A Short Introduction To The Philately Of Palestine

The Stamps of Palestine 1997

 

Birds of Palestine (PACIFIC 97) 1997 / Historical Vistas: Gaza & Hebron 1997 /
Hong Kong Returns to China 1997 / Friends of Palestine: Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski 1997 /
Christmas 1997 / Friends of Palestine: Mother Teresa 1997

During 1997 Palestine issued five stamp series and one block:
  •   Birds of Palestine (PACIFIC 97) (29.05.1997)
  •   Historical Vistas: Gaza & Hebron (19.06.1997)
  •   Hong Kong Returns to China (block) (1.07.1997)
  •   Friends of Palestine: Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski (24.07.1997)
  •   Christmas 1997 (28.11.1997)
  •   Friends of Palestine: Mother Teresa (17.12.1997)

 

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Birds of Palestine (PACIFIC 97) 1997

On the accasion of the world stamp exhibition "PACIFIC 97" held in San Francisco (29.05–8.06.1997), a stamp series was issued depicting birds native to Palestine. The five stamps are denominated at 25, 75, 150, 350, and 600 Fils and were printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin in sheets of 10 (5x2). Total value: 1,200 Fils. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 14:13.75.

The species depicted are:
  •   great tit (Parus major)
  •   blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius)
  •   golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
  •   hoopoe (Upupa epops)
  •   peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) or Barbary falcon (Falco pelegrinoides)

Official FDCs were issued: The set of 2 furnished by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin contains one FDC with Zobbel nos. 67–69, the other with Zobbel nos. 70–71, both neatly cancelled in black. A second version does exist with all five stamps on one FDC, cancelled in blue/purple (presumably at the Philatelic Office in Gaza). All versions use the same special postmark dated dated 29.05.1996.
There also exists a "First Day Leaf" (Ersttagsblatt or ETB, which are traditional to German stamp issues). The generic (ie. not specific to this issue with any descriptions etc) leaf shows all five single stamps cancelled with the special postmark used for the FDC. Reports suggest that only 40 copies were made and presented to officials and dignitaries.

ZobbelValueSizePerfor.PrintedNotes
6725f27.3x46mmK 14:13.75n/asheets of 10 (5x2)
6875f
69150f
70350f
71600f

067 (20K) 068 (21K)
069 (21K) 070 (22K) 071 (22K)
067 Sheet 068 Sheet
069 Sheet 070 Sheet 071 Sheet
069 ETB

Historical Vistas: Gaza & Hebron 1997

On 19.06.1997, Palestine issued a stamp series depicting historical vistas of the towns Gaza and Hebron, based on the Louis Haghe engravings of David Roberts' two pantings from his journey in 1839. The two stamps are denominated at 350 and 600 Fils and were printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin in sheets of 10 (2x5). Total value: 950 Fils. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 13.75:14.
An official FDCs was issued, bearing a special oval postmark (depicting Hebron) dated 19.06.1997.

The artworks used are:

  • Zobbel no. 72 (350f): "Gaza March 21st 1839" by David Roberts, RA (original painting: pencil and watercolour). Engraving by Louis Haghe, lithography, published in: 'David Roberts: The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia,' vol.II, pl.59 (London: F.G. Moon, 1843).
  • Zobbel no. 73 (600f): "Hebron March 18th 1839" by David Roberts, RA (original painting: pencil and watercolour heightened with bodycolour, 320x490mm). Engraving by Louis Haghe, lithography, published in: 'David Roberts: The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia,' vol.II, pl.55 (London: F.G. Moon, 1843).

[...] After pausing a few days at St. Catherine's Monastery in Sinai, the party moved along the Gulf of Aqaba. At Aqaba they dined with the local sheikh, with whom they negotiated safe passage to Hebron via Petra and Mount Hor. Enduring sandstorms, bandits, illness, and physical hardships along the way, the group arrived in the village of Hebron, where they stayed with the only Christian family from 16-18 March 1839:

"On turning round the side of a hill, Hebron first bursts upon you. The situation is beautiful, and the houses, gleaming brightly in the noonday sun, reminded me of England... I made two coloured sketches of the town" (the artist's journal, as quoted in Ballantine, 1866, p.124).

