Paraguay Postal Stationery
A) Postal cards
Issue of 1882
Sometime in
late 1881 or 1882 (the earliest reference I have found is in the January 1882
issue of Le Timbre Post quoting a Mr. Daws) Paraguay issued a 2 centavos
and 3 centavos postal card. According to the "Handbuch amtlischer
Postkarten, Kartenbriefe, Postumschlage und Packet-Begleitadressen" by
Theodor Haas it was in January 1882.
The 2c card
is printed in violet on white card stock 0.0125 inches in thickness. It is lithographed and was produced by Roberto
Lange of Buenos Aires. It measures
135mm x 76mm. I do not know the
quantity issued but suspect it was rather small. Used cards are quite scarce, as I have recorded only 5. These are:
15 November 1882 to Buenos Aires (received
on 21 Nov)
30 August 1883 to Germany
5 July 1883 to Buenos Aires
26 January 1883 to France with an
additional 1-centavo stamps of the 1881 issue.
Unknown date
& destination with additional 1 centavo on 1 Real of 1881 provisional
An
incomplete indicia in black on thin card is the only essay I am aware of.
A composite
proof on cream-colored card, in black, of the 2c, 3c, and double 4c and 6c measuring
236mm x 460mm is known and was offered in a Guillermo Jalil sale.
Plate proofs
in brown as well as in green on a thin card (0.0065) are known. Also, a proof in black is known.
3 centavos
As with the
2c card, this was issued, probably, in 1882.
It is in blue, lithographed by Lange and the card stock is 0.0125 inches
thick.
As with the
2c, plate proofs in green and brown on thin card are known.
Used copies
of this card are scarce but not nearly as scarce as the 2 centavos.
The earliest
use of this card I have recorded is 28 June of 1883. An interesting item is a copy to Germany with an "Estafeta Ambulante" cancel.
At the same
time Paraguay received two Message and Reply cards, a 4c + 4c and 6c + 6c. Apparently this was due to a
misunderstanding that they were to be a 2c + 2c (4c total) and 3c + 3c (6c
total).
These
incorrectly denominated cards were never issued since they were of the wrong
rate. To correct this error without
ordering a new set of cards, the postal officials handstamped the cards with the
correct rate.
2c + 2c on 4c + 4c
The earliest
report I have of this card is in the April 1882 issue of "The Philatelic
Record" stating that a Mr. Castle (a prominent collector of the time) had
provided copies to the magazine.
The
surcharge is 33mm long and 4 mm high and can be found neatly printed and poorly
printed. I do not know the quantity
issued, nor am I aware of any proofs or essays.
To date a
used copy of this card has not been reported.
3c + 3c on 6c + 6c
Also issued,
apparently in 1882, per the above-mentioned notice in the Philatelic
Record. Again, exact date and quantity
are unknown.
On this card
the surcharge measures 37mm long by 4mm high. And again, the printing can be
neat or poor.
It has been reported
that a numeral "5" was used in error for a "3" but this is
not true. Inspection under a good glass
will show that these are just unclear 3's.
The handstamp is know with broken and mangled letter and there is also a
partial
double hand
stamping.
One used
copy from Asuncion to Germany is known although in very tatty condition.
Counterfeits -
In the March
15, 1892 issue of the American Journal of Philately it was noted that
counterfeits of the 2c, 3c, and 4c + 4c as well as the 6c +6c cards exist.
These are also described in the 1898 Scott Standard Catalog of Postal Cards and
Letter Cards.
The genuine
card has a footnote "DE ESTE LADO...REVERSO" that measures 103Ό mm
and has a period after the word "REVERSO" while the counterfeits
measures 105 mm on white or 104Ό mm on buff.
The divider
at top quickly identifies the message and reply cards. See illustrations for the different designs.
Genuine
divider on 3c card
Counterfeit
divider on 3c card on white.
Counterfeit
divider on 3c card on buff.
Genuine
divider on 4c+4c message card and on counterfeit 4c+4c message card
Genuine
divider on 4c+4c reply card on white.
Counterfeit
divider on 4c+4c reply card on white.
Counterfeit
divider on both message & reply card on buff.
1884 Issue
2c red on buff
The earliest
report I have of this card is in the 20 November 1884 issue of the Illustriertes
Briefmarken Journal. It states
that a 2c red on buff postal card has been issued, measuring 135mm x 76mm.
I do not
know the exact date of issue and quantity. The earliest reported date of use I have is 2 October 1884.
