Collecting By Engraver

lithograving - Good to see you back in the saddle again. Keep 'em coming!

Endre Horvath (1896-1954) was a Hungarian artist and engraver who studied law and also served in the Hungarian Army before beginning his studies at the Hungarian National Industrial Arts University. During his long career at the Hungarian Security Printing Works, he encouraged several other prominent artists and engravers, including Zoltán Nagy and Mihály Füle, to develop their talents. Unfortunately for stamp collectors, Horvath engraved far more banknotes that he did postage stamps. Here are images of three Hungary postage stamps featuring portraits which Endre Horvath both designed and engraved.

- nethryk


Sándor Petofi (1823-1849), Hungarian poet and liberal revolutionary, issued on July 31, 1949 as one of three stamps commemorating Petofi's death on the battlefield, Scott No. 850.


Józef Zachariasz Bem (1794-1850), Polish general, Ottoman Pasha and a national hero of Poland and Hungary, and the Battle of Piski (fought on February 9, 1849), issued on December 10, 1950 as one of a set of three stamps commemorating the centenary of Bem's death, Scott No. 914.


Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (1868-1936), primarily known as Maxim (Maksim) Gorky, Russian and Soviet author, issued on June 15, 1951 as one of a set of three stamps commemorating the 15th anniversary of Gorky's death, Scott No. 961.

Lithograving and nethryk - Everything is just magnificent. Thanks a lot!

Florian, here are a few more from your Czechoslovakia.

Paintings in the National Gallery in Prague issued in 1967.
The other 3 of this set have already been shown here previously.

All printed multicolour engraving by the State Printing Works, Prague.


Scott 1507

Engraver : Josef Hercik




Scott 1508

Engraver : Jiri Svengsbir




And here a couple from the annual treasures of Prague Castle series.


Scott 1753 1971

Engraver : Jiri Svengsbir




Scott 1818 1972

The following were all engraved by Jiri Svengsbir


Scott 1937 - 1938 1974





Scott 2040 1975





Scott 2082 1976

Two more engraved by Jiri Svengsbir

Scott 2330 1980



Scott 2384 1981




Two engraved by Ladislav Jirka


Scott 2339 1980




Scott 2365 1981

There hasn't been much posted here lately showing Czeslaw Slania's
engraving skills.

This definitive set portraying native animals of Greenland
was issued between 1969 - 1976.


Scott 71 - 75

Following are all Greenland engraved by Slania and printed
by Denmark Posts Stamp Printing Works

Scott 76

Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the liberation of Denmark
in 1970.





Scott 77 1971

Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of new era European colonization.
Greenland was already previously colonized in the tenth century
by Icelandic and Norwegian Norse/Vikings but abandoned by the
15th Century.






Scott 106 1977

100th Anniverasry birth of Jorgen Bronlund, translator





Scott 107 1978

100 years of scientific exploration in Greenland.
Illustrated is an iron meteorite found at Cape York.

More Greenland stamps engraved by Czeslaw Slania,
this time portraying modes of transportation in
Greenland.


Scott 78 1971

Kayaks





Scott 79 1972

Umiaq, traditional woman's boat




Scott 81 1972

Dog sled




Scott 83 1975

Greenland schooner




Scott 84 1974

Whaling boat






Scott 85 1977

Helicopter Sikorsky S-61N

lithograving - I never tire of viewing your fantastic blow-ups where you can follow every dot and line cut with the engraver's burin. Always faithful to your motto "Variety is the spice of life" you present your selected images in a kaleidoscope of engraving styles and printing techniques differing from one another, which makes them the more impressive the more you vary your choices. Only be more sparing with your posts allowing us viewers to enjoy the beauty. Just remember my motto "Avoid having too much of any good thing". Thanks a lot indeed.

As a sea-kayaker, I particulary love the kayak stamp. Note the Inuit or Greenland paddles they are using. Not like the modern, long paddles we use today. These paddles are much shorter, and the blades are both at the same angle, rather than "feathered" at different ngles like most modern paddles. They are more efficient over long distances, have less wind resistance, and are less likely to break. There is also a "storm" paddle, which is almost like a stick, with hardly any difference between the shaft and the blade. These are extremely efficient in the wind. I would imagine the lack of available wood also played a part in the development of the short paddle style.
Greenland still holds Kayak Games, where competitions include races, rolling, and events based on hunting skills, like the "Walrus pull". In this event, competitors have to resist the pull of a harpooned walrus, with the rope from the harpoon tied to the kayak behind the paddler. The roll of the walrus is played by a group of men who take the other end of the rope and pull as hard as they can up the beach. A sort of tug-o-war.
I once went to a slide show given by some British kayakers who had attended the games. The locals were dubious about the foreign, fibreglass kayaks, left carelessly on the ground. Their own, sealskin, kayaks were safely stowed off the ground on racks, away from the gnawing teeth of the village sled dogs.

Florian I agree with you when you mention that engravings styles and printing techniques differ from one another.

I'm not an expert on engraving as you are but I have noticed a wide variety in quality amongst engravers and in different printing presses.

Even engravers appear to produce different quality of work during their sometimes long career.

Look at the ones from Greenland above. Nice but very simple engravings by Slania, not bad but
no comparison with most of the Swedish stamps he engraved or even the ones for Denmark.

Another example would be Ferdinand Lorber who was one of the best Austrian engravers.
His work from the 1930's especially the 1933 WIPA stamp is far superior to much of the stuff he produced in the fifties.

Anyway it's a pleasure to chat with you again.

Stampgal thanks for all that info about the kayak.
I'm a landlubber so tell me is this Inuit harpooning a walrus in a kayak?

The design was based on a drawing by J. Danielsen (1888 - 1938)and the stamps below were part of a series
about Greenlandic culture.

Engraver : Arne Kühlmann

Scott 113




Scott 112

Sleigh trip to northern Canada, illustration for the Saga of the Greenlanders by Jens Kreutzmann. (1828 - 1899)



Scott 116

Race across the ice, based on a woodcut by Aron von Kangeq (1822 - 1869)

Greenland began a series in 1981 for 1000 years of European settlements in Greenland

All were engraved by Arne Kühlmann


Beginning with Paleo-Eskimo cultures.

Saqqaq culture 2500 BC to 800 BC

Scott 146




Dorset culture 800BC to 1500 AD

Scott 147




Thule culture 1000Ad to present

Scott 148





Bishop's staff Joen Smyrill (1188 - 1209)and settlement at Gardar

Scott 149

For a change of pace and country and to add a bit of colour
here is a set issued in 1963 by Czechoslovakia for UNESCO.


Engraver : Ladislav Jirka (1914-1986)

Printing : multicolour engraved flat plates (right florian?)


Scott 1196 - 1200

I'm not an expert, but I believe so. I think the round object he is reaching for behind him is a float made from a sealskin, which is attached by rope to the harpoon. The walrus (or presumably whale, or other animal) has to pull the float to try to escape. This means firstly it cannot dive and be lost underwater, and secondly, it tires to the point of exhaustion, when it can be safely approached and the final blows delivered.
Thankyou for sharing these beautiful images - Oh dear I feel another topical collection coming on! I shall blame you entirely!