Australia's KGV Commemoratives

Kingsford Smith's World Flights, 1931

Air Commodore Sir Charles Kingsford Smith - Smitty - is a legendary Australian aviator. His record breaking flights between 1927 and 1935 earned him legendary status to all Australians. In 1931 the Post Office released a set of three stamps to honour the great flyer...

The design of this stamp featured Kingsford Smith's now famous plane, the tri-motor Fokker  F.VIIb/3m, Southern Cross, in flight above the eastern and western hemispheres. The badge of the Royal Australian Air Force can be seen behind the word 'AUSTRALIA'. 

The issue came in three denominations. 2d, 3d, and 6d which was used for airmail.

3d Blue

6d Violet Air Mail

A small quantity of the 2d and 3d stamps were overprinted 'OS'. This was the first time commemoratives were overprinted for official use instead of being punctured. 

3d OS overprint

Technical Details:
Issued: 19 March 1931
Designed and engravedby F.D. Manley
Recess-printed on unwatermarked paper and issued in sheets of 80, perf. 11, single-line
Quantities: 2d - 20,298,000, 'OS' overprinted - 32,000
                   3d - 2,180,000, 'OS' overprinted - 28,000
                   6d - 503,200

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Australia's KGV Commemoratives

Centenary of Sturt's Exploration of the Murray River, 1930

Australia's fourth commemorative was issued in 1930 for the Centenary of Charles Sturt's Exploration of the Murray River. It was issued in two denominations: 1½d red & 3d blue.

Captain Charles Sturt came to Australia in 1827. The following year he explored the Macquarie River. He also discovered another river which he named the Darling River. On 7 January 1830, sailing in a whaleboat, Sturt and his team travelled down the Murrumbidgee River to its junction with the Murray River, which he named. He continueds down the Murray and reached Lake Alexandrina a month later. The journey was arduous and the party sufferesd many hardships along the way.

The design for the Sturt commemorative incorporates lyrebird tails. It also includes spearheads and shields typical of those used by Aborigines in the area...

1½d red

Many interesting designs were considered. Below is an unadopted design depicting a portion of the Murray River.

Technical Details:
Issued: 2 June 1930
Designed by R.A. Harrison
Recess printed on unwatermarked paper and issued in sheets of 120, perf. 11 single-line.
Quantities: 1½d - 20,366,400 stamps, "OS" punctured 30,000
                  3d - 2,052,000stamps, "OS" punctured 24,000 

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Australia's KGV Commemoratives

Centenary of Western Australia 1929

Australia's third commemorative stamp was issued on 28 September 1929 to celebrate the Centenary of Settlement in Western Australia. It is true a temporary settlement had begun in 1826 at King George Sound, now Albany. But the first permanent settlement was created in 1829 on the Swan River. The colonization expedition was driven by Captain James Sterling. The fledgling colony had through many trials before it finally found its feet. Originally, it was called The Swan River settlement. It was later changed to Western Australia. Captain Sterling was the first Governor.

Centenary of Western Australia 1929

The design of the stamp was prepared by Mr. G. Pitt Morison, who was the curator of the National Gallery, Perth. The desgin incorporated the famous black swan, the emblem of the state. It also included in the top corners above 'Postage' kangaroo paw flowers, as well as eucalyptus leaves and flowers, which can be seen below the written value.

There were many designs to choose from. G. Pitt Morison submitted several. This is another of his designs...

An unadopted design

Technical Details:
Issued: 28 September 1929
Designed by G. Pitt Morison
Recess-printed on unwatermarked paper and issued in sheets of 80, perf 11 single-line
Quantity: 21,281,040. 'OS' punctured 24,000

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Australia's First Airmail Stamp

1929

Although there were requests from the Australian public for airmail stamps as early as 1919, the Post Office did nothing about it until 1926 when the development of an airmail service between Adelaide and Perth was being considered. Arrangements were made in 1928 - at the same time that tenders were invited for the airmail service - for preliminary stamp desings to be prepared. The final desgin was the work of R.A. Harrison. Melbourne artist Harold Herbert was selected to finalise the design. On the 20 May 1929 the first Airmail stamp was released. In my view its a stunner. The plane depicted in the stamp is a De Havilland DH66. This type of plane was used in the new east-west Airmail service...

1929 Airmail

As is usual in the process of creating a stamp, many designs were considered. This is a facsimile of one such design...

An unadopted design

Technical Details:
Issued: 20 May 1929
Designed by R.A. Harrison and Harold Herbert
Recess-printed on unwatermarked paperand issued in sheets of 80, perf. 11 single-line.
Total number issued: 3,720,560
(a) In sheets of 80, 2,972,960. "OS" punctured approx. 180,000.
(b) In booklets containing 12 stamps: 1930: 50,000 booklets (600,000 stamps). 1935: 12,300 booklets (147,600 stamps).

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Australia's Second Commemorative

1928 International Philatelic Exhibition

Australia's second commemorative stamp was the 1928 International Philatelic Exhibition 3d Kookaburra. The exhibition was held in Melbourne from 29 October to 1 November 1928. This stamp was printed in usual sheet form and also in special sheets of 60 arranged so there were 15 blocks of 4 stamps, each block surrounded by a selvedge, creating miniature sheets. Sheets of this stamp were actually printed on a special press at the exhibition...

1928 3d Kookaburra

1928 Exhibition Miniature Sheet

The design for this stamp was a modified version of the 1913 6d Claret Kookaburra.

1913 6d Kookaburra

Technical Details:
Issued: 29 October 1928
Designed by R.A. Harrison
Recess-printed on nwatermarked paper, perf. 11, sngle-line.
Total number issued: 5,043,000
(a) Sheets of 60 at the Exhibition: 1,002,000.
(b) Sheets of 120 at Post Offices: 3,837,000, 'OS' punctured: 20,400.
(c) Additionally part sheets of 30 derived from sheets of 120 and the balance of unsold Mini-sheets at the exhibition: 204,000.

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Australia's First Commemorative

Opening of Parliament House

Australia's first commemorative stamp was released on 9 May 1927 on the occasion of the opening of Parliament House in Canberra (in A.C.T Australian Capital Territory. The A.C.T is Australia's capital, not Sydney). A competition was held for the design and there were over 1,000 entries. The winning design was composed by Mr Ronald A. Harrison, an artist at the Note Printing Branch of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It depicts a seated female figure representing Australia. She is holding in her right hand a shield bearing the southern cross. In her left hand she is carrying a palm branch, which is extended as a greeting to the new parliament house, the building in the middle ground...

This is one of the unadopted designs for the Australia 1927 Opening of Parliament House commemorative stamp. The chair of the Speaker of the House (House of Representatives)...

This is another unadopted design. It has similarities with the chosen design, but it is in portrait format and it has the head of George V at the top. I don't mind this one...

All things considered I think the best choice was made. The Opening of Parliament House is a very stylish debut for Australia into commemorative stamps.

Technical details:
Designed by R.A. Harrison
Engraved by J.A.C. Harrison (Waterloo & Sons, Ltd.)
Recess-printed on unwatermarked paper and issued in sheets of 80, perf. 11, single line.
Total number of stamps issued: 32,.213,680.
(a) 31,058,480 in sheet form. 18,800 punctured 'OS'.
(b) 1,155,200 in booklets of 16 stamps.

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True Art

I was lucky enough recently to discover an artist in Croatia who has merged his love of Philately with his artistic talents to create a Cinderella series from the fantasy city of Albion. A couple of his works of art were purchased for me for Christmas.

Albion 2/-

This first stamp, modelled after the British 1929 £1 PUC, bears the head of a young Queen Victoria, presumably the reigning monarch of Albion.

Albion 1/-

The next stamp bears the head of the Prince-consort, Albert. Seemingly the stamp designers of Albion were happy to include Prince Albert on their stamps! Perhaps they saw merit in this after viewing the Newfoundland stamp of Albert...

 I love these stamps. They will make fine additions to my set. I will be on the lookout for more of the work of this talented artist...

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Another Postmark ID

According to my count Southern Rhodesia had 216 post offices during the reign of King George V (1910-1936). Until now I had but one postmark identified from this period. I recently discovered this great postmark...

Southern Rhodesia 1931 1/2d

The letter to which these two 1/2d stamps were affixed was posted from Felixburg. Felixburg is a village in the Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe. The village was named after Felix Posselt who visited the area in 1888 and later settled at Felixsburg.

So that's 2 down and 214 to go...

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