SIX ISSUES FOR 1973
WELPEX
NATIONAL
STAMP
EXHIBITION
Welpex '72 was an exhibition to be remembered. The first national competitive exhibition in Wellmgton since 1940, it featured over $1,000,000 worth of postage stamps. Many rare stamps were displayed, with the most highly valued generally belonging to overseas exhibitors. The exhibition was divided into different sections, includinll literature, the' matico Junior and foreign sections and a display of postal archives organised by the PostOffice. The Post Office also provided an exhibit, outlining the different stages in the process of printing a stamp. Of particular interest was the display of the largest known block of used Penny Blacks of 1840, owned by Mr J. Griffith of the United Kingdom. This was exhibited in the Court of Honour. The Grand Award, a silver salver, was won by an Australian, Mr J. White for his entry of New Zealand
"Full Face" Queen Victoria stamps. The salver was donated by the New Zealand Post Office. The Welpex Committee printed two special covers to mark Welpex, both of which were specially imprinted by the Post Office. However the Post Office made one of its few errors when the colours of the imprints were transposed. The golden red appeared on the 22c imprint instead of the turquoise blue which was used on the4c.
I
Many colourful and informative panels were displayed at the exhibition.
Xmas Gift Pack For the first time since their introduction in 1970, Collectors Packs will this year be on sale at the Philatelic Bureau, Chief and all permanent and non-classified post offices throughout New Zealand.
Previously the packs were only sold at Chief Post Offices and selected post offices. This year's pack contains all special stamps issued since the release of the 1971 pack, up to and including the 1972 Christmas issue. The cover features a montage of some of the designs which appear on the 25 stamps in the pack.
Inside the cover, a 8ewlystyled plastic insert protects and holds the stamps. As in previous packs, a description of each stamp stating the history or background of the stamp, date of issue, size, the process by which the stamps were printed and who they were printed by, denominations, and the name of the designer will be given. These packs are proving to be most popular with collectors and people wishing to have worthwhile momentos of New Zealand. The pack is priced at $1.95. It will be on sale from -October 4 until the end or March unless stocks are exhausted earlier.
WORLD-RENOWNED
STAMP DESIGNER WILL BE REMEMBERED
The death of Leonard C. Mitchell, stamp designer for the New Zealand Post Office since 1931, was a loss not only to his home country, but also to many throughout the world who recognised the quality of his designs. Born in Berhampore, Wellington, and educated in Palmerston N~rth, Mr Mitchell was a self·trained artist, whose talent and skills won him two United Nations stamp design corn· petitions agamst top inter· national designers. His initiation into the field of art came with an aPl'renticeship as a sign wnter. He later graduated into commercial art. After the Second World War. Mr Mitchell started his own commercial art business with the second of his three sons, AlIan. The first of his stamp designs to be accepted by the Post Office were the blue and red "Smiling Boys", which appeared on the Health stamps of 1931. In the years since then, Mr Mitchell successfully designed some 90 stamps, one of his better known being the 1970 United Nat· ions Cancer stamp. Despite his national and international recognition, Leonard Mitchell was never
perfectly satisfied with his designs. He once said of the United Nations Cancer stamp - "I would like to have done it all over again, but there wasn't time." The stamp depicted a-horrifying design of a man battling with a giant crab the symbol of the lOth Inter· national Cancer Congress of the International Union Against Cancer held in Houston, Texas. Leonard Mitchell's rea· listic, detailed art·work resuited in many of his stamp designs being selected by the New Zealand. Samoan and Niue Island Post Offices. However, it was with recent Health stamps more than any others that Leonard Mitchell's name was associated. The last of his Health stamp designs will be re· leased on AUl1ust 2. All Mr. Mitchell s Health stamp designs since 1967 have depicted children playing sport. He completed the designs
for this year's tennis stamps shortly before his death on September 22, 1971. One of Mr Mitchell's sons, Leonard Junior, is olten confused with Leonard senior, since both earned names for them· selves in the world of art. Leonard junior has twice won the Kelliher Art prize, a premier annual New Zealand art competition. He spent some time in Holland on a Dutch Government scholarship and was at one time awarded gold, silver and bronze
medals by a Paris salon. Confusion between father and son arose in the newspaper publicity given to this. Son AlIan is also an artist. The stamp designs on the 1971 Commemorative Rose issue and the 1972 Vintage Car series, were both AlIan's work. It is just credit to a man and artist of Leonard Mitchell's calibre to have his name live on, not only through his stamps. but in the achievements of his sons.
