue, but that's just my humble opinion. If you have any comments or questions, comment below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Until next time...

I Muse...On Breaking News

We interrupt our regular blogging schedule to bring you this special report!

This news just in: it has been discovered  that the stamp collector who has been identified as Albert Decaris Stamps! has just managed to defy the odds and secure, through and stealth and a decent dose of luck, a great bargain. We have managed to secure an exclusive interview with the happy buyer!

All jokes aside, this morning when I woke up I got quite the surprise. It all started a little over a week ago when my Decaris catalogue by Bernard Gontier arrived (a review of said book will be coming soon). I noticed in it that Decaris had designed and engraved a 1,000f airmail stamp for Tunisia in 1953. This stamp has a rather hefty SG catalogue value of £47 mint and over double that for genuine used. A glance at eBay and Delcampe yielded rather expensive results. What a shock! But I did spot one item up for bid on eBay that was still on the minimum bid of $0.99. The stamp was not alone it came with the 500f value stamp. Both have some toning, the 500f more so. But I thought that if on the off chance I could get them cheap, the toning could be reduced, if not completely removed by a good peroxide bath. Taking all this into account, I threw on a cheap snipe bid. Pretty certain I'd have no chance. But hey, gotta be in it to win it.

Then... Lo and behold I did win it! And for just $2.28 Aust.

So I guess now we are at that point where I show you what I got. The images ain't that great, but it gives you an idea of the toning levels. In honesty, the 500f stamp may be a ride-off, but that doesn't bother me. It's the 1,000f on the right that I'm most interested n. As you can see, the toning is considerably less on this stamp.

When they arrive I'll give them the peroxide treatment and post up the results!

Now back to our regular blogging schedule!

Until next time...

French Equatorial Africa - 1937 International Exposition in Paris

Let the festivities commence! From motorboat races on the Seine to the Grape Harvest Festival, and from World Championship Boxing Matches to Shakespeare in the park. The 1937 Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (International Exposition of Art and Technology in Modern Life) had it all. The Expo was held from 25 May to 25 November 1937 in Paris, France. Countries from around the globe converged on the "city of lights" to flex their muscles of national pride. Participating countries were invited to build their own pavilions. Some pavilions were rather modest. While others such as the Soviet and Nazi pavilions opted more for the ostentatious and colossal. For more on the Expo, click HERE.

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This World Expo was also a big deal in the world of philately. A group of France's best artistic minds were assembled to create a six stamp set that would be issued in twenty-one French colonies. This was the second omnibus series printed in France, the first being in 1931 for the International Colonial Exposition. Engravers such as Rene Cottet, Emile Feltesse, Pierre Munier, Antonin Delzers, and of course Albert Decaris contributed to the set. In fact, Albert Decaris both designed and engraved two stamps in this set. Below is a list of all colonies in which this set was issued.

• Cameroun
• Dahomey
• French Equatorial Africa
• French Guiana
• French Guinea
• French India
• French Polynesia
• French Sudan
• Guadeloupe
• Indo-China
• Ivory Coast
• Madagascar
• Martinque
• Mauritania
• New Caledonia
• Niger
• Oceania
• Reunion
• St. Pierre & Miquelon
• Senegal
• Togo

***

To celebrate the beginning of my studies into Albert Decaris' philatelic work for French Equatorial Africa, which in 1958 became the Central African Republic, I thought I would showcase his first stamps issued for this country. The 1937 International Exposition in Paris. Indeed, these were the first stamps issued with his name attached for many French colonies.

Before seeing the stamps, let's have a little look at the country in question. French Equatorial Africa (French: Afrique équatoriale française), or the AEF, was the federation of French colonial possessions in Equatorial Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River into the Sahel, and comprising what are today the countries of Chad, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. After a referendum in 1958, in which the citizens voted for independence, AEF became the temporary association called The Union of Central African Republics. Then in 1960 the fully independent Central African Republic was formed. But we'll look at that change when I start studying the stamps Decaris produced for CAR.

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Now to the stamps. As I mentioned above, Decaris both designed and engraved his two stamp contribution to the Paris Exposition omnibus series. To look at the full set, click HERE. The issue dates of this series vary by colony. The FAE set was issued on 15 April 1937.

The first stamp is the 50c value, labelled in French: Groupe de trois femme. (Group of three women)

The 1f 50 stamp, my favourite of the two designs, is called:  Tête de femme et masque. (Head of woman and mask)

Until next time...

