France 1969 - Stamp Day

The horse-bus, or what is more commonly known as the horse-drawn omnibus, was used for passenger transport before the advent of motor vehicles. They were predominately used in Europe and the USA in the late 19th century.  The typical omnibus was like a large stage coach. They were often double-decker with the bottom level enclosed and the top level open the air. Occasionally the top level had a canopy to protect passengers from the elements. On the lower level the seating was typically arranged as two wooden bench seats running along the sides of the cabin facing each other. While on the second level the each seats were arranged in the same fore to aft configuration, but the benches were placed back to back in order, I presume for the passengers to look out at their surrounds more easily. Interestingly, it seems that large businesses took advantage of these vehicles as a form of moving billboard. Covered in advertising, omnibuses actually looked pretty cool.

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On 17 March 1969 France issued a fantastic stamp featuring an omnibus for Stamp Day. Click HERE for more on Stamp Day. The stamp was designed and engraved by Pierre Becquet.

This stamp is absolutely beautiful. The details are stunning. As the eye wanders over this stamp, we see a superbly rendered omnibus in vivid green. You can clearly see the bench seat arrangements in the cabin as mentioned above. Although background detail, the building to the right has been drawn with minute attention to detail. In the foreground to the right we see a couple taking a stroll down the street, the woman dressed in all her finery with a wide-brim hat and a parasol. The design is so alive we can almost hear the clack-clack of the horses hooves on the road and the murmur of the chatter from the passengers as the vehicle trundles past.

Until next time...

France 1982 - Jules Verne

“The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides. The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the Living Infinite. ”
― Jules Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

On 8 February 1828 one of the greatest science-fiction writers ever to put ink to parchment was born. His name was Jules Gabriel Verne. He was born on a small artificial island called Île Feydeau within the town of Nantes on the Loire River. His father, Pierre Verne, was a lawyer and he expected his son to follow in his footsteps. But it became very clear early in Verne's life that he had little interest in such a vocation. While studying to be a lawyer in Paris, Verne frequently indulged in his passion for writing and theatre by composing several plays. Even though he spent a great deal of time writing plays, poems, and stories, Jules Verne graduated from his law studies in 1851.

It was in the same year, 1851, that Jules Verne met a fellow writer from his home town of Nantes, Pierre-Michel-François Chevalier. Chevalier was the editor-in-chief of the magazine Musée des familles (The Family Museum). He was a great admirer of Verne's research skills and attention to detail. Inspired by Chevalier's interest in his work, Verne wrote and submitted a short historical adventure story The First Ships of the Mexican Navy. It was published in July 1851. A second short story A Voyage in a balloon was published in the next month's August issue. This second story was later described by Verne as...

"...the first indication of the line of novel that I was destined to follow."

As far as writing goes, destiny was very kind to Jules Verne. He wrote over 70 novels and numerous stories, poems and plays. And he is the second-most translated author on the planet behind Agatha Christie. 

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On 22 November 1982 France issued a beautiful set of two semi-postal Red Cross stamps celebrating the amazing stories of Jules Verne. Both stamps were designed and engraved by Pierre Becquet.

The first stamp has a 1,60f face value with a 0,30f surcharge. It features the novel Five Weeks in a Balloon.

Five Weeks in a Balloon was first published in 1863. The novel follows Dr. Samuel Ferguson, a scholar and explorer, who, accompanied by his manservant Joe, and his friend, professional hunter, Richard "Dick" Kennedy, sets out in a balloon filled with hydrogen on a journey across the African continent, which at that point was still in parts unexplored.

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The second stamp has a 1,80f face value with a 0,40f surcharge.  It features the novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was originally serialised from March 1869 through June 1870 in the magazine Magasin d’Éducation et de Récréation. The story features Captain Nemo, which is Latin for 'Nobody', and his steam-powered submarine Nautilus. 

Until next time...

France 1982 - Jules Verne

“The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides. The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the Living Infinite. ”
― Jules Verne, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

On 8 February 1828 one of the greatest science-fiction writers ever to put ink to parchment was born. His name was Jules Gabriel Verne. He was born on a small artificial island called Île Feydeau within the town of Nantes on the Loire River. His father, Pierre Verne, was a lawyer and he expected his son to follow in his footsteps. But it became very clear early in Verne's life that he had little interest in such a vocation. While studying to be a lawyer in Paris, Verne frequently indulged in his passion for writing and theatre by composing several plays. Even though he spent a great deal of time writing plays, poems, and stories, Jules Verne graduated from his law studies in 1851.

It was in the same year, 1851, that Jules Verne met a fellow writer from his home town of Nantes, Pierre-Michel-François Chevalier. Chevalier was the editor-in-chief of the magazine Musée des familles (The Family Museum). He was a great admirer of Verne's research skills and attention to detail. Inspired by Chevalier's interest in his work, Verne wrote and submitted a short historical adventure story The First Ships of the Mexican Navy. It was published in July 1851. A second short story A Voyage in a balloon was published in the next month's August issue. This second story was later described by Verne as...

"...the first indication of the line of novel that I was destined to follow."

As far as writing goes, destiny was very kind to Jules Verne. He wrote over 70 novels and numerous stories, poems and plays. And he is the second-most translated author on the planet behind Agatha Christie. 

***

On 22 November 1982 France issued a beautiful set of two semi-postal Red Cross stamps celebrating the amazing stories of Jules Verne. Both stamps were designed and engraved by Pierre Becquet.

The first stamp has a 1,60f face value with a 0,30f surcharge. It features the novel Five Weeks in a Balloon.

Five Weeks in a Balloon was first published in 1863. The novel follows Dr. Samuel Ferguson, a scholar and explorer, who, accompanied by his manservant Joe, and his friend, professional hunter, Richard "Dick" Kennedy, sets out in a balloon filled with hydrogen on a journey across the African continent, which at that point was still in parts unexplored.

***

The second stamp has a 1,80f face value with a 0,40f surcharge.  It features the novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was originally serialised from March 1869 through June 1870 in the magazine Magasin d’Éducation et de Récréation. The story features Captain Nemo, which is Latin for 'Nobody', and his steam-powered submarine Nautilus. 

Until next time...

Engraver Crazy!