The United Nations Cancer Stamp of 1970,
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UNICEF Stamp, 1971
Alpine Plant StamP.
urn
Cook Bicentenary Stamp,1N9
ART
AND
EILEEN
Art is the essence of Dunedin were uppermost ~ in ber mind stamp designer Eileen Mayo's duringtheplannlngstages. life. . Miss Mayo also consideni Her work bangs in many of lettering and denomination most the world's museums and art importan~ in the whole concept. galleries, including the London ofastampdesign. Royal Academy. "Too denomination and name Her initial traininrl bas been of the country are the fOUDthorough. Miss Mayo SlUdied at dation of a stamp design," 8he the Slade School, University of says. "One must get the right _Loudon._speclalising in wood- =+-Proportion-lirsl. The pietel'ial---engraving at the Central School. partisonly an addition." and. in Iitbography and sculpMiss Mayo now has many New lure at Chelsea Polytechnic. Zealand stamps 10 bet credlt Sbe later studied at the Academincluding two outstanding COJD-
"u something real is being depicted," 8he says. "it sbould be recognisahle without any
need for explanation."
25c,ll1l1.
Much of Ei\een Mayo's lime is now devoted 10 ber job as de-
197ZHEALTH: 4o,IAIAIA; se,IAIAIA. ROSSDEPENDENCY: 3c,lll,IAIAIA: 4c.111,IAIAlA; Sc, 111, lAIAIA; se, Ill, IAIAIA: IOC, 111, IAIAIA; lSe, lll, IAIAIA.
ie Montmartre. in Paris. But of
memoratives of 1971 -
Antarctic Treaty and the UNICEF stamps. Her latest worit fealures on the Alpine plant stamps releaaed OD June 7 of this year. The set shows a subtle balance between
Her reputation as a designer
bear an Eileen Mayo design. With this set, as with all her designs. balance and harmony
Plate Numbers VINTAGE CARS: 3o,III1I1,IAIAIAIAIAIA; 4o,III1I1,IAIAIAIAIAIA; se,IIIllI,IAIAIAIAIAIA; 6o,1I1111.IAIAIAIAIA1A, se,IIllII.IAIAIA1AIAIA: IOC,IllIll,IAIAIAIAIAIA. ImCOMMEMORATIVE: 3o,IAIAIAIA,IBIBIBIB; 4c.IAIAIA,1B1B1B: se.IAIAIAIA,IBIBIB1B: se,IAIAIAIA: 10c,IAIAIA. ALPINE PLANTS: 4o,IAIA1A1A,lBIBIBIB; 6o,IAIAIAIA; se,lAIAIAIA; IOC,IAIAIAIA. NIUE SOUTH PACIFIC ARTS FESTIVAL: 3e,l1111; se,lIll1; IOC,III1I;
all ber indulgences in art, stamp designing is Eil..n's most favpured. Her interest in stamp designing was fostered in Australia wOOre 8he designed a number of stamps for the Australian Post Office. In 1962. Miss Mayo Iell Auslralia to setUe in New Zealand a "cool.quielcountry." bnd preceded ber across the Tasman and it wasn't long before she was invited to design stamps for the New Zealand PoslOlfice. Tbe 1969 Cook Bicentenary stamp issue was the first to
MAYO
the
stylisation and natural appearance.
signer at Otago Museum work·
ing OD the museum's new gallery. But sbe will always find time to indulge in art of one form or
another - a pastime she has enjoyed for m.any years.
Current Stamps Stamp issues currently available by mail order from the Philatelic Bureau, Wellington. or over the counter from the Philatelic Sales Sections, Auckland, Wellington and Chnstchurch. NZ Fiseals (set $2R.(0) $4, $6, $8. $IO~
1970171 Definatives (set $5.37 Ih) Ihc,lc. 2c, 2'hc. 3c, 4c, Se. 6c, 7e, 7'hc. Se, IOC, lse, lSc, 2OC, 23c, 250, 3OC. SOC. $1. $2. 4c Overprint. Niue Definitives (set 82e) IhC. lc, 2c, 21hC, 3c. se, 8e, IOc, 20c. 3OC. NZ Fiscals overprinted Niue. ($3.SO) SOc. $1. $2~ Tokelau Definitives (set 81c) lc, 2c. 3e, Sc, IOc, lSe. 2Oc, 25c. Government Life Insurance (set 25c) 'he, 2lhe, 3c, 4e, lSe. Ross Dependency (set 48e) 3c, 4c, se, 8c, IOc, 18c. To be withdrawn February 28, 1973. Niue South Pacific Arts Festival (set 43c) 3c, se, lOC,25c. To be withdrawn March 31, 1973. World Rose Convention (set 15c) 2c,5c,8c. Lord Rutherford (set Se) le, 7e. Vintage Cars (set 36c) 3c, 4e, Se, 6c, 8c, lOco 1972 Commemorative (set 30e) 3c, 4c, Se, 8e, lOco Alpine Plants (set 28c) 4C, Gc. Bc,IOe.
