UKRAINE - THE TRIDENT OVERPRINTS
David Crocker, RDPSA in Montagu, SOUTH AFRICA
The Exhibit commences with a specialised study of the main District of Kyiv. Basic stamps are shown but mainly interesting items, specialised shades and a fine selection of the Broken Trident at bottom right.
Frame 1 - High values of Kyiv I including the 10 Rouble are shown. A rare page of Romanov’s overprinted with various Kyiv types is also shown followed by a specialised study of Klyntsi, of particular interest is a strip of five with the first Trident Inverted. The frame ends with the correct usage of Tridents used to Germany as well as a gutter pane of fifty Kyiv Type II, the right hand pane being inverted.
Frame 2 - Kyiv covered a large area, the local Trident issues of BEREZNO, BEREZIVKA, SARNY, NOVOBILYTSIA (including a block of four with missing Tridents, note ex Ceresa included as Certificate), NOVOSYBKIV, OVRUCH, ZDOLBUNIV 1, KHERSON, NARODYCHI, ZHYTOMYR TYPE II & CHERNIHIV TYPE II. A detailed study then commences of the Kyiv Type II single handstamps. The frame ends with some fine mint and used high values including usage and an old Imperial Russian printing of the 7 Rouble value.
Frame 3 - continues the study of the Kyiv Type II single handstamps and includes many rare high values but the Rarest is Kyiv Type IIgg overprint sideways, one of the few known. The Romanov issues of Russia overprinted with Kyiv IIgg are shown including inverted and usage on cover. Of interest is the wrapper of Type IIgg used locally within Kyiv. Parcel Post Receipt is most attractive. Kyiv Type III is highlighted by a selection of varieties including a strip of 5 with missing and part missing overprints. This Trident was also overprinted in brown. The Kyiv Type IIIC is a rare stamp. The last 3 pages of the frame is devoted to a study of the Ministerials. The most difficult area to show is the Ministerials of which a most representative display is included, both Red and Black overprints. An Inverted Black Trident is shown.
Frame 4 - commences with the last of the Ministerials in red, followed by five rare examples of the Romanov issue overprinted Kyiv Type IIf. A study of GOMEL & HOMEL now follows. The second portion of the frame shows the use of Russian stamps used in the Trident period. Individual stamps are classified as well as a selection of some of the rare doubles. A small selection of usages are shown on cover.
Frame 5 - The highlight of this part of the Exhibit is a Printers proof of the 3 Kopek with a Trial pull of Odesa I in the top left hand corner which comes from the famous Baillie Collection. Rare stamps of Odessa I follow including inverts and misplaced overprints. Platable positions of the first Type are shown. Includes an attractive cover including Odesa I, II and III in combination. Odesa II then deals with a selection of varieties plus some platable flaws. Some fine covers of Odesa II are displayed. A page of Tridents overprinted by General Wrangle’s Army is included. A complete sheet of Odesa III is included displaying the only Standard Plating mark indicated in this issue.
Frame 6 - An informative page showing Odesa Types I, II and III is shown for the viewer to note the different Types of Trident used in this period. Important “Trachtenberg” cover showing two of the rarest Trident stamps on cover. Odesa IV covers some of the major errors and some high values complete this issue. The rest of the frame is devoted to an in depth display of Odesa Type 5a, showing a great variety of errors and varieties including a fine selection of the high values both mint and used. The final page shows two of the rarest Odesa overprints both OVERPRINT SIDEWAYS.
Frame 7 - This frame continues with Odesa 5b up to and including Odesa 6b. A good overall selection of varieties and the usage of high values is shown. A most attractive Money Order Transfer Receipt stamped with the 1 Rouble value is shown. The last 4 pages are devoted to the District of Kharkiv, the third largest. Some fine examples of both imperf and perf tete-beche overprints are shown.
Frame 8 - KHARKIV continues with a fine example of the 2 Kopek Green overprinted in Red Ink. This is considered by Bulat to be a trial or special overprint. The frame continues with five pages of important errors. The study of Types II and III are important, especially the high values. A very special page of KHARKIV LOCAL ISSUES is displayed, all correctly expertised. The final 6 pages are new to the exhibit and include some of the rarieties of KATERYNOSLAV. The Imperial Russian overprints are very good and the KATERYNOSLAV Type IIA is attributed to Herr. Haddendorp of Hamburg. It is recorded by Seichter.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Series of Dr. R J Ceresa Handbooks.
- Ukraine: Classic Trident Overprints by R Seichter
- Notes of Ukraine Philatelic Society of the USA
- The Trident Issues of Ukraine Parts 1-5 by C W Roberts and Dr. R Seichter. Comprehensive Catalogue of Ukrainian Philately by John Bulat.
EXPERTISATION OF UKRAINE STAMPS
The system in use has for many years been based on the German and Ukraine studies of the great experts such as the UPV and the Late Dr. Rudolf Seichter. The literature by Dr.R. Seichter in his famous handbook “SONDER-KATALOG UKRAINE” is still used by all serious collectors of this important section of the breakaway portion of Russia. The next important Expertiser was JOHN BULAT BPP and the American Ukrainian Society says of him “His Mark was always correct”. Other Experts were also C W Roberts and Ian Baillie, two British Philatelists who wrote wonderful notes on the Tridents of Ukraine and published much of their work in the “BRITISH JOURNAL OF RUSSIAN PHILATELY”.
The writings of B Trachtenburg, C Svenson, O E Peters and Dr R Ceresa deserve serious study from all Philatelists. My own Library is considerable and I hope with this Exhibit to have made some contribution to the great study of Ukraine Tridents.
