363 / September 2016

4 printed essays of the Caritas issue of 1937, submitted to Alexander Koenig 10S, 15S, 25S and 50S. The design of the printed essays of 1937 is nearly identical to the final pencil drawings AK-10A thru AK10-D. The only major difference can be found in the outer line of the left value tablet of the 15S, which is only partially broken in pencil drawing AK-10B, but completely broken in the printed essay. This partially broken line was probably made completely broken during the preparation of the cliché of the essay. This progressively broken line shows that the printed essays of 1937 were produced from the final pencil drawings AK-10A thru AK-10D. This error was corrected on the 15S postage stamp of 1937, which shows a closed left value tablet. The four printed essays here were submitted to Alexander Koenig and can be distinguished from other non-submitted printed essays by the specifics of their line perforation and separation, for example the long tooth at the bottom of the 25S printed essay. The teeth of the four printed essays in the Alexander-Koenig Album are specific to each essay and are also shown in Eesti Filatelist (No.30, 1984, p.16); the essays were described there as "Endgültige Entwürfe". The four printed essays were assigned in H/O (1986, pp.152-153) the catalog sub-numbers G:2, with the descriptions "Essay, final design/Endgültige Vorlage". The ends of the EESTI POST ribbon on the 15S and 25S printed essays of 1937 are not yet filled with horizontal lines, in contrast to the 15S and 25S postage stamps. The printed essays of 1937 are very rare.

Caritas issue of 1936, 50s., pencil drawing by Axel Roosman, 42x53mm, on transparent tracing-paper The only artist's design in the Alexander-Koenig Album not on perforated cardboard. Arms of Haapsalu. The Caritas heart with 3 flames identifies this drawing as an early design by Roosman, probably for the 25S postage stamp of 1936, before Tartu instead of Haapsalu was selected for the issue of 1936. The 25S postage stamp of 1938, showing the arms of Haapsalu, was designed by Sidorow two years leater. The top half of the EESTI POST ribbon in AK-12A is similar to the CARITAS ribbon in the 25S printed essay of 1936. This pencil drawing AK-12A is similar to the pencil drawing AK-1C on perforated cardboard, but has the value inscriptions "50", a mesh of horizontal and vertical lines and larger bricks in the castle. Another pencil drawing, AK-3D, also has a drawn mesh of horizontal and vertical lines.

Caritas issue of 1938, 10s., initial pencil drawing by Mihail Sidorov, 43x53mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Paldiski. The "+" sign, representing the charity surcharge for Ühisabi, is positioned in the center, the coat of arms is positioned beneath. The Caritas heart is positioned inconspicuously in the top right corner. The coats of arms of the initial designs AK-13A thru AK-13D are smaller than on the final designs.

Caritas issue of 1938, 15s., initial pencil drawing by Mihail Sidorov, 41x52,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Võru. Value inscriptions at the top. The initial pencil drawing AK-13B shows a ribbon with a "+" sign in the middle. This ribbon was replaced in the final pencil drawing AK-14B by two columns at the left and right and the empty background of the initial pencil drawing was filled with horizontal lines.

Caritas issue of 1938, 25s., initial pencil drawing by Mihail Sidorov, 42x51,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Haapsalu. CARITAS and "1938" are positioned vertically. The shield is pointed at the bottom; the EESTI POST inscription is pointed at the top. Oak leaves, a favorite ornament of Roosman, and acorns under the shield. The final pencil drawing by Sidorov, AK-14C, does not show oak leaves. The value inscriptions "25" are placed inconspicuously at the top. The "+"sign is inside a quatrefoil, similar to AK-13C and to the 10S and 25S postage stamps of 1940 designed by Reindorff.

Caritas issue of 1938, 50s., initial pencil drawing by Mihail Sidorov, 42x52mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Kuressaare. The CARITAS ribbon in the initial drawing AK-13D was changed in the final drawing to a frame. The coat of arms of the initial drawing shows an eagle, which was omitted in the final drawing.but is shown again in the 50S postage stamp of 1938.

