Tall Ships On Stamps

This 1973 stamp from Norfolk Island commemorates the bicentennial of the completion of the first crossing of the Antarctic Circle by Captain James Cook and his crew aboard the H.M.S. Resolution on January 17, 1773.

According to the south-pole.com website, "Resolution was only 110 feet long and 35 feet across at the beam."

Here are images of five stamps in a set depicting various sailing vessels, printed by lithography, and issued by Djibouti on June 6, 2000, Scott Nos. 814-18.

- nethryk

Thomas W. Lawson, 1902.


BT Global Challenge, 2000.


Reliance (foreground) and Shamrock III, America's Cup, 1903.


Archibald Russell, 1905.


Greek Merchantman, 8th Century BC.

This 1987 se-tenant pair from Bolivia was issued to publicize the Espamer '87 International Stamp Show in La Coruna, Spain from October 2-12 of that year. Stamps depict Columbus's Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

On March 9, 2000 Ireland issued this 30p stamp depicting the three-masted barque Jeanie Johnston, an emigrant ship constructed in Quebec, Canada in 1847.

From Wikipedia, "...Jeanie Johnston was bought by Tralee Co., Kerry-based merchants John Donovan & Sons, as a cargo vessel and traded successfully between Tralee and North America...The trading pattern was to bring emigrants from Ireland to North America, and then to bring timber back to Europe...The most passengers she ever carried was 254, from Tralee to Quebec on 17 April 1852." This number of people was approximately 6 times the number the ship was designed to transport.

Here is a set of 4 stamps Singapore issued on June 28, 2005 to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the voyages of Chinese Admiral Zheng He. The first two stamps, inscribed "1st Local" had a postal value of 23c. These two stamps were printed in both separate and se-tenant sheets.

From Wikipedia. "Zheng He was a Chinese explorer who led seven great voyages on behalf of the Chinese emperor. These voyages travelled through the South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and along the east coast of Africa. His seven total voyages were diplomatic, military, and trading ventures, and lasted from 1405-33."

Here is an image of a stamp depicting the Rickmer Rickmers, a sailing ship (three masted barque) built in 1896, and now permanently moored as a museum ship in Hamburg, Germany, near the Cap San Diego, designed and engraved by French artist Jacky Larrivière (1946- ), and issued by Niger on June 20, 1984 to publicize the 19th Universal Postal Union Congress, held in Hamburg, Scott No. 663, plus a photo. Bonus: UPU emblem.

- nethryk

On August 7, 2007, Ireland issued this stamp picturing an artist's conception of how the Viking longship, dubbed Skuldelev 2, would have looked in its sailing days. The ship is named after the location where it was found in Denmark. Skuldelev 2 has been somewhat reconstructed and is on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark.

From the vikingeskibsmuseet.dk website, "Skuldelev 2 was a war machine, built to carry many warriors at high speed. With a crew of 65-70 men, it was a chieftain's ship, like those praised in ancient skaldic verse and sagas."

This 1904 Norwegian Six-Month Subsidy Fund label features a number of nautical elements including a lighthouse, knots, a steamship, and a three masted schooner.

On December 17, 1972 Singapore issued a set of 3 "Shipping" stamps. Two of these stamps feature tall ships. One pictures a Chinese junk, and the other shows the ill-fated Maria Rickmers.

From Wikipedia, "The 'Maria Rickmers' was the second five-masted schooner in the world merchant fleet after the 'France'. " It was equipped with a steam engine. Because of this, she was regarded more as a sailing steamer than a sailing ship."

The Maria Rickmers was built in Glasgow, Scotland in 1891. In 1892, she was lost on her first return voyage from Singapore to Bremerhaven. There is speculation about her demise. Some say it was a typhoon in the Indian Ocean, and others say she was sunk by pirates.

On April 19, 1989 Japan issued this "Holland Festival" stamp featuring a flag-festooned, Dutch sailing ship. The stamp commemorates the 380th anniversary of trade between Japan and Holland. Ship is portrayed in Nagasaki harbor which was the only port open to foreign trade in 1619.

The 80 yen, high value (Sc # 2531) of Japan's 1996, two stamp set commemorating the ":Establishment of Marine Day" features a tall ship in an abstract sea.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting José Prudencio Padilla López (1784-1828), a Colombian admiral who fought in the Spanish American wars of independence, best known for his victory over a royalist Spanish fleet in the Battle of Lake Maracaibo on July 24, 1823, a map of the Lake Maracaibo region, and a brig, designed by Colombian artist Ignacio Castillo Cervantes (1922-1995), printed by lithography, and issued by Colombia on May 17, 1984 to commemorate the bicentenary of the admiral's birth, Scott No. 933.

- nethryk

This August 1, 1990 prefecture issue of Japan (Sc #Z77) recognizes the Nagasaki Travel Expo of that year.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting two sailing vessels, men hauling ice floes, and a 17th century map of the Arctic, designed and engraved by French artist Jacky Larrivière (1946- ), and issued by Monaco on October 5, 1981 to publicize the First International Arctic Committee Congress, held in Rome, October 5-9, Scott No. 1301. Bonus: Marine mammal (walrus).

- nethryk

On December 5, 1971 Singapore issued a set of 6 stamps depicting oil paintings of mid-nineteenth century views of Singapore's settlements and waterways. The $1 high value stamp (S.G. #170) shows W. Gray's painting Singapore Waterfront, 1861. This ia a large stamp, measuring 75mm x 54mm, perf. tip to perf. tip.

From Wong Hong Suen's Singapore Through 19th Century Prints and Painting, 2010, p. 61, "The view of Singapore from the harbor shows Mount Faber on the far left and Beach Road on the far right."