News from Spink

Spink To Host Exhibition Of Stamps And Postal History Of The Falkland Islands.

Spink are delighted to announce an exhibition of Falkland Islands Stamps and Postal History to take place at the recently renovated Gallery and Salerooms at 69 Southampton Row, London. The exhibition will open to the public at noon on the 29th October 2007 and run for one week, closing at 16.30 on Friday 2nd November. This outstanding and comprehensive display covers the period from the 1820’s through to the early 1980’s and will include many unique and rare items of Falkland Islands philately.

There will be 40 frames of Stamps and Postal History. These will provide a fascinating insight into the early history of the Islands, the development of the postal service, the issued stamps and cancellations. The displays, especially prepared and presented by members of the Falkland Islands Philatelic Study Group, cover the early history through to the stamps of the current monarch with all aspects being displayed. A random selection from the exhibits includes, Queen Victoria High Values, early Antarctic Expeditions, the 1914 Battle for The Falkland Islands, comprehensive coverage of King George V and VI, aspects of WWII and Air mails, to name but a few. In addition to the remarkable displays it is hoped that the British Forces Post Office will also participate and provide a special cover to commemorate the exhibition.

Note to Editors:

Postal History of Falkland Islands

The second earliest recorded letter from the Falkland Islands (on show) dates back to the 28th of January 1827. Collection of the mail was entirely reliant on ships connecting to the Brazil packet or the services of Royal Navy ships. The first Postmaster of the Falkland Islands was appointed, in office from 1 August 1861.The first recorded prepaid franking is from 1869, the beginning of the ‘Black Frank’ period.  The first stamps were issued in June 1878 featuring the engraving by Herbert Bourne of the head, in profile, of Queen Victoria on values of 1d, 6d and 1/-. Variations on this design were adopted for the King Edward VII issues and King George V up to 1928.

In 1904 new stamps were issued but with the portrait changed to Edward VII and in 1912 the design was further adapted, adding ‘Postage’ and ‘Revenue’ and a smaller portrait of the new King, George V.  In 1929, the first pictorial design was introduced; a whale and penguins appearing beneath the portrait of George V.  1933 saw the introduction of the classic Centenary of British Administration issue, in many collector's eyes one of the most lovely 20th Century sets of the British Empire.

A set of four stamps was released to celebrate King George V’s Silver Jubilee; this showed Windsor Castle and was a design common to most of the postal administrators throughout the British Empire - the first omnibus issue.

For King George VI, a new bicolour pictorial set was produced, and further omnibus issues followed, Coronation (1937), Victory (1946), etc.  The first definitive issue of Queen Elizabeth did not appear until 1960 and by the mid eighties four or more commemorative issues were being released per year, many of which were on Falkland subjects. Some were the work of local Falkland designers.

At South Georgia and South Shetlands, post offices were opened, principally to meet the needs of whalers, and Falkland Islands stamps were used until 1944.

During the time of the Falklands War in 1982, Argentine stamps were used with a cancel reading “Islas Malvinas.” Falkland stamps were allowed during the first few days but they were cancelled with a pen.

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