Stamp collecting and excitement do not often go hand in hand, but the discovery in Mandurah of artwork for Australia’s first stamp has set the philately world on fire.
Ian Boulton, a Perth based stamp dealer and auctioneer, said a Mandurah woman had come forward with the previously unrecorded artwork, which had been submitted for Australia’s first postage stamp.
According to Mr Boulton, a stamp design competition was held in 1911 by the Postmaster-General, Josiah Thomas, inviting Australian artists to submit a design for consideration with prizes of £100 and £50 awarded.
The judging panel consisted of Bernard Hall of the Victorian National Gallery, J. Cooke, Commonwealth Stamp printer and Whelen, a prominent philatelist.
The design had to include the words “Australia” and “Postage” and the denomination had to be in both figures and words.
Stamp size photographic reductions were to accompany each entry and a nom-de-plume was to be used.
The two designs discovered in Mandurah were submitted by an artist called “Wattle Blossoms”, but the original artist’s name remains unknown.
Mr Boulton said he instantly recognised their importance of the artworks in the history of Australian philately.
He said he immediately realised their scarcity would attract collector interest from around the world.
“They both actually incorporate designs that were ultimately used in the winning design with the map of Australia on one and a kangaroo in another,” he said.
“The chosen design had a kangaroo within the map of Australia in a range of different colours depending on the value of the stamp with the top value being £2 when they were first issued in 1913.”
Mr Boulton said the two “miniature artworks” would go to auction on the weekend with a conservative reserve price of $7000.
Nathan Hondros
Senior Journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, and Fairfax Media.
Senior Journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, and Fairfax Media.