France 1957 - Europa

Way back in 1956 a decision was made to create a common design stamp issue for the European community. The idea was not only to promote the rewarding pursuit of philately, but also to educate people in the history of Europe and the common roots that Europeans share. Thus the EUROPA stamp issue was born. Initially, there were six participating countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands. All participating countries issued stamps of the same design to be produced in their own countries, using their own printing techniques and engravers when applicable. The common design chosen for the first EUROPA issue was a tower in the form of the 6 letters of the word EUROPA. The design was created by Frenchman Daniel Gonzagu. France's first EUROPA stamps were issued in two values, and the 'common' design was engraved by Jules Piel. 

In 1957 EUROPA allowed participating countries to issue stamps based on the common "theme" instead of a common design. The theme was Peace and Welfare through Agriculture and Industry. This idea of providing the participating countries with just a theme gave individual designers freedom to come up with their own artistic interpretation of the theme. Incidentally, the number of participating countries had now risen to eight to include Saarland and Switzerland.

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On 16 September 1957, France issued its EUROPA design, printed in two values. The issue was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. Decaris has brilliantly captured the essence of the theme in his design. It features two hands. One hand is holding an olive branch and wheat, symbolising peace and prosperity through agriculture. The other hand holds a large gear, through which another olive branch is entwined. Machinery and nature are here almost one with each other in a symbiotic relationship.

Until next time...

France 1956 - Benjamin Franklin

To say he was a man of many talents would be a massive understatement. He was the very definition of the title "polymath". Inventor, scientist, politician, printer, and diplomat to name but a few of his pastimes. The man, if you haven't already guessed, is Benjamin Franklin. 

To write an in-depth biography of Benjamin Franklin I'd need far more space than I usually allow for a blog - probably need a rather large book actually! So what I'll do here is try to concentrate on some of the more uncommon things about Benjamin Franklin. First off let's quickly get acquainted with Benjamin Franklin. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 17 1706. His father, Josiah Franklin, was a soap and candle maker. Josiah had two wives, fathering seven children with the first, and a staggering ten with the second wife! Ben was the fifteenth child. Ben started out working in his father's shop, but melting wax all day wasn't for him. He then tried his hand at the printing business under the tyrannical rule of his brother. He hated working for his brother, so he struck out on his own by moving to Philadelphia. From here his career thrived.

Now to some things about this great man that I personally didn't know.  Ben Franklin is rather famous for his inventions such as bifocal glasses and the lightning rod. But I did not know that he also invented the flexible urinary catheter. I also didn't know that he never chose to patent any of his inventions, believing that they should be freely accessible to all.

Franklin also revitalized the idea of Paying it Forward. This is the concept of doing a good deed of some kind to a person and instead of the person paying you back they in turn do a good deed for someone else. An excellent practice in my opinion. This idea was first introduced as a key plot in Menander's play Dyskolos (The Grouch) which was performed in Athens in 317 BC. In a letter to Benjamin Webb dated 25 February 1874 Ben Franklin suggests the use of such a concept.

Another interesting tidbit I just read about. Ben was a very accomplished chess player, and his travels in Britain and France gave him the opportunity to duke it out with some of the greatest chess minds of the time.. When in Paris, both as a visitor and later as ambassador, he visited the famous Café de la Régence, which France's strongest players made their regular meeting place. Unfortunately, no records of his games have survived, so it is not possible to ascertain his playing strength in modern terms.

I also didn't realize Ben Franklin was the first Postmaster General of the United States. And interestingly, aside from George Washington,  Ben Franklin appears on US postage stamps more than any other famous person. He first appeared on a US postage stamp in 1847. 

Benjamin Franklin also appeared on the famous long-running Washington-Franklin series from 1908 to 1923. And many more issues, but amazingly on only a few commemorative issues. One commemorative issue he did appear on was engraved by perhaps the best stamp engraver in the world, Czeslaw Slania. This stamp issued in 1983 was a joint issue with Sweden.

He died on April 17 1790 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the ripe old age of 84. 

***

On 12 November 1956 France issued a set of six stamps featuring famous foreigners who worked in France. One of the stamps features Benjamin Franklin, who, as mentioned above, worked as a ambassador in France. The stamp was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. In this design, Decaris captures the witty and playful nature of Franklin not seen in a lot of his portraits. I like this stamp. It was fun and quirky.