Having learnt that Jerusalem was quarantined for plague, they made a detour via Beth Gebrin, the ancient Eleutheropolis, Gaza, Askelon, Ashdod, Jaffa, and Lod. They entered Jerusalem on Good Friday; the quarantine was removed that morning, and they were just in time for Easter celebrations. Accommodation was hard to come by, but luckily they met Elias, with whom they had stayed in Hebron, and he was able to find them lodgings. [...]

Roberts produced a series of finished watercolours, including the present lot, which he had worked up from sketches made during his tour. The two sketches made at Hebron were among the contents of Roberts's studio sale [...] Belgian engraver Louis Haghe produced a total of 248 lithographs based on this later series of watercolours, which were published monthly in sets of six, to form two series; The Holy Land (1842-5) and Egypt and Nubia (1846-9). [...]

Source: Bonhams, auction 17849, lot 139 (London, 15.09.2010)

External links:
  •  Roberts: Hebron 1839 (Wiki Gallery)
  •  Roberts: Hebron 1839 (Wikipedia)
  •  Roberts: Gaza 1839 (Wiki Gallery)
  •  Roberts: Gaza 1839 (Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia)
  •  Description of Robert's journey (Jordan Jubilee website)
  •  More of Robert's work (Medina Arts)   •  More of Robert's work (Medina Arts)

A further series of historical town vistas was issued in 2002: Jerusalem, Nablus, al-Aizariya (Zobbel nos. 200–202)

ZobbelValueSizePerfor.PrintedNotes
72350f55x32.8mmK 13.75:14n/asheets of 10 (2x5)
73600f

072 (27K) 073 (27K)
072 Sheet 073 Sheet

Hong Kong Returns to China 1997

A block was issued on 1.07.1997 commemorating the return of Hong Kong to China. It contains one stamp denomnated at 225 Fils (depicting a junk). The block was printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 14:13.75.
A FDC was also issued, bearing a special postmark dated 1.07.1997.

ZobbelValueSizePerfor.PrintedNotes
74225f32.8x27.7mmK 14:13.75n/aBlock: Zobbel Bl. 8 (139.2x90.7mm)

074_block (66K)

(block: size reduced to 3/4)

Friends of Palestine: Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski 1997

A series of stamps entitled "Friends of Palestine" was initialled on 24.07.1997 with a first installment, commemorating German politician and philatelist Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski (1922–2005). The stamps are denominated at 600 Fils each and printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin in a block-like miniature sheet: Zobbel ZdKb 2 (total value: 2,400 Fils): Zobbel no. 75 / gutter 1 / Zobbel no. 76 // Zobbel no. 76 / gutter 2 / Zobbel no. 75. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 13.75:14.
Two FDCs werw also issued, one with a vertical pair, the other with the complete sheetlet, both bearing a special postmark dated 24.07.1997.

Upon private initiative, a few hundred (?) copies of this miniature sheet were signed by Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski and autopenned with President Yassir Arafat's signature. The centre vignettes are marked on the reverse side as "ORIGINAL AUTOGRAMM" and "AUTOPEN UNTERSCHRIFT". See illustrations below.

A second installment of the "Friends of Palestine" series commemorates Mother Teresa (issued 17.12.1997).

