Just look at the Penny Black and all those beautiful Victorian stamps from the British Empire,’ Karl Bickel told the Swiss postal authorities. ‘And then look at our drab stamps.’
Bickel was the man who convinced his country that it should reintroduce engraved stamps in the inter-war period, and in the process, he became one of the most influential engravers in the history of Swiss philately.
Born in Zürich in 1886, Bickel embarked on his career as a designer by applying for apprenticeships. At the age of 14, he was taken on by Paul Bleuler’s graphic art company, learning the art of lithography. He stayed for four years, spending much of his time designing picture postcards.
After a stint at another graphic art company, Hüttner, he left with some other colleagues to open their own studio, designing letterheads, business cards, and fashion catalogs.
Later he went his own way, carving out a career in poster art, for which he became well known. Through the Wolfensberger printing firm, Bickel received his first commission from the Swiss postal authority, the PTT in Bern, for a copper engraving of the Universal Postal Union monument to mark the 50th anniversary of the organization in 1924.
This was not for a stamp, but it was the start of what would be a long-lasting relationship between Bickel and the PTT.
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Stamp Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Stamp Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Ship Of State
Recess-printed, lithographed, typographed and overprinted, the attractive Lakatoi issues of British New Guinea and Papua are a complex series with myriad varieties
The Finest Cuts For This Year's Christmas Fare
Royal Mail’s Christmas stamps, released on November 5, take a religious approach this year, featuring classy biblical scenes created by paper-cut artists Hari & Deepti.
Roaring Success?
The first stamp issue for Kenya, Uganda & Tanganyika in 1935 might have united three postal administrations, but its design and printing were far from uniform
Man Of Peace
Karl bickel not only transformed and rejuvenated Swiss stamp design in the mid-20th century but also built a monument to peace in his spare time
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A Royal Mail stamp issue on October 10 marked the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Gruffalo, the popular children’s picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
Day Of Reckoning
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Beasts Of Burden
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King And Kaiser
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Whisper Of Wilberforce
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Try, Try Again
With the rugby World Cup currently underway in Japan, what better time to investigate the growing potential for a rugby union thematic collection?