Caritas issue of 1938, 10s., final pencil drawing by Mihail Sidorov, 42x53mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Paldiski. Value inscriptions without a "+"sign at the top. The inscriptions EESTI POST and CARITAS are in a smaller font than on the 10S printed essay. "19" and "38" are placed in the final drawing AK-14A into the left and right ovals, while in the 10S printed essay "1938" is placed into the left oval and the right oval contains the Caritas heart.

Caritas issue of 1938, 15s., final pencil drawing by Mihail Sidorov, 41,5x52mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Võru. Value inscriptions near the bottom. In the final pencil drawing AK-14B the tree was filled with vertical lines, which were replaced on the 15S printed essay of 1938 with strokes forming tree branches. The leaves around the columns on the left and right were omitted on the 15S printed essay.

Caritas issue of 1938, 25s., final pencil drawing by Mihail Sidorov, 43x52,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Haapsalu. The letters of EESTI POST are in increasing, then decreasing sizes. The Caritas heart and the value inscriptions are readily visible. The letters of CARITAS in AK-14C are in increasing, then in decreasing sizes. Similarly increasing, then decreasing letter sizes were used subsequently by Reindorff in the EESTI POST inscription in AK-15B. The "+"sign is inside a quatrefoil, similar to AK-13C and to the 10S and 25S postage stamps of 1940 designed by Reindorff.

Caritas issue of 1938, 50s., final pencil drawing by Mihail Sidorov, 42x52,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Kuressaare. Design ambiguity or error with the coat of arms: the eagle in front of the castle is missing. In contrast, the initial pencil drawing AK-13D, the 50S printed essay of 1938 and the 50S postage stamp show the eagle.

Caritas issue of 1939, 50s., pencil drawing by Günther Reindorff, 41x49,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Pärnumaa. 2 Caritas hearts with a flame. In the design sequence this pencil drawing AK-15A precedes the water color design AK-16A, in which the 2 trees are changed to flowery ornaments.

Caritas issue of 1939, 25s., pencil drawing by Günther Reindorff, 41x49,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Viljandimaa. 2 Caritas hearts without a flame. No ribbons. The only Caritas design by Reindorff with value tablets. The letters of CARITAS in AK-15B by Reindorff are in increasing, then in decreasing sizes, similar to the letters of EESTI POST in AK-14C by Sidorov.

Caritas issue of 1939, 10s., water color design by Günther Reindorff, 41x49,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Tartumaa. In AK-16A the coat of arms is surrounded by a white line and is smaller than on subsequent AK-17. Caritas heart with the "+" sign inside. Roosman's AK-8A and AK-8D show a flower bud containing the "+" sign, which was changed by Reindorff in AK-16A into a flower bud holding the Caritas heart with the "+" sign. No ribbons. Symmetrical flowery ornaments and value inscriptions "10" of the same size, as in AK-15A and AK-15B. In the design sequence AK-16A is preceded by AK-15A and AK-15B. 

Caritas issue of 1939, 15s., water color design by Günther Reindorff, 41,5x49,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Kalevipoeg splits the anvil with the magical sword. Submitted as an alternative design motif for the remaining two issues of 1939-1940. There were no more major towns left in Estonia for the motif "town coat of arms". Two new motifs were considered: "county coat of arms" and "scenes from Kaevipoeg", the Estonian national epic poem. Alexander Koenig selected the county coat of arms as new motif, for reasons of unity of design across the five Caritas issues. 2 Caritas hearts without a flame. The value inscriptions are placed vertically. Light and dark shades of red. AK-16B is an artistic masterpiece with the illusion of movement. Reindorff is a highly valued Estonian graphic artist.

Caritas issue of 1939, 15s., water color design by Günther Reindorff, 41x49,5mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Harjumaa. The Caritas heart is surrounded by an extra line, has similarities to AK-7A by Roosman and is positioned above EESTI POST. 2 ribbons. AK-16C was the counterpiece to AK-16B for deciding on the motif of the issues of 1939-1940: county arms or Kalevipoeg, the Estonian national epic poem. Asymmetric design. Horizontal lines, no flowery ornaments yet. In the design sequence AK-16C precedes AK-16A and AK-17A.

