Spain - 'Pro Fide Et Artibus' : What Is The Scott Id#

I believe that this stamp was issued by Spain, but I cannot locate it in the Scott catalogue....

Can anyone confirm that it is Spain and the assigned Scott number?

What does 'Pro Fide Et Artibus' mean?

Thanks!

For the faith and the arts

http://translate.google.co.uk/?hl=e...20Artibus%27

Scott #b74 onwards

Issued in 1928.
Long set of 32.
No Scott nos to hand ,sorry.

I don't have any of these stamps, but I did look it up in a very old Scott Catalog (1983)...showing the 2c variety comes in two issues.

The "Santiago Issue" Scott #'s are:
(B74) violet & black
(B75) lake & black

The "Toledo Issue" Scott #'s are:
(B90) blue black & carmine
(B91) ultramarine & carmine

Not sure if there is any difference between the two issues other than color varieties.

Incidentally, these are semi-postals with the Scott notation at the bottom of the listing which reads:

"The proceeds from their sale were given to a fund to restore the catacombs of Saint Damasus and Saint Prartextatus of Rome."

They are rather attractive engraved stamps showing the then Pope (Pius XI) and King Alfonso XIII of Spain in interesting colour combinations.

The full set can be seen at
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...140486460430

They stamps are listed in Stanley Gibbons (SG 470 - 501).

Very colorful series. It was a bugger to put a full mint set together. It is an interesting stamp that places the Pope comes before King (The Church before country is a very Catholic attitude).