Waterfalls of the World

by Jean Alexander

Thursday 14th December 2006

Last year we had the privilege of seeing Colin Mount's display of "Pig in the Post".

I thought of entitling my display "Waterfall in the Post" but it is slightly harder to post a waterfall than a pig.

Captain Philip Durand inspired many Scottish collectors to look at thematic rather than traditional collecting. In 1948 he started the first Thematic Society in Glasgow which continues to flourish today.

The main problem with thematic collecting is deciding on the subject. Most thematic collectors choose the theme long before ever considering entering competition or really knowing anything about thematic collecting. It is only much further down the road, or river in my case, that they realise a different subject would have been competitively much easier and of more philatelic interest.

My first idea was to collect flowers on stamps and it was suggested to me there would be too many. My next thought was birds on stamp and again it was suggested there would be too many. After hearing of someone collecting waterfalls I thought this was a subject there would not be too many stamps issued.

You can decide for yourselves.

Display

Frame 1

The introductory page shows the composite essay for the Tasmania 2½d value taken from a photograph by John Watt Beattie. In 1899 a request for a new issue of stamps for Tasmania was received by De la Rue. ¹ They were to be in a new size similar to the size of stamp for the Columbus issue of the United States. The letter also included scenic views which were to be considered for the stamp designs.

These views included one of St Columba Falls which was destined for the 2½d value. The composite essay was produced and dated as shown 24 May 1899, but misnamed the St. Columbia Falls. When the essays were submitted the 2½d value was rejected and later replaced by a design for Tasman's Arch. The rejection was attributed to Sir Philip Oakley Fysh, a former Premier of Tasmania. One of the suggested reasons the St Columba Falls were rejected was there were 3 waterfalls in the set. The other reason sometimes given is that the geographical distribution of the designs were concentrated in one area and the introduction of Tasman's Arch gave a better geographical distribution.

Russell Falls

The other two waterfalls in the set are the Russell Falls and the Dilston Falls.

The north - south rivalry may have cost the St Columba Falls design a place in the set.

Only 2 copies of this essay exist and the other one was shown in this room 6 weeks ago by Dr Pat Reid.

Public reaction to this issue is of interest with the following ditty being penned by the Tasmanian Mail. ²

"Twas a maiden of Hobart so nice
Had a mouth that for two would suffice,
It had stretched, pretty dear,
From her ear to her ear.
'Til the boys had to kiss her in twice
'Tis the same with these stamps a la Bird,
Whose dimensions are really absurd,
You can't make 'em stick,
With one good honest lick --
They need two, and then sometimes a third.

The remainder of the frame shows a plan of the display and examples showing some of the many waterfalls in their geographic areas.

Other items in this frame include a parcel label, Waterlow proofs for the Southern Rhodesian 1935 Silver Jubilee issue. To get back to the Tasmanian issues there is also a die proof and colour trials for the 4d value- Russell Falls. The final item being a commercial cover with the Papua New Guinea change of currency overprint, when PNG decided it needed to revalue its currency.

Topsail Falls

Frame 2

This continues with the geographical section on North and South America. In Canada we have the Topsail Falls and a progressive die proof is shown followed by some of the proofs for the Brazilian 1938 Tourist Propaganda issue printed by Waterlow & Sons, but only for the Iguassu Falls design.

Definition

What is a waterfall?
The dictionary definitions:-

A cascade of falling water where there is a vertical or almost vertical step in a river.

I have tried to restrict my collection to waterfalls and not include dams which have often been responsible for the disappearance of waterfalls.

The discovery of the Victoria Falls by David Livingstone is shown here in the Great Britain issue of 1973, imperf and with the Queen's head missing. and the booklet cover proof also the Nyasaland proof of the vignette of the Falls.

Iguassu Falls

Statistics

Statistics are the next section. It has always been a problem with waterfalls to measure their volume or height or width. They are forever changing depending of the level of the rivers and flow.

The Guayra Falls or Sete Quedas as they are known in Portuguese, consisted of 18 falls on the Upper Paraná River. They were incorporated in the Itaipu Dam, considered to be the world's largest hydroelectric power plant.

The highest waterfall so far known is the Angel Falls in Venezuela discovered by a Missouri bush pilot, Jimmy Angel in 1935 when he crash-landed in the area of the falls. It was reported it took him 11 days to walk back to civilisation.

We also have the Sutherland Falls which I first learnt about in this building. I brought an entry for Stampex and it was checked by Ewan Minto. In discussion he mentioned it had been his great uncle David Sutherland who had first discovered the Sutherland Falls which were named after him. Later on you will see a lettercard with the Falls.

