Stamp Collector

80 MAY 2020 www.allaboutstamps.co.uk France has issued over 6,000 stamps since beginning stamp production in 1849, so how do you collect them all? Perhaps you don’t need to, suggests Richard Tarrant, as he describes a different way of forming and displaying a France collection Aspects of France COLLECTING FRANCE C reating and displaying a collection of the stamps of one country in chronological order can be a formidable task, particularly if the country concerned has issued several thousand stamps. An alternative is to collect and display stamps of one country as a series of individual areas of interest. This article illustrates how this may be done in the case of France. Red Cross France has issued many stamps surcharged to support the Red Cross. There are two notable areas for collectors. The first is the series from 1940 until 1983, during which a pair of Red Cross stamps was issued annually. Many of the stamps illustrated paintings, carvings, stained glass and sculptures and make an excellent collection. The second area is the series from 1958 to 2000 that were surcharged to support the Red Cross, although not bearing the Red Cross insignia in their designs. There were around forty sets (mainly of six stamps) with a total of 240 stamps, most of which depicted famous French citizens. National Relief stamps France has issued many stamps surcharged for good causes, quite apart from those supporting the Red Cross. There were series of stamps to support the War Orphans’ Fund (1917-1927), the Sinking Fund (1927-1931) and the Unemployed Intellectuals’ Relief Fund (1935 -1940). Arguably, though, the National Relief Fund series is the most attractive. It consists of 24 issues between 1940 and 1957 comprising 135 stamps. Most issues from 1943 featured famous French citizens from the 16th century onwards. Marianne Marianne has long been a symbol of Republican France, representing liberty, equality and fraternity. Since 1940 pair of stamps issued for the Red Cross Fund 1989 Red Cross Fund stamp 2002 Christmas stamp for the benefit of the Red Cross Fund 1958 Red Cross Fund stamp, one of a set of 6 that featured French celebrities, this stamp depicting Toulouse-Latrec 1959 Red Cross Fund stamp, one of a set of six, this stamp featuring the sculptor Bartholdi 1962 Art stamp depicting Manet’s painting ‘Madame Manet on a Blue Sofa’ 1956 stamp in tribute to Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games.The stamp was engraved by Raoul Serres 1944 National Relief Fund stamp, one of a set of 6, this stamp featuring the dramatist Molière. The stamp was engraved by Charles Mazelin 1956 National Relief Fund stamp, one of a set of six, this stamp depicting the French painter, Chardin