STAMP ISSUES RELATED TO ICAO (1945-1977)

United Nations : 10^th Anniversary of ICAO

Issue date: 09/02/1955

Flying wing, representing the spirit of flight (i.e. symbolic representation of flight), with a world map as a blue background and ICAO. The usual five-language border surrounds the design.

Flying wing, representing the spirit of flight (i.e. symbolic representation of flight), with a world map as a carmine background and OACI. OACI is the French and Spanish acronym of the Organization’s name: Organisation de l’aviation civile internationale (French) and Organización de Aviación Civil Internacional (Spanish). The usual five-language border surrounds the design.

Marginal inscriptions: The UN logo, along with the year of issue and the acronym of the International Civil Aviation Organization in English (ICAO) on the 3-cent denomination, and in French/Spanish (OACI) on the 8-cent denomination is shown in the selvage.

Upper-right corner block of 4 stamps. With Marginal Inscription (MI4). Waterlow Control Numbers 29 and 15.

Full sheets of 50 stamps with Waterlow Control Numbers. The marginal inscriptions bear the UN seal and the text ICAO 1955 on the 3-cent sheets and OACI 1955 on the 8-cent sheets and appear twice on the left and twice on the right of each sheet.

Specimen gummed and imperforate, hole punched.

At the left: Regular issue vertical pair At the right: Waterlow and Sons Plate Inspection Proof, imperforate vertical pair with punched holes in positions 18 and 28. Only 50 pairs of these gummed, imperforate proofs are known to exist in the entire world.

Waterlow and Sons Plate Inspection Proof, imperforate vertical pair at positions 74 and 84 of the sheet, with punched hole. In 1955, Waterlow & Sons produced a very limited quantity of specimen copies of the 3-cent UNESCO and the 8-cent ICAO commemorative issues. The trial-colour specimens were produced by engraving and printed in two shades of green unlike the issued stamps. Total printing of each specimen was estimated at approximately 300 copies.

With 2 (two) mm stamp-ink blue guide mark.

Gummed and perforated; green colour; hole punched (security cut-out) in lower left with black overprint: WATERLOW & SONS, LIMITED / SPECIMEN (on two lines).

Ink traces or spots of the Waterlow control number from the previous page.

Variety with erased and corrected plate number.

Certificate of authenticity of the pair shown here, signed by Thomas L. Lindemann, President of Calhoun’s Collectors Society, Inc.

Waterlow Printer’s worksheet including three progressive Die Proofs and four trial color Die Proofs. Waterlow made dies for each stamp. Impressions from these dies were used to make printing plates for the perforated sheets.

Trial color Die Proofs in different shades (three different color proofs, including issued color cyan), mounted on Waterlow presentation card, including the approved design by Reidar Tvedt, Chief UNPA (With typewritten and handwritten approval notations). Scarce.

Trial color Die Proofs in different shades (four different color proofs, including issued color rose carmine), mounted on Waterlow presentation card, including the approved design by Reidar Tvedt, Chief UNPA (With typewritten and handwritten approval notations). Scarce.

Photographic Essays of Artist's Drawings for the 3-cent and 8-cent designs by Angel Medina Medina (Uruguay). Acrylic and gouache on artpaper, or acrylic, gouache and collage on artpaper).

Map similar to final design, with Chinese characters placed sideways. Placement of UN names different from final design (except for Russian name).

Map different from final design and Chinese characters sideways. Placement of UN names different from final design (except for Russian name).

Map similar to final design, with Chinese characters upright. Bottom border with Russian language missing. ICAO acronym in English.

Map similar to final design, with Chinese characters placed sideways. Placement of UN names different from final design (except for Russian name). ICAO acronym in English.

Waterlow and Sons master die proofs on paper for the complete issue "ICAO" in white or gray, denominations 3c and 8c respectively; additionally, there is one die with the ICAO emblem and texts in English and French/Spanish.

