Collecting By Engraver

Although I don't contribute to this thread (I'll blame that on a lack of organization), I find it fascinating. Don't stop on my account ...

Ryan

I haven't contributed to this thread in a while, but I have been so in awe of the amazing knowledge and the quality of the images posted here. I have learned so much, as I'm sure others have, and am enjoying the thread immensely. Thankyou so much for your contributions, please don't stop yet! And I'm sure other threads would also benefit from your input and beautiful scans.

stampgal & Ryan - It's good to know that at least a few other collectors appreciate intaglio engraved stamps, too. If the interest is still there, I'll be happy to continue sharing images of stamps in my collection in this thread. And I sincerely hope that more SCFers will also contribute images of their engraved stamps here for all of us to admire.

Pablo Sampedro Molero (1935- ) worked at the Spanish Royal Mint - Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (FNMT) - for 50 years, starting as an apprentice in 1950, and retiring in 2000 as a master engraver and "Professor of the Burin" at the Mint's school of engraving and graphic design. Here are images of six stamps that Sampedro engraved for Spain.

- nethryk

Escalona Castle, Toledo, rebuilt in the 15th century, issued on July 29, 1968, Scott No. 1538, Edifil No. 1880.


Castle of Los Duques de Frías, Burgos, also rebuilt in the 15th century, issued on July 29, 1968, Scott No. 1542, Edifil No. 1884.


Tomb of King Alfonso VIII Sanchez "The Noble" of Castile (1155-1214) and his wife, Princess Eleanor of England (1162-1214), at the Royal Monastery of Las Huelgas, Burgos , Castilla y León, Spain, issued on November 22, 1969, Scott No. 1593, Edifil No. 1947.


Royal Monastery of St. Thomas in Avila (exterior), built in 1482, issued on October 26, 1972, Scott No. 1738, Edifil No. 2111.


Royal Monastery of St. Thomas in Avila (nave), issued on October 26, 1972, Scott No. 1739, Edifil No. 2112.


Juan de Herrera (1530-1597), Spanish architect, mathematician and geometrician, and the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, which de Herrera finished in his signature "sober" architectural style, issued on January 29, 1973, Scott No. 1744, Edifil No. 2117.

Since the mid-1970s Francesco Tulli has engraved a number of beautiful stamps for Italy. Here are images of six of them in my collection.

- nethryk

Quotation from Menippean Satire (extra credit given to first SCFer who successfully translates!) by Marcus Terentius Varro, Roman scholar and writer, issued on September 21, 1974, Scott No. 1160.


Flora, after a painting (1515) by Tiziano Vecellio, known as Titian, Venetian artist, issued on September 15, 1976, Scott No. 1233.


Madonna and Child, after a painting "Madonna and Child Enthroned between St Francis and St Liberalis" (c. 1505) by Italian artist Giorgione (born Giorgio Barbarelli da Castelfranco; (c. 1477/8 – 1510), issued on November 8, 1978, Scott No. 1344.


Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist, issued on March 14, 1979, Scott No. 1356.


Millennium of Fonte Avellana, or the Venerable Hermitage of the Holy Cross, in Serra Sant'Abbondio in the Marche region of Italy, designed by Eros Donnini, issued on September 3, 1980, Scott No. 1407.


Ciro Menotti, Italian patriot and martyr of the Italian Risorgimento, issued on May 26, 1981, Scott No. 1458.

Translation - something to do with reading and writing making a productive life? Probably barking up the wrong tree, its been a while since Latin classes...

stampgal - Move to the head of the class! Since this quotation is only a fragment without context, there is no way to know for sure what Varro Reatinus meant, but one conventional translation is "Forge out your life by reading and writing." My own translation would be "Shape your life by reading and, moreover, by writing." Unfortunately, much of Varro's large literary output has been lost, though many fragments still exist. - nethryk

Before Finland headed down the offset stamp trail in the mid-1960s, it issued scores of stamps produced by several outstanding stamp engravers. Here are images of six stamps engraved for Finland by Birger Ekholm, who was active from the mid-1940s to the mid-1960s.

- nethryk

European cranes, semi-postal stamp issued for anti-tuberculosis (note the modified Cross of Lorraine logo) on October 26, 1951, Scott No. B108, Facit No. 401.


Olympic runner, semi-postal issued on February 15, 1952, Scott No. B113, Facit No. 410. Note the classic Greek runners art motif in the background.


Johan Vilhelm Snellman (1806-1881), Fennoman philosopher and Finnish statesman, designed by A. Karjalainen from a statue by Finnish sculptor Emil Wikström, issued on May 12, 1956, Scott No. 339, Facit No. 459.


Mora Stone, 600th anniversary, issued on February 15, 1962, Scott No. 391, Facit No. 550. The runic inscription reads: MAUNU HAAK N (= Håkon Magnusson, elected King 1362).


Parainen Bridge, issued on December 9, 1963, Scott No. 413, Facit No. 588.


