Collecting By Engraver

Nicholas Joseph Hubert Levigne (1905-1989) was a Dutch graphic designer and visual artist. He studied at both the Maastricht City Light Institute and the State Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam. In 1933 Levigne won the silver medal of the Prix de Rome. In 1950 he was appointed lecturer in graphic design at the Jan van Eyck Academie, and he held that position until his retirement in 1972. Here are images of five Netherlands stamps designed and engraved by Hubert Levigne.

- nethryk

Two-stamp set marking the 12th centenary of the death of Saint Willibrord (c. 658-739), a Northumbrian missionary, known as the "Apostle to the Frisians" in the modern Netherlands, issued on June 15, 1939, Scott Nos. 212 & 213, SG Nos. 497 & 498.

Arrival of Willibrord in the Netherlands


Willibrord, Bishop of Utrecht


Dr. Jan Ingenhousz (1730-1799), Dutch physiologist, biologist and chemist best known for discovering photosynthesis, semi-postal stamp issued on May 29, 1941 for cultural and social relief, Scott No. B135, SG No. 559.


"Fortuna," semi-postal stamp issued on May 1, 1946 to benefit victims of World War II, Scott No. B161, SG No. 622.


Miner, issued on April 16, 1952 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Netherlands' mining and chemical industry, Scott No. 331, SG No. 748.

Nethryk - I for one hope you keep posting. The information on each engraver is most welcome.
What are your sources of information?

AnthonyUK - Thanks. I'm glad you enjoy reading some of the information I provide along with my stamp images. My principal stamp research tools are my own (modest) philatelic library, the internet, and well-informed friends in foreign lands.

Antonino Sánchez Gutiérrez (1932- ) is an award-winning artist and engraver who produced many bank note and postage stamps for Spain from 1966 until his retirement in 1995. Here are images of six examples of Antonino Sánchez's work.

- nethryk

Las Huelgas Monastery, Burgos, issued on November 22, 1969, Scott No. 1592, Edifil No. 1946.


Cloister of St. Tomas Monastery, Avila, issued on October 26, 1972, Scott No. 1740, Edifil No. 2113.


Antoni Gaudí I Cornet (1852-1926) was a Spanish Catalan architect, pictured here with one of his most famous creations, la Casa de la Pedrera (aka Casa Milà), Barcelona, issued on February 25, 1975, Scott No. 184, Edifil No. 2241.


Jorge Manrique (c. 1440-1479) was a major Spanish poet, whose main work is the Coplas a la muerte de su padre (Stanzas about the Death of his Father), issued on February 28, 1979 to mark the 5th centenary of his death, Scott No. 2139, Edifil No. 2512.


Charles I of Spain (1500-1558), also Charles V of Germany, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 until his death, with his imperial coat of arms, issued on November 22, 1979 as one of a set of five Kings of Spain stamps, Scott No. 2179, Edifil No. 2552.


The Romeria del Rocio is an annual religious Spanish festival held (for over 800 years) in Andalusia which up to a million celebrants attend as the romeros go on a pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Virgen del Rocio, issued on May 4, 1981, Scott No. 2237, Edifil No. 2616.

Thanks Nethryk.
I am a big fan of those Spanish bi-colours. Very nice examples.

This might be of interest to someone.

I recently bought a set of Slania album pages which you print yourself.
I was supplied as a CD which contains the PDFs for printing, Pagemaker source files and Excel checklists.
This cost a very reasonable $10 considering the time and effort this must have taken so if anyone would like to contact the vendor please let me know and I'll pass on his details. He is based in US so may even be local.

Here is a sample from the Poland section

I've been going through a kilo mix and I found a couple of CTOs from Mali that were really impressive. I think the stamps were well worth the 10c I paid for them!
Engraved by Eugene Lacaque, who has been mentioned previously here somewhere(Maybe with respect to Monaco?). [With a 43 page Topic my dialup would take all day to find the post!]
I checked the internet and found an interesting comment on these two stamps.
http://www.danstopicals.com/durer.htm

Any additional info about Lacaque would also be of interest.