Proof 30747: Vignette/Frame

Proof 30748: 3c Final design

Proof 30749: 8c Final design

Marginal inscriptions

Waterlow and Sons Inspection Plate Proof in blue in a corner block of 6, ICAO emblem, four stamps holed. Imperforated. Such sheets were impressions taken from the printing plate to check for flaws which were circled. Hand-written notes indicate the corrective action required. The condition of the sheets reflects their use in the printing process; there are many bends and folds, selvage tears, gum disturbance and even ink fingerprints. Parts of the sheets, probably used by Waterlow, were missing; dealers subsequently divided some of the sheets for sale to collectors as single, pairs or blocks.

Waterlow and Sons Inspection Plate Proof in blue in a gutter block of 8 (two times four), two ICAO emblems. Imperforated. No Waterlow archive items appeared for many years; then several years ago, plate inspection sheets surfaced. Each sheet originally contained two imperforate panes of 50 stamps separated by a wide gutter with a plate number in the top center (see here 46458). Like the specimens, each stamp in the plate inspection sheet has a small punch hole.

Waterlow and Sons Inspection Plate Proof in blue in a corner block of four, ICAO emblem, each stamp holed, with printer's note, dated 25.11.54. Imperforated.

Waterlow and Sons Inspection Plate Proof (front and back) in final colors; imperforated gutter pairs (gutter folded); red security fingerprints on the back.

Waterlow and Sons Inspection Plate Proof (front and back); pairs in final colors; red security fingerprints on the back.

Waterlow and Sons Inspection Plate Proof (front and back of 8-cent stamp) in final color; imperforated gutter (folded); red security fingerprints on the back.

8-cent as a die proof in green, holed and WATERLOW & SONS, LIMITED / SPECIMEN (on two lines) overprinted, accompanied by five other specimen stamps (4 from Nicaragua and 1 from Haiti), which were also printed by Waterlow and Sons, mounted all together on presentation card. Waterlow had created these specimens to show its work to prospective customers.

Original sales envelope from the United Nations.

Block of 4 stamps with bull’s eye New York cancellation.

Pairs with registry cancels.

3-Cent Stamp Copper on wood letterpress printing block. This block was probably used to print a stamp catalog. The raised copper surface is mounted on a hardwood block, the side of which is marked 50 I.P.E.U. standing for International Photo Engravers Union (see third picture). This block measures 1½" x 1" x 7/8" thick.

Letter from ICAO Chief, Public Information Office (Mr. Léon Boussard) announcing the stamps.

Page 13 of ten-year collection on nicely drawn pages. Arranged in a heavy-duty leather album, a total of 65 illustrated pages show the stamps, first day cancellations, stationery envelopes, postcards, and artist’s signatures issued by the UNPA between 1951 and 1961. Each page shows an original water-color drawing on the subject of issued stamps; this page 13 of the album shows a drawing related to the 2 stamps issued for ICAO’s 10^th anniversary.

Background: This issue commemorates the 10^th Anniversary of the interim Agreement and the first PICAO meeting, and honours the work of the International Civil Aviation Organization, celebrating its tenth anniversary in 1955. Interestingly enough, in 1955 when this set was issued, Linn's Stamp News had to write a special article explaining that there was no error on the 8-cent value, since the 8-cent uses the French or Spanish acronym of the Organization (OACI), which is just the reverse of the English acronym ICAO. More background information on this issue can be found by clicking on: The 10th anniversary commemorated by the United Nations. The United Nations did not print its own stamps, but rather arranged for international printing firms to produce the stamps. Waterlow & Sons of England printed all UNPA issues for 1955, and the 1959 airmail series. In 1960, Thomas De La Rue & Co. acquired Waterlow’s business. Waterlow’s archives were sold to the philatelic market. During the transition of ownership, four sheets of imperforate, gummed proofs printed in 1955 for the United Nations were found in their archives. There was one sheet each for the ICAO, the UNESCO, the 10^th anniversary of the UN, and the Human Rights Day stamp issues. For each UN stamp issue of 1955, the very first stamp sheet was pulled off the press by hand to check the quality and color of the design. Because these stamps were never intended to be used as postage, they were not perforated, but they were however punched with a small hole. This small mark also served to certify their status as unique proof. Master Die Proofs. Waterlow retained a single proof of each master die, usually in black. In addition, there are proofs of the master dies at progressive (incomplete) states, showing common elements used on all denominations of the issue. Die proofs of the marginal inscriptions of the issue also exist. Inspection Proof Sheets are sheets pulled by hand, on gummed paper, showing the entire printing plate, including marginal inscriptions, printers cutting, and perforation marks guides, in order to check for flaws. They are imperforate and usually have a small punch hole on each stamp. Waterlow retained a single proof of each master die, usually in black and trimmed to within a few millimeters of design size; there are proofs of the master dies at progressive and incomplete states, showing common elements used on all denominations of this issue.