Until next time...

France 1956 - Samuel de Champlain

His skills and accomplishments were numerous. Among other things, he was a navigator, cartographer, draftsman, soldier, and explorer. He was instrumental in the founding of Quebec City. And he was later dubbed "The Father of New France". So who is this rather remarkable fellow? We are, of course, talking about none other than Samuel de Champlain.

Samuel de Champlain was born in Brouage, France. There is some contention as to the actual date of his birth. Some say as early as 1567. Other theories include dates up to and including 1575. Scholarship is now fairly certain he was born on or before 13 August 1574. Whatever the year of his birth was, we do know that he began his life as an explorer and seaman in 1598 when he travelled on the ship Saint-Julien with his uncle-in-law. The ship had been commissioned to carry Spanish troops to  Cádiz. During the journey, which was apparently long and hard (over two years) Champlain was given the opportunity to "watch after the ship". This was an excellent opportunity for him to learn the art of seamanship - to "learn the ropes" as it were. And Champlain also took the opportunity to hone his burgeoning writing and cartography skills. He wrote detailed notes of his journey, including illustrations. So good was the work that upon return to France, King Henry IV rewarded Champlain with an annual pension. Then when his uncle died in 1601, he left Champlain his considerable estate along with a merchant ship. His future as an explorer was set.

In 1603 he made his first voyage to North America as an observer on a fur trading expedition. Making the trek across the Atlantic and exploring parts of North America became second nature to Champlain. Indeed, in 1604 and again in 1605 he was back over there, exploring the eastern coastline as far south as Cape Cod.

But it was in 1608 that Champlain would forever cement himself in the annals of history. Sent back across the Atlantic at the command of a fleet of three ships to find a suitable spot for a colony on the St Lawrence River, he came across a nice spot which he would name "Quebec", which comes from the Algonquin word kébec meaning "where the river narrows". This was the origin of Quebec City. The first settlement consisted of three buildings, a stockade, and a moat, which Champlain called the "Habitation". The Habitation became Champlain's lifelong passion. He even built himself a large dwelling he called Fort Saint Louis.

Throughout his life, Champlain also settled the area that became the city of Montreal, and he made detailed maps of the Atlantic coast and the Great Lakes. By 1620 he had settled into an administrative role as the de facto governor of New France from a command post in Quebec. Samuel de Champlain died on December 25, 1635, in Quebec.

***

On 11 June 1956 France issued a set of six stamps honouring famous French people. One of the stamps features Samuel de Champlain. The stamp was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. The stamp is a semi-postal with a face value of 12f with a 3f surcharge for the benefit of the Red Cross. When I first saw this stamp I wasn't really all that enamoured by it. But over time I have come to like it. The strong bold lines and the penetrating eyes of the explorer, the eyes of a visionary. And of course I love the beard!

I'd like to end this blog with a nice little quote by Champlain himself:

“The advice I give to all adventurers is to seek a place where they may sleep in safety.”
—Samuel de Champlain

Until next time...

France 1956 - Marshal Franchet of Esperey

Considered by some as the personification of a howitzer shell with the steely disposition of a tyrant, Louis Félix Marie François Franchet d'Espèrey, was a French General during World War I. Yet outside his tough military demeanor, d'Espèrey was a kind man with, as we shall see, the heart of an adventurer.

D'Espèrey, born 25 May 1856 in Mostaganem in French Algeria, was the son of a cavalry officer in the Chasseurs d'Afrique. Following in his father's footsteps, d'Espèrey began his life-long military career in 1876 after being educated at Saint-Cyr. Before the outbreak of World War I, d'Espèrey had already forged a distinguished career. After serving in a regiment of Algerian Tirailleurs (native infantry), he served in French Indochina, and then in China during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. He was then packed off to France where he was given command of various infantry regiments in France. He obviously did something right, as in 1913 - just a year before the war - he was given command of I Corps.

During WWI, d'Espèrey served on several fronts. Most notably, he was given command of the large Allied army based at Salonika. It was in this role that he led "the successful Macedonian campaign, which caused the collapse of the Southern Front and contributed to the armistice" (Wikipedia). After the war his military successes continued with the command of operations against the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919. Then on 19 February 1921 he was given the honour of the title of Marshal of France.