AnthonyUK - Thanks.

butterfly - Excellent engraved stamps. Thanks for posting.

Here is some biographical information I have about French artist and engraver Eugène Lacaque: He was born on February 14, 1914 in Lutterbach (Haut-Rhin, Alsace). He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Mulhouse, and afterwards at the High School of Fine Arts in Paris. Lacaque began his professional career as an engraver of rollers for the decoration of textiles! He was 53 years old when he engraved his first postage stamp, in 1967. His dexterity with a burin earned him the title "The man with the golden fingers." In all, Lacaque engraved more than 600 stamps for various countries. He died on February 23, 2005 in Pfastatt (Haut-Rhin). Here are images of six examples of Eugène Lacaque's design (except as noted) and engraving skills.

- nethryk

"The Triumph of Flora," after a sculpture (1866) on the South façade of the Pavillon de Flore, Louvre palace, Paris, by French sculptor and painter Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875), issued by France on July 4, 1970, Scott No. 1274, Y&T No. 1641. This was Lacaque's first stamp for France.


Albert Schweitzer OM (1875-1965), Alsatian theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary, semi-postal stamp issued by France on January 11, 1975, Scott No. B483, Y&T No. 1824.


Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) Scottish-born Canadian scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone, issued by Luxembourg on September 9, 1976, Scott No. 590.


Guillaume de Machault (1305-1377), Medieval French poet and composer, semi-postal stamp issued by France on November 12, 1977, Scott No. B501, Y&T No. 1955.


Knights in a tournament (1662), during the reign of Louis XIV, after an etching by Israël Silvestre the Younger (1621-1691), issued by France on January 16, 1978, Scott No. 1582, Y&T No. 1983.


Publius Vergilius Maro (also known Virgil or Vergil, 70 BC – 19 BC), classical Roman poet, and a scene from one of his major works, the Aeneid, designed by French artist Pierrette Lambert, and issued by Monaco on January 18, 1982, Scott No. 1360. In June I posted an image of this fine stamp in the "ship stamps" thread of this forum, but I think it's well worth a second look.

Tatyana Mihailovna Nikitina was an engraver and engraving instructor at Goznak, the USSR's state printing office, from the 1950s to the 1980s. Her son, Vladimir Nikitin, also worked at Goznak as an artist and stamp designer. Here are images of five examples of Nikitina's work, including a portrait of Sergei Prokofiev designed by Vladimir Nikitin.

- nethryk

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (1870-1924), Russian Bolshevik revolutionary leader, issued on March 30, 1963 on the 93rd anniversary of his birth, Scott No. 2727, Zagorski No. 2746.


"Avtandil at a Mountain Spring," after an illustration (c. 1936) by Georgian painter Sergo Kobuladze (1909-1978) of a scene in Shota Rustaveli's epic poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin," issued on August 31, 1966, Scott No. 3237, Zagorski No. 3310.


Golden Stag, Scythia, a 6th century BC treasure from the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, designed by R. Zhitkov, and issued on December 29, 1966, Scott No. 329, Zagorski No. 3362.


Machine-gun cart, designed by Yuri Kosorukov after an oil painting (1925) by battle field artist Mitrofan Borisovich Martyschenko Grekov (1882-1934), and issued on July 30, 1969, Scott No. 3623, Zagorski No. 3699.


Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (1891-1953), Russian composer, pianist, and conductor, designed by Vladimir Nikitin, and issued on April 23, 1981, Scott No. 4931, Zagorski No. 5112.

Alceo Quieti (1922- ) engraved banknotes and postage stamps for Italy, San Marino, and Vatican City from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s. Here are images of six examples of Quieti's engraving work.

- nethryk

"Triumph of Caesar," after a painting (c. 1486) by Italian artist Andrea Mantegna (c. 1431-1506), issued by Italy on November 3, 1958, Scott No. 755.


Gabriele D'Annunzio (1863-1938), Italian poet, journalist, novelist, and dramatist, after a portrait by G. Barbieri, issued by Italy on March 12, 1963, Scott No. 870.


"The Good Samaritan," after a work by Sicilian sculptor Emilio Greco (1913-1995), issued by Vatican City on September 22, 1964, Scott No. 394.


