Canadian Wildlife Federation Christmas Stamps

I'm putting together a listing of CWF Christmas stamps and need some help. It's rather complicated because the dates are not indicated on the sheets (except for the one issued in 1974), and the stamps use images that were copyrighted (and hence dated) by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). But I suspect that at least for some of the early sheets, the dates indicated on the stamps do not correspond to the date of issue of the sheet in Canada.

I believe the first CWF stamps were issued in 1972, using the stamp images used by NWF in 1970 (each stamp is copyright dated 1970).



Does anyone have a cover that dates one of these stamps to use in Canada in 1972 or earlier? Or even a CWF sheet with stamps dated earlier than 1970?

I have a small selection, but none of those. Most of mine have year printed

Have a look at http://www.cinderellastampsforum.co...opic750.html
Steve might be able to assist

Thanks Bas:
I do have a complete listing of the (United States) National Wildlife Federation Christmas stamps, thanks to help from Ira Cotton, who recently published an excellent book on the subject. The NWF sheets are numbered and dated, and many of the stamps are also individually dated, making a chronological listing relatively straightforward. For the CWF stamps, the sheets are not dated, so it's more complicated. That's why I'm hoping to find dated covers with these stamps to confirm the date of issue.

Hi Cindy
The only CWF without a date that I have found on a cover presently is this Blue Jay. The cover has no date but there is an insert (letter) dated 1988

Thanks Bas. Every little bit of information helps. I think this one was issued in 1986 based on top margin inscriptions and roulette patterns. What is the actual date of the letter (if it is before about October 1988, then the stamp was issued for the 1987 season or before).
Here's the top of the sheet.

I'm starting to think that these CWF Christmas stamps were first issued in 1973, instead of 1972. This is based on a sheet with stamps dated 1982, that has the following top margin:




If we assume that the sheet was issued in 1982 (i.e. that CWF had synchronized its Christmas stamps with NWF), then 10 years earlier would be 1973.

Based on that, here's my best guess at the different CWF sheets in chronological order (this may take several postings, so bear with me). If anyone has a dated cover with one of these stamps, that may contradict this chronological listing, please let me know. To save on space I'll only show the top margin and 2 rows of stamps from each sheet.



Possibly 1973.
Uses the NWF designs from 1971. Each stamp has NWF©1971. Note the duck logo has water in purple.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 30 stamps (5 x 6). Perforated.


1974.
Uses the NWF designs from 1973. Each stamp has NWF©1973. Note the duck logo has water in purple.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 60 stamps (10 x 6). Perforated.
This is the only sheet that is actually dated in the top margin!


Possibly 1975.
Uses the NWF designs from 1970. Each stamp has NWF©1970. Note the duck logo has water in dark blue.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 30 stamps (5 x 6). Perforated.


Possibly 1976.
Uses the NWF designs from 1976. Each stamp has NWF©1976. Note the duck logo has water in dark blue.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Perforated.
Note how these two last sheets have similar designs for the top margin.



To be continued in next posting...

Continuing with the chronological listing of CWF Christmas stamps...

Possibly 1977.
Uses the NWF designs from 1977. Each stamp has NWF©1977. Note the duck logo has water in dark blue.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 20 stamps (5 x 4). Perforated.



Possibly 1978.
Uses the NWF designs from 1978. Each stamp has NWF©1978. Note the duck logo has water in dark blue.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 20 stamps (5 x 4). Perforated.



Possibly 1979.
Uses the NWF designs from 1979. Each stamp has NWF©1979. Note the duck logo has water in dark blue.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 20 stamps (5 x 4). Perforated.



Possibly 1980.
Uses the NWF designs from 1980. Each stamp has NWF©1980. Note the duck logo has water in dark blue.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 20 stamps (5 x 4). Perforated.



Possibly 1981.
Uses the NWF designs from 1974. Each stamp has NWF©1974. Note the duck logo has water in dark blue.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Perforated.


To be continued in next posting...

Continuing with the chronological listing of CWF Christmas stamps...

Possibly 1982.
Uses the NWF designs from 1982. Each stamp has NWF©1982.
Only English version seen. Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Perforated.
Tenth anniversary of CWF Christmas Stamps mentioned in top margin inscription.


Possibly 1983.
Uses the NWF designs from 1983. Each stamp has NWF©1983.
English and French versions seen. Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Perforated.