Included among the higher falls are the Kaieteur Falls shown as a die proof. Vignette and frame proofs of the 1932 Southern Rhodesian issue for the Victoria falls are also in the frame.

Frame 3

Geology

The geomorphology is the branch of geology that is concerned with the structure, origin and development of the waterfall.

This was based on a 40 page article ³ in German on the geomorphology of Icelandic waterfalls but included an English summary including many waterfalls that had appeared on stamps.

Frame 4

Disappearing Waterfalls

I have already mentioned that one reason is where rivers and consequently waterfalls are flooded in the formation of dams. Here we can see the Ripon Falls were submerged with the building of the Owen Falls Dam.

In New Zealand the Pink and White Terraces were also lost but this was due to volcanic action. In June 1886 Mount Tarawera erupted with the loss of both the White and Pink Terraces.

The Pink and White Terraces on the edge of Lake Rotomahana appeared on the 1898 Pictorials issue although in 1898 they no longer existed. The pink terraces reappeared again on the 1d value in 1900.

Bridges

There are many bridges over or near waterfalls. The greatest number of bridges would appear to have been at the Niagara Falls. For a full breakdown of the bridges I would recommend an article by Ian Paton in Themescene.⁴ I have also included what I consider the most basic bridge. This is a caricature on the patriotic envelope of Jefferson Davis as Blondin crossing Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

The Victoria Falls - The Victoria Falls bridge was opened by Professor George Darwin, grandson of Charles Darwin, on 12 September 1905. To commemorate this the British South Africa Company issued a set of stamps on 13 July 1905 showing the falls but not including the bridge. A set of postal stationery cards were also produced and some of them appear in Frame 8.

One of my favourites is the bridge over the Rhine Falls at Schauffhausen. There are many official overprints and a perfin, which would probably not be accepted in a traditional thematic exhibit. The final item is a cover to Brighton sorted on the Transorma machine.

Frame 5

Arts

Waterfalls are a natural subject for all forms of art whether painting, music or literature. Several items depict Sherlock Holmes battle with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls. A proof showing all four of the British booklet covers in the series is shown in the showcase in the hall.

Boundaries

Due to the turbulent nature of waterfalls they become a natural barrier between countries. Here we have the Niagara Falls between Canada and USA; Falls of Doubs between France and Switzerland; Victoria Falls between Zambia and Zimbabwe and the Iguassu falls between Argentina and Brazil. Argentina has produced many postal stationery items of the Falls at the end of the 19th century and start of the 20th century. Shown here are two postcards from a series that was to be issued in 1899 but was never issued. The views were included on lettersheets issued a couple of years later.

Frame 6

Hydro-electric Power

To bring us up to date I have included a sheet of personalised stamps. In 1999 Switzerland introduced personalised stamps where photographs could be converted to labels attached to a postage stamp. When the service was introduced a message could also be included beside the photo. The fall shown here is the Cascade de Sallenches where Lord Kelvin met Joule and tried to measure the change in temperature of the water as it fell from the top of the fall to the bottom. Unfortunately the fall broke up into spray and they found the temperature impossible to measure. ⁵

Many waterfalls have been harnessed for their hydro-electric power. One of these is the Grand Falls in Labrador, now known as the Churchill Falls. When the proposal for a new stamp issue was first put forward to De La Rue in 1927 there was no suggestion of a waterfall in the issue. ⁶

Express crossing Newfoundland

In a letter from Mr R.M.Gauntlett, Messers Whitehead Morris Ltd (the Contractors), the suggestion for the 30c design was as follows:-

"Express Train - INSCRIPTION- Express crossing Newfoundland

- I was unable to obtain a photograph of this, but perhaps you can work from the enclosed - I have expressed doubt as to whether this subject can be used to advantage. If you decide it will not be effective please cable, another subject will be selected."

In the reply on the 5th April 1927 De La Rue included a photograph of the "Train Vignette" proposed for the 30c which had been modified from the original photograph suggesting it would be unsuitable for reduction to stamp size.

A further letter from Mr Gauntlett gives that the replacement design on the 30c value as the Grand Falls, Labrador and there was a manuscript reference to "page 332 Geographical Journal".

Whitehead Morris then sent a photographic print to De La Rue which was clearer that the illustration in the Geographic Journal.

By 27 May 1927 two copies of the revised designs for the 30c were sent from De La Rue to Whitehead Morris.

In the same issue the 5c was proposed to be the S.S.Silvia- inscription - S.S.Silvia , 1½ days to Halifax, 4½ days to New York. By 6 July 1927 sketches for a new design of the 5c were sent to Whitehead Morris. This was an Express train, the original idea for the 30c.
The stamps were issued in January 1928.

I would like to thank Douglas Muir for his help in finding the reference which turned out to be so interesting.

