1953 Totem Pole Definitive


The $1.00 totem pole definitive was issued on February 2, 1953 to replace the 1951 Fisheries Industry stamp.

Essays

National Archives of Canada

Pencil and watercolour essay by Emmanuel Hahn

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

Die Proofs Colour Trials

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

First Day Covers







Signed by Stamp Designer


Emmanuel Hahn designed the $1.00 Totem Pole stamp



Opened by Hungarian Customs




Usages

Fourth Class Mail (Parcel)



Clinton to Vancouver, February 6, 1961
$1.45 paid the 25 lb. parcel rate within the same zone
(A possibility)







Richmond Sask. to Calgary, December 1955
Could be the $1.55 rate for a parcel over 15 lb. and up to 20 lb.


Postage Due Payment



Receipt for $1.06, Brampton, March 9, 1959

1952 Canada Goose Definitive

The 7 cent Canada Goose stamp, issued on November 2, 1952, replaced the 7 cent Peace Issue air mail stamp which had been in use since 1946. Unlike its predecessor, the 1952 Canada Goose stamp was not an air mail issue. It was however used singly to prepay domestic air mail service if requested until March 31, 1954, as well as the first step air mail rate to the United States. The stamp design was credited to Emmanuel Hahn.

Essays

National Archives of Canada

National Museum of Canada by John A. Crosby Rec'd Dec 3/51

The Crosby essay was for a 50 cent stamp. The approved model by Emmanuel Hahn retained many of the design components of the Crosby essay.

National Archives of Canada

Hahn essay

National Archives of Canada

This photograph was the model used by the designer to draw the goose.

Approved Model

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

Die Proof

Die Proofs Colour Trials

The following items were printed on coloured paper after November 2, 1952, the day of issue.

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

 
National Archives of Canada

First Day Covers

(Not in author's collection)


Usages

Domestic Air Mail Prior to April 1, 1954

"All-Up" air mail service was introduced on July 1, 1948. Domestic mail posted at surface letter rates would be sent by air mail is such service was available. However, the air mail rate had to be paid if air mail service was specifically requested.

On April 1, 1954, mail not exceeding 8 ounces and prepaid at the surface rate was carried by air service provided air transmission was available. A request for air service for letters less than 8 ounces did not result in a tax from April 1, 1954.

Until March 31, 1954, if domestic air mail letter service was requested, the rate was 7 cents for the first ounce and 5 cents for each additional ounce.



RCAF Station Summerside to Toronto, PEI, to Toronto, July 29 1953
7 cents domestic air mail rate (requested service)



Vancouver to Hamilton, December 23, 1952
7 cents air mail letter rate + 10 cents special delivery fee


Air Mail Letter to the United States

The air mail letter rate to the United States was 7 cents for the first ounce.

The two letters below were sent by U.S. military personnel stationed at the Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Stephenville, Newfoundland.



Harmond Field to Alexandria, Louisiana, November 15, 1953
Harmon Field circular date stamp
7 cents air mail letter rate to the United States



Harmond Field to San Franciso, January 1957
Harmon Field machine cancellation
7 cents air mail letter rate to the United States



Vancouver to Sacramento, January 25, 1964
7 cents air mail post card rate


International Air Mail



Vancouver to Dublin, October 22, 1962
15 cents air mail rate for post cards to the Republic of Ireland



Valleyfield to Amsterdam, September 18, 1958
15 cents air mail rate shortpaid 8 cents
Sent by surface mail



Montreal to Haifa, Israel, March 11, 1953
25 cents one-half ounce air mail rate



Department of Veterans Affairs
Vancouver to Bloemfontein, South Africa, December 9, 1952
Registered surface letter
4 cents surface letter rate (preferred) + 20 cents registration

1952 Prime Ministers Series :
3 cent John Abbott
4 cent Alexander Mackenzie

The second set in the Prime Ministers series was issued on November 3, 1952 to honour John Abbott and Alexander Mackenzie The first set in the Prime Ministers series was released on June 25, 1951, during the reign of George VI. The stamps were designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz and based on photographs supplied by the Public Archives of Canada.

John Abbott

The image used for the John Abbott stamp was based on the photograph below.

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

Alexander Mackenzie

National Archives of Canada

Essay

National Archives of Canada

 First Day Covers

Usages

Local Letter Rate


Aurora, local letter, December 1, 1952
3 cents local letter rate


UPU Printed Matter

The surface UPU printed matter rate was 2 cents for the first two ounces. The envelope below was unsealed and the date of mailing (November 26, 1952) suggests that it contained a Christmas card. The letter was franked with a 3 cent stamp and was thus overpaid. The Swiss post office however treated it as an underpaid surface letter and taxed it accordingly.



Bradwell, Sask., to Sagendorf, Switzerland, November 26 1952
No Canadian tax marking (this was overpaid printed matter)
Swiss Tax : 35 (Swiss centimes) in black pencil
Postage dues affixed and cancelled December 13, 1952

A Possible Explanation for the Swiss Taxation:




International Air Mail


Thornhill to London, January 9, 1953
15 cents one-half ounce air mail rate to Great Britain


Domestic Forward Letter


London, Ont., University to Woodstock, December 3, 1952
4 cents surface forward letter rate



Amherstburg to Toronto, January 6, 1953
4 cents forward letter rate + 20 cents registration fee


Air Mail to the United States


Windsor to Cleveland, January 19, 1953
7 cents air mail rate + 10 cents special delivery fee


International Surface Letter : Preferential Rate

The surface letter fee to Great Britain was 4 cents for the first ounce.


New Westminster to London, November 17, 1952
4 cents preferred surface letter rate to Great Britain


UPU Surface Letter

The UPU surface letter rate was 5 cents.


Aroostock Jct., N.B., to Skijrn, Denmark, December 1952
5 cents UPU surface letter rate