Possibly 1984.
Uses the NWF designs from 1984. Each stamp has NWF©1984.
English and French versions seen. Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Perforated.


Possibly 1985.
Uses the NWF designs from 1972. Each stamp is undated.
English and French versions seen. Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted.


Possibly 1986.
Uses the NWF designs from a mix of previous years. Each stamp is undated.
English and French versions seen. Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted.


Possibly 1987.
Uses the NWF designs from 1987. Each stamp has NWF©1987.
English and French versions seen. Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted with printed perforation holes.


To be continued in next posting...

Continuing with the chronological listing of CWF Christmas stamps...

Possibly 1988.
Uses the NWF designs from 1988. Each stamp is undated. English and French versions seen.
Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted with printed perforation holes.


Possibly 1989.
Uses the NWF designs from 1989. Each stamp is undated. English and French versions seen.
Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted with printed perforation holes.
Note that the CWF address for this and all previous years was 1673 Carling Avenue.


Possibly 1990.
Uses the NWF designs from 1990. Each stamp is undated. English and French versions seen.
Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted with printed perforation holes.
Note that the CWF address for this and all subsequent years is 2740 Queensview Drive.


Possibly 1991.
Uses the NWF designs from 1991. Each stamp is undated. English and French versions seen.
Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted with printed perforation holes.
Note that there is now a recycling symbol added to the top margin.


Possibly 1992.
Uses the NWF designs from 1992. Each stamp is undated. English and French versions seen.
Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted with printed perforation holes.
Note that there is now a recycling symbol added to the top margin.


Possibly 1993.
Uses the NWF designs from 1993. Each stamp is undated. English and French versions seen.
Sheet of 25 stamps (5 x 5). Rouletted with printed perforation holes.
Note that there is now a recycling symbol added to the top margin.


And I believe that's it. I haven't seen any other sheets beyond the ones described.

Revisiting this listing, I've now accumulated several dated covers with CWF seals on them, as well as a few hand-dated partial sheets. I'm now thinking that the sheets were first issued in 1974 (the only dated sheet was from 1974), that the one indicated as 1973 was possibly from 1975, and that the CWF designs were never issued in the same year as the similar NWF designs, but were generally issued in Canada 1 year later than in the US. I'm still rather confident about the order (except for the two first sheets), but the years are all off by 1, ie in the listing above, the sheet indicated as "Possibly 1975" should instead be "Possibly 1976". Same for all the sheets 'til the last one: "Possibly 1994". Unfortunately I can't go back and edit those previous posts, but thought I'd give an update on the listing. This would certainly be less of a puzzle if the sheets had been dated with the year they were issued.

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Great thread CindyCan2

thanks for sharing

Dianne

I found these Christmas stamps in my collection and the are from 1970, not 1974, however they do not have the Christmas banner across the top.
The booklet contains four sheets of perforated stamps and one unperf plus the backing card which details the services of the NWF and gives a brief bio of the artist on the reverse.
So I would assume from this that the first release was actually in 1970?

The National Wildlife Federation, the US equivalent of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, was the first to issue such annual Christmas stamps starting in 1956. And indeed many of the CWF designs were first issued (and copyrighted) by the NWF. Many designs were also reissued in subsequent years. There is a book, National Wildlife Federation Christmas Stamps by Ira W. Cotton that was published by PaperQuest Press in 2009 that lists and illustrates the NWF stamps and sheets from 1956-2000. The order could be established as most sheets were dated. However, most of the Canadian sheets are undated, and thus present a challenge for a chronological listing.

The Unitrade Canada catalogue lists Christmas seals in their BOB section. I'll take a look and see if the CWF seals are in there, but I don't remember seeing them.

National Wildlife Federation Christmas Stamps, Specialists Handbook, by Ira Cotton
National Wildlife Federation® Christmas stamps were issued from 1956 through 2000 to promote wildlife conservation and to raise funds for the charity. These stamps are interesting because of their colorful designs by leading wildlife artists and because of the many varieties in the sheets. Over 80 Christmas sheets and booklets are all illustrated in full color (headers and top row for sheets) and varieties are described in detail. Lists are provided for all sheets and booklets, over 400 stamps, artists, and stamp subjects.

Philatelists, conservationists, wildlife topical collectors, cinderella collectors, and anyone who loves Christmas should find this handbook appealing. The handbook is available in saddle-stitched and spiral bindings. Available form:

http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/ira-...2673523.html