Skipping ahead to 1924, we find d'Espèrey now in the role of inspector-general of France's North African troops. It was in this capacity that he "became interested in the strategic potential of the "grand axis" north-south route across the Sahara" (Wikipedia). And it was later in this same year that the adventurous spirit within d'Espèrey was unleashed.

On 15 November 1924, d'Espèrey joined a trans-Saharan expedition led by Gaston Gradis in three six-wheel Renaults with double tyres (see image below). Interestingly, this was Gradis' second trans-Sahara expedition, the first being earlier in that same year. Other members of the expedition included the journalist Henri de Kérillis, commandant Ihler, the brothers Georges Estienne and René Estienne, three Renault mechanics and three legionnaires. Overall the expedition travelled 3,600 km of rugged terrain to reach Savé in Dahomey on 3 December 1924. One can only imagine the stories of the adventures these intrepid explorers had to tell. Any one of them would have certainly made an entertaining dinner guest!

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On 28 May 1956 France issued a stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Marshal Franchet d'Espèrey. The stamp was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. In this design Decaris manages to capture the fierce pride and determination of a great French leader with the heart of an adventurer. It is also worth noting that Decaris has discreetly incorporated one of France's defining landmarks, the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Can you find it?

Until next time...

I Muse... On Going Un-Hinged

As I set out on my epic quest to collect all things Albert Decaris, I made a decision to collect all stamps with his name attached. In hindsight this can perhaps be viewed as slightly deranged! And maybe it is. But I prefer to think of it as a decision made out of naivety. I simply did not know what I was getting myself into. For instance I did not know of the numerous definitive sets with several values of the same design bearing his name. I did not know that he worked on several omnibus sets, which were often printed with 21 different colony names, for instance the Victory issue. Of course, after having armed myself with this new knowledge, I could have changed my mind and amended my collection parameters. But, truth be told, I set myself an interesting - far more challenging than I first thought - goal, and I decided to stick to it. I have spoken with many different collectors since I have started this thrilling adventure, and some, like me, have chosen to go down the path of collecting everything, while some collect one example of each design. Ultimately there is no right or wrong answer. Collecting is a very personal thing and we are free to choose our own collecting goals.

There is, however, one parameter within this sphere of collecting that for me is still somewhat of a conundrum. The un-hinged vs hinged debate. I have noticed there to be a tendency for those in the "un-hinged" camp to frown upon those who choose to be less selective with their mint stamp purchases. I think this is quite unfair. Let me first say that I do fully understand the idea of the preference of un-hinged stamps for high-end collections. After all, a hinge mark literally is damage to the stamp. Having said that though, is this consideration of such vital import to a collection that is primarily to admire what is on the front of the stamp! I collect engraved stamps, which means that I collect the small pieces of art adorning one side of a piece of paper. So long as it doesn't show on the front, does what's on the back really matter? When it comes to an artwork that we hang on the wall, do we really care what the back of the frame looks like? 

I really do think that simply going un-hinged with a collection because it's commonly regarded as the "done thing" is not the best approach. I know there are those who will vehemently disagree with me, citing reasons sch as "value" and "depreciation". This is totally fine. As I said earlier, we can choose how we wish to collect. But when I first stared to collect I was told in no uncertain terms by a dealer that collecting anything other than un-hinged was a total waste of time. Is it really? Now that I have a few years of experience under my belt, I really don't believe so. But at the time it really scared me because when buying stamps there is still a premium on unhinged merchandise. which is fair enough. But what if your budget doesn't allow you to pay that premium? Do you simply give up? Most assuredly not! If, like me, you collect engraved art, you are paying to admire the beauty of the art. Plain and simple! Don't be pressurised into spending more than what you need to spend. And whatever you do, don't be bullied out of what can be an immensely enriching and thoroughly rewarding hobby. 

To be perfectly frank, if I were to restrict myself to un-hinged copies of all my Decaris stamps, there would be no way I would be able to collect all his omnibus issues, all his definitive issues, and all his high value airmail issues. When it comes down to it, I am actually really very happy that "hinged" stamps have less value! It means I can buy more volume for quite a reduction in price. So, go forth and collect in whatever way you want!

Anyway, that's enough ranting from me. I will, however, end by posing a question. Take a look at the image below. Does it really matter if there is a tiny mark on the back of this stunning piece of art?