Caritas issue of 1939, 25s., water color design by Günther Reindorff, 40x50mm, on perforated cardboard. Arms of Tartumaa. Caritas heart with a tiny flame, with the postal franking value and the charity surcharge inside the Caritas heart. On the front bottom of the small presentation carton "I var." written in ink, at the back of the presentation carton traces of a removed attached sheet, possibly of a comment sheet like those attached to the back of the presentation cartons AK-18, AK-19 and AK-20.

Caritas issue of 1939, presentation carton with 4 final water color designs by Günther Reindorff, 40x50mm. , AK-18A 10S, AK-18B 15S, AK-18C 25S and AK-18D 50S on perforated cardboard. Signed and dated "G. Reindorff 1938". The only text written on the comment sheet attached at the back of the presentation carton is "1939". Beautifully fresh colors.

Caritas issue of 1940, presentation carton with 4 initial water color designs by Günther Reindorff. AK-19A 10s. 40,5x50,5mm, AK-19B 15s. 40,5x50,5mm, AK-19C 25s. 40,5x50,5mm and AK-19D  50s. 40,5x50mm on perforated cardboard. Signed and dated "G. Reindorff 1939". Text written on the comment sheet attached to the back of the presentation carton: "1940 In den Abbum" (=into the album) and "Vappid 10 Pärnu 15 Järva 25 Lääne 50 Saare". In the 4 initial water color designs the coat of arms is placed at the left, a flower is shown at the top right and a wound ribbon with the inscription CARITAS rises to the right .The Caritas hearts contain both the franking value and the charity surcharge, similar to the final designs of 1939. Beautifully fresh colors.

Caritas issue of 1940, presentation carton with 4 final color designs by Günther Reindorff, 40,5x50,5mm AK-20A 10s., AK-20B 15s., AK-20C 25s. and AK-20D  50s. on perforated cardboard. Signed and dated "G. Reindorff 1939". In the 4 final water color designs the coat of arms are 1mm wider than in the initial designs and are positioned at the right, the flowers are smaller and positioned at the top left and the CARITAS inscriptions are inside horizontal ribbons or frames. The Caritas hearts are smaller and contain only the charity surcharge. One side of the comment sheet attached at the back of the presentation carton bears the same hand-written text ""Vappid 10 Pärnu 15 Järva 25 Lääne 50 Saare" as on the comment sheet of the initial design of 1940. The other side of the the comment sheet bears 5 approving signatures of Ühisabi board members, dated 22.VII.1939, including the signature of Marianne Pung, the sister of President Paets, also called "Madame Paets". The signature of Alexander Koenig is the final approving signature below the 5 signatures and is dated 26/VII 39. Beautifully fresh colors.

The Alexander-Koenig Album without designs and essays, including the album cover, 11 empty album pages with photo corners, and 3 completely empty album pages. In addition Eesti Post No. 54, 55 and 56 with articles about the Caritas designs and essays.

International Philatelic Exhibition New York 1936, exhibit of the Estonian Postal Administration, 2 original photos on 2 album pages of the Alexander-Koenig Album. One photo shows the Exhibit by the Estonian Postal Administration in New York 1936, with the Caritas postage stamps of 1936 included in the Exhibit. The Exhibit shows postage stamps officially considered as issued by the Estonian Postal Administration. The Exhibit includes an EESTI POST overprint, philatelistically most important, however, is what is not shown: stamps with the "Päevaleht" perforation, probably because the Estonian Postal Administration did not wish to include them in their exhibit, even if they were readily for sale at the Ewald Eichenthal stamp store. The other photo shows the Special Recognition certificate for the Estonian Postal Administration. Also included are issues no.6,7 and 9 of the US philatelic magazine "STAMPS" with interesting article

1936, 10-50s. postage stamps and essays of the Caritas issue of 1936, hinged on gray carton sheet of the Roosman Album. Double/diamond perforation at the top of the 10 s. and 15 s. essays, the only known essays of the Caritas issues with diamond perforation. The use of essays with double/diamond perforation in the Roosman Album shows the rarity of the essays of 1936: Ühisabi probably did not have other 10 s. and 15 s. essays for the Roosman Album, without perforation errors  