Dante Alighieri (1265–1321), Italian poet, after a painting by Italian artist Raphael (1483-1520), issued by Vatican City on May 18, 1965 to celebrate the 7th centenary of Dante's birth, Scott No. 410.


"Eagle carrying Dante from Purgatory to Paradise," after an engraving by French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883), issued by San Marino on November 20, 1965, Scott No. 624.


Basilios (not Johannes!) Cardinal Bessarion (1403-1472), Latin Patriarch of Constantinople, reading the Bull of the Union of Florence (1439) between the Greek and Latin churches, after a bronze door of St. Peter's Basilica, issued by Vatican City on November 28, 1972 to mark the 5th centenary of Bessarion's death, Scott No. 528.

Those multi-colour Spanish stamps ar beautiful. And the arly Dutch engraved stamps are really well done.
The sam goes for Austria. In fact, I purchased some olde Austrian engraved stamps after learning her that they were quite famous and accomplished.

AndrewF31 - Thanks! Here are some more Austria stamps that might interest you.

Georg Wimmer (1894-1975) was an Austrian master engraver who produced many fine stamps during his long career. A few of his Austria stamps have already been shown in this thread, but here are images of six other examples of Wimmer's great engraving skills, with various subjects.

- nethryk

Allegorical figure "Industry" welcoming home returning prisoners of war, designed by Austrian graphic artist Josef Seger (1908-?), semi-postal issued on June 29, 1955 to benefit POWs and their families, Scott No. B295.


Oswald Redlich (1858-1944), Austrian historian, designed by Austrian artist Robert Fuchs (1896-1981), issued on September 17, 1958, Scott No. 635.


Gustav Mahler (1860-1911), late-Romantic Austrian composer and conductor, designed by Robert Fuchs, issued on July 7, 1960, Scott No. 654.


Horse race, designed by Adalbert Pilch, issued on June 4, 1968 to celebrate the centenary of racing at Freudenau, Vienna, Scott No. 812.


Unken Post Station Sign, designed by Adalbert Pilch, engraved and photogravure, semi-postal stamp issued on December 5, 1969 for Stamp Day, Scott No. B325.


Vienna Stock Exchange, designed by Otto Zeiller, issued on September 1, 1971 to celebrate the exchange's second centenary, Scott No. 902.

Raoul Serres (1881-1971) was another French winner of the Grand Prix de Rome (in 1906) and also a winner of several other awards for his artistic and engraving work. For France, Serres engraved some 60 postage stamps (he also designed most of them), plus producing many more stamps for various French colonies and other countries. To represent his extraordinary skills, here are images of eight stamps that Serres designed (except as noted) and engraved.

- nethryk

French infantryman and view of Strasbourg, semi-postal stamp issued by France on February 15, 1940, Scott No. B94, Y&T No. 451.


Locomotive engineer at controls of modern streamliner & an early locomotive, semi-postal stamp designed by Paul-Pierre Lemagny, and issued by France on August 14, 1944 to celebrate the centenary of the Paris-Orléans and Paris-Rouen railways, Scott No. B178, Y&T No. 618.


Balloon post, 1870, semi-postal stamp issued by France on March 19, 1955, Scott No. B293, Y&T No. 1018.


Peul woman, Togo, issued for use in French West Africa in 1947, Scott No. 46, SG No. 44.


Place Stanislas, Nancy, issued on December 9, 1948, Scott No. 575, Y&Y No. 822.


Bréguet Provence over Algiers, airmail stamp designed by aviation artist Paul Lengellé, and issued by France on January 16, 1954, Scott No. C32, Y&T No. PA33.


Worker picking coffee beans, designed by Charles Mazelin, and issued for use in Cameroun on November 29, 1954, Scott No. 325.


Ship laying submarine cable, semi-postal stamp issued by France on March 12, 1960, Scott No. B339, Y&T No. 1245.