Until next time...

Mauritania 1938 - Camels

The Sahara Desert constitutes almost 90% of its landmass. Camels are a typical mode of transport. And camel milk is offered to household guests. So where does one go for a camel ride in the desert or partake of some tasty of camel milk? The answer is Mauritania, more formerly known as Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Mauritania is located in West Africa. It is bordered by five other African countries as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

As I mentioned above, camels play an important role in Mauritanian daily life. The species of camel found in Mauritania, and indeed other areas of Africa, is the one-humped dromedary (C. dromedarius). Of the three known species of camel in the world, the dromedary is the most common. In Mauritania, camels are used for transport and they provide all important calcium in the diets of the locals in the form of milk and cheese. And even camel milk chocolate is now being produced!

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Between 1938-1940, the Institut de Gravure issued a set of 34 definitive stamps for use in Mauritania. The set consisted four design types, one of which was engraved by Albert Decaris. This particular design features Mauritanian locals and their camels, and it was issued in seven different values. If you're a regular to my blogs, you will know that I like to collect and feature all values issued. I very much enjoy studying the effects different colours have on a design. Anywho, enough talk! Let's get to the images of this great design.

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It is worth noting that the 40c & 45c values were issued in 1940. Which value colour is your favourite? For me it is the 50c purple stamp.

Until next time...

I Muse... On a Few Improvements

I'm always on the look-out for ways of improving my blogs and making it easier for my readers to navigate the through the blog and find what they are after. One issue I've been working to sort out is a practical way of letting everyone know when I have made additions or edits to previously published posts. The other day I had an idea that may offer a reasonable solution.

I have now added a "What's New" tab to the Pages bar on my blog (the highlighted circle labelled "1." in the diagram below). The Pages Bar can be found just below the blog's title.  When you click on the tab it will take you to the page as seen below. My plan is to use this page as a kind of message board with information on changes/editions to the blog. At the top of the message I will provide the date of the message (the highlighted circle labelled "2.").

I have already added my first message to the"What's New" tab, so by all means have an explore and see what additions I am making this week. If you have any further suggestions for improvements to this blog, drop me a message :-) 

Until next time... 

France 1956 - Battle of Verdun

Human history has been witness to some of the most brutal acts of violence. Violence on a scale incomprehensible to imagine. Perhaps one of the most blood-soaked periods of our history was World War I, a war that claimed over 41 million souls. Staggering! And the worst of the battles in this time of mass slaughter was the Battle of Verdun.

World War I was the embodiment of a new age of warfare. New weapons of war such as the howitzer, the mightiest of these being Big Bertha, which could reign destruction on a enemy target up to 9 km away. It was also the dawn of the flying aces of aerial warfare. Who hasn't heard of the legendary Red Baron? Destruction also now came from underwater in the form of submarines, such as the classic German U-boats. And although chemical warfare had been around for a very long time, World War I saw the first mass use of such diabolical weaponry. Chemical agents such as tear gas, and more lethal agents like phosgene, chlorine, and mustard gas were being employed in an attempt to smoke enemies from entrenched areas.

Which leads us to the birth of an horrendous age, the age of Trench Warfare. The most famous arena for Trench Warfare in World War I was the Western Front, a vast area of land riddled with complex networks of trenches, an area where millions of French and Germany soldiers died for little or no gain in territory. Soldiers lived in appalling conditions, before, like lambs to the slaughter, they went 'over the top' of the trench to be mowed down by enemy artillery. It was a ludicrous method of warfare where soldiers died seemingly at the whim of their commanding officers, who, for want of anything better to do, ordered charge after charge. The British public referred to their soldiers as "lions led by donkeys". Indeed, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the British lost 60,000 men - a death toll difficult to comprehend.

The longest battle in the trenches was the Battle of Verdun from 21 February to 18 December 1916. I shall not belittle the sheer horror and complexity of this battle by trying to summarise it here. Instead, I will throw a few statistics your way. The Battle of Verdun was fought between French and German soldiers. It raged for 303 brutal days, and is considered one of the most costly battles in human history. It is currently believed that the total number of casualties in the battle amounted to 714,231. 377,231 of these were French and 337,000 German. Averaging out these staggering numbers we get roughly 70,000 casualties a month or over 2,300 a day! I can't even begin to imagine! For an in-depth analysis of the battle click HERE

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On 5 March 1956 France issued a stamp commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Battle of Verdun. Albert Decaris was given the honour of designing and engraving this important stamp. I think he did a beautiful job with this difficult task.

