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PPHSGB Auction 67 will be a combined
postal, email and live auction in September 2013. The deadline for submitting lots to Bil Tilbury has been extended to the
end of June. The Auction Catalogue will appear on our Society Auctions web-page early in August. The live part of the auction
will take place on Saturday 21st September during the Cambridge Residential Weekend (see also our ‘Society Auctions’
page).
Please scroll down this page to see all items
added. The page is arranged with the most recent dated item at the top. Items from 2012 can be found on the Archived News
Page.
CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME MESSAGE - TREVOR CORNFORD, FRGS
A WARM WELCOME to our website, from myself and all the Committee.It is very pleasing to take another step forward in promoting our Society and hobby.
Not only widening its appeal, making it easier to join or find information, but most importantly perhaps, have a forum for
all members, established or new, to have a 2 way communication with us and each other.I hope you will browse the site, especially the EVENTS page, and see the attractions we can add to your special area of interest – and if you do not find
it, tell us. Better still, contact the POLAR POST EDITOR John Youle who is pleased to receive articles to enhance knowledge, pose questions, or simply provide an interesting philatelic
story.While I personally specialise in the Scott/Shackleton
Expeditions, of the Heroic Age, the rest of the Committee equally show the diverse collecting interests of members generally,
from modern Indian Antarctic bases to Whaling mail and studies of cancellations and Expedition Postcards to Thematic or Social
History, both North and South.Over the years this diversity
has expanded the appeal to collectors from all around the World. Newer subjects such as old Photos, QSL cards, Literature,
original letters and maps, now all catch members’ attention.This
diversity means we are in touch with most collectors’ sphere of interest and can point enquiries in the right direction.We thus act as a broader fulcrum for collectors who may also have specialist society
memberships such as Scandinavian or Thematic where we embrace such interests.If you are interested in either or both of the Polar Regions, North and South, please
try us out – the Application form can be downloaded from this site.Please specify your
range of interests on the Application, but whatever they are, you will receive a sample past copy of Polar Post on
joining, and shared enthusiasm.Welcome again!
20th to 22nd September 2013 - The PPHSGB Diamond Jubilee Residential Weekend at the Royal
Cambridge Hotel (Cambridge UK) – revised April 2013: The Society is dedicating the 2013 Residential
Weekend to its Diamond Jubilee. The finalized Programme was published in the February 2013 issue of Polar Post which
also included a booking form.
6th July 2013 –
10am to 5pm: Midpex 2013: The venue is
again the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, The Fosse, Fosse Way (B4455), Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV31 1XN – a rural
site, located centrally, just south of Leamington, close to the M40, alongside the Fosse Way, between Leamington and Banbury.
There is easy access from all points on the compass, with no urban traffic to delay your arrival/departure. The PPHSGB
will have a table (A03) at this event next to that of the Falkland Islands Philatelic Study Group. A complete list
of specialist Societies and dealers taking part can be found on the website: http://www.midpex.co.uk/ 11th June 2013: New Issues – South
Georgia & SSI and the Falkland Islands – Sir Rex Hunt, CMG (29th June 1926 to 11th November 2012): The
late Sir Rex Hunt was Governor of the Falkland Islands and Dependencies (South Georgia and SSI) at the time of the Argentine
invasion at the beginning of April 1982 and he returned to Stanley after the liberation and remained Governor until 1985.
Seven of the eight stamp designs have no close connection to Polar Philately and thus only the South Georgia & SSI issue
is illustrated below. The 65p value shows Rex Hunt standing in front of the Wasp helicopter 435 from HMS Endurance
that crash landed with no injuries at St Andrew’s Bay, South Georgia, on 14th December 1981. The Governor and his wife
Mavis were visiting Cindy Buxton and Annie Price who were making a documentary film for Anglia Television. The photo used
on this stamp was taken by Annie Price who also took the photos used on the FDC covers for both the FI and SG&SSI issues.
The stamp illustrations for the FI and the background texts for both issues are available at:
http://www.pobjoystamps.com/
 8th June 2013: Swinpex, St Joseph’s Catholic College, Ocotal Way,
Swindon 10am to 4.30pm. The PPHSGB will hold
a Joint Meeting with the Falkland Islands Philatelic Study Group at 1pm.
