Detective Fiction
Philatelic Holmes
Bibliography
Title Index
Topical Index
Journal Index
Chronological Index
The
Philatelic
Sherlock Holmes
- Stamps and other postal issues featuring Holmes, Doyle, or the Canon
- Covers (illustrated postal envelopes) and postmarks
- Philatelic reference works
- Cinderella issues: non-postal, commemorative stamp-like labels
- Canonical collections: stamps "related to" or illustrating the Canon.
These pages illustrate all the categories except "canonical" material, which is, however, included in the bibliography.
Over a dozen countries have produced Sherlock Holmes-related postal offerings, beginning in 1972 with Nicaragua's 50th Anniversary of Interpol issue,"The Twelve Most Famous Fictional Detectives," in which Holmes was on the high value, and continuing through the 2000 South Africa writers stamp with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Click on most of the images to move to the corresponding page in Detective Fiction on Stamps for more on the issues. (Click on Holmes, above, to jump to the bibliography.)
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Stamps and Postal issues
listed chronologically
2 córdoba, Litho. Nov. 13, 1972.
Scott #C812
perf. 14 × 13½ |
Nicaragua
Sherlock Holmes:
One of 12 Famous Detectives
50th Anniversary of Interpol1972 (click on stamp for detail)
thumbnail sketch of Holmes and Doyle printed
on back, on top of gum. (Scott #C801-812)
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July 12, 1979. Scott #953,
220 lira, perf. 13¼×14.
engraved by Giorgio Toffoletti |
San Marino
Sherlock Holmes:
one of 5 Celebrated
Fictional Investigators1979 (click on stamp for detail)
[Scott #949-953, 700,000 issued].
Multicolour offset combined with recess
by the I.P.Z.S. in sheets of 40,
white unwatermarked paper, PVA gum.
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Comoro Islands
50th Anniversary of Doyle's death1980 (click on stamps for detail) |
République Fédérale Islamique des Comores, Feb. 25, 1980
Scott #502, perf. 12½ |
1981, #513: #502 overprinted with 15 franc surcharge |
imperforate proof |
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July 16, 1984, Scott #629-632, 663 ss, perf. 14
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Funafuti -Tuvalu
Diesel Locomotive: "Sherlock Holmes" 1984 (click on stamps for detail)
Scott #20, perf 12½×13
Litho. Dec. 24, 1984
(also exists imperforate)'Leaders of the World-Trains'
se-tenant pair
60-cent 1920 UK London
Transport Diesel "Sherlock Holmes".
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April 14, 1987-
Covers of the 1987-88 £1 booklets,
with five 18p and one 13p stamps.
Stanley Gibbons #FH8-11.
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Bhutan
Northumberland Hotel
(Hound of the Baskervilles)
with Holmes silhouette1990
(click on sheet for detail)
souvenir sheet, Scott #915
October 9, 1990
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Dominica |
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Holmes and Watson at Reichenbach Falls1991 (click on sheet for detail) |
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March 26, 1991, Scott #1295, Litho., Perf. 14
100th Anniversary of the Reichenbach Falls episode
Canada
Holmes silhouette in 50-stamp booklet
1991
(click on image for detail)
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(Unitrade) BK139, (Scott) 1358b
50 42¢ stamps of type Scott #1358 (+2 labels).
2 se-tenant 25-stamp booklets, appx. 4 1/8"× 6 1/8", 105×156mm
Inside of booklet cover has Holmes silhouette in red and reads
"Three options to keep tabs on your important mail"
"Trois options pour suivre votre courrier important" |
Great Britain |
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Five Sherlock Holmes Stories1993 (click on stamps for detail) |
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Oct. 12, 1993, Scott 1515-1519, 1519a
(se-tenant strip of 5)
perf. 14 × 14½, Stanley Gibbons #1784-1788
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Dominica
Basil Rathbone
as Sherlock Holmes1996 (click on stamp for detail)
July, 1996, Scott #1845d
(from sheet of 9 #1845, 100 Years of Cinema)
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offset lithography, perf: 14¾×14
96gsm coated unwatermarked,
bluish PVA gum paper,
sheet: 2×25, stamp size: 40.64mm×29.80mm,
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Guernsey
Basil Rathbone
as Sherlock Holmes1996 (click on stamp for detail)
November 6, 1996, Scott #578, SG #713,
(from set of 5: 100 Years of Cinema,
Scott #576-80, SG #711-15)
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Great BritainThe Hound of the Baskervilles1997 (click on stamp for detail)
May 13, 1997, Scott #1757, perf. 14 × 15
(from a set of 4 "Stories and Legends" #1754-57)
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South Africa
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle2000 (click on stamp for detail)
October 25, 2000
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Reference
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Larry Dodson's May, 2000 — ATA Handbook #139: The Philatelic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ($12.00). A 72-page guide to many aspects of Sherlock Holmes philately, (including a 20-page section of stamps showing movie actors and directors who have played Holmes or related characters in movies, plays, on radio and tv, but excluding any discussion of Cinderellas, such as the Spanish Spiritualist Conference, Maiwand sheet, etc., below). American Topical Association, PO Box 50820, Albuquerque, NM 87181-0820, USA. |
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Benton Wood's 1993 revised edition of his "Philatelic & Numismatic Holmes," (1st edition, 1990) 28 pp in a limited edition of 180 copies, lists stamp issues through Dominica 1991, and includes a small bibliography, b&w; illustrations of covers, canonical issues, Cinderellas, postmarks, coins...