The Churchill Falls is now one of the largest underground power stations in the world with a capacity of 5,428,500KW.

Tourism and advertising and medicinal spas complete the frame.

Having collected waterfalls on stamps and stationery for many years I thought I had all the postal stationery items available. I then found not one or two items, but areas of items I had missed. Argentina has been a great source particularly the lettersheets issued about 1901 and 1902 for the New Year celebrations. If you think today we have large issues, it is nothing compared to the many lettersheets with views on the inside of the lettersheet issued by Argentina and often with the views appearing in 3 colours.

This is just to let all thematic and other collectors see the wide range of postal stationery that has been issued and also the better views of waterfalls.

Frame 7

This frame starts the postal stationery section with postcards. They have been divided into those with a waterfall on the stamp, and those with the waterfall on the reverse or obverse side of the card. Some of the Brazilian card I have found very hard to find.

Here the most interesting item is the Kashmir card from the "Visitors Bureau Kashmir" with a waterfall.

Frame 8

One of the many Argentina items can be seen in 3 colours. This is followed by a few of the scarcer Australian cards, including the Queensland Scenic postcard issued in 1910 showing the Barron Falls. An article by John Sinfield in August 1999 for the Postal Stationery Society of Australia listed 29 views in this series. By November 1999 another card, the one shown here, brought the list up to 30 views. The next article by Bernie Beston made the total number of views to 33, one more than was expected. One of the other views however is the Stoney Creek Falls, Cairns Railway. I'm still hunting.

The Barron Falls

At the end of the frame we have the Rhodesian cards issued in 1905 for the opening of the Bridge over the Victoria Falls.

Frame 9

When I started to collect waterfalls I had a copy of the Handbook/ Catalogue Union of South Africa Stamps and found out that there were postal stationery cards with waterfalls issued by South Africa. With the help of Dr. Chris Board I was able to find copies.

The Karkloof Falls issued in 1927 was part of a set of 24 cards numbered consecutively. The next issue also containing 24 cards was numbered very haphazardly up to 36 but with many numbers missing. Numbers 17, Umlaas Falls and 33 showing the Boven Falls. This always seemed strange until I bought 2 cards also numbered 17 and 33 and showing the same waterfalls but issued for the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924-25 in a set of 36 cards. After further hunting for the rest of the Wembley set it was concluded that the pictures on the South African cards were in many cases the same and the numbering system had been the cards selected, numbers unchanged.⁷ The 1943 issue also shows one of the Wembley cards but only a section of it. Here a Wembley card has been masked to show the same view as the card.

The use of photographs stuck on to Post Office postal stationery cards was patented in the U.S. in 1893 and these are known as Pioneer cards. An early pioneer card shows the river at the Niagara Falls.

The frame ends with aerogrammes and one of my favourites is the British Guiana airletter with the Kaieteur Falls vignette the wrong way round. This resulted in the river appearing to flow from the left where in fact it comes from the right.

Frame 10

The next section shows envelopes. The second sheet shows the recently issued Solomon Islands envelope the stamp only showing postage paid and no sign of a country name except on the back of the envelope.

We even have waterfall on the 4c 1935 British Guiana registered envelope. It just so happens the 4c stamp impression shows the Kaieteur Falls.

Frame 11

Australian lettercards are a lovely source for waterfalls. First issued in 1911 they were issued right through to the 20's.

There is also a reply paid lettercard showing the Phantom falls. Due to lack of demand the inner section of the reply lettercard was sold separately in 1917 with the "reply" blocked out with red bars.

The Argentina lettersheet shows the shape and inside view of the Iguassu falls.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Telegraph cards are represented by the New Zealand. Since this was a Christmas Greetings card it is rather appropriate to show it today. - "Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year".

Frame 12

This frame although all postcards with New South Wales waterfalls, is dedicated to Christmas Greetings, New Year Greetings and Greetings.

References:

1. Lancaster, K.E., The Pictorial Stamps of Tasmania 1899-1912, The Royal Philatelic Society of Victoria, Melbourne 1986
2. Breckon, R., G.S.M. 32 (8) p27-28 (2002).
3. Schwarzbach, M, Zeitschrift Fur Geomorphologie 11, (4) pps 377-417 (196?)
4. Paton, Ian, Themescene, 21, (4) pps330-334 (2004).
5. Steffens, H.J., James Prescott Joule and the Concept of Energy. Publ. Dawson Science History Publications USA 1979 p102-103.
6. De La Rue Correspondence books - Newfoundland Volume 2, British Postal Museum & Archive.
7. Board, C. & Alexander, Jean, Southern Africa Postcard Research Group Newsletter pp4-6, no.40 June 1991.