5th June 2013, 2.30pm (Item updated 13th May): Grosvenor British Empire and Foreign Countries
Auction, Third Session, Lots 1190 to 1567: The third session is dedicated solely to items from the Falkland Islands
and Dependencies, and Antarctica. The sale includes items featuring newly discovered early letters,
the Clive Perkins collection of Falkland Islands Postcards, and lots including rare items from the Swedish South Polar Expedition
1901-1904, the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition 1902‑1904 and the two French ‘Charcot’ Antarctic Expeditions
1903-1905 and 1908-1910. There are also items from other Antarctic Expeditions from 1901 to 1995 including both Scott Expeditions
(1901-1904 and 1910-1913) and Shackleton’s three Expeditions (1907-09, 1914-16 and 1921-22). The auction catalogue is
now available at: http://www.grosvenorauctions.com/wordpress/
4th June 2013: New Issue – South Georgia & SSI – Star Trails
Further details of the
issue will be available in due course at: http://falklandstamps.com/
17th May 2013 – New
Issue – TAAF – ‘Art du timbre gravé’ (The art of engraved stamps): The issue comprises a souvenir sheet comprising one Euro5 stamp with a surround
depicting the 12 types of penguin found in TAAF with each penguin image engraved by a different designer.
 16th May 2013: The Falkland Islands
– new Issue – Baroness Thatcher:
The 30p stamp depicts Prime Minister Thatcher and her husband Denis arriving at 10 Downing Street after becoming Britain’s
first woman Prime Minister, 4th May 1979. The 75p stamp shows her inspecting a minefield in the Falkland Islands which she
visited in 1983. The £1 stamp shows an image taken during her second visit to the Falkland Islands in 1992, on the occasion
of the 10th Anniversary of Liberation. The £1.20p stamp shows Lady Thatcher holding a Falkland Islands commemorative
coin commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Liberation which she struck in 2007 at a special ceremony at the Pobjoy Mint.
8th May 2013
(Item updated 13th May):
Prestige Philately (www.prestigephilately.com) in Melbourne, Australia, sold by auction
the Paul Wales Large Gold Medal Antarctic Exhibit "1901-04 British National Antarctic Expedition" (Robert Falcon Scott’s ‘Discovery Expedition’) as part of their Auction
N°182. The Large Gold Open Class Exhibit at Autumn Stampex, London, 2012 contained many rare and unique items and most
of the philatelic items sold. Being an ‘Open Class’ Exhibit there were items which do not fit happily into any
other class such as ephemera, paintings, literature, unused picture postcards, and letters without the envelope in which they
were enclosed. Just over 30 of the 121 lots failed to sell during the auction and are available from Prestige Philately at
80% of the estimate given in the catalogue. A few of these items are philatelic, i.e. envelopes or postcards sent through
the post. Please go to the site and check out the realisations. The most expensive item, Lot 2450, went for a hammer price
of A$10,500 (£7,085.09), not including the buyer’s extra costs of at least 15% of hammer price, against an estimate
of A$10,000. This item is shown below (illustration and text © Prestige Philately):
 ‘Lot 2450 - cover with embossed 'DISCOVERY ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 1901/[penguin]' crest
in blue on the flap and engraved 'NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION' label in steel-blue with manuscript endorsement "DISCOVERY"
in the lower tablet, local usage with Pictorials 4d & the label both tied by 'CHRISTCHURCH/17AP03/NZ' cds, registration
cachet in magenta, with the enclosed matching embossed notepaper & a brief message signed "EH Shackleton". A
delightful cover, stated to be the only recorded usage of an Expedition label on a registered cover. Shackleton had
contracted a nasty dose of scurvy in Antarctica. Scott insisted Shackleton return to New Zealand to recuperate,
which the latter did most reluctantly. "Morning" departed 2/3/1902, arriving at Lyttleton 25/3/1902. The endorsement
on the label is so neat; at first glance it appears to be printed. It's doubtful EHS added the inscription: his
handwriting would readily qualify him for the medical or legal professions.’
29th April 2013 – TAAF Definitive stamp
issue – Logos: TAAF is issuing five different definitive stamps of value 1c, 2c, 3c, 4c and 63c.