To be withdrawn June 30th 1973. 1972 Health (set ge) 4C, Se.
GOLD MEDAL FOR POST OFFICE Participation by the New Zealand Post Office at the recent Interpex Stamp Exhibition in New York, was rew<lrded by the award of a gold medal. The Post Office display section which is based in Wellington, prepared 16 panels depicting New Zealand, Tokelau, Niue and Chatham Island stamps, with materials and designs relevant to the theme of the stamps and the country they represented, featuring on the panels. The Post Office received silver medals in the two previous Interpex exhibitions it participated in. Intcrpex is recognised internationally as onc of the premier stamp exhibitions in North America.
Christmas Stamps Touches of the old and the new feature on the 1972 Christmas Stamp issue. In the traditional style. a reproduction of an "Old Master" nativity scene "Virgin and Child" is featured on the 3c stamp. The work of Murillo, this painting hangs in the Pitti Gallery, Florence. A stained-glass window which stands behind the communion table of St John's Methodist Church, Levin, is seen on the se stamp. The window depicts the Last Supper, and was designed by Mr R.J. Hampton of Christchurch. In itself, and in its reproduction on the stamp, the window is indeed striking. A symbolic design features on the IOC stamp. Mr D.A. Hatcher of Auckland is the designer of this attractive stamp. He was also responsible for the graphic work on all three stamps in the
set.
The symbolic design is bravely bold in colours of red and yellow. the yellow forming the background to the red of a single nower of the Pohutakawa tree - New Zealand's Christmas tree. The stamps were printed by Courvoisier of Switzerland. by the photogravure process. They will be released on October 4 and will be withdrawn from Post Offices on January 5. 1973. The Philatelic Sales Sections at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and the Philatelic Bureau (mail orders) Private Bag, Wellington, will seU the set until June 30. 1973.
POST OFFICES OPENED & CLOSED OPENED Mahurangi
Auckland
December 10, 1971
Papamoa
Tauranga
December 13, 1971
Mauunu Hutt Hospital
Hamilton Wellington
January 10, February 21,
Kingslord
Auckland
February 14, 1972
A special pictorial datestamp will be used at the Parliament Buildings' Post Ollice on October 30 this year, to mark the convening 01 the Seventh Consultative Meeting 01 the Antarctic Treaty. Persons in New Zealand wishing to have covers cancelled with the special datestamp, should lorward their stamped addressed envelopes under cover to the Postmaster, Parliament Buildings, with a request
TeAhuahu
CLOSED Whangarei
December 17, 1971
Pohara Domain
Wellington
December31, 1971
West End
Palinerston North
January 28,
WaipuCove
Whangarei
February 1O, t972
Glenhope
Nelson
January31,
1972
Rapaura
Blenheim
February 8,
1972
1972
Mangatawhiri
Auckland
March 30,
1972
Kaupokanui
New Plymouth
April 14,
1972
Hunters Creek
Tauranga
March 1O,
1972
Pararau River
Nelson
April 3,
1972
Ferry Landing
Thames
April 20,
1972
Whakaki
Napier
May 1O,
1972
Ngawhatu
Nelson
May31,
1972
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/'''?''It-r>.Y
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1972 1972
that the envelopes be cancelled with the datestamp. Overseas collectors should send lully addressed, but unstamped envelopes to the Philatelic Bureau, Private Bag, Wellington, NZ, with a remittance to cover the cost 01 the New Zealand stamps to be allixed. Postage rat.es lrom New Zealand are shown in the enclosed pamphlet. Orders must reach the Bureau by October23.
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co
'1:-",'"
The Post Office produced three pictorial datestamps to mark recent events. The above marked lhe 6th National SeOUl Jamboree in January at Pukekohe.
\~UA Nolo
~<o~ %~ 0...
5 APRIL 1972
NEw
POST off'C\'
This dales&amp was used on April 5 to celebrate tbe opening of lhe Porirua Post Ofn(!e.
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JA.BDREE 1JAN 1972
PUKEKOHE NoZo
SPEC/ /91R"/(
Ii'UNANG~
The opening in May of lhe Runanga deviation on the Napier-Taupo Highway was marked by the use of this datestamp.
Lake Issue :\t'W
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on
spt'('i~d
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st't
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h'd-
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lour
st~IIllPS
to tw re· !e,lsl'd on J)t'l'l'mhi'r t) this \T,lr
. l.akl's first ,lpIW'-lrt'd on \l'\\ Zl',ll,md sl,lI11pS in lR!l8 in thl' ('ountn"s first pidori:d isslIl' . \l'W Zealand's Llndst'apl' pro\"idl's countless sCl'nic wonders, Illan\" of which h,IH' ;lppean'(( 011 pictOrial
ISSU('S