A Design Disaster

Laval Stamp
The Canada Post Office stamp commemorating the 350th anniversary of the birth Laval was designed by Gerry Lorange and Michael Fog.

Unfortunately, the stamp was a design failure. The image of Laval printed in silver ink on an ultramarine background is difficult to make out and looks like a photographic negative. The gold text is lost in the dark background.
BABN Proofs
Although the Laval stamp was printed by Ashton-Potter Limited, the British American Bank Note Company (BABN) prepared essays for the stamp. The proofs and colour trials shown below were all produced by the BABN.
Image

National Archives of Canada
Laval Image in Orange
Text
The Ashton-Potter issued Laval stamp has a hyphen between the words "Francois" and "Xavier". The hyphen was not in the original BABN proofs and colour trials.
No Hyphen between "Francois" and "Xavier"
National Archives of CanadaColour Trials

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada
New Issue Pamphlet
First Day Covers
Canada Post Office Publicity First Day Cover
To Sweden
Shering
Canada Envelope Company
Jackson/Overseas Mailers
Grover
Rosecraft
Canada Post Office "Official" First Day Cover
Colorano "Silk"
The makers of the Colorano silk cachets produced first day cover of Canadian issue from 1973 to 1994. The Laval stamp was the first Canadian Colorano product.
David Pritchard
Usages
Domestic Letter
Trail to Calgary, February 7, 1973
8 cents domestic letter rate
A
ir Mail Letter to the United States
Toronto to Ettrick, Virginia, February19, 1973
10 cents air mail letter rate to the United States
Shortpaid 2 cents and taxed 4 cents
International Air Mail
Montreal to Vienna, March 14, 1973
15 cents air mail letter rate + 50 cents registration fee
AR card attached to envelope