Apsit
Latvia
proofs
Latvia Sun stamp issues II, III, IV, proofs
part 1 of 2 - on labelsIn 1919 on January 2, before the printing of its first postal stamp order [5 kap. sun design on German military maps] was finished, the new Latvian government left Riga in the face of advancing Soviet Russian troops. The government first moved to Jelgava [in German, Mitau] and soon after to Liepāja [in German, Libau]. On January 3 Soviet troops occupied Riga.
The government used the Gottlieb Meyer printing plant in Liepāja to produce postal and revenue stamps. On January 8 Meyer produced 5, 10, and 15 kap. postal stamps on lined writing paper, in a sun design similar to the first 5 kap. stamp. This is the second sun stamp issue; catalogues record only one proof for it, a horizontal strip of 6 stamps — a pair of each value with a gutter between each pair, printed on ordinary paper. The first sun stamp issue was the 5 kap. stamps on German military maps, printed by the Schnakenburg plant in Riga.
In February of 1919 Meyer printed the 5, 10, and 15 kap. values on very thin paper, sometimes called cigarette paper. In 1920 Meyer printed the 20, 35, and 50 kap., then the 3 and 75 kap., and then the 25 kap., on the same paper. This is the third sun stamp issue; catalogues report no proofs.
In April of 1919 Meyer printed the 10, 15, 35, and 50 kap., Then the 3 kap., And then the 75 kap., On paper with honeycomb watermarks. In June of 1919 Meyer printed the 20 kap. And in July the 25 kap. On this paper. Catalogues call this the fourth sun stamp issue and report over 70 different proofs.
We don't know when specific proofs were printed, but believe that the proofs preceded the printing. The proofs probably predate the third and fourth sun stamp issues.
Sun stamp issue papers
II lined, III very thin, IV honeycomb watermark1919 3 kap. 5 10 15 20 25 35 50 75 Jan 8 Feb 5 Feb 27 Apr 11 Apr 14 Apr 24 Apr 26 Jun 24 Jul 26 Aug 25 Proofs on the backs of labels
3 kap. lilac; 3 kap. lilac; 3 kap. black. The 3 kap. black on multi-coloured paper is not catalogued.
10 kap. blue; 10 kap. blue; 15 kap. green.
10 kap. blue, double-printed.
10 kap. blue and 15 kap. dark blue, vertical se-tenant pair. Not catalogued.
20 kap. orange on red label [apparently for beer bottles].
20 kap. orange on red bird, blue bird, mixed red label and blue bird label.
20 kap. orange, strip of 5.
20 kap. orange, orange double-printed. The vertical pair of labels on the right is apparently for candy.
25 kap. black type I, red orange type I, red type II.
35 kap. brown with partial offset on face.
35 kap. brown; 35 kap. brown double-printed; 35 kap. brown on 50 kap. lilac.
35 kap. brown and 20 kap. brown, vertical pair; not catalogued.
50 kap. lilac, black.
50 kap. purple with partial signature on label.
75 kap. green.
75 kap. brown.
Colour scans or photocopies of proof varieties are appreciated.
to next page - Sun issues II, III, IV, proofs, part 2 of 2, not on labels
Updated Thu, 2002-08-15 .
Copyright ©2000, 2001, 2002, Bill Apsit.
