Czech Stamp Engravers

Thanks, Wintertime! Czechoslovakia issued several attractive sets of stamps show book illustrations. I will post them here with time.

Anniversaries, designed by Zdenek Filip, engraved by Jan Mracek and Vaclav Fajt (III stamp) and issued by Czechoslovakia on May 5, 1985.

The 40th Anniversary of Prague Uprising (May 1945).
The Prague Uprising was a nationwide revolt launched by the Czech resistance during the final days of World War II. It helped liberate Prague from Nazi occupation shortly before the German surrender.

The 40th anniversary of the liberation of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet army.
In 1945, the Soviet Red Army played the leading role in liberating most of Czechoslovakia from Nazi Germany, bringing an end to six years of occupation.

The 15th anniversary of the Czechoslovak – Soviet Treaty,
Commemorate the 1970 treaty of friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, symbolizing the close political and economic ties between the two socialist states.

The 30th anniversary of the Warsaw Pact.
The Warsaw Pact, established in 1955, was a military alliance of the Soviet Union and seven Eastern European socialist countries, serving as the Eastern Bloc's counterpart to NATO during the Cold War.

Another very nice set from Czechoslovakia. Nice designs depicting a very difficult time in the history of that Country.

Czechoslovakian Stamp Designers and Engravers (III)
Jaroslav Benda

Jaroslav Benda (1882–1970) was a distinguished Czech painter, graphic artist, illustrator, educator, and stamp designer. A graduate of the School of Applied Arts in Prague, he later became a professor there and served as its rector from 1926 to 1928. Known for his decorative style inspired by Art Nouveau and Czech folk traditions, Benda designed numerous Czechoslovak postage stamps and illustrations, making a significant contribution to Czech graphic arts and the country's tradition of artistic stamp design.

Jaroslav Benda, designed by Ivan Schurmann, engraved by Martin Cinovsky and issued by Czechoslovakia on December 18, 1988 to publicize the Stamp Day. On the stamp, copies of two famous stamps he designed: Pigeon and Pigeon with letter.

Czechoslovakian Stamp Designers and Engravers (IV)
Martin Benka

Martin Benka (1888–1971) was a renowned Slovak painter, graphic artist, illustrator, and stamp designer, widely regarded as one of the founders of modern Slovak art. Inspired by the landscapes, folklore, and traditions of Slovakia, he developed a distinctive national artistic style that greatly influenced 20th-century Slovak painting. In addition to his paintings and book illustrations, Benka designed several postage stamps and contributed to Slovak typography and graphic design. His legacy is preserved at the Martin Benka Museum in Martin, Slovakia, dedicated to his life and artistic achievements.

Martin Benka, designed and engraved by Martin Cinovsky and issued by Czechoslovakia on December 18, 1991 to publicize the Stamp Day. Inside, a copy of a stamp Benka engraved for Slovakia in 1939.

Fortitude (mountaineer), by Martin Benka (1888-1971), Martin Benka Museum, Slovakia, engraved by Milos Ondracek and issued by Czechoslovakia on November 27, 1973.

Lidice and Lezaky Massacres during WWII




Jozef Gabcik and Jan Kubis, designed by Karol Ondreicka, engraved by Bohumil Sneider, issued by Czechoslovakia on May 21, 1992.

The 20th anniversary of destruction of Lidice and Lezaky, designed by Anna Podzemna-Suchardova, engraved by Bedrich Housa and Jiri Antonín Svengsbír, issued on June 9, 1962.

The 45th anniversary of destruction of Lidice and Lezaky, designed by Rostislav Vanek, engraved by Jiri Bouda and Josef Hercik. The stamps show two paintings:

- "When the Fighting Ended" by Pavel Simon
- "The End of the Game" by Ludmila Jirincova

The Museum of National Literature, founded in Prague in 1953, preserves the literary and artistic heritage of the Czech nation through its collections of manuscripts, rare books, illustrations, and historical documents. From its establishment until 2022, the museum was housed in Strahov Monastery, one of Prague's most important historic landmarks, before moving to its current headquarters in the Bubene district. The museum remains a leading center for the study of Czech literature, book art, and graphic design.

Museum of National Literature, designed by Josef Liesler, engraved by Josef Hercik and issued by Czechoslovakia on May 12, 1988 to publicize the PRAGE'88 stamp exhibition.

- Strahov Monastery
- Open Book and Celestial Globe
- Illuminated Initial 'B', Scrolls and Decorative Binding
- Astrological Signs, Strahov Monastery, Illuminated Book and Globe

To publicize the PRAGA '88 International Stamp Exhibition, Czechoslovakia issued on May 12, 1987, a set of stamps depicting historic Czechoslovak technical monuments. The stamps were designed and engraved by Bedrich Housa.

1894 desk telephone
1924 postal automobile
1900 Prague tram
1907 steam locomotive
1936 steam road roller