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Over time, quite naturally, French Post have issued stamps commemorating this battle, all of which have been beautifully rendered. In fact, I believe there to be an interesting blog on that subject on the horizon. But for now, take a look at this page to peruse more Battle of Verdun stamps, click HERE

Until next time...

France 1961 - Aristide Maillol

A master tapestry designer, painter, and sculptor, Aristide Maillol was a man of many talents. Born 8 December 1861 in Banyuls-sur-Mer, Roussillon, France, Malliol apparently aspired from a young age to be a painter. In 1881 at the age of 20 he moved to Paris to study at the École des Beaux-Arts. Unfortunately things didn't work out as well as he had hoped. He applied to the art school several times and received rejection after rejection. By the time the school finally did accept his application in 1885, Malliol had been living for some time in poverty. I've been unable to find anything about he his studies went, but it would probably not be a stretch to say he did very well.

Mallol's early paintings were heavily influenced by contemporary greats Pierre Puvis de Chavannes and Paul Gauguin. In fact, Gauguin took an interest in Malliol's work, particularly his decorative art. Gauguin was so impressed that he encouraged Malliol in this direction, which led him to try his hand at tapestry design. Malliol excelled in this art form, and even opened his own tapestry workshop. Malliol gained critical acclaim for the work produced in his workshop. His work sparked a new wave of interest for tapestry design in France. 

But Malliol was keen to broaden his artistic horizons by experimenting in other mediums. In 1895 he began making sculptures in terracotta. Within a few short years Malliol was totally hooked on the art of sculpture. So much so that he completely abandoned his work with tapestry art. Indeed, Malliol is now probably most remembered by his beautiful sculptures celebrating the nude female form. One such sculpture was titled Woman aka The Mediterranean circa 1905. 

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On 20 February 1961 France issued a stamp celebrating the work of Aristide Malliol. The stamp was issued just under one hundred years after his birth. It was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. The subject of the stamp was the statue The Mediterranean as mentioned above.

I find this piece of work fascinating. It is the work of one artist, Albert Decaris, utilising his own artistic style to replicate a famous sculpture. I know what your probably saying: stamp engravers have reproduced thousands of pieces of art! That is very true. But within this stamp in particular I can discern the caricature-like style of Decaris blended with the unique talents of Malliol. An impressive piece of stamp art indeed!

Until next time... 

I Study... Aspects of an Airmail Design

Sometimes it is difficult admire the beauty of a lone tree amid a vast forest. This can also be the case when viewing a beautifully engraved stamp vignette with an elaborate border. It is true, of course, that the border should compliment the vignette, but I find it a bit of fun and quite interesting to separate the relative parts. I do this with the use of basic editing software. There are loads of editing software packages out there, and different people have their own preferences. I personally use Paint.net.  But enough of that. On with the show, as it were!

A great specimen to use for an exercise such as this is the France 1950 1,000f airmail stamp. Not only does it have a stunning vignette and lovely decorative border, each aspect of the design had a different engraver. This enables us to single out the vision of each engraver. It is true that I have already written a blog studying this stamp and the other stamps in this series - click HERE. But by employing the method mentioned above, hopefully we will see this stamp in a whole different light. And if not, it was a bit of fun.

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First, let's take a look at the entire stamp.

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Now let's manipulate the image a bit so we can focus solely on the vignette (central grey portion). This part of the stamp was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris.

There is instantly a different feel to the image. A smoky, dark presence yet an alluring quality that beckons us down into the design. To roam the narrow streets of Île de la Cité. To traverse the gorgeous, uniquely-styled bridges. To explore the stunning Cathedral of Notre Dame. Vraiment superbe!

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It was actually only recently that I realised that the border of this stamp was not designed and engraved by Decaris. This magnificent border was entrusted to Jacques Combet. Let's take a look at it with the vignette removed.

The fine details sculpted into this border are quite amazing!  The feathered wings down each side of the border. The intricate scrollwork. I particularly like the sailing vessels to be found at each corner! This border is a stunning piece of art in and of itself.

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Incidentally, this was not the only time these two engravers collaborated. In 1956 their talents were again combined to produce the 500f airmail stamp for St. Pierre et Miquelon, depicting a Douglas DC-3 over St Pierre Port. 

