Portuguese Indian Community in Qatar

Portuguese Indian Community were active not only in Qatar Petroleum but also in philately !!!!

The second image shows a variety of FDCs for Qatar’s First Definitive Issued set, with a variety of cancellations.

Traditional Medicine Plants of Qatar

 Today a look back at Traditional Medicine.

Surprisingly, most of these plants are today being further studied for additional medicinal purposes.

As is the case of the Milkweed, which has recently been proved, by researcher of the College of Health Sciences of the Qatar University to have excellent properties in the treatment of High Blood Pressure in patients with and without Diabetes.

1957 - The precursor to the Ministry of Education

Qatar's rulers commitment to education from very early on is well documented. This can be seen from the below cover - the earliest known cover with 'Qatar Government' (in Arabic) letterhead from the Department of Education.

Understanding the role of the University of Illinois Navy Pier at the time, it is hard to imagine that a local student had been sent there at the time (see image below).

More likely, a former student from the University of Illinois Navy Pier was applying for a position in Qatar and the Department of Education was requesting confirmation of his attendance and records prior to providing him with a job offer.

Either way, an interesting glimpse at the past.

Should you have any other 'Qatar Government' cover from that era, please share them with me, thank you.

1957 - Scouts Jubilee Jamboree

The complete set of the Jubilee Jamboree stamps overprints and official numbers sold.

The 'KUWAIT' of course was never sold, nevertheless a few stamps reached the hand of some philatelists allowing me to include pictures of these stamps.

If interested, I have posted a more detailed story behind these stamps in an earlier posts.

1961 - Doha Airport

By 1961 Doha's airport was already with some regular flights. Not only connecting the regional cities but also to further afield. As far as London.

Below is a postcard featuring a BOAC Boeing B707 from Qatar. Although the postcard was mailed in Qatar, we know that the aircraft was not yet operating this route at the time of the mailing. In fact, BOAC was just at the time beginning to receive the aircraft themselves.

Japan World Expo 1970

The 1970 stamps for the Japan World Expo apart from being vibrant and interesting contain a lot of additional information that is worth studying.

Click on the image below to learn more.

Additional publications by A. Neil Donaldson

Philatelly isn't simply collecting stamps and stamp catalogues. There is a whole world of knowledge to be gathered in order develop a valuable and interesting collection.

To gather that knowledge one needs to read what the forefathers learned.

But how to find that ?

Unfortunately sometimes, even that is not easy to discern. That of course is the true aim of this page - to become the go to reference for Qatar stamps.

The slide below contains another set of documents that may guide the novice collector in the region.

Cable & Wireless

 Nowadays Qatar has one of the world's largest telelecommunications companies.

The slide below shows how its existence came about and the connection to a company created some 170 years ago !!!!

Clearly the world of finance and business is, and has been, always intrinsically connected. Globalisation was clearly started by the creating of affordable and efficient communications back in the 19th century.

Souq Waqif Stamp designer

 Another artist that made his way onto the Qatar stamps design is an Iraqi artist. He was well known for his studio at the Souq Waqif.

So it was fitting that his paintings of the Souq itself were used for an issued for the 2008 Qatar National Day.

I include a few other for his paintings below.

Major T. L. C. Tomkins

When referring to Philatelic History in Eastern Arabia, most people automatically think of N. Donaldson.

Yet he was the second to write about it, and for reference he used another Englishman's work.

His work was first published in in August 1949 and eventually reproduced in a book format in 1950.

Any ideas of who I'm referring to? See the images below for more information.

At the time, Qatar still did not have its own independent postal system, so it is missing from that publication. But no doubt that N. Donaldson used this book as the starting point for his own publication.

The photographer behind the Marine Organisms stamp issue

 Keeping with the general theme of this month - the artists behind the stamp designs.

I bring you a spectacular set of stamps issued back in 2017 with a few Marine Organisms found around the coast line of Qatar.

I hope you enjoy the images.

Having myself years ago attempted underwater photography (failing miserably) I know how skilful you need to be to get to this quality.

Datestamps Types 18 to 21 !!!

 With the only documented record of Qatar Datestamps still being the Neil Donaldson "The Postal Agencies in Easter Arabia and the Gulf". 

Neil's work documented the first 17 types of datestamps used in the Qatar Postal system.

Perhaps it's time to start a new study. So, in the slides below I have identified the next types. Datestamp types 18 through to 21.

Please feel free to share any other type of datestamps used in Qatar that you may have in your collection.

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.