Laos -Local -Pathet Lao Stamp Set

New addition to my collection of cinderellas .



*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

Too new for me to search out, but interesting to see them, nonetheless.

There are those who would disagree that these are not "cinderella" issues. But that there are genuine posted covers.

Here is the set.

TIMM---I believe the four stamps that I scanned are MICHEL PL 1/4 and those four you posted are MICHEL PL 5/8 ,believe those are a different set because both sets have a 5K stamp. thanks for showing them .

Gibbons (or the 10-year old South-East Asia catalgue that I have) lists them as two connected groups under the general heading "Anniversary of the Coup of 8 August 1960", and under "Neutralist Government", rather than "Pathet Lao". It provides a price for the complete mint set. It adds that the stamps were used as a definitive issue, were on sale in various places within Laos and had postal validity. Some were accepted by other countries, but not by Thailand. Which rather begs the question of why SG doesn't price the stamps singly and for used.

The Pathet Lao stamps listed by Gibbons date from 1974.

Geoff

Allen Kerr was a stamp dealer/collector of Indochina material and had many covers 'created' and addressed to himself. The cover is highly philatelic but does show usage. I am not sure if actually went through the mail though.

Note : Bumped Thread

Spent some considerable time, searching for the 3 Lao lasses under Scott.
Thanks for posting Floortrader.
I see info also as Pathet Lao (Land of the Lao) and Neutralist Govt.
Anyone have SG catalogue numbers, or Michel please?

Noted: possibly printed in North Vietnam, Engraved and Litho.
(Perfect registration)

Rod, I doubt if they were printed in North Vietnam since
they had no recess printing capabilities.
The State Printer in Hanoi could only print via typography and
offset/litho.
North Vietnam did issue 3 engraved stamps in 1958/59 but they
were printed by the Czech State Printer in Prague.

Are you sure that the grey/black on that stamp is engraved?

SG N1-N8. Printed by the People's Printing Works, Peking, N1-4 litho, N5-8 recess and litho.

Thank you Geoff for SG# and LG.

LG, I had read both sources on the internet Peking and North Vietnam
North Vietnam appeared to have been from a Laos specialist,
albeit quoted "possibly"

I took that as being the better info, but have an open mind,
If SG has Peking, it surely would have been contested by now, by readers.

Whatever is the truth, they did a fine job with the Lao women issue
the "servicemen on the plain of Jars" is of lower quality.

Thanks for reviving this interesting thread, rod222. In the past, I have written a comprehensive article about the stamps of the Pathet Lao. Here is the excerpt from my article about the 1961 sets of stamps posted here:

The first Pathet-Lao stamps issue – Xieng Khouang issue:

In the following years, many political changes occurred in Laos, including the fall of the coalition government, the death of King Sisavang Vong and coronation of his son, Savang Vatthana. In 1960, General Kong Le led the Second Battalion in a coup, took over Vientiane and demanded from the National Assembly an end to the fighting in Laos and the implementation of the agreed-upon neutrality policy. As consequence, a new coalition government was established, headed by Souvana Phouma. Soon after, this new government was overthrown by Prince Boun Oum and his rightist, pro-American armed forces, led by General Nosavan. Kong Le, his forces and the neutralist members of the cabinet escaped to the North, where they joined with the Pathet-Lao forces and established an alternative government, called neutralists government, supported by USSR and the non-aligned countries. This event marks the beginning of the civil war state in Laos. (Fig 3)

The newly established neutralist government in the north of Laos considered itself responsible for the welfare of the citizens under its rule, and therefore on July 18, 1961, it issued two sets of stamps, each one consisting of four stamps with the same design. A FDC also issued cancelled in Xieng Khouang. The stamps were printed in Hanoi, North Vietnam, and distributed by the official North Vietnamese governmental agency, Xunhasaba, the same agency that distributed the Vietcong stamps. As announced by the agency bulletin, these two sets were issued to commemorate the first anniversary of the Kong Le coup d'etate (Fig 4). The neutralist government, states in its brochure that the stamps issued by "The legal government of the Kingdom of Laos". This brochure was signed in Xiengkhoung, as opposed to the official brochures of the Kingdom of Laos post and telecommunication ministry that were signed in Vientiane (Fig 5). The Y&T catalogue describes these stamps as "the Neutralist Government stamps".

