Gems of Indian Flag Stamp Essays
L.N. Williams in his “Fundamentals
of Philately”, published by the American Philatelic Society,
Pennsylvania, 1990, defines; “Essays” are (printed) designs proposed but
not adopted as proposed.
The proposed but never used postage
stamps of Azad
Hind Government (Nationales Indien). Indian National Army (INA) was so sure of its triumph that it printed postage stamps for Azad Hind.
The stamps printed in 1943 at Reichsdruckerei, Berlin, Germany were designed by the team consisting of Werner
and Maria von Axter-Heudtlass.
The stamps were meant for use in Free India (Azad Hind) after the liberation of India. Three
types or colour trials (?) of semi-postal stamps in the denominations of ‘1R +
2R’ are known to exist. According to S. A.
Ayer, former minister of publicity of the Provisional Government of Azad
Hind, ‘Under Netaji’s specific
instructions a number of designs for stamps to be issued in the name of Azad
Hind were prepared. Many of the designs were personally approved by Netaji.’
In 1988, Biren Roy, Member of the Parliament (MP) said, ‘I
have spoken to Colonel of the INA Prem Saigal who was Netaji’s private aide-de-camp
in the Far East. He stated that the stamps were printed under the orders of
Netaji Bose in Germany.’ Source; “Azad Hind” and “Chalo
Delhi” Stamps by Herbert A. Friedman, Published by Jal Cooper,1972.
India
1947 Flag Stamp Essay (imperforate block of four), first
appeared in the 59th Specialised Public Auction Sale ; 8th
& 9th November 1997, by Sukhani Europhil Ltd, Calcutta. (The
item was later withdrawn from the auction sale).
On 28 January 2014, an auction was
held in London by Spink, the first item on the auction list was the 1947
Independence 11/2 a. Flag Stamp Essay- an imperforate
pair. Source; Stamps Today,
January-February 2014, New Delhi.
Erstwhile Princely State of Hyderabad
Hyderabad: 1947 Essays
prepared in anticipation of the Commemoration of Hyderabad’s Independence;
however these stamps were never issued as Hyderabad became part of India. The
complete set of four stamps include 4 pies green & yellow depicting
transport symbols, the 8 pies purple
& yellow depicting the proposed flag of the Independent State of Hyderabad,
the 1 anna yellow & green depicting
the map of Hyderabad and the 2 annas yellow-orange depicting head gear ”Dastor”. An extremely rare and important
complete set of which less than 10 sets are in private hands today. These four
stamps are a testimony to the fact that Hyderabad may have become an
independent country and not belonged to India after 1947. Source:
Todywalla Auctions; Electronic Stamp Auction – 1, conducted by Art &
Antique Décor, Mumbai.
India Postage Stamp
Centenary 1854-1954 Essays on watermarked
paper.
