Numa And Sabor. Lions And Lionesses

I could have sworn there was already a thread for big cats, but I couldn't find it, so I'll start another...

Here is French Equatorial Africa Scott #196/Y&T #239 featuring a male and female Lion (Panthera leo), designed and engraved by Pierre Gandon. Firstly, the stamp as issued, then a signed artist's die proof (with close-up), followed by a couple of examples of plate proofs (trial color essays).







(Incidentally, "Numa" and "Sabor" are the words for "lion" and "lioness" in the language of the Great Apes in Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan series. Does anyone read Tarzan these days?)

And here are some sample maximum cards for the issue:

Good stuff Nils.
I always enjoy your posts showcasing those French engravers.

For this issue I would have to disagree with whoever chose the final
colour combinations.
I wonder did Gandon pick the colours?

I would have prefered this




to that below



Green lions, are you kidding? LOL

Thanks, lithograving! Gandon didn't have much say in the final colors, and in fact, there exist a number of letters and interviews where he complained bitterly about some of the final choices. That being said, not sure about this particular issue.

Thanks Nils
So the French engravers had no input in the colours.
Who did decide on the colours?
The designers?
Gandon also designed many if not most of the French stamps he worked on.
Not sure about the ones he did for the colonies, though.

They were a bit limited colourwise in 1958 since the French Printers'
T.D.3 press could only print 3 colours (inks) in one pass.

You know, I can't honestly say which authority signed off on the final colors! I've seen names associated with various approvals, but don't know their titles/positions. I need to do a bit more research here...

(I agree with you, by the way, about the final color. I'm more surprised, though, that they approved the male lion being "anatomically correct". )