Collecting By Engraver

Another fabulous engraver with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was Louis Schofield. Some of his work includes what many consider to be the most beautiful Stamp of the US.

Last year our old friend lithograving posted in this thread images of a few stamps engraved (or combined engraved and photogravure) by Tanasije Krnjajic, a prolific Yugoslavian engraver of banknotes and postage stamps from the 1940s into the 1960s. Here are images of six more examples of Krnjajic's fine engraving work with various subjects and artists (and with no distracting photogravure), all stamps issued by Yugoslavia (except as noted).

- nethryk

Airplane and aerial view of Bled Island, Slovenia, airmail stamp designed by Yugoslavian artist Janez Trpin (1908-1973), and issued on June 16, 1951, Scott No. C41, SG No. 682.


Metal workers, definitive stamp designed by P. Gavranic, and issued in August, 1952, Scott No. 354, SG No. 719.


Nuclear reactor, designed by Yugoslavian artist Mateja Rodici (1929- ), and issued on August 23, 1960, Scott No. 584, SG No. 968.


Moulay Ismaïl Ibn Sharif (c. 1646-1727), reigned 1672–1727, second ruler of the Moroccan Alaouite dynasty, printed in Belgrade, and issued by Morocco on March 3, 1963 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the city of Meknes as the Ismaili capital, Scott No. 85, SG No. 131.


"Reminiscences," designed by Slovene painter and graphic artist Bozidar Jakac (1899-1989) after a marble sculpture (1908) by Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic (1883-1962), issued on September 28, 1963 as one of four stamps in a set honoring Mestrovic's artwork, Scott No. 708, SG No. 1093.


Ivan Mazuranic (1814-1890), Croatian poet, linguist and politician, designed by Bozidar Jakac, and issued on November 28, 1965, Scott No. 792.

I haven't been too active recently but I saw something I have been looking for for quite a while.
I know they are not technically stamps but I think they may be appreciated here.
Slania was a big fan of boxing so created a series of 23 labels showing the world heavyweight boxing champions upto Cassius Clay as he was then in 1964,

AnthonyUK - Nice boxer labels engraved by Czeslaw Slania. Thanks for sharing.

René Quillivic (1925- ) is a French artist and engraver who was born into an artistic family. He studied under Robert Cami at l'Ecole nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris, where he majored in engraving. In 1994 Quillivic was elected a member of the the Academy of Fine Arts. Here are images of five examples of Quillivic's distinctive design and engraving work, all stamps issued by France, except as noted.

- nethryk

Saint-Pol-de-Léon tourist sights: Saint-Paul-Aurélien Cathedral and Notre-Dame du Kreisker chapel, issued on January 18, 1975, Scott No. 1418, Y&T No. 1808.


Henri Édouard Prosper Breuil (1877-1961), often referred to as Abbé Breuil, a French Catholic priest, archaeologist, anthropologist, ethnologist and geologist, semi-postal stamp issued on October 15, 1977, Scott No. B500, Y&T No. 1954.


Château de Maintenon, Eure-et-Loir region, best known as being the private residence of the second spouse of Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon, issued on June 7, 1980, Scott No. 1704, Y&T No. 2082.


Public gardens, Vichy, issued on June 6, 1981, Scott No. 1744, Y&T No. 2144.


Escaldes hot springs, issued by Andorra (French Administration) on May 14, 1988, Scott No. 365.

AnthonyUK - Inexperienced as I am, I only yesterday noticed that your images can be studied in what you call the original size. Simply breathtaking! I now marvel at the feeling and steadiness of the engraver's hand for their delicate job as witnessed by these magnificient enlargements. I wish I could add to your collection. Cheers!

nethryk - Thank you for your images of Quillivic's works. I keep following and appreciating your postings.

Many thanks Florian.
Sorry I didn't make it obvious but thanks for noticing.
I host all my images on Flickr, link to a smaller image so the board doesn't suffer too much and embed the link to the original image for those such as yourself who appreciate the skill and beauty.

If you are interested just let me know and I'll provide details how to do this.

Anthony, I have never seen the Boxer stamps before. What a lovely set, thanks for posting them.

AnthonyUK - Many thanks. However, I can but watch, asking occasional advice from my grandchildren. Still, I am most grateful.

florian - Thanks. I'm glad you are enjoying some of the images I have been posting here. Now for something entirely different:

Jean Sprenger of Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, engraved postage stamps during the early decades of the 20th century. Here are images of four examples of Sprenger's engraving work on stamps designed by various artists and issued by Switzerland.

- nethryk

Two famous Swiss mountains:

The Mythen, Schwyz, designed by Swiss decorative artist Eugène Samuel Grasset (1845-1917), and issued in 1914, Scott No. 181, SG No. 284.


Allegorical figure and the Jungfrau (Maiden), Bernese Alps, also designed by Eugène Grasset, and issued in 1914, Scott No. 184, SG No. 286.


Building Bern where the first UPU Congress was held in 1874, designed by Willi Stettler, and issued on October 9, 1924 to commemorate the UPU's 50th anniversary, Scott No. 205, SG No. 337.


The Mythen (redux), designed by French painter Emil Cardinaux (1877-1936), printed on granite paper, and issued in 1931, Scott No. 209, SG No. 343.

nethryk - I do enjoy all the images of engraved stamps you select for posting.

Once you mentioned images of stamps engraved by Gandon and Pheulpin you had posted on other forums. Could you direct me to those, please? Thank you very much.

Here are a couple of Belgian semi postals engraved by Jean De Bast (I think).
These are the high value ones from the 1963 and 1964 Tuberculosis fund sets.
There is a decent amount of info on Jean DeBast on wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_De_Bast

AnthonyUK - Grand, magnificient images again. What I meant to say was I wished I could add to your own collection. Thank you very much indeed.

While we are in Belgium, here are images of four engraved postage stamps with various subjects produced by Belgian engraver Henri Decuyper (1928- ), who also engraved several Belgian banknotes.

- nethryk

Sled dogs and Antarctic camp, semi-postal stamp designed by Belgian artist Mark Severin (1906-1987), and issued on October 18, 1957 to benefit the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, Scott No. B605.


Infant and United Nations emblem, designed by Edouard Meert, and issued on December 10, 1958 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Scott No. 529, SG No. 645.


Frans Snyders (1579–1657), Flemish painter, designed by Decuyper after an etching by Flemish Baroque artist Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641), combined engraved and photogravure, and issued on March 15, 1965, Scott No. 624.


Ruins of Soleilmont Abbey (Trappistine nuns), designed by Belgian artist Oscar Bonnevalle (1920-1993), combined engraved and photogravure, and issued on June 22, 1974, Scott No. 873.

AnthonyUK are the boxing labels yours ? I met Floyd Patterson who lived here in the Hudson Valley...i usually like to give celebrities their space..but in Floyds case I said "Hey Floyd how are you doing?" and he replied fine how are you ? and we spoke for a few minutes..Floyd was a real Gentleman...i don't know that he had the mindset for the tough sport that boxing is !