There are
composite proofs of the 1c, 2c, and 4c adhesives for this period and as the 2c
card design is the same as the adhesive it may be considered as a proof for
this item as well.
I am not aware
of any varieties of this card.
3 centavos blue on buff
Probably
issued at the same time as the 2c card but date and quantity are unknown.
On the
composite proof of the 1c, 2, and 4c adhesive there is a 3c which would have
been for this card as no adhesive in that denomination was issued.
The only
variety I know is misplaced stamp indicia.
The earliest reported use is 4 June 1886 and I do record a usage from Asuncion on 11 December 1889 to Russia.
1896 Issue
The 3
September 1896 issue of Mekeels noted the issuance of a 2c green on
white, a 4c brownish red on white postal cards as well as a 2c + 2c green on
white and 4c + 4c brownish red on white message and reply cards.
These
probably appeared about mid-year although the exact date is unknown. The earliest reported use for the 2c is 27 October 1896; for the 4c it is 22 July 1896; and for the 2c + 2c unknown day in August 1896. Likewise, the quantity issued is unknown.
I am not
aware of any proofs. However, in the
April 1966 "van den Berg offers list", there is a listing of an 1896
5c brown Urairte postal card cut square.
This was not an issued value so I can only conclude it must be an essay.
1928 Issue
It was about
32 years before the next and final issue of postal cards appeared. These are a 70 centavos carmine on yellow (earliest reported use - 14 June 1930) and a 70 centavos carmine on blue (earliest reported date of use - 19 January 1931) card. They are lithographed and measure 137mm x 89mm. They probably were produced by the
Government Printing Office but this is not known for certain. The quantity
issued and the date of issue are also unknown.
I am not
aware of any proofs or essays for these cards.
The only variety
I am aware of is the 70c on yellow with the back printed showing a copy of the
1 Peso adhesive issued for the 50th Anniversary of the founding of San
Bernardino on 24 August 1931. These
probably were done by the Imprenta Oficial. The stamp illustrated, according to
the Michel catalog, is based on a photo by Hans von Bose.
B) Letter Cards
1891 Issue
On 15 August
1891, according to the work by Haas, Paraguay issued a 2c red on white and a 3c
blue on white letter card. However, the
earliest record I find for these letter cards appeared in the 14 October 1891
issue of the Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal.
Both letter
cards are comb perforated and measure 142 mm x 85mm. The earliest reported use for the 2c is 28 September 1891, while for the 4c it is 27 November 1891.
I am not
aware of any proofs or essays of these cards, nor do I know the quantity
issued.
Both of
these letter cards are known the "oficial" overprint in violet. The status of these overprinted cards is not
presently known. It is my opinion that these were made for Don Federico Alonso, the Consul General of Paraguay in Argentina who was a stamp collector and for whom other philatelic favors were
produced. They are scarce, however.
1896 Issue
In the 1
September 1896 issue of the Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal there is
mention of a 2c green on white letter card being issued. Although the exact date is not known it may
well have been concurrent with the postal card. The earliest reported use is unknown day in December 1896. Although all catalogs note this as being a 2c green on white the
3 September 1896 issue of Mekeels notes it as being on buff. I have not seen it on buff.
Like the
1891 letter card it is comb perforated but I do not know the quantity issued.
I am not
aware of any proofs or essays.
These cards
can be found with the "VAPOR" markings, but are scarce thus.
1900 Issue.
Sometime in
December 1900 the final letter cards were issued. They measure 140mm x 85mm.
It is most
likely that they were produced to celebrate the new century as they are
inscribed "SIGLO XIX - XX PARAGUAY - ENERO 1901" on the front and
"FELIZ ANO NUEVO" on the reverse.
It is almost
certain they were produced by the South American Bank Not Company in Buenos
Aires.
There are
two values, a 2c brownish carmine (earliest reported date of use - 29 December 1900)and 4c deep green (earliest reported date of use - 1 January 1901.) Both cards exist with a
line perforation as well as a comb perforation. They are said to exist on
cream, buff, straw, and deep yellow stock although it is not known if both
perforation varieties exist on all colors.
According to
the 10 July 1901 issue of the Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal they
list the 2c on "rotlich-sδmisch"(reddish-buff) and
"rahmfarbig" (cream) and the 4c on "rahmfarbig" (cream),
"grόnlich-gelb" (greenish-yellow), "gelb" (yellow), and
"sδmisch" (buff). The Weekly Philatelic Era of March 16, 1901
listed them as being on cream, yellow and buff for the 2c, and on pale yellow,
yellow and buff for the 4c.