10th
April 2013 – New Zealand – New Issue - ANZAC
2013 - NZ$2.40 Value: The set of six stamps
commemorating New Zealanders Serving Abroad includes one value depicting the New Zealand ANZAC Class Frigate Te Kaha
patrolling Antarctic Waters 1999. This stamp is available as a sheet stamp (sheets of 25) and as part of a special ‘miniature
sheet’ booklet. The five other stamps have nothing to do with Antarctica. For further information or to order the stamps,
please go to: http://stamps.nzpost.co.nz/new-zealand/2013/anzac-ers-serving-abroad
 5th April 2013 – TAAF New Issues – Carnet de Voyage ‘Voyage en Antarctique’ and NVI/‘TVP’
stamp ‘Frégate Floréal’: These two new issues appeared on the
occasion of ‘Le Salon Philatélique de Printemps’ in Mâcon France. The Carnet (large format stamp
booklet) contains 16 NVI stamps in four se‑tenant blocks of four and costs 25 Euros. All the NVI stamps in the booklet
are for the 20gm International Letter Rate. The ‘Frégate Floréal’ stamp is for the ‘TVP’
rate from TAAF to France. Some details of these issues are published in the TAAF March-April ‘infophil’
available online at: http://www.taaf.fr/L-InfoPhil-des-TAAF,437
28th
March 2013 – Falkland Islands New Issue – Predators and Prey Part 2: The set of 4
stamps includes two featuring Rockhopper Penguins. Further
details of the issue are available at: http://falklandstamps.com/
18th March 2013 – BAT New Issue – The Naming of Queen
Elizabeth Land: This unexpected new issue commemorates the naming on 18th
December 2012 of a section of the BAT as ‘Queen Elizabeth Land’ to mark the Diamond Jubilee Year of Queen Elizabeth
II. It is understood that the souvenir sheet was issued at Signy during the visit of RRS Ernest Shackleton to close
the station at the end of the 2012/13 Antarctic Summer Season.
13th/14th March 2013 – Stanley Gibbons “Stamps and Postal History of the
World” Public Auction N°5870: The
first session on Wednesday 13th March from 10.00 includes Antarctic Lots 22-42 and Falkland Islands and Dependencies Lots
405-501. The catalogue for the complete sale (24MB) can be downloaded in PDF Format at: http://legacy.stanleygibbons.com/auctions/auction-catalogues.aspx
12th March 2013 - Australian
Antarctic Territory - New Issue - Mountains: The Australian PC Stamp Bulletin for March/April 2013 announces this issue on pages 10 and
11. There is also souvenir sheet comprising all four sheets stamps is a se-tenant block of four as well as FDCs, maximum cards
and a Presentation pack.
The Australian PC Stamp Bulletin
can be downloaded free of charge at:http://shop.auspost.com.au/collectables
7th March 2013 at 2.30pm - Grosvenor
Auction Sale N° 79 - The John E Du Pont collection of the Falkland Islands and Dependencies: This superlative classic collection, formed by one of the most famous,
award-winning collectors of the twentieth century, includes many rare proofs and stamps from the reigns of Queen Victoria,
King Edward VII and King George V, as well as an impressive range of scarce early covers from and to the islands.
For Polar collectors there are
a small number of lots relating to South Georgia (Lots 2142 to 2156), the South Orkneys (Lot 2157 - a 1904 Orcadas del Sud
cover) and Deception Island (Lots 2158 to 2166). One of the prize lots (N°2149) is a mint block of thirty, rows 3 to 7, of the 1928 2½d
on 2d purple-brown provisional surcharge with margins; [R. 6/4] shows SURCHARGE DOUBLE. The estimate is a mere £40,000
to £50,000!
 Lot x2157:- 1904, Scottish National Antarctic Expedition,
‘Museo de la Plata’ picture postcard of the Scotia overwintering in Scotia Bay, South Orkneys, in 1903
(Wharton ED-1) addressed by Robert Rudmose-Brown to his brother Thomas (later an important mentor to Samuel Beckett) in Aberdeen
with message on picture side “Stamped & postmarked at the South Orkneys. Not an Argentine colony without protest!
RNRB”, bearing Falklands 1891-1902 1d. (a few trivially stained perfs.) cancelled by fine strike of large violet
Argentine datestamp (Andrews A 1) “ORCADAS DEL SUR/20 FEB 1904/DISTRITO 24 (GALLEGOS)”, carried by the Scotiato Capetown where unaccepted for onward transmission
without the addition of Cape 1d. at lower left cancelled “MY 11/04”. Very few covers or cards, around 20 according to Harvey-Pirie who accompanied the expedition, were cancelled
and sent. Very few indeed bear a Falklands adhesive. Illustrated (with part address obscured) in the Postal History of the Falkland Islands Dependencies by
R. Bagshawe (1947). Ex Stern. Estimate £2,000-£2,500
For further details and to view the catalogue please go to: http://www.grosvenorauctions.com/wordpress/
Saturday 23rd February 2013: The Annual General Meeting
of the Polar Postal History Society of Great Britain will take place on the Saturday of Spring Stampex at the Business Design
Centre, Islington, London in Room E from 14:30 to 16:30. For further details please see page 3 of the February
2013 issue of Polar Post or Page 87 of the December 2012 issue. The current treasurer Gordon
Buchan has resigned with effect from this AGM and thus the Society urgently needs to find a replacement. Members interested
in taking on this post should contact Robert Hurst or Trevor Cornford as soon as possible.
