Can't Locate This Yemen Stamp

Trying to find the year of issuance but can't locate it in Scott's or Stamp World. Thanks for any help on this. Jim

Christmas Ikons set, issued 1969, low value of set of 13. Mentioned in Gibbons's appendix, but not catalogued.

In Michel, it is Yemen (Kingdom) #915A (20Dec1969).

As printed on the stamp, issued by The Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen, 1969. The information provided above by GeoffHa and khj are spot on.

Yemen's history of factioned governments is pretty daunting.

In 1918 [after WWI] Imam Yahya Muhammad of the al-Qasimi dynasty declared northern Yemen an independent sovereign state. In 1926, Yahya proclaimed the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen, becoming both a temporal king as well as a spiritual leader. The Kingdom was, at that point, recognized by a few international bodies, such as the Kingdom of Italy.

The royalist government, the Mutawakkilite Kingdom, became a deterrent of Yemenis unification during the 1962-70 civil war in [north] Yemen. The Royalist government, nor its postal authority, was not recognized by the Yemen Arab Republic [who had deposed the last remaining monarch of the Kingdom].

Regardless, for whatever reason, the good folks at Scott Catalog have chosen to not list the stamps of this government. To expand on this exclusion, the stamp you have would most likely be considered a local post issue. Scott Catalog is not very thorough in listing these, local post, types of stamps.

That's great info, Walter. Thanks. I'm trying to understand Yemen at the moment as I have a load of stamps to organise.

I use Stamp World as my main reference point. They confuse me as when you look under "North Yemen" you get stamps marked "Yemen Arab Republic".

Stamps like the one shown here (and some Space issues I pictured on another thread) aren't there at all, although most of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom stamps, with the flag, are listed under Yemen Kingdom.

I don't understand this. It implies a Royalist faction within North Yemen was issuing stamps, alongside the existing North Yemen, whose stamps are marked "Yemen Arab Republic", which I assumed was the south.

Can you set me straight, Walter (or anyone)?

Ringo: The history of Yemen - and its stamps - is rather complex. Maybe the following post is of use: http://www.stampworldhistory.com/co...D9%8E%D9%86/

Many thanks, SWH. That does clarify things somewhat. I had several misunderstandings over what was North Yemen and what was South Yemen - now I think I get it.

Basically, the civil war was not North Yemen versus South Yemen - it was all within North Yemen (Republicans and Monarchists), and South Yemen was effectively Aden and the constituent states/areas. So Yemen Royalist/Kingdom was fighting YAR all in the North. I think that's correct?

Correct