BOLIVIA
The Bolivian telegraph authorities issued several large seals, which were often, or perhaps usually, torn or cut in half to produce two smaller seals.
Illustration is therefore difficult unless unused seals can be found.
| Updates. The above was written by Steve Hiscocks. I have had to re-number and change the sequence. I have also added a number of items. During the 'Chaco War' with Paraguay (1932-5), The seals used were much influenced by it. Many of my images were from this Exhibition collection. Many more plus pricing guides are from Daniel González Fernández This is my second experiment with pricing. As always, feedback welcome. |
Lithographed by Lithography United.
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| #1 1926 | |
For the sake of interest, I will show how this was used in mailing a telegram to Munich, Bavaria.
Photos courtesy of Aztec Collectables, click on one for the listing.
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| #2 1934, 46mm ? (Republic of Bolivia) | #3 1934? 46mm ? (Army of Bolivia) |
There are at least two similar types of each of these, but I think more.
Further scans needed.
| RH # | Type. | was | Description | Mint | Used | On telegram |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RH1 | 1 | - | 1926 Arms of Bolivia. Imperf. Black on cream. | 12.00 | 6.00 | 48.00 |
| RH2 | 2 | #1 | 1934. Imperf. machine cut. Red on cream (Republic). | 180.00 | 90.00 | 240.00 |
| RH3 | 3 | - | 1934. Imperf. machine cut. Red on white (Army). | 180.00 | 90.00 | 240.00 |
Hiscocks adds the following note:
| Note. A left half of #2 has not been seen and the width is estimated on the assumption that the design is symmetrical around the crest. |
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| #4 1932-5, 56.9mm. ('Bolivia' written low on map) | #5 1934-5 54mm. (no border with 'feathered' outer edges, small arms) |
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| #6 1935 (red 'CHACO') imprint of 'LIT. UNIDAS LA PAZ' | #7 1937, 56mm. (with a border, large arms) |
| RH # | Type. | was | Description | Mint | Used | On telegram |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RH4 | 4 | (#5) | 1932-35. Perf.11.5 Scarlet. | 12.00 | 10.00 | 50.00 |
| RH5 | 5 | #4 | 1934-5 54.2mm, Imperf. machine cut. Green (marked shades). | 18.00 | 9.00 | 30.00 |
| RH6 | 6 | #5 | 1935. Perf. Dark green. The word 'CHACO' inserted in red. | 20.00 | 10.00 | 60.00 |
| RH7 | 7 | #3 | 1937. Imperf. machine cut. Green (marked shades). | 18.00 | 9.00 | 30.00 |
Hiscocks adds the following notes:
| Note. #3 and #4 [now #7 and #5] differ in many respects - the 2mm difference in the width, the details of the map, design details in the upper corners - but perhaps the easiest to see is the thickness of the lettering along the bottom which is much thinner. |
| Note. This seal [#6] would seem to derive from the Chaco War, 1932-35, against Paraguay in which Bolivia attempted to gain control of the Chaco region between the two countries in the mistaken belief that it was oil-rich and in the hope of obtaining access to the Atlantic down the Paraguay River. Bolivia lost. The seal is probably Die III but I have only seen illustrations on the internet. |
My note: #6 (like Hiscocks' illustration) has a clear imprint for La Pas at the bottom right. the letters 'A' at the bottom are also more splayed.
The name 'Bolivia' on the map of #4 is lower than all the rest.
These two have also turned up, the left one on a radiogram dated 18 February 1937.
| RH # | Type. | was | Description | Mint | Used | On telegram |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RH8 | 8 | - | 1937. Imperf. x Perf. Black on white. on strips? | 25.00 | 12.50 | 40.00 |
| RH9 | 9 | - | Date?. Imperf. Red on white. | 18.00 | 9.00 | 30.00 |
Block of 4 seals (reduced) of Type #10, 1937, 54.5mm each.
Hiscocks adds the following note:
| Note. Shades of #10 vary from light blue to dark blue. Used copies seen are all upper or lower half of that illustrated which seems to be rouletted around the pair but not between the two seals. The divide on those seen seems to be a straight tear, as if against a ruler, rather than a scissor cut. |
However, here is a scissor-cut example.
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| Scissor-cut example of #10 |
Here is a horizontal(only) rouletted example.
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| Scissor-cut example of #10 (from telegram dated 18 August 1937) |
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| #11 1934?, 45mm |
| RH # | Type. | was | Description | Mint | Used | On telegram |
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| RH10 | 10 | #2 | 1937. Roughly rouletted in pairs. Shades from light to dark blue. | 15.00 | 7.50 | 24.00 |
| RH10a | Rouletted every row, but not vertically. | 15.00 | 7.50 | 24.00 | ||
| RH11 | 11 | - | 1934?. Perf.11 Green. | 30.00 | 15.00 | 60.00 |
BOLIVIA / TELEGRAFOS DEL ESTADO
Perforated between seals.
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| #12 1944, est. 48mm across lettering on white (thick italic lettering). | |
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| #13 1944, est. 47mm. across lettering on yellow (simple thin letters). | |
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| #13 1944, 47mm. (bottom edge of sheet) | |
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| #13 1944, 47mm. in blue . | |
Hiscocks gave the white strips as 13mm wide and the others as 11mm wide.
I find the tape widths to be variable, my white example (September 1944) is 11mm wide.
The type font used however seems more consistent in that the white tapes have much thicker (italic) letters, whilst the others are thinner and simple.
Here is a collage of the blue lettering made from the 4 fragment of the 2 telegrams above.
The width of the lettering is 47mm.
The blue and yellow examples I have are addressed to the sub-treasurer at Sucre, as is the single white.
Perhaps the colouring represents priority ?
| RH # | Type. | was | Description | Mint | Used | On telegram |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RH12 | 12 | #6a | 1944 (Sept.) Perf.11½. Black on white. thick italic lettering. | 15.00 | 5.00 | 15.00 |
| RH13 | 13 | #7 | 1944 (Feb-March). Perf.11½. Black on pale blue. thin simple lettering. | 15.00 | 5.00 | 15.00 |
| RH14 | 13 | #7 | 1944 (Feb-May). Perf.11½. Black on pale yellow. thin simple lettering. | 15.00 | 5.00 | 10.00 |
| RH15 | 13 | #7 | 1944. Perf.11½. Black on greenish blue. thin simple lettering. | 15.00 | 5.00 | 15.00 |
Hiscocks adds the following 2 notes:
| Note. 1 By 1944 sheets or strips of fully perforate labels printed in black on various coloured papers were in use. There were two settings, those on white as in #12 above and those as #13 on pale blue, yellow and greenish blue. All were torn in half and used as half seals, so no complete seals have been seen and the lengths are of the total wording and estimated from fragments. |
| Note. 2 My two yellow half seals are both imperforate at one end but may be marginal copies. |
1952, 1960? Wording changed perhaps due to the MNR. Perf.11½
The MNR gained power in 1952, however the postage stamps did not get their wording simplified until 1960.
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| #14 Date ? 65.2mm. |
The imprint says: LIT. É IMP. BOLIVIANA - N. HEITMANN y Co.
| RH # | Type. | was | Description | Mint | Used | On telegram |
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| RH16 | 14 | - | 1952? Perf.11½. Green. | 20.00 | 10.00 | 30.00 |
If anyone can provide scans to help with this, I am happy to give appropriate credit.