Ladislav Jirka (1914-1986) learned the engraving trade at the Malinského company in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, where he also worked until 1936. He then worked at the geographic military office, and later for the National Bank in Prague. His career as an engraver of postage stamps began after World War II. Jirka engraved about 350 stamps for Czechoslovakia, and he continued working until the 1980s. Here are six examples of Jirka's marvelous work.

- nethryk

Ironworker, designed by Czech illustrator Ivan Strnad (1926-), a definitive stamp issued on March 15, 1954, Scott No. 648, SG No. 818.


View of Uherske Hradiste, founded in 1257, designed by Czech artist Jarmila Lipenska-Kolarova (1917-1976), and issued on February 23, 1957, Scott No. 787.


Sugar beet, cup of coffee, and bags of sugar, designed by Czech painter and illustrator Cyril Bouda (1901-1984), and issued on September 18, 1961 as one of six stamps in a set publicizing Czechoslovakian agricultural produce, Scott No. 1063.


Tobbaganers, designed by Czech painter Anna Podzemna-Suchardova (1909-1991), and issued on January 20, 1964, as one of a three stamp set publicizing the Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Scott No. 1221.


Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), German composer and pianist, designed by Czech artist Karel Svolinsky (1896-1986), and issued on February 17, 1970 to celebrate the 2nd centenary of Beethoven's birth, Scott No. 1668.


Julius Fucík (1903-1943), Czechoslovak journalist, communist, and martyr of the anti-Nazi resistance, designed by Karel Svolinsky, engraved and photogravure (lettering), and issued on February 24, 1983, Scott No. 2445.

Warsaw native Jerzy Miller (1921- ) engraved many fine stamps for Poland from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. Here are images of six examples of his work.

- nethryk

Sailor and barges, designed by Stefan Lukaszewski, issued on March 16, 1956 as one of a set of five stamps honoring Poland's merchant navy, Scott No. 720, SG No. 963


"The Sandmen," designed by Jerzy Desselberger after a painting by Polish watercolorist Maksymilian Gierymski (1846-1874), issued on September 22, 1959, Scott No. 854, SG No. 1100.


"Mail cart," designed by Czeslaw Kaczmarczyk after a painting by Polish artist Jan Van Chelminsky (1851-1925), issued on October 9, 1961, Scott No. 1018, SG No. 1259.


Karol Waclaw Swierczewski, call sign "Walter" (1897-1947), Polish military officer and Soviet general. Designed by Sewrin Jasinski after the Swierczewski stone monument in Jablonki, near Walter Mountain, Poland, and issued on July 14, 1962 for the 15th anniversary of his death (mortally wounded in action), Scott No. 1065, SG No. 1307.


The Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari (War Order of Virtuti Militari) (Latin for "To Military Valour") is Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage in the face of the enemy at war. It was created in 1792 by Poland's King Stanislaw August Poniatowski and is one of the oldest military decorations in the world still in use (General Swierczewski was a recipient of this decoration). This stamp was designed by Stefan Malecki, and issued on November 16, 1964, Scott No. 1274.


Mining Academy at Kieice, designed by Tadeusz Michaluk, and issued on September 15, 1966 as one stamp in a set of nine depicting Poland's "tourist attractions," Scott No. 1443.

Nethryk: one can feel the sense of urgency in Miller's Polish mail cart and horse stamp (Scott#1018). It brought back memories of two stories I once related on the forum and will again as it seems fitting.

My now deceased uncle had a rural postal route in southwestern Ontario. Horse and buggy in the summer, cutter (sleigh) in winter. He told me that from the barn to the midpoint of the route the horse dragged its feet but from there back to the barn he could hardly hold the horse back.

I grew up in Teeswater in southwestern Ontario. This small village was once the western terminus of what was the Canadian Pacific Railway's (CPR) Teeswater-Orangeville branch line. At Orangeville it met the Owen Sound mainline train making its downhill run into Toronto. My early postal memories are the horse and wagon leaving our local post office to rush to the station where the mail bags would be thrown on to the waiting combination mail/baggage car just before the huffing and puffing steam engine pulled away from the station. The horse and driver never dallied on their route to the station and your stamp evokes that urgency. I can almost hear the clip-clop of hooves. Thanks for taking the time to put that image on the thread.