First Hospital in Qatar

At first sight, it seems to be all about Bahrain. But the cover hides a little of the story of the first hospital to open in Doha, Qatar.

Do spend some time in reading it. I'm sure it will prove interesting.

Women Artists Work on Qatar Stamps.

On my post of the 16th of September 2021 I highlighted the role of women shown in Qatar stamps (feel free to search for it).

In it I listed the two stamps issues designed by Mrs. Hessa Al Muraikhi and Miss Saeeda Abdulaziz Al Bader, but of course the list is now incomplete. It is missing Miss. Bouthayna Al Muftah, responsible for the design of the 11th December 2022 - FIFA World Cup Official Poster.

All three are accomplished artist who do not require additional introduction in their own fields, but perhaps not as well within our philately community. My search for their own, has been a very pleasant endeavour with surprising results. As such, I thought no one would mind if I include their stamps and a little of their own work in the next few slides.

Stamp Designers

 Just like the stamps celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the GCC.

These three sets were also paintings converted into stamps. The artists are named. But I haven't been able to find additional paintings by them.

Could you help ?

Thanks

Stamps - a small piece of art on a gummed paper.

Each Postal Authority generally has a resident artist who finalises the design of a stamp. They have to take a simple piece of art and modify it to fit the authorities brand and design concept.

This artist for Qatar Stamps since 2014 has been Mr. Abdellatif Zaian. His name can be found on the Postal Notice of each issue. Prior to him was Mr. Khaid Fikri, whose  name appears on the Postal Notices from October 2000.

Likewise, the painter of the actual art, also seems to be discarded by most of us. Today's post is about one of these painters. The man responsible for the 40th Anniversary of the GCC joint issued stamps. Mr. Salem Al Salami.

His art can be seen on his instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/salim_alsalami/?hl=en

Offset Printing

Offset printing.

There are plenty of examples of offset printing, not only for Qatar, but also most of the regional states. This is due to the changes in currency that most of the regional states underwent requiring plenty of overprints.

But what causes an offset print?

The general perceived theory is that a sheet is placed onto another recently (still wet) sheet and the ink is therebytransfered. But here is a different view, which I believe makes more sense.

Please share your opinion as to which is your favourite theory.

1965 Fish Stamp forgeries

Today, a good friend asked me to look at what a seller claimed to be  printing company discarded stamps.

Possibly a valuable variety.

As philatelists and collectors, we are always looking for a unique piece for our collection, so the temptation to purchase these too good to be true offers remains strong.

On a closer inspection they proved to be forgeries.

Below I include three slides clarifying the reasons for the claim.

As always, the more valuable a stamp, the more likely it will be subject to forgeries.

Whenever possible, depend on reputable dealers.

Colour Variation

Today just thought of adding a little colour to the story.

Colour variation in the Wilding Series stamps.

World Telecommunications Day 1971

 Studying this particular set f stamps has permitted me to discover some quite interesting facts.

The 'Viewphone' or as the Americans called it at the time "Picturephone' amongst the most fascinating designs of the time. Specially, since the advent of the internet was probably due to the need for better bandwidth require for reliable view phone calls. This directly allowed for the development of better interconnectivity for computers...

Qatar Overprinted stamps used in England

Considering that the Postal Authority for the Arabian Gulf Countries was the General Post Office under the name of the British Postal Authorities for the Arabian Gulf. This meant that the stamps for one state were valid for use in any another.

Philatelists taking advantage this created a number of cross-over covers - covers using stamps from one state on another.

In this case a very rare of BPAEA used in UK.

Qatar National Cement Company

 A simple commercial cover, from where we can learn a little more of the incredible history of Qatar.

Traffic Week 1975

The collection of stamps can be a never ending excuse to learn a little more about the world around us.

Today I took a look back at the reason behind the Traffic Week stamps issued in 1975. which lead me to discover the work of Jock Kinneir & Margaret Calvert.

Their work eventually created todays world standard of road traffic signs, which were most likely implemented in the Arabian Gulf around the 1970s.

World Telecommunications Day

After a very long time searching for an answer as to what was the machine on the stamp, I have finally come to a conclusive answer.

See below for additional information.

Renowned Collectors with interest in Qatar philately

The interest in collectable items from Qatar began from day one. In these three images we can see that renowned collectors were keen to obtain items from Qatar.

Francis J. Field one of the few individuals to be entered in the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. King George V was the first signatory of the Roll.

F. Hillard, too, began his interest early on. This was so early that he was unaware of what was PDQ (Petroleum Development Qatar) as can be seen on the second slide.

But by July 1950, he shows his knowledge, albeit too late, requesting to be sent a cover with the 'Political Officer Qatar' cancellation.

The British Castle Stamp used in Qatar

Today I share with you a cover sent from Umm Said, Qatar with a British Castles Series Stamp - overprinted 'QATAR' which is rare to find.

EXPO 2023 Doha - Qatar

In celebration of the upcoming Horticulture EXPO 2023 Doha Qatar a set of nine stamps were issued as shown below.

Qatar will be the first country with a desert climate to host such an event.