Staff of Asclepius (god of medicine and healing in ancient Greek religion), issued for World Medical Association Congress, Helsinki, on June 13, 1964, Scott No. 426, Facit No. 597.

Between 1973 and 1987, John S. Wallace, Jr. engraved the vignettes on over 25 stamps issued by the USA; here are images of some examples of his work.

- nethryk

Banking & Commerce, se-tenant pair issued on October 6, 1975, Scott Nos. 1577-78. Lithographed and engraved. (Lettering: Robert G. Culin, Sr.)


Captain James Cook FRS RN (1728-1779), British explorer, navigator and cartographer, one of a se-tenant pair, designed by Robert F. Szabo after a portrait (c. 1775) by Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, 1st Baronet (1735-1811), and issued on January 20, 1978, Scott No. 1732. (Lettering: R.G. Culin)


Everett McKinley Dirksen (1896-1969), American politician, designed by artist Ron Adair, issued on January 4, 1981, Scott No. 1874. (Lettering: J.L. Goodbody)


New York University Library, se-tenant stamp in the American Architecture Series, designed by Walter DuBois Richards (1907 - ), issued on August 28, 1981, Scott No. 1928. (Lettering: Dennis Brown)


Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (1911-1956), American athlete who achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball, and track and field, designed by Richard Gangel (1918–2002), art director at Sports Illustrated magazine from 1960 to 1981, issued on September 22, 1981, Scott No. 1932. (Lettering: Albert Saavedra)


"Mallards Dropping In," adapted by Donald M.McDowell from original artwork by Jay N. "Ding" Darling (1876-1962), issued on July 2, 1984, Scott No. 2092. (Lettering: not credited)

Good stuff. Love the Titian.

Cjd - Thanks. Re Titian's Flora: as lithograving pointed out earlier in this thread, it is extraordinarily difficult to depict a great original work of art on a mere postage stamp-sized canvas as well as Francesco Tulli did on this one.

Robert Cami (1900-1975), French illustrator and maître-graveur, won the Grand Prix de Rome for engraving in 1928. From the mid-1940s to the mid-1970s, Cami designed and engraved many postage stamps for France, its colonies, and its former colonies. Here are images of ten stamps that Cami both designed and engraved for France, except as noted.

- nethryk

Château de Villandry, built in 1536, and its famous gardens, issued on July 17, 1954, Scott No. 729, Y&T No. 995.


Cacti and Succulents, issued for use in Madagascar (Malagasy) on September 20, 1954, Scott No. 287, SG No. 322.


Porters and bananas, issued for use in Cameroun on November 29, 1954, Scott No. 324, SG No. 261.


Uzerche, issued on October 15, 1955, Scott No. 778, Y&T No. 1040.


Medieval Royal Messenger, semi-postal issued on March 17, 1962, Scott No. B358, Y&T No. 1332.


Transatlantic packet (mail service) ship La Guienne, semi-postal issued on March 29, 1965, Scott No. B391, Y&T No. 1446.


Albert Charles Paul Marie Roussel, French composer, semi-postal designed by Clément Serveau, and issued on March 23, 1969, Scott No. B428, Y&T No. 1590.


Mediterranean mouflon (Ovis gmelini), issued on October 11, 1969, Scott No. 1257, Y&T No. 1613.


Guadeloupe raccoon (Procyon lotor minor), issued on June 23, 1973, Scott No. 1369, Y&T No. 1754.


White storks (Ciconia ciconia), issued on May 12, 1973, Scott No. 1370, Y&T No. 1755.

AnthonyUK queried on the other engraved thread as to who
the engraver was for the 1964 Greek Royal Wedding stamps.

I believe it was A. Tassos who engraved those stamps and also
the ones below issued in 1966 for the 125th Anniversary
of the Greek National Bank

Scott 845 - 848







The original stamp announcement states only that Tassos was the
designer.

Spain issued this 1961 set as part of an ongoing series of
Spanish Monasteries & Abbeys.
Featured here is El Escorial which is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and school.

Bi coloured engraving by Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre.
The 70 Centimo was engraved by G. Martin Orbe, the 6 Pesetas by
D. Carande and the rest by A. Manso.

Scott 1021 - 1026

Another Spanish monastery set, the Charterhouse of Jerez de la Frontera.
Issued in 1966, I have no info as to who engraved these.
Hoping that nethryk will come up with the answer.

Scott 1388 - 1390






I like the colour combination of the last one.

lithograving - Outstanding images of some spectacular stamps! Unfortunately, the only one of your three Cartuja de Santa María de la Defensión, Jerez stamps posted above that I have solid engraver information about is the 1 peseta value, which was engraved by Pablo Sampedro Molero. But I do love a philatelic challenge, so I'll keep digging for reliable info on the other two. - nethryk

Thanks nethryk. I knew you would come through.

Do you have any info as to the engraver(s) of the Mysteries of the Rosary set I posted yesterday on the
Engraved Stamps - Take 2 thread ?

It appears that the FNMT had quite a few engravers working
in the sixties.