Canada is currently going head to head with India in the second round of the 2017 Stamp Madness contest, which is a bracket-style tournament held by the American Philatelic Society (APS).
To cast your vote via Facebook, click here and “Like” the 1946 eight-cent Eastern Farm stamp (Scott #268) representing Canada. To vote via Twitter, “Like” the tweet below.
The stamp’s image was engraved by Warrell Hauck, whose work is seen on a number of Canadian stamps and at least one Canadian banknote, the 1954 Canadian Landscape Series issued by the Bank of Canada.
The stamp was designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz, who’s also remembered for designing the famed 50-cent Bluenose stamp (SC #158) issued on Jan. 8, 1929. Schwartz’s work can be seen on many of the stamps issued by the Post Office Department from 1927 through the mid 1950s.
The design of the Eastern Farm stamp is based on a photograph by L.W. White, an early Canadian photographer; however, according to the 1964 book Canada’s Postage Stamps, the scene is actually a composite from four photographs. While the image of the farm house to the right is from a photograph taken in Eastern Ontario, the barn to the left is from a photograph taken in Western Ontario; the silo is from another photograph taken in Central Ontario; and the ploughmen and horses are from a fourth photograph taken in Quebec.
Round 2! Re-tweet to vote for India Stamp. Like for Canada Stamp. #APSstamps #StampMadness https://t.co/iWqlJDLjrl pic.twitter.com/F8lSKv8jFK
— Amer Philatelic Soc (@APS_stamps) March 27, 2017
The Taj Mahal stamp was issued in 1949 as part of India’s first regular Archaeology series, which was also the country’s first set of stamps since gaining independence from Britain. Nearly 20 of these stamps were issued between August 1947 and April 1951.
In addition to the matchup between Canada’s 1946 Eastern Farm stamp and India’s 1949 Taj Mahal stamp, other second-round matchups include the 1964 U.S. World’s Fair stamp vs. Greece’s 1953 Grapes and Bread stamp; the 1962 U.S. Project Mercury stamp, which won the most votes in round one, vs. New Zealand’s 1946 Southern Alps and Chapel stamp; and lastly, Japan’s 1962 Suigo Quasi-National Park stamp vs. Laos’ 1958 Elephant stamp.
Throughout four rounds of voting, one stamp will be crowned champion. The original 16 stamps represented four regions, including the Americas, Europe, the Pacific, and the Afro-Mediterranean.
CHOOSING 16 STAMPS
According to the APS, some guidelines were used in choosing the 16 stamps for the contest. These include:
• featuring only standard postage stamps (no airmail, express mail, revenue stamps, etc.);
• using no specific images of individuals (kings, queens, scientists, musicians, etc.);
• avoiding the use of “masterwork” paintings and photos (although statuary and buildings were allowed);
• attempting to capture diverse designs, colours, topics, and countries (although only independent countries, no colonies, were allowed);
• using only common stamps and no rarities; and
• using stamps from after the Second World War through 1970.
UPDATE: THIRD-ROUND MATCHUP VS. THE U.S.
After a close battle with India in the second round of the 2017 Stamp Madness contest, Canada now faces the U.S. World’s Fair stamp of 1964.
To cast your vote via Facebook, click here and “Like” the 1946 eight-cent Eastern Farm stamp (Scott #268) representing Canada. To vote via Twitter, “Like” the tweet below.
The World’s Fair stamp, which features artwork by architectural illustrator John Wenrich, who was involved with the New York fairs of 1939 and 1964.
Final 4! Re-tweet to vote for U.S. World's Fair Stamp. Like for Canada Stamp. #APSstamps #StampMadness https://t.co/yaOjIg5w8i pic.twitter.com/zsSeh1G6vg
— Amer Philatelic Soc (@APS_stamps) March 31, 2017
The other third-round matchup is between Laos’ 1958 Elephant stamp and New Zealand’s 1946 Southern Alps and Chapel stamp.
Voting for the “philatelic final four” began yesterday and is open until midnight on April 5.
Organizers said the second round “saw a couple of upsets, including a result that was tied online and broken by in-house votes at the American Philatelic Center.”