Big Blue 1840-1940 Stamp blog

Nice scan of a nice stamp. I've never looked at an enlargement of it. About every six months I say that there aren't many classic-era stamps that don't benefit from a nice, big scan. I'll try not to say it again for another six months.

Say it any time you want Colin.

1898 Scott 34 3n carmine rose
"Prince Nicholas I"

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/2014/02/TheClassicStampsofMontenegro.html

Montenegro (Literally "Black Mountain") was a Principality ( Independent in 1878) and a Kingdom (1910-1918) during the stamp issuing era (1874-1918) under the Prince and King Nicholas I.

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/2014/02/The-ClassicalStampsofMontserrat.html

The Coat of Arms, formally adopted in 1909, but understood as a symbol of the colony before, shows a lady in green (Erin) with a golden harp (part of the coat of arms of Ireland) embracing a cross (Christianity). The Symbol of the Colony motif is found on Montserrat's stamps from 1903-1913.

After the initial influx of Irish labor, African slaves were imported for the plantations and production of sugar, rum, arrowroot and cotton. Later, lime trees were planted.

On March 17, 1768, an unsuccessful slave uprising occurred. Montserratians today celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, to commemorate that day of slave revolt, as an official public holiday.

Montserrat used their own stamps from 1876-1890; then the stamps of the Leeward islands were exclusively used. Montserrat stamps were resumed in 1903, along with the concurrent use of Leeward island stamps, until 1956.

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/2014/02/TheClassicalStampsofMozambique-Company.html

One of the rights of Mozambique Company? The production of stamps.

And produce they did, with some 275 stamps issued between 1892-1941. But not just any stamps- you know, the usual uninspired Portuguese colony fare- but bi-colored pictorials engraved in London beginning with the 1918 issue forward.

Wow!...as poor as their administration of the colony was, their stamps are magnificent- and cheap for WW classical collectors to own.

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/2014/02/TheClassicStampPictorialsofMozambiqueCompany.html

The reality is the Mozambique Company did little to develop the (present) provinces of Manica and Sofala. But, through using forced labor (Chibalo system) for the plantations, and the right to tax, they persisted for the 50 year concession lease from 1891-1941. Rebellions occurred in 1902 and 1917, mainly because of resistance to forced labor, and required interventions by the Portuguese.

But the Mozambique Company did produce unusually nice stamps for a Portuguese colony. And that is where they left their mark for WW classical collectors.

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/2014/03/TheClassicStampsofNauru.html

A coral atoll in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean would be an image of paradise for many of us.

The reality, with the phosphate dust hanging in the air, is, well,.....reality.

And little Nauru, the world's smallest republic, with the desperate lack of jobs, could use a little tourism.

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/2014/03/TheClassicStampsofNepal.html

The Kingdom of Nepal, under the Royal Family Rana Dynasty, and their hereditary powerful Prime Ministers, had a close relationship with the British Empire from 1846 until 1951. In fact, I note that Nepal is listed in the British Empire section of my 1947 Scott catalogue.

Stamps were introduced in 1881. Of interest is that Nepalese stamps were only valid in Nepal and India up to 1959.

More good stuff.

I can't be pulled away from Vario sheets, but I've toyed around with the idea of creating a virtual Blue, based on inspiration from the two big International blogs. Nearly-empty Part Is were dirt cheap not too long ago, but they've drifted upward in price.

I left a comment about the lozenge cancel on the blog. If you have a different guess as to the number, I'll probably see it if you post it here.

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/2014/03/TheClassicalSemipostalStampsoftheNetherlands.html


Semipostals are often the most strikingly designed stamps for a country. Witness the Semipostals of the Netherlands:- well, let's look for ourselves.

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.jp/2014/04/TheClassicStampsofCuracao.html


Curacao is an island off the Venezuelan coast, and has been in the hands of the Dutch (with brief ownership by the British and French) since 1634. The Dutch West India Company founded the capital of Willemstad on a natural harbor, and commerce, shipping, salt mining, piracy, and slave trade ensued. Slave trade was abolished in 1863.

After the Napoleonic wars in 1815, the island became the colony of Curacao and Dependencies (Curacao, Aruba, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Saba) , which lasted until 1936.

Another nice treatment Jim, excellent.

If I am not mistaken, "medicinal springs" is our old lass, Hygieia, (the hardest word in the English Language to spell)
she was the daughter of the God of medicine , Asclepius.
Goddess of Health.

Poor old Mr. Hamilton "Born out of wedlock" Victorian sensibilities, the victim gets punished, the perpetrators run free.

PS:  A great stamp to illustrate design genetics back to the Penny Black.

bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/2014/04/TheClassicStampsofNewCaledonia.html

My Daughter reminded me that she was in New Caledonia several years ago for a conference on the economic status of the South Pacific island countries. For her, New Caledonia had the best of both worlds: island beauty and languor and efficient French infrastructure. One perhaps can say the same thing about the stamp issues.

Jim. Thanks for the Newfoundland entry in your on-going blog. I recently acquired most of the Newfoundland stamps missing from my Big Blue album, but your blog will help me check and evaluate my holdings. Your wit and wisdom are always appreciated. -- Bud