Hello! Today I’d like to look at the countries that issued Czesław Słania’s stamps, how many each one issued, and the countries that issued just one.
Where Słania’s Stamps Were Issued — and How Many
Czesław Słania (1921–2005) was a Polish-born engraver of intaglio stamps.
He engraved the master dies for intaglio stamps and banknotes for many European countries. For an introduction to Słania, please see Vol. 1.
👉 Czesław Słania, Master of Stamp Engraving — The Magician of the Burin, Vol. 1
What is an intaglio (engraved) stamp?
It is a stamp printed with the engraving technique: using a burin — a chisel-like tool with a very hard, diamond-like tip — the engraver cuts lines into a copper plate, ink is pressed into the grooves, and the plate is printed onto paper. The method produces exceptionally crisp lines. It was invented in Europe around the 15th century and was also used for Britain’s first postage stamp in 1840.
Over his lifetime, Słania created 1,422 stamps.
Most were issued by European countries — especially the Nordic countries — but there are also some from the United Nations, the USA, and Asia.
| Country | Stamps | Share | First issue | |
| 1 | Sweden | 496 | 34.9% | 1960 |
| 2 | Denmark | 321 | 22.6% | 1962 |
| 3 | Monaco | 228 | 16.0% | 1972 |
| 4 | Faroe Islands | 100 | 7.0% | 1975 |
| 5 | Greenland | 92 | 6.5% | 1963 |
| 6 | Poland | 52 | 3.7% | 1950 |
| 7 | United Kingdom | 28 | 2.0% | 1982 |
| 8 | Iceland | 20 | 1.4% | 1969 |
| 9 | United Nations | 16 | 1.1% | 1986 |
| 10 | USA | 8 | 0.6% | 1983 |
| San Marino | 8 | 1974 | ||
| 12 | Vatican City | 7 | 0.5% | 2000 |
| 13 | Australia | 6 | 0.4% | 1994 |
| Singapore | 6 | 1999 | ||
| 15 | France | 4 | 0.3% | 1982 |
| Hong Kong, China | 4 | 2003 | ||
| 17 | Åland | 3 | 0.2% | 1994 |
| 18 | Ireland | 2 | 0.1% | 1974 |
| Switzerland | 2 | 1997 | ||
| Spain | 2 | 2003 | ||
| Thailand | 2 | 2002 | ||
| China | 2 | 1997 | ||
| Belgium | 2 | 1999 | ||
| Marshall Islands | 2 | 2001 | ||
| Gibraltar | 2 | 2000 | ||
| 26 | Tunisia | 1 | 1995 | |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1994 | ||
| Estonia | 1 | 1992 | ||
| Latvia | 1 | 1992 | ||
| Lithuania | 1 | 1992 | ||
| Total | 1,422 |
Japan never issued a Słania stamp.
By far the largest share comes from Sweden, the country most closely associated with Słania, at about 35%.
Five countries issued only a single Słania stamp.
Spotlight on the Countries That Issued Just One Słania Stamp
I’ll feature the countries with the most issues in later posts. This time, I want to shine a light on the single-stamp countries, which rarely get much attention.
I was intrigued by the idea that each of these is the one and only Słania stamp from that country.
Tunisia, 1995 — Hannibal, General of Carthage
Hannibal Barca (247–183 BC) was a great general of Carthage.
Carthage was a Phoenician state that flourished through Mediterranean trade along the northern coast of Africa in ancient times.
Its heartland lay in what is now northern Tunisia. The Archaeological Site of Carthage was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
Słania’s portraits are often thought of as delicate, but this stamp has a bold, powerful look befitting a great commander.
Hannibal also appears on another Tunisian printed item: the 5-dinar banknote issued in 1993.
There are records of Słania engraving banknotes for Canada & Brazil, but I could not find any source saying the Tunisian note is his work.
The compositions are similar, so I suspect one served as a reference for the other. (If you know, please tell me!)
New Zealand, 1995 — Mount Cook
In response to demand for a high-value stamp for parcels, New Zealand Post decided to issue a $20 stamp.
For this large-format stamp, they turned to Słania, who by then had an outstanding track record in the stamp world.
The design weaves together Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak; the silver fern (ponga); and the kōwhai, the country’s national flower.
The chain-like pattern across the top is a traditional Māori rafter pattern, expressing respect for indigenous tradition.
Among Słania’s stamps, I think it is a uniquely bold design that combines many different motifs.
Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania, 1992 — Birds of the Baltic Coast
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania each issued a stamp engraved by Słania as part of a joint Baltic Sea issue with Sweden sharing a common design.
The bird at upper right is Słania’s work: a black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa). The other three birds are by other engravers.
The flags of the participating countries are lined up on the Estonian first day cover. For Sweden, this stamp is simply one of its 496 Słania stamps.
“Mare Balticum” is Latin for “the Baltic Sea.”
Summary
Today I introduced how many stamps Słania created and where they were issued, along with the stamps from countries that issued only one.
Next time, I’ll introduce the top 10 stamps that Słania himself chose during his lifetime.
👉 Czesław Słania, Master of Stamp Engraving — Vol. 3: His Own Top 10 Stamps
Postio Marche, my online shop for foreign stamps, has a dedicated Słania stamp collection — please take a look.
👉 Postio Marche — Czesław Słania Stamps
Some of the stamps shown are from a private collection. Items available for purchase are those listed in the shop only.
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