Die proofs
in six colors are listed in the 1947 Kneitschel catalog although in error as
being essays for the 1888-91 adhesive issues.
A major
variety recently found by Brian Moorhouse is the 2c with the design of the 4c
in blue with a background frame and text in orange on the reverse.
C) Envelopes
It is known that
in 1853/54 when Francisco Solano Lopez was in France he had some essays
produced for postage stamps. Although
they were never used for postage stamps the design was utilized on the paper
money of the 1860's.
This design
is also known on envelopes although I doubt they were ever issued. I have examples in green on white wove paper
and white laid paper. I understand they
also exist in blue and orange.
It is not
known if these were produced in the 1850's-60's or at a later date, i.e., after
the War of the Triple Alliance.
In 1879
Roberto Lange produce an adhesive issue for Paraguay. The original printing was
denominated in Reales instead of Centavos and was thus rejected by the
government. A new printing in the
correct values was then produced.
Apparently a
request for postal stationery was made with the original request as the 1879 10
Reales, in black, is known on an envelope.
It is on white wove paper and the envelope measures 110mm x 87mm. It, like the adhesives, probably was never
issued.
Also known
is a 5 centavos rose pink on white envelope, 112mm x 73mm. Although in the corrected currency it does
not appear to have been issued.
1887 Issue
Paraguay
issued its first postal stationery envelopes in March 1887 according to a notice
in the September issue of Le Timbre-Poste. The earliest reported date of use is 19 February 1888.
It is a 5c
light blue on cream laid paper, 152mm x 83xx.
The quantity issued is not known.
I am not
aware of any proofs or essays.
The envelope
is known with the "oficial" handstamp in violet and the comments in
the letter card section apply here also.
1892 Issue
On 12
October 1892 Paraguay issued its first commemorative postal item in honor of
the 400th Anniversary of the Discovery of America by Columbus.
The 5c
envelope of 1887 was used and a special 15c indicia was handstamped on it in
black.
The
government found 3642 copies of the 5c envelope in the General Post Office and
another 7000 in safe keeping at the Banco Agricola, so 8000 were printed and
they all sold.
The envelope
was valid only one day - 12 October 1892 - and most were cancelled to
order. A wild speculation took place
and according to C. J. Phillips the following prices were paid for the item
till the bubble burst.
October 12
$0.50
October 14
$3.00
October 16
...
.$4.50
October 18
...
.$5.00
October 22
$6.00
October 24
$7.00
October 26
..
$12.00
October 28
.
.$25.00
October 30
.
.$35.00
November 1
$45.00
Prices
dropped rapidly after November 1st.
In the December
31, 1892 issue of the American Journal of Philately there appeared a
translation of the decree for the envelope and so I am reproducing it here.
"General
Director of Posts and Telegraphs
In order to
celebrate fittingly the fourth Centenary of the discover of America on the 12th
of October of this year, a discovery which the American people commemorate as a
Transcendental
feat, and in accordance with the resolution of the Government, arrived
yesterday, the Director General of Posts and Telegraphs HAS RESOLVED:
Article
1. On the above-mentioned day there
shall be placed in circulation a special stamp and a special envelope of 5
centavos, surcharged, of the value of 20 centavos.
Article
II. The stamps spoken of in Article I
are printed on white paper with blue ink and bear the expressed value of 10
centavos in white with the bust of Candido Bareiro, the ex-president of the
Republic, and the following inscription in brown ink "1492-12 de
Octubre-1892".
Article
III. The envelopes shall be those which
are now in circulation, of the value of 5 centavos, and shall bear another
stamp in black ink, which shall express by means of the surcharge, the 15
centavos additional and shall bear the bust of Columbus and the following
inscription: "Republica del Paraguay-Colon-15
centavos-12 de Octubre-1492-1892".
Article
IV. Those who desire to purchase some
of these stamps, whether for collections or for prepaying their correspondence,
can obtain them only on that one day at the postoffice, which, for this purpose,
will remain open from 5a.m. until 7 p.m.
Article
V. No more than 10 envelopes shall be
sold to any one person.
Article
VI. The stamps of 10 centavos may be
sold in any quantity asked for.
Article
VII. For the convenience of the public
a special office shall be at its disposal to cancel the stamps with
cancellation marks of the day, which gives complete authenticity to those who
desire it.
Article
VIII. The stamps and envelopes of the
issue of Octover 12th shall circulate for postage only on that day.