External link:
  •   Ibrahim Hazimeh: Portrait of Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski (oil, 2004, Willy-Brandt-Haus, Berlin)

ZobbelValueSizePerfor.PrintedNotes
75600f55x33.1K 13.75:14n/asheet with stamps printed twice in se-tenant pairs with gutters:
Zobbel ZdKb 2
76

076__block (56K)
076__sheet (106K)

(sheet: size reduced to 3/4)

076__sheet_signed (72K)
Illustration of signed miniature sheet (reduced).
076__sheet_detail1 (6K)
076__sheet_detail2 (6K)
 
076__sheet_detail (8K)

Christmas 1997

A series of stamps for Christmas 1997 entitled "Peace to Men of Good Will" was issued on 28.11.1997. The stamps are denominated at 350 and 700 Fils and printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin se-tenant in a block-like miniature sheet Zobbel ZdKb 3 (total value: 3,150 Fils), three-times each: Zobbel nos. 77 / 78 / 77 // 78 / 77 / 78. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 14:13.75.

A FDC was issued, bearing a special postmark: Bethlehem 28.11.1997. There also exists a "Commemorative Sheet," similar to a "first day leaf" (German: Ersttagsblatt or ETB, which are traditional to German stamp issues). The leaf features a pair of Zobbel nos. 77 / 78 cancelled by the the same special postmark used for the FDC.

The stamps feature a modern icon entitled "Die Barmherzigkeit Gottes" (the mercy of God) by Austrian artist Prof. DI. Dr. Anton Wollenek (1920–2009), knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Another of Wollenek's icons was used for the Hebron 1999 series. His work was also featured on Austrian stamps: Christmas 1994 (ANK no. 2175, FDCs shown below), and serveral of his exhibitions were commemorated by Austrian special postmarks (detail shown below).

External link:
  •   Christmas (by Adrian Keppel, blog.stampmagazine.co.uk, 20.12.2013) (showing also Wollenek's 1994 Austrian stamp)
  •   Ikone "Die Barmherzigkeit Gottes" : über den Künstler Anton Wollenek (www.ekd.de/kps/diakonissen/diakonis/diakon03.htm, page no longer online)
  •   Wollenek exhibition, Austrian Parliament 2001 (APA-OTS Originaltext-Service) de (1K)

ZobbelValueSizePerfor.PrintedNotes
77350f33.1x55mmK 14:13.75n/asheets of 6 with stamps printed thrice se-tenant (checkered): Zobbel ZdKb 3
78700f

078__block (64K)
078__sheet (146K)

(sheet: size reduced to 3/4)


Austria's Christmas 1994 stamp with an Anton Wollenek icon, ANK no. 2175 (stamp designer: Prof. Sepp Buchner, engraver: Wolfgang Seidel) featured on the official FDC, Vienna 25.11.1994.

Austria's Christmas 1994 stamp with an Anton Wollenek icon featured on a FDC with the special postmark for "Badener Advent", Baden 25.11.1994, which also shows the Wollenek icon in outline.
     
Four special postmarks celebrating exhibtions of Anton Wollenek's icons: Vienna (4.05.1995), Baden (5.12.1995), Vienna (10.03.2000), and St. Pölten (27.04.2000).

Friends of Palestine: Mother Teresa 1997

As a second installment in the series "Friends of Palestine" Palestine issued on 17.12.1997 a pair of stamps commemorating Nobel peace prize laureate Mother Teresa (1910–1997). The stamps, depicting Mother Theresa and President Arafat, are denominated at 600 Fils each and printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin in a block-like miniature sheet Zobbel ZdKb 4 (total value: 2,400 Fils): Zobbel no. 79 / gutter 1 / Zobbel no. 80 // Zobbel no. 80 / gutter 2 / Zobbel no. 79. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 13.75:14.
A FDC was also issued, bearing a special postmark dated 17.12.1997.

A first installment of the "Friends of Palestine" series commemorates Hans-Jürgen Wischnewski (issued 24.07.1997).

ZobbelValueSizePerfor.PrintedNotes
79600f55x33.1K 13.75:14n/asheet with stamps printed twice in se-tenant pairs with gutters:
Zobbel ZdKb 4
80

080__block (55K)
080__sheet (112K)

(sheet: size reduced to 3/4)

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[Created 13.09.2004, last revised 18.06.2014]
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