Datestamp Errors

I share a couple of unusual covers, in that both have errors in the date format.

The one on the left is from Qatar, while the one on the right is from Bahrain.

This error is easily explained, in that the hammer used had 'slugs' for the date, which would have to be changed in a daily basis to make up the correct date (today its a simple tumbler). so the order of the numbers and letters could easily be altered or even inserted inverted as seen on the below covers.

There are many more examples of date error, but mostly of having the wrong date on First Day Covers.

Please feel free to share your examples.

1957 - Postal Rates

Most Postal History exhibitions require the covers to be with appropriate postal rates. Yet, finding the postal rate table seems to be harder than the covers themselves.

So I have opted to include the standard airmail postal rate below, and a few covers to highlight the same.

During this period, to send the cover via Registered Mail, there would be a 40 naye paise surcharge - independent of the destination.

Qatar's First Postmaster

Qatar's First Postmaster moved from Bahrain to Qatar in 1953, just three years the first Post Office opened its doors (1950).

See the below image for a little more information on him.

Another Donaldson Publication

 If you are a serious collector of Qatar philately it is likely that you would have a 'Cross-Over' cover.

This is more common than most collectors would know, and a number of articles explaining this have been written.

Below is one such article by A. N. Donaldson to leading reference for collectors in the region.

The 10th Anniversary of the Accession of H.H. the Amir

Slightly behind schedule but holidays do come first.

The mark the 10th Anniversary of the Accession of H.H. the Amir a set of 6 regular stamps and in limited quantities one gold foil and a gold stamp were issued.

The stamps were issued in souvenir sheets as shown below.

Early Stamps Colour Errors

Still very much enjoying the holidays.

But since I received a query today, I though of replying to it by adding a quick post.

The first issues around the region, many known errors keeping repeating themselves. One example is shown below, where the paper of the plate for the blue colour must get slightly misplaced, resulting in a minor shift.

Please feel free to share other examples you may have of similar colour shifts.

Qatar's First Stamp Album

This morning I posted a few items linked to a Stamp dealer based in Doha, Qatar in the 1960's. He not only sold stamps from the region but created some iconic First Day Covers.

Well, that is not all. It appears he should also be credited for creating Qatar's First Stamp Album. See the slide below for more information.

The first philatelic dealers of Qatar

 In 1966 a new player enter the Philatelic Market of the Arabia Gulf Countries. A Mr. A. Wink and his PSA stamps company.

He offered subscribers the chance to buy the stamps with no upfront payment at a set commission depending on quantity bought. Even better, he offered the chance to buy limited quantity issues at an unlimited quantity.

The second slide seems to be a reply from a buyer for a more defined price based on catalogue value - but seems that then as now, catalogue prices and reality don't have much in common.

Finally the third slide is a set to 6 First Day covers with an iconic Doha Clock Tower cachet created by his company PSA (logo below cachet) which seems to have first appeared in 1967 and continued through to the end of 1968.

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.