The first set of stamps depicts three Laotian women represent the three main Lao ethnicities – Lao Lum, Lao Sung and Lao Theung. The second set depicts Pathet-Lao soldiers in the Plain of Jars in the province of Xieng Khouang – the main Pathet-Lao base. It is noteworthy that although this government had communist orientation, there is no hint of it within the stamps, and in fact the opposite is true. The stamps depict the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Laos, the three headed elephant (god Erawan) and the soldiers raising the flag of the Kingdom of Laos. The Lao women are depicted against the background of famous Buddhist temples in Laos. The inscription on the stamps reads "Kingdom of Laos" and even their design is similar to the official Kingdom of Laos stamps, including Laotian embroideries on the margins and a French inscription in addition to the Lao inscription. The stamps are valued in the Royal Kip, the official currency of the Kingdom. (Fig 6, 7)

When a second coalition government was established in June 1962, these stamps, which were used in Pathet-Lao control zones, were accepted for use throughout Laos. Thailand, however, did not recognize them and asked for additional franking with the regular Kingdom of Laos stamps.

Mail to different countries, which was not a common occurrence, was sent via PR China. Such covers are very rare and expensive. Several covers sent from Xieng Khouang, Phon Savanh and Khang Khay are known, as well as several that were sent to Germany. (Fig 8)"


Note 1: the stamp that rod222 have posted above shows three Lao women representing the three main Lao ethnic groups: Lao Lum, Lao Sung and Lao Theung.

Note 2: The above article is very old (2008). It is possible that the stamps were printed in China and distributed by Xunhasaba, North Vietnam.

Wow!
LaoPhil, thanks so much, wonderful treatment.

I seek approval to use your Album Page / information, to mount my own set.
(with due accreditation)
Would that be acceptable, please?

I had one query, "soldiers" , one of the three servicemen, appeared to me to be a sailor?
I checked, thinking Laos could not have Navy, but yes they did, patrolling the Mekong. Perhaps a "Marine" ?
Any comments from members?

With a pleasure, Rod222! Please, send me an email so I can send you back the page as PDF file which you can print it out very sharp and in high resolution.



Yes, the left soldier representing the Lao patrol on the Mekong which is the border with Thailand.

Is it OK to post in this thread the third Pathet Lao set of nine stamps issued in 1974-1975?

Thank you very much, Lao Phil.




Absolutely! I see SCF with good thread titles, a knowledge base for all. That's a good reason why this thread has lasted over the years,
well done to "floortrader"

Look forward to new contributions.

OK, here is the set issued by the Pathet Lao during 1974-1975 called "Vieng Xei Issue" and an excerpt from my article about the Pathet Lao stamps:

In 1974, seven stamps were issued for use in these zones. Two other stamps were printed in 1975 but were not issued to the public. A first day cover with Vieng Xei cancellation was issued in Lao language only. (Fig 9) These stamps differed greatly from the 1961 Xieng Khouang issued stamps, in terms of their qualities, designs and motives. Socialist and communist motives, along with the Pathet-Lao flags were depicted on them, while the Royal flags and emblems, as well as Buddhist symbols were not represented at all. The inscription on the stamps was written only in Lao language without French as per the former stamps. The title "Lao Post" was written on the stamps, except for the 10 Kip stamps which depicts Lao women represent the Lao ethnicities, and the Pathet-Lao slogan: "Laos: Peace, Independence, Democracy, Neutrality, Longevity". The stamp denominations were given in Pathet-Lao Kip, rather than the royal Kip. The Pathet-Lao Kip banknotes were printed in PR China and depict the same themes as the stamps. (Fig 10)

The Pathet-Lao Vieng Xei stamps were designed, at least part of them, by Huy Khanh as can be seen in the original drawing in figure 11. They were printed lithography in the state printer, Hanoi, North-Vietnam. Their designs, the themes they depict and their quality are very similar to the Vietcong stamps. The stamps are listed in Michel (Germany) Stanley Gibbons (UK) and Y&T (France) stamp catalogues, but are ignored by Scott (USA) stamp catalogue.






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