1937, 10-50 s. postage stamps and essays of the Caritas issue of 1937, hinged on gray carton sheet of the Roosman Album. The essays of the Caritas issues of 1936 and 1937 are very rare

1938, 10-50 s. postage stamps and essays of the Caritas issue of 1938, hinged on gray carton sheet of the Roosman Album

1939, 10-50 s. postage stamps and essays of the Caritas issue of 1939, hinged on gray carton sheet of the Roosman Album

1940, 10-50 s. postage stamps and essays of the Caritas issue of 1940, hinged on gray carton sheet of the Roosman Album

The album cover page of the Roosman Album, designed by Axel Roosman, also the page with Decree

Designs by Axel Roosman for playing cards sold by the Estonian Red Cross, the origin of the Caritas heart and of the pre-perforated cardboards. Submitted design for a playing card by Axel Roosman, on cardboard 65,5x43mm with rounded corners, in pencil, the heart in read watercolor. On the back four glue marks, where the design was attached. The heart on playing cards was, according to the son of Axel Roosman, the origin of the Caritas heart. Axel Roosman had made designs of playing cards for the Estonian Red Cross, which was granted in 1923 the monopoly for the production and sale of playing cards for charitable purposes (E.F. 24-25, pp.163-170). The submission to Alexander Koenig of postage stamp designs on pre-perforated cardboards probably had its origin in Roosman's design of a playing card. One of the designs of a playing card was submitted to the Estonian Red Cross on a pre-cut cardboard with rounded corners, looking like a playing card. Similarly the designs submitted to Alexander Koenig were on perforated cardboards, looking like postage stamps. In addition another design for a playing card by Axel Roosman, in pencil, on paper with a red sticker of the Estonian Red Cross. Four glue marks at the back and a hole at the top. Both of the designs are from the estate of Axel Roosman.  

1936, Caritas 10-50s. tied by cds.  "TALLIN ESTONIA 1 II 36" to First Day cover to Narva with arrival mark, opend out two sides, otherwise fine (Hurt/Ojaste pp.662-664, No.18) 

1936, Caritas 10s., perforated large intermediate essay ("Makro-Essay"), 151x118mm, on black photo carton, no stickers at back. Pictured in Eesti Post No.55 (2012), p.6. Intermediate design, the place in the design sequence is pictured on p.11., unique  

1936, Caritas 15s., perforated large intermediate essay ("Makro-Essay"), 152x119mm on black photo carton, no stickers at back. Pictured in Eesti Post No.55 (2012), p.5. Intermediate design, the place in the design sequence is pictured on p.13, unique

1936, Caritas 25s., perforated large intermediate essay ("Makro-Essay"), 153x121mm on black photo carton, no stickers at back. Pictured in Eesti Post No.55 (2012), p.6. Intermediate design, the place in the design sequence is pictured on p.14, unique

1936, Caritas 50s., perforated large intermediate essay ("Makro-Essay"), 153x121mm on black photo carton, no stickers at back. Pictured in Eesti Post No.55 (2012), p.6. Intermediate design, the place in the design sequence is pictured on p.15, unique

1936, Caritas 285s. tied by cds. "TALLIN ESTONIA -1 II 36" to registered First Day cover to Tartu with arrival mark, fine (Hurt/Ojaste pp.662-664, No.18)

1936, Päts 50s. brown as proof as horizontal gutter pair, unused, scarce, fine, certificate Löbbering BPP

1937, Caritas 10-50s. tied by red special cancel "TALLINN ESTONIA 27.II.37" to registered cover addressed to Major General Dr. Hans Leesment in Tallin, he was the Chairman of Ühisabi 1936/1937 and also the Chairman of the Estonian Red Cross. His postal address, "Nigueliste 12", the address of the Northern Estonian Red Cross (" Eesti Noorte Punase Risti"), shows the close relationship between Ühisabi and the Estonian Red Cross