Photography Topical Stamp Collection

Various philatelic elements can be found to embellish your photography on stamps collection, be it regular postage stamps, souvenir sheets, joint issues, commercial covers, envelopes with photography related postmarks and cachets or even cinderellas.

Each commemorative documents depicting pionners of photographic art, artists photographers, old and new type of cameras, aerial views, and a variety of other subjects all convey exciting stories and great adventures about photography.

I gathered two examples from my own photography on stamps collection and others that are on my wantlist. 🙂

The joint Czech and Slovak philatelic release celebrates Karel Plicka (1894-1987), an artist renowned for his multifaceted talents and contributions. Plicka holds a cherished place in the cultural heritage of both the Czech and Slovak peoples. His notable achievements span photography, filmmaking, music, and singing, marking him as a versatile and distinguished figure in the arts.

Plicka’s extensive work in ethnography, combined with his artistic and musical sensitivities, allowed him to capture the fading essence of folk customs, narratives, songs, and lifestyles through notes, photographs, and films.

His educational contributions are equally noteworthy. Plicka initially served as a teacher at the School of Crafts in Bratislava, eventually becoming a professor and the inaugural dean at the Film Academy of the Academy of Arts in Prague.

He completed his education at the Teacher School in Hradec Králové in 1913 and later at Komenský University in Bratislava in 1928, focusing on music science, ethnography, and art history.

Between 1924 and 1938, Plicka dedicated himself to collecting Slovak folk songs and conducting ethnographic documentation for the Slovak Ethnographic Institute Matice slovenská. His efforts led to the recording of around 40,000 songs from Slovakia, Bohemia, and Moravia, which were eventually published in the “Czech Song Book” and “Slovak Song Book” in 1961.

He was instrumental in establishing the Matice slovenská’s archives of documentary and ethnographic photography. From 1937 to 1939, he founded and directed the inaugural film vocational center at the School of Crafts in Bratislava. During World War II, he was based in Prague, publishing the book “Prague on K. Plicka’s Photographs.”

Post-1950s, Plicka focused primarily on photography, producing acclaimed photo books like “Prague Castle,” “The Vltava River,” “Homeland The Beautiful,” and “Levoča.”

Plicka’s contributions to documentary filmmaking were recognized both nationally and internationally, notably winning the Venezia Cup for his music poem “Singing Country” in 1934.

Photography has come a long way since those early days and it surely makes a great subject for a topical stamp collection.

As John H Groet so well described in the ATA Handbook#69:

Topical collecting provides all the joys of a general collection (wide varieties of countries and types of stamps, lure of faraway lands, etc.) without the disadvantages of a general collection.

To the general collector who has decided to “give up”, topical collecting can be a lifesaver. For the new adult collector, it can be a doorway away from boredom that can lead to new enjoyment and new friends. General collectors have the start of many topical collections.

They can select what they like and add to it, while holding on to the rest of their general collection to use as “trades” to secure desirable stamps for their topical collection.

Source: Old World Archeological Study Unit

The hunt for specific thematic stamps like those featuring photography can be as rewarding as the collection itself. Patience and persistence are key, and every new stamp found adds a unique story to your collection.

Happy collecting, and I hope you find the stamps you’re searching for!