Article
IX. The remainder of this extraordinary
issue shall be destroyed on the 13th of October at the General Postoffice, at
9 a.m. in the presence of the Director General and General Accountant of the
Nation and the President of the Banco Agricola.
This shall
be communicated to all who may inquire in regard to it.
Asuncion,
Oct. 11th, 1892
Angel de Pena
Director General of Posts and
Telegraphs
Blas Garay, Secretary
Regarding
the issue of postal values of October 12th, we are requested to publish the
following:
On October
13th, 1892: at 7 a.m. I presented
myself at the Banco Agrocola for the purpose of carrying into effect the
regulations made for the distribution of the postage stamps of 10 centavos,
with the bust of President Bareiro, which were placed in circulation yesterday,
according to the Government Decree of the 10th inst. The President and Director General of said bank being present,
they proceeded to the case which contained the stamps equal to $34,500.00
which, with the sum of $5,500.00 the equivalent of 55,000 stamps as certified
to as having been sold by the General Direction of Posts, making a total of
400,000 stamps or $40,000.00 which was the quantity sent to the post office in
accordance with receipt No. 4, of the 29th of September, 1892. I also received
for inspection the stamp which was used for the above mentioned issues, with
the inscription "1492 12 de Octubre 1892." At the request of the
President of said bank, I issue this certificate under above date at the office
of the Auditor General of the Nation.
(signed) M. Viveros
General Accountant and Auditor, pro-tem.
Copied in
the corresponding book.
(signed) I. Ocampos, Bookeeper."
This envelope
postally used is extremely rare as most copies were cancelled to order and
never went through the postal service. Beware of these CTO items later filled
in with an address and offered as postally used.
All items of
Paraguay postal Stationery are much scarcer postally used than mint. This envelope is the only exception, as only
one unused copy is known to me.
1896 Issue
Sometime in
1896 a 5 c dull violet on cream laid paper envelope, 148mm x 82mm, was
issued. The earliest reference I have
found is the 3 September 1896 issue of Mekeel's which notes it as being
on buff laid paper. The 19 September
1896 issue of the Illustriertes Briefmarken Journal notes it as being on
cream laid paper. The earliest reported date of use is 28 January 1897.
I do not
know the quantity issued.
Essays and
Proofs are known for the adhesive issue of this design and may well apply to
the envelopes.
I am not
aware of any varieties.
Probably at
the same time the 10c blue on cream laid, 148mm x 82mm, was issued in an
unknown quantity. Again Mekeels
notes this as being on a white laid paper in their 10 September 1896 issue. The earliest reported use is unknown day in September 1896.
Supposedly
in September 1900 a Prussian blue shade of this envelope appeared. I have never seen this.
1929 Issue.
Sometime in
1929 a 1.50Peso dull violet on white wove envelope, 154mm x 126mm, was
issued. It was issued without (ERU - 22 February 1929) and with a "c" (for rural)(ERU - 24 July 1928!) [Issue date of 1929 may be in error] overprint.
I do not know the quantities issued for either.
Without "c"
The envelope
is a white wove with a gray network pattern printed on the inside.
It MAY exist
with gray crossed wavy lines, or a black network pattern on the inside, but I
have not seen either of these.
With "c"
This
envelope is known with gray crossed wavy lines or a black network pattern
printed on the inside and MAY also exist with the gray network pattern on the
inside.
Proofs of
the 1.50P indicia are known for the adhesive of this value and may apply to the
envelope.
1931 Issue
In 1931,
exact date unknown, the 1929 issue without a "c" was reissued in an
unknown quantity. However, I have seen a commercial usage on 3 March 1928! The distinguishing difference is a four-word footnote in
lower left "Talleres de Valores Oficiales." The inside has the gray network pattern.
D) Air Letter Envelope
According to
the "World Catalog of Air Letter Sheets", an air letter envelope for
ministerial Services was issued in 1960.
It is said
to be on white paper, tinted blue inside, and has a border of red and blue
lozenges. At left are the
"National Coat of Arms", "Sender" and a blue legend in
English, French and German.
At present I
do no know anything else about this item.
E) Wrapper
In March
1887 according to the September 1887 issue of Le Timbre Poste, Paraguay
issued a 2c carmine on buff wrapper, 236mm x 160mm. The earliest reported date of use is 5 June 1887.
I do not
know the quantity issued, nor am I aware of any varieties.
Like the
letter cards and envelope, this item is known with the violet
"oficial" handstamp. The
comments in the letter card section apply here as well.
I would like
to hear from other Collectors of Paraguay who could add or correct any
information presented here.