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Cinderellas
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privately printed stamps (labels), issued commemoratively or commercially, not postally usable. (If you have additions, information, corrections, images, etc., please let me know).
(listed chronologically)
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Tell Chocolate
German advertising stamp
circa 1910
Tell brand cocoa and chocolate
by Hartwig & Vogel AG
Holmes and Watson (?)
discover a brick of Tell chocolate
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(colorized image)
seeking a color scan
of the actual stamp!
C16501, C12732, C12724 |
Conan Doyle
Fifth International
Spiritualist CongressQuinto Congreso
Espiritista Internacional
Federacion Espiritista Española
Barcelona 1934
issued for delegates
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Republic of BohemiaJulian Wolff's 1957 "discovery"
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"AFTER the series of successful revolutions that freed the iron curtain satellites, the new governments issued numerous commemorative stamps; too many, according to conservative philatelists. None of these aroused as much interest as the Sherlock Holmes stamp issued by the Republic of Bohemia in 1988. Planned for March 22nd of that year, actually it was not put on sale until December 7th because of some mysterious delay at the Mori-Arty Statni Tiskarna in Eglow..." |
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Julian Wolff's 1957 pamphlet "A Ramble in Bohemia", possibly originally sent as a Christmas card, describes (in an apparent philatelic journal, the "United Nations Philatelic Chronicle" dated April 1, 1997) the circumstance surrounding the issuing of the Republic of Bohemia Sherlock Holmes stamp in 1988. A copy of the stamp is attached. The text describes it as 'printed by photogravure on thick glossy paper... all sheets were perforated 12...'
Here's a facsimile! |
C12719, C12715, C12735
Fabian's Phantom Post
George Fabian, Park Forest, Ill.
(started Fabian's Phantom Post Nov. 22, 1975)
lithographed on dry gum paper without watermark.
1976, 1977, 1979
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February 7, 1976
 
2 3/8" × 3 1/2" - 60mm × 86mm |
C16503
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June 10, 1977
1 1/4" × 2 3/8" - 31mm × 60mm
(black ink on orange paper)
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January 6, 1979
125th birthday of Sherlock Holmes
perf 11¾ - 1 3/8" × 1 1/2" - 35mm × 40 mm
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With thanks to George Fabian!
Sherlock Holmes
Howard Local Post
Old RadioMay 18, 1976
Howard DuBose, Durham, North Carolina
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The Howard Local Post was started in 1972 by Howard Du Bose of Durham, N.C. The Sherlock Holmes Old Radio issue was #42 in the series, issued on May 18, 1976, influenced by the Sherlock Holmes radio show (Mr. Du Bose was a professional radio engineer in the early '70s). There were 750 stamps printed, in 30 sheets of 25, and 150 First Day covers.
Howard says "I combined my interest in collecting stamps, reading mystery novels (I started in Viet Nam with Nero Wolfe), and working in radio. I did several radio stamps. I only did stamps about what I was interested in. I had a total of 55 issues, some of which are still for sale! "
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38mm × 52mm - 1 9/16" × 2 1/16"
ungummed
The "First Day" cover above is "postmarked" May 19 (1976) —
while Benton's Wood's example below is dated May 18, without the "First Day" stamp!
similar cover from Benton Wood's 1993
"Philatelic & Numismatic Holmes"
sheet of 25 (#18)
With thanks to Howard DuBose!
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Proposed design
for a U.S. Commemorative
for the 125th Anniversary of the
birth of Sherlock Holmes in 1979.
R. H. Brown and J. L. Watkins
July 19, 1978
"The world's first consulting detective."
(colorized image - intended color unknown)
No stamp was issued.
C16504, C12742 |
Portion of a 2-page mimeographed letter from Ted Schulz (BSI) soliciting help in writing the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee in Washington, D.C.
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Sept. 15, 1978
... Captain Robert H. Brown and J. L. Watkins have designed a special commemorