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AMERICAN PHILATELIST THE
June 2023
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JAPAN PRIMER
Table of Contents
VOLUME 137 • NO. 6 • WHOLE NO. 1,469
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BY KEN BRYSON From early designs featuring dragons and cherry blossoms to Baroque-inspired stamps and an intriguing blue hat, stamps from Japan before World War II present a delightful mix inspired by changes in leadership, artistry and Western influence.
CORRESPONDENCE FROM KOREA
BY ROBERT FINDER Two Christian missionaries – a pastor and a doctor who both happened to be stamp collectors – leave a trail of philatelic items during the early 20th century in Japaneseoccupied Korea. Items attributed to them include covers, letters and charity stamps.
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WHICH KOREA DOES THIS STAMP COME FROM?
BY YONG SOK YI, ROBERT FINDER, AND ANTHONY BARD The stamps of Korea come from four major issuing entities, including the situation since 1950 of a divided Korea. Symbols and calligraphy can be confusing to those of us not familiar with their meanings and use. The authors offer a guide to help identify Korean stamps.
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AIR LETTER SHEETS FROM CHINA: EXPERIMENT AND POLITICAL STATEMENT
BY HUGH LAWRENCE The chaotic and difficult times in postWorld War II China led to the somewhat complex creation of what was supposed to be a simple conduit for correspondence. From currency and design changes to political unrest, our author sorts it all out.
KOREAN WAR POW MAIL
PAGE 526
A CURIOUS SPOT
PAGE 543
NEW COLUMN: THE MARKETPLACE
PAGE 551
BY ANTHONY BARD Correspondence between captured American soldiers and their loved ones took more than eight agonizing months to begin. Mail to and from American POWs was closely monitored and regulated. Postal and printed markings, or lack thereof, help tell the story.
BY NOEL L. VAUGHN When a rail strike in 1894 disrupted mail delivery in California, a bicycle enthusiast created a short-lived mail business using locally produced stamps, some of which show an unexpected spot. The spot leads the author to revise the long-reported date sequence of the stamps’ printings.
BY MATT LIEBSON Our columnist will help members navigate the sometimes sticky, overwhelming, chaotic, busy marketplace, which involves everything from private dealers to bourses to the ever-present online market.
THE LETTER OPENER PAGE 555
BY CHARLES EPTING Private transatlantic shipping companies in the 1830s sometimes carried mail outside the regular postal service shipping routes. A private ship fee was collected by a local postmaster for transmission to the shipping company. Certain markings help ID covers of this kind.
ON OUR COVER
Designed by Chad Cowder. “Cherry Tree and Pheasant,” a color woodblock print by Japanese artist Komatsuya Hyakki circa 1765. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago. Stamps shown from top are Korea Scott 1; China Scott 240; and Japan Scott 100.
Other Features 559 558 569 496 572
Adventures in Expertizing Books & Catalogs Classified Ads Editing Philately Index of Advertisers
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Letters to the Editor Membership Report New U.S. Issues New World Issues Our Story
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Philatelic Happenings President’s Column Show Time World Class Worldwide in a Nutshell
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KENNETH J. BRYSON
here do I begin? This question kept running through my mind as I contemplated the challenge of authoring an article about Japanese philately. What does one say that can’t already be found in a Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue? It seems to me that philately comes alive from learning about the countries that produce the stamps – artifacts that speak eloquently of a country’s history, arts, culture, and people. Japanese history, for purposes of philately, is often divided roughly in half by the Second World War. I will focus in this article on the first half, roughly between 1871 and 1937, as seen through its postage stamps with an emphasis on the formative years – what some call the Classic period, up to the end of the 19th century. Illustrations, unless otherwise noted, are from my own collection. 504 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JUNE 2023
"Ono Falls on the Kisokaidō Road" by Katsushika Hokusai (c. 1828-1838). Courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.
JAPAN
1871-1876: Dragons and Cherry Blossoms It is 1870. The feudal shogunate regime, which had ruled Japan since 1603, had collapsed less than three years earlier. A new government took its place under the authority of the young emperor Mutsuhito, whose reign is known as the Meiji era (1868-1912). Dedicated to modernizing the country in the face of Western cultural and military inroads in the Far East, the new Meiji government sent students, technicians, and diplomats abroad to learn and bring back knowledge that would give Japan the means to not only emulate, but eventually rival the advanced nations of Europe and America. One of the goals of this ambitious program was to create from scratch a modern postal system to replace the privately operated hikyaku (literally “flying legs”) courier companies that were then the only commercial means of postal delivery throughout the country. Maejima (or Maeshima) Hisoka (Figure 1), the newly appointed director of posts, had a full agenda. He had to establish post offices, recruit and train postal personnel, and create operating procedures for collecting, transporting, and delivering mail by modern methods. During his trips abroad, Hisoka learned that postage stamps were the most common means for showing prepayment of postage on mail articles. He wished to incorporate this concept into the new postal system, but he had an obstacle. Japan at that time did not have the modern equipment or the expertise to print the enormous numbers of stamps that would be required on the first day of operation. Casting around for solutions, he called on Matsuda Atsutomo, a printer who had designed and produced banknotes for the new government the year before. When shown a European postage stamp, however, Matsuda threw up his hands and said that he could never hope to produce anything that complex; he would, however, print the stamps if he could use a motif with which he was very familiar: the dragons, based on traditional Japanese art, that graced those early banknotes (Figure 2). Those notes had been printed by the process of etching, laboriously drawing the design of each subject separately on a treated copper plate with a needle and then “biting” the copper in acid to produce an intaglio printing plate. The stamps that Matsuda agreed to print for the new government were produced in the same way, and they are thus now known as the Dragon stamps (Figure 3). The Dragon stamps were first issued on April 20, 1871 (March 1 by the lunisolar calendar then in use in Japan), and that date is commemorated every year as Japan Post Memorial Day. The Dragon stamps were printed in two colors, 40 subjects to a plate, requiring two passes through a primitive hand press. One result of this process was the occurrence of the greatest rarity among Japanese stamps: the 500-mon inverted center Dragon, the only known example of which was found in the 1950s in the United States. Later identified as genuine by the International Society for Japanese Philat-
Figure 1. A modern stamp with Maejima Hisoka and Dragon stamp (Scott 2402 and Scott 1).
Figure 2. Early banknote printed by Matsuda.
Figure 3. Examples of Dragon stamps (Scott 2, 3). Figure 4. Inverted center Dragon stamp (From JSCA 1871-1876 Japanese-English Catalogue) (Scott 4h).
ely (ISJP), it was sold at a U.S. auction in 1973 for $75,000. This stamp (Figure 4) has come up again at auction and is expected to hammer for more than $1 million. The auction, by Feldman, is scheduled to take place on June 3. It did not take long for the government to realize that bicolor stamp production would not keep up with demand, and in 1872 a series of single-color stamps in new designs replaced the Dragons. This new series, with various changes and additions in color, denomination and design but still hand-etched and hand-printed 40 subjects to a plate, continued to be issued JUNE 2023 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 505
Tips to help determine which Korea your stamp comes from
YONG SOK YI, ROBERT FINDER, AND ANTHONY BARD
hether a philatelist is an experienced or beginner stamp collector, it can be sometimes be a challenge to identify Korean stamps, especially in the early Korea eras, which include the Chosun Dynasty and Korea Empire in the 1884-1905 time periods. And later, after the liberation of Korea from the Japanese Occupation in 1945, it can be even more difficult to determine if a stamp is from North Korea or South, especially from 1946-1950. This article gives some simple guidelines that will help the collector determine if a stamp is from Korea, and also help tell apart the North Korean and South Korean stamps with the use of images of these stamps. A good place to start is with the very first stamps issued by the Korea Chosun Dynasty in 1884 (Figure 1). Two stamps were issued: the 5-mun and 10-mun values (Scott 1 and 2; the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalog incorrectly refers to these values as “mon.”) There also were three higher-value stamps produced at that time, but never released. Scott mentions these higher value stamps, but does not give these three higher values numbers. It’s easy to tell that the 10 mun and three higher values are from Korea because they have the word “Corean” written on the stamps. However, the 5-mun does not have “Corean” written on the stamp. Those unfamiliar with Asian written languages could easily believe Korea Scott 1 could be from another Asian country, like China or Japan. But the stamp can be distinguished from other countries’ stamps as it uses the stylized Ying/Yang, or Korean monad symbol in the center, as do the others in the series. We see many versions of the Korean monad over the years; it is still used by South Korea. 520 AMERICAN PHILATELIST / JUNE 2023
Figure 1. The Korea Chosun Dynasty issued its first stamps on November 18, 1884. The 5- and 10mun (Scott 1-2), were issued when the first postal service was created. The 25-, 50- and 100-mun stamps were never issued. The values of the stamps are in mun (문, Mn) and Korea is written as “Corean” in English.
Figure 2. The second Korea issue by the Chosun Dynasty (Scott 6-9) in 1895 has values in poon, features the word “Korea” and a monad symbol in the center.
Figure 3. The use of the Korean monad symbol is found on many issues of the Korean Empire era.
[Editor’s note: A brief explanation of Chinese, Korean and Japanese characters appears in September 2020 The American Philatelist, page 809.]
For the rest of the Korean Empire stamps issued from 1895 to 1903 (Figure 2) all of these stamps have “Korea,” “Korean Post,” or “Coree” printed on the stamp. Another feature to look for is another version of the Korean monad symbol (Figure 3). Beginning in 1900 and through 1903, the Korean Empire issued new two definitive series and one commemorative stamp. In addition, the older second series (Scott 6-9) were overprinted starting in 1897 with various surcharges. The so-called Plum Blossom set of 1900-1901 (Figure 4) all have a plum blossom image and the Korean monad printed on the stamps, and the words “Imperial Korean Post” in English on the stamps. The first and only commemorative stamp issued by Korea from 1884 to 1905 was the 1902 Emperor’s Crown (Figure 5). When this stamp was being designed, a French postal expert, J.V.E. Clemencet1, was advising the Korean government on its postal system and how the Universal Postal Union (UPU) operated, as Korea had just joined the UPU. As a result, the Western language used on the stamp is French, and “Posts de Coree” is used for the name of Korea on the stamp. The imperforated version of the stamp was reprinted by Japan in 1906 and used in presentation books. The last stamp series issued by Korea before the Japanese occupation was the Falcon (Eagle) definitive set of 13 values (Figure 6). As Clemencet was still advising the Korean government, he insisted that these stamps be printed in France. The Western language used on the stamps is again French and “Postes Imperiales de Coree” is printed on the stamps. Japan occupied Korea from 1905 until the end of the WWII, and in addition to using Japanese stamps during that time for use in Korea, Japan issued “Offices in Korea” stamps that had overprints in red or black colors on 14 definitives (Figure 7) and one commemo-
Figure 4. The third series of regular postage stamps from Korea (Scott 18-33) was issued by the Korea Empire in 190001. Called the Plum Blossom series, values were 2 re, 1 to 50 cheun (ch) and 1 to 2 won (won). Scott 20B and 32 are shown.
Figure 5. In 1902 the Korean Empire issued Korea’s first commemorative stamp, a 3-cheun value showing the Emperor’s Crown (Scott 34), in imperforated form.
Figure 6. The last set of stamps issued by the Korean Empire was in 1903, the Falcon (Eagle) series (Scott 39-51). They were printed in France and the words “Postes Imperiales de Coree” appear on the stamps. Shown are Scott 39 and 49. JUNE 2023 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 521
New World Issues BY William Silvester
ÅLAND – Parrot Crossbill
Living primarily in the pine forests of northern and northeastern Europe, the parrot crossbill is a specialist feeder of the conifer cones of Scots pine. The unusual shape of their bills aids them in extracting seeds from the cone by snapping up the pineal scales. The males and females are easily distinguishable with the males tending to be red or orange and the females yellow or green, though there is often variation. The stamp was designed by Bo Lundwall and Johanna Finne, showing a pair of parrot crossbills perched in a pine tree, printed four-color offset by Cartor Security Printers for release on March 15. The stamp is available from https://aps.buzz/Alandparrot.
BELGIUM – 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaims “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948, its 75th anniversary was commemorated by Belgium’s bpost on March 20. Designed by Geert Eille, the center of the sheetlet shows a fingerprint concealing a face, symbolic of the theme of identity. The 10 gummed stamps show a neutral face that shines through hands held in front of the face. The sheet can be ordered from https://aps.buzz/BelgHumRights.
CROATIA – Bridges and Viaducts
Two magnificent structures, the third Gardijske Brigade Kune bridge and the Mirna Viaduct, are commemorated on the pair of 1,14€ souvenir sheets designed by Dean Roksandić based on photographs by Tomislav Veić, a photographer from Zagreb, and Mario Romulić and Dražen Stojčić, photographers from Osijek. Issued March 20, the stamps depict Viaduct Mirna Autocesta A9 that connects the city of Pula and famous tourist centers on the west coast of Istriaand and the Kune bridge, which links the southern Adriatic coast, including Dubrovnik, with the rest of the country. The stamps are available from https://aps.buzz/CroatiaBridges.
GREAT BRITAIN – Flowers
Royal Mail released a set of 10 stamps celebrating some of the flowers that can be found in gardens around Britain. The stamps also mark a milestone as the first set to feature the silhouette of King Charles III. Issued on March 23 and designed by Charlie Smith Design, the 10 1st Class stamps reflect Britain’s love of flowers from herbaceous borders to flower shows. The se-tenant strips feature the flowers against a white background and include sweet pea, iris, lily, sunflower, fuchsia, tulip, peony, nasturtium, rose and dahlia. The stamps are available in strips, presentation packs, post cards and first day covers from https://aps.buzz/BritFlowers23.
GUERNSEY – 150th Anniversary of Kennel Club
Six pedigree pooches are featured on Guernsey Post’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the formation of the Kennel Club, “the UK’s largest organisation devoted to dog health, welfare and training” and the world’s first national kennel club. Issued on April 4 in sheets of 10, designed by Jake Coates, the canines depicted are border terrier (56p), primarily a working dog; beagle (79p), a pack hound bred to hunt hare; miniature schnauzer (87p), officially recorded in 1888; border collie (£1.21), an intelligent herding specialist; labrador retriever (£1.39), the most popular pedigree breed; and doberman (£1.50), named for Louis Doberman, a German tax collector who wanted a fierce looking dog for protection. The stamps and products are available from https://aps.buzz/GuernseyDogs23.
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KYRGYZSTAN – International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development
The Kyrgyz Republic on January 30 issued what it termed the world’s “longest stamp” (184 millimeters wide). Designed by Daria Maier based on photographs by Vladislav Ushakov of a wide swath of the Chaar-Tash Range, Toguz-Toro Tract and Kazarman village, it commemorates the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development declared by the United Nations in 2022. The record for longest stamp was previously held by Thailand’s 70th Anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s accession to the throne (170mm) in 2017 (Scott 2946). The new stamp is available from https://aps.buzz/KrygMountain.
MONACO – 100th Anniversary of Scouting in Monaco
Firefighter Jean Bus founded the Scouts of Monaco in 1923, 16 years after the movement was created by Lord Baden-Powell in Great Britain. A single round €1,16 stamp, designed by Association des Guides et Scouts de Monaco, was printed in heliogravure and issued on March 22. The plain design features a red and white Scout scarf on a gray background. Monaco has one of the world’s smallest national Scouting and Guiding organizations with less than 100 members. Guiding was established in 1929 and the Scouts and Guides merged to form the association in 1992. The stamp was printed in sheets of 10 and is available from https://aps.buzz/MonacoScouts100.
NETHERLANDS – Spyker HP 60
Netherlands Post began a new series of what will be four silver stamps depicting legendary historic Dutch car brands. Issued on March 24. the first in the series features the Spyker HP 60. Manufactured in 1903, it was “the world’s first car with all-wheel drive, all-wheel brakes and a six-cylinder engine” capable of 110 kilometers an hour. The silver stamp was designed by Frank Janse and is delivered to customers packed in a luxury passe-partout cover from https://aps.buzz/ DutchSilvercar1.
SLOVAKIA – Viktor Kubal
Viktor Kubal was the founder of Slovak animated film whose career started as a young lad: “The biggest shock I ever experienced was, probably, when I first saw a drawing come alive in the cinema.” From that moment he wanted to be an animator and attended schools, including the School of Arts and Crafts in Bratislava and the Slovak University of Technology, to master his drawing skills. Kubal went to work for Školfilm, where he made his first animated film, Kidnap (Únos, 1942). Over time, Kubal shot 214 animated films screened in more than 70 countries and received awards at home and abroad. He often served as art designer and animator, as well as creator, scriptwriter and director. He died at 74 in Bratislava in April 1997. The stamp is available from https://aps.buzz/ SlovakiaKubal.
UNITED NATIONS – Endangered Species
The United Nations Postal Administration continued its Endangered Species stamp series with 12 new stamps issued March 3 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The designs on the latest of more than 25 years worth of CITES stamps feature four from each of the three UN entities. From New York, denominated at $1.45, are the bighorn sheep, Morelet’s crocodile, bald eagle and cape aloe; from Geneva are Przewalski’s horse, green turtle, California condor and a plant, dalbergia saxatilis; and from Vienna are the humpback whale, Saiga antelope, Iberian lynx and snowdrop. The stamps were designed by Rion Wang, who also created the 2019 endangered species series. The stamps are available in sheets of 16 with four of each stamp and a decorative border from https://aps.buzz/UNEndangered23.
• • • • • New worldwide stamps images are presented for information and are not necessarily shown at the correct scale. The quality of images available at the time of release varies widely and we resize to achieve the best possible reproduction. Links that begin aps.buzz are shortened and case sensitive. Please copy the capitalization precisely in order to access the link. JUNE 2023 / AMERICAN PHILATELIST 583