I believe Decaris was responsible for most of the work in this stamp and Combet engraved the lettering. Many thanks to Adrian at Stamp Engravers for his blog on this issue. To take a look at his blog post click HERE. It's well worth the read.

Anywho, enough from me for now. I hope you enjoyed this little exercise! What's the point of computers and all this fangled software if we can't play around with it from time to time?

Until next time...

I Interview... Yazid from USA

A loyal follower of my blog, named Yazid, has graciously volunteered some of his time for an Albert Decaris Stamps! interview. I hope you enjoy it!

Q: When did you start collecting Decaris stamps?

A: About a year ago.

Q: What drew you to start collecting him?

A: I've seen many different engraved stamps, but Decaris had a unique style of engraved art. Very simple yet attractive to the eye.

Q: What is your favourite Decaris stamp, and why is it your favourite?

A: Well, there are plenty I like, but if I have to pick one, my favourite would definitely be Leonardo da Vinci issued on 1952. Decaris truly captures the essence of the great man, Leonardo da Vinci. You could say a giant historical figure engraved by a giant of the engraving world. It must have been an Honor for Decaris to be able to do that.

Q: Where do you usually get your Decaris stamps?

A: On ebay, but sometimes I use the French version of ebay, which tends to offer more possibilities to when searching for French stuff.

Q: What references do you like using? Which is your favourite?

A: I like wikitimbres.fr, which is a French web site. It includes technical details about the stamps and their production.

Q: Do you remember what your first Decaris stamp was?

A: I always like to start where the engraver's journey started. Albert Decaris’ first designed and engraved French stamp was the 1935 3f50 value depicting St. Trophime in  Arles.

Q: Do you collect any other engravers?

A: Yes. I also collect the work of Czeslaw Slania. I like his work a lot. I also admire other French engravers such as Gandon, Combet, Cami, Forget, to name a few. I have plenty stamps from each of these engravers, and some from other engravers, too. 

Q: What are your other stamp specialisms? 

A: I like French stamps, especially the French Colonies, but also collect stamps from Britain, Spain, and Belgium. You could say that I collect anything that catches my eye.

Q: How do you store your Decaris stamps? 

A: I use stock books and albums with black pages. The black pages, I feel, that enhance the artistry on the stamp.

Q: Do you have any collecting tips to share? 

A: There is no right or wrong way to collecting stamps! Collect what appeals to you. Also it's not how much we paid for each item that is important, it's how much fun we get out of them. That's my motto.

I'd like to thank Yazid for taking the time to participate in this little question and answer session! As always, if you are interested in being interviewed, post a comment below.

Until next time...

France 1935 - Bon Voyage

A crowd of fifty thousand had gathered to witness the event. The location: Le Havre, France. The date: 29 May 1935. The stage was set for a record-breaking maiden voyage across the Atlantic. The prize for a record-breaking crossing was the coveted Blue Riband. The French ocean liner SS Normandie had been advertised as the fastest ship afloat. Her state-of-the-art turbo-electric propulsion system was the first of its kind. Now all the ship had to do was prove itself worthy of the high acclaim.

To celebrate this monumental event, France issued a lovely stamp featuring SS Normandie on 23 April 1935, a little over a month before the event. The stamp was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. (Check out my blog post that studies the SS Normandie and the commemorative stamp in detail HERE). As an extra treat, a special machine cancel was created to be used on the date of the maiden voyage to mark the occasion. Covers bearing a Normandie stamp and cancelled with special machine cancel are a great addition to any Albert Decaris collection. 

To date I only have one cover with a Normandie stamp and maiden voyage cancel. It is not the most glamorous cover in the world, but I have it purely for the cancel.

Here is another example of the postmark on a cover I purchased, but has not arrived yet.

So you may be wondering if SS Normandie succesfully broke the Atlantic crossing record and won the coveted Blue Riband? Well, the answer is yes! She surely did. The previous record of 4 days, 13 hours, 58 minutes was held by the Italian liner SS Rex, set in 1933. SS Normandie smashed that record by ten hours, arriving in New York after 4 days, 3 hours, 2 minutes. This record was broken a year later by Queen Mary. Then in 1937 Normandie won it back again! The two great liners had quite a rivalry.

Until next time...