White Ace Album Page (8 1/2" x 11"; 3-hole punched). Note the error in the text presenting the Organization. ICAO came into being 30 days after 26 States (and not 28 as mentioned in the text) had ratified the Chicago Convention.

The stamps of this issue were later reproduced on other stamps (stamp-on-stamp) and on commemorative covers/cards, as displayed hereafter.

8^th Interpex International Stamp and Coin Show, held at the Americana Hotel in New York from 25 to 27 March 1966. The cover commemorates the 15^th anniversary of first issue of stamps by the United Nations (UN). The background of the digits 1 and 5 is filled by pictures of stamps issued by the UN; note that a partial reproduction of the ICAO 8-cent stamp can be seen at the top of digit 1.

First day cover with the same cachet as above, but with the postmark of the United Nations corresponding to the regular issue of the blue-green $1 stamp by the UN on 25 March 1966.

16^th Session of ICAO Assembly held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 3 to 26 September 1968.

Comoros – 23 November 1976. 25^th Anniversary of United Nations Postal Administration.

Concorde, Graf Zeppelin LZ‑127 airship over one of the islands in the Comoros archipelago, clouds and UN carmine stamp of 1955.

Text on three lines: SERVICE POSTAL / ONU / 1951-1976.

United Nations – 11 March 1977.

Souvenir card - World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

10^th anniversary of the signing of the WIPO Convention.

Burundi – 10 October 1977. 25^th Anniversary of United Nations Postal Administration.

UN buildings by night and UN carmine stamp of 1955.

United Nations – 12 June 1978. ICAO Safety in the Air.

Souvenir card marking ICAO’s outstanding work over three decades.

This card was issued in 1978 to pay tribute to ICAO’s work in promoting safety in the air.

It provides a large retrospective of aviation history and development from 1903.

Four stamps were reproduced on this card, as follows:

1. USA – 12 December 1928 - International Civil Aviation Conference; Wright Flyer I;

2. United Nations – 9 February 1955 - 10th Anniversary of ICAO; flying dove representing the spirit of flight;

3. Canada – 11 March 1964 - Douglas DC-9 taking off and Uplands Airport, Ottawa (now Macdonald–Cartier International Airport). During the 1950s, the airport was a joint-use civilian/military field and was the busiest airport in Canada by takeoffs and landings.

4. France – 3 March 1969 – Concorde First Flight.

Two stamps of the United Nations issue (12 June 1978) were affixed, along with the blue show imprint developed by the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) for the CAPEX Philatelic Exhibition (9 to 18 June 1978).

Souvenir card honouring ICAO’s 40^th anniversary issued at the ORCOEXPO ’85 Stamp Show, held in Anaheim, CA, USA from 11 to 13 January 1985.

This was the 10^th edition of the largest annual philatelic exhibition of this kind in Southern California. Shows a reproduction of the dark carmine 8-cent stamp issued by the United Nations on 2 February 1955 for the 10^th Anniversary of ICAO.

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