20th February 2013: The 6th Edition of Stefan
Heijtz's ‘THE SPECIALISED STAMP CATALOGUE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS AND DEPENDENCIES INCLUDING POSTAL HISTORY AND
CANCELLATIONS 1800 - 2013 with BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY and also PAPER MONEY, COINS and TELEPHONE CARDS' In full colour
will be released at Spring Stampex, Business Design Centre, Islington, London. Stefan Heijtz will be present on the Stanley
Gibbons Stand 101 on the ‘Village Green' from 3pm on Wednesday 20th February. Further information is available at:
http://www.novastamps.com/stefan/Sidor/specFI.html Members of the PPHSGB can obtain the catalogue at a special
rate. Please see Polar Post, February 2013, Page 28 (top of rear page).
15th February 2013: New Issue - The Falkland Islands - Referendum: A set of four
stamps and a souvenir sheet mark the Referendum to be held on Sunday 10th and Monday 11th March 2013. There is only one question:
‘Do you wish The Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom
- Yes or No'. Further background information and illustrations of the stamps in colour are available at:
http://www.pobjoystamps.com/contents/en-uk/d36_Referendun_2013.html
5th February 2013 – BAS
Halley VI Research Station now Fully Operational: A press release from the British Antarctic Survey announces that Halley VI is now fully operational and
that the previous Station Halley V has been fully dismantled and is currently being removed from Antarctica. http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/press/press_releases/press_release.php?id=2057
 31st January 2013: Polar Post, February 2013: The 1st issue of Polar Post
in 2013 was despatched a month earlier than usual. The issue was full by the end of November 2012 thanks to a carryover of
articles and background information on the new stamp issues shown in the special December issue. The 2nd issue of 2013 should
appear as usual towards the end of May 2013.
2nd January
2013 - Mawson's Huts Foundation: Severe fast ice and sea ice conditions continue to persist off Cape Denison,
Commonwealth Bay, caused by the grounded iceberg B09B. Plans to send a conservation team to Mawson's Huts this season
were cancelled in September 2012 and it is not looking promising for the 2013/2014 Antarctic summer season. Nevertheless Peter
Cranwell, on behalf of the Foundation, released Part III of philatelic items relating the Centenary of the Australasian Antarctic
Expedition 1911-1914 in mid December 2012. Six covers were cancelled at South Georgia. They bear ‘Frank Wild' stamps
cancelled on several different dates relating to the AAE ranging from 2nd December 2011 (leaving Hobart) to 15th February
2012 (arrival at the Shackleton Ice Shelf, Western Base). Only 55 of each of the six South Georgia covers were produced.
 There are also three
covers cancelled at Casey on 15th February 2012, the closest post office to the position of the Western Base. In addition
there are two further overprinted mini-sheets relating to the arrival of the Expedition at the Western Base. Frank Wild was
in charge of the team at the Western Base and his ashes are now buried at Grytviken, South Georgia next to the grave of Sir
Ernest Shackleton. If you are interested in buying any of the items please go to:
http://www.petespolarplace.com/mawsons-huts-centenary-III.htm for further details. A few items are still available from earlier philatelic
offers.
1st January 2013 - TAAF
(FSAT) News:
The annual stamp issue of TAAF contained six individual stamps, one se-tenant pair and three souvenir
sheets. One of the Antarctic related issues is illustrated below.
 All the stamps can be viewed in colour at: http://www.taaf.fr/Collection-2013-en-vente
TAAF has
experienced serious shipping problems this season. The Marion Dufresne suffered
damage to the hull on approaching Alfred Faure Base, Crozet Archipelago, on 14th November
2012 and was not able to continue to Kerguelen and St Paul Amsterdam. The ship sailed to
Durban, South Africa, accompanied by an ocean going tug and entered dry dock for repairs in mid-December. The ship
is expected to return to Réunion around 3rd/4th February to resume operations. L’Astrolabe
experienced extreme sea ice conditions during relief visits to Dumont D’Urville in
both December 2012 and January 2013 and ended up several weeks behind schedule.
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