The EXPO will be the second largest global event to be held in Qatar after the World Cup. With some 50 countries already signed up and the on track to reach the goal of 8- national pavilions.

22nd February 2023 - The 50th Anniversary for this particular stamp issue

Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the issue of these stamps.

They celebrate the the first anniversary of the accession to power of H.H. the Amir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani.

Issued on the 22nd February 1973.

Revenue & Tax Stamps

Philately - the collection of and study of postage and imprinted stamps - sometimes can extend to the collection of Revenue or Tax Stamps as in the stamps shown.

50th Anniversary of the Shura Council

A beautiful designed souvenir sheet with two stamps displaying the outside and the inner chambers of Qatar's Legislative Branch.

The stamps were issued to commemorate the Legislative branch 50th Anniversary.

The Amir's State visit to the Republic of South Korea in 1984

H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani's State visit to the Republic of South Korea stamp issue.

Unfortunately for the story, the then President Chun was imprisoned and sentenced to death in 1996.

He was later pardoned on the advise of the President-elect Kim Dae-jung who had been condemned to death by President Chun.

The First FIFA World Cup in the Arab Region

One month on, and another stamp issued to celebrate the Fifa Qatar World Cup 2022.

It is interesting to point out that one month on, an still some 5 billion social media hits on the FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 websites.

Part of the  event's success can also be attributed to the help from 20,000 volunteers, selected from 150 nationalities. 17,000 volunteers were residents of Qatar; 3,000 were international. The volunteers ranged in age from 18 to 77 years old.

Old Letter Box

An old letter drop box, beautifully restored and now located outside the Qatar Philatelic and Numismatic Center.

International Labour Organization

A stamp issue to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Qatar's membership of the International Labour Organization.

The motto of the issue is:

"Safety and health at work is a fundamental right, and our shared responsibility".

Umm Said Registered Letter with Red Lines

A friend of mine sent me this cover for research.

I believe it has many interesting points which I decided to share.

Perhaps someone has more information on the MV Adolf Vinnen that would add to the legitimacy of the cover.

The de Havilland Comet and the start of Qatar Aerophilately

de Havilland DH 106 - Comet 1 was a major achievement for the British Aviation Industry.

It first flew on the 27^th of July 1949. Upon completing its series of test flights, if joined British Overseas Airways Corporations (BOAC), becoming the first jet commercial airliners in the world.

The first commercial flight, on the 2^nd of May 1952, under the responsibility of Capt. Michael Majendie and Capt. R. C. Alabaster proved a success. This quickly silenced critics who thought jet aviation would never succeed. The flights had an average 80% occupancy.

The first flight through this region of the world is celebrated with the below cover showing the departure from Bahrain on the 11th of August 1952 and arriving Bombay on the 12th on its way to Colombo.

Click to enlarge

The return flight is shown in the below two covers. These are special for the sender, went to the trouble of using a unique set of stamps in each cover.

Click to enlarge

Unfortunately, within one year of beginning commercial operations the problems began. Cumulating with the accident in 1954 which resulted in the complete grounding of the aircraft.

Not one, but three major accidents led to this grounding:

1. The first, exactly a year, to the day, of the inaugural flight, a flight departing Calcutta disintegrated at 10,000 ft in the vicinity of a thunderstorm (43 passengers and crew perished).
2. 10^th January 1954, departing Rome exploded mid air taking with it 26 passengers and 6 crew members. This led to an initial grounding of the aircraft,
3. While the initial investigation of the last accident was still undergoing, but appearing to clear mechanical problem of the aircraft, flight resumed. So within a few months, on the 8^th of April 1954 another Comet, inbound Cairo from Rome disappeared over the Mediterranean. Leading to a new grounding of the aircraft,

Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister of the time, had the Royal Navy locate and salvage the wreckage of the aircraft and take it to Farnborough for a complete analyses of the causes of the accident.

Mr. W.D. Tonkinson, a known philatelist and frequent flyer in the region commented on the last accident on a later to his family back in England.

Click to enlarge

It was found that metal fatigue, due to the high altitude flights requiring cabin pressurisation and the design option of using square windows, rather than today’s oval windows so familiar to us.

It took de Havilland another 4½ years to re-design the aircraft. This proved a success, with the aircraft remaining in service until 1980.

The restart of the Comet operations can be seen in the below cover which commemorates the first Bahrain to Singapore flight using a BOAC Comet 4.

Click to enlarge

The 're-birth' of the Comet came at the perfect time for a new airline in the region - Kuwait Airline's which quickly ordered the new aircraft leading it to become the first all jet Arab airline. The aircraft's history at the airline is celebrated on the below stamp issue show in its first day cover.

Click to enlarge

But how does this relate to Qatar, after all this site is specifically to Qatar philatelic history?

Well, Kuwait Airways and Qatar have a long tradition. The first aircraft to be shown on a Qatar stamp is that of the Kuwait Airways Comet 4C. Kuwait Airways also came to the aid of Qatar Airways at its first ever flight.

Click to enlarge

Well, the Comet story doesn't end there as can be seen on the below slide.

Click to enlarge

I hope this has been an interesting story. Should you have any additional information or covers to add to the story feel free to post them below or send me an e-mail.