Curiosity Corner #26 :The French Military Franchise Essay

CONDOMINIUM
In a recent advertisement in a British stamp magazine the well
known 'London stamp firm of Bridger & Kay gave 'some interesting
information as follows about a little-known "unissued" stamp of the
South Pacific.
'Here is the story of the 'stamp, which is illustrated he

http://groups.msn.com/Stamps/shoebox...oto&PhotoID=66

The power-politics of the late 10th century were nowhere
more apparent than in the Western Pacific Islands, where Britain,
Germany, France and America all schemed to establish spheres
of influence.

One of the several results of these attempts at Empire building
was the 'surprisingly long-lived Condominium which was
established over the New Hebrides in 1906 - by Britain and France,
neither of whose Home Governments really wished to get Involved in
the particular group!

Whatever the policies of Home Governments might have been,
local rivalries between the two national interests were strong
enough to force the issue; but before the compromise of
Condominium, the ambitions of Local French Military Commanders
produced an unusual "unissued" stamp, known as the "Military Franchise Essay' '..

Designed by Lieut-Col. Delauney and lithographed in four colours
on unwatermarked wove paper at Noumea, the stamps were intended f
or use by French troops who were to be sent from New Caledonia
to occupy certain islands in the New Hebrides in 1893. The planned
"invasion" never took place so the stamps never served the
purpose for which they were Intended.

It it's a simple matter to plate the issue which was in imperforate
'sheets of only four, each design differing slightly in the style of
the lettering used. The heads are those of President Camot of
France and Queen 'Victoria, both being named in the border of
the medallion: above them is the motto "Honni (sic) Soit qui Maly Pense",
and "RF" is repeated six times below.

Forgeries exist in the form of hand-coloured photo-graphs and
rubber-stamped impressions in black on orange paper.

Australian Stamp News December 1971

Le Mon, 18 Aug 2003 16:31:38 +0800, dans rec.collecting.stamps.discuss,
"Rodney" a écrit :

CONDOMINIUM
In a recent advertisement in a British stamp magazine the well
known 'London stamp firm of Bridger & Kay gave 'some interesting
information as follows about a little-known "unissued" stamp of the
South Pacific.
'Here is the story of the 'stamp, which is illustrated he

http://groups.msn.com/Stamps/shoebox...oto&PhotoID=66

[...]

It it's a simple matter to plate the issue which was in imperforate
'sheets of only four, each design differing slightly in the style of
the lettering used. The heads are those of President Camot of
France and Queen 'Victoria, both being named in the border of
the medallion: above them is the motto "Honni (sic) Soit qui Maly Pense",
and "RF" is repeated six times below.

About French president François-Marie Sadi-Carnot, look at this page :

url:http://www.carnot.org/Francais/Francois%20Marie%20Sadi%20Carnot.HTM

The same in English :

url:http://www.carnot.org/English/Francois%20Marie%20Sadi%20Carnot.HTM

The former condominium of the New-Hebrids/Nouvelles-Hébrides is today
the Vanuatu :

url:http://www.postvanuatu.com/

where a submarine post office exists :

url:http://xtramsn.co.nz/travel/0,,8793-2504950,00.html

--
DC

On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 16:31:38 +0800, "Rodney"
wrote:

CONDOMINIUM
In a recent advertisement in a British stamp magazine the well
known 'London stamp firm of Bridger & Kay gave 'some interesting
information as follows about a little-known "unissued" stamp of the
South Pacific.
'Here is the story of the 'stamp, which is illustrated he

http://groups.msn.com/Stamps/shoebox...oto&PhotoID=66

The power-politics of the late 10th century were nowhere
more apparent than in the Western Pacific Islands, where Britain,
Germany, France and America all schemed to establish spheres
of influence.


(snip)

Australian Stamp News December 1971


Rodney:


Why did it take 1000 years to report on this? ;-)

Blair



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On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 16:31:38 +0800, "Rodney"
wrote:

CONDOMINIUM
In a recent advertisement in a British stamp magazine the well
known 'London stamp firm of Bridger & Kay gave 'some interesting
information as follows about a little-known "unissued" stamp of the
South Pacific.
'Here is the story of the 'stamp, which is illustrated he

http://groups.msn.com/Stamps/shoebox...oto&PhotoID=66


(snip)


Rodney:

A curious Military Frank indeed.

Why the reference to the UK if it was only for French troops?

Also, in those days, the franc was equivalent to 1 shilling, so
25 French centimes was = 3d sterling.

Obviously the artist did not realize that the shilling had 12d not
10d. Thus the English denomination was put at 2 1/2 not 3d.

Finally, the value for pence also seems to be in P not d.
Decimalization a century before its time. 8*)

Cheers

Blair



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-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Hi Blair,
The email was damp when it left the printer,
the 9 diffused to appear as a nought to show the tenth century.
scallywag!
Remember, this was an unissued essay, so the errors you
point out, illustrate stamp design is not as easy as it appears.

I also found it a little strange that the condominium was addressed.
Lieut-Col. Delauney certainly had a penchant for the RF logo though.
the stamp does to me, have an eerie quality about it.
I'd like a copy for my collection!.

I like these "private" essays, I have one from the dardanelles
from a one Mr. Ziffo that shows the same naivete.




"TC" wrote in message ...
| On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 16:31:38 +0800, "Rodney"
| wrote:
|
| CONDOMINIUM
| In a recent advertisement in a British stamp magazine the well
| known 'London stamp firm of Bridger & Kay gave 'some interesting
| information as follows about a little-known "unissued" stamp of the
| South Pacific.
| 'Here is the story of the 'stamp, which is illustrated he
|
| http://groups.msn.com/Stamps/shoebox...oto&PhotoID=66
|
|
| (snip)
|
|
| Rodney:
|
| A curious Military Frank indeed.
|
| Why the reference to the UK if it was only for French troops?
|
| Also, in those days, the franc was equivalent to 1 shilling, so
| 25 French centimes was = 3d sterling.
|
| Obviously the artist did not realize that the shilling had 12d not
| 10d. Thus the English denomination was put at 2 1/2 not 3d.
|
| Finally, the value for pence also seems to be in P not d.
| Decimalization a century before its time. 8*)
|
| Cheers
|
| Blair
|
|
|
| -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
| http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
| -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----