Postage stamp close-up below

Divided back, artist-signed postcard with actual artist signature on reverse. Artist:  Angus Henry Shortt. Reverse includes postage stamp designed from the artist’s work, with postage cancellation mark, Winnipeg, 1963. Publisher:  K. Bileski, Station B, Winnipeg, Canada.

Price:  $20.00

“Canada Geese in flight over Canadian Northlands . . . from a painting by the noted wildlife artist, Angus Shortt.”

You’ll notice that the postage stamp’s design is that of the four geese in the postcard which was taken from one of Angus Shortt’s paintings, but if you look closely at the enlargement of the stamp above, you’ll see that the placement of the geese, and the geese themselves are not identical. We found a 1948 vintage bookplate art print for sale on eBay and wonder if that image (though quite a bit different) was the original that the card and stamp were designed from, and if so, if it was the artist or the publisher (with artist’s permission?) that did the re-designing, or if there was another painting they were taken from. Just wondering briefly in passing….Here’s a short bio from Memorable Manitobans: Angus Henry Shortt (1908 – 2006). And in noticing which birds are honking and which not in the images above….gosh this brings back memories of being outside and….what’s that noise?…looking up and seeing the “V”….ahhhh! a whole flock of Canada Geese on their way (south, I guess), many honking in flight. What a glorious sight and sound!

Source:  Goldsborough, Gordon. “Memorable Manitobans:  Angus Henry Shortt (1908 – 2006)”  Memorable Manitobans, December 23, 2014 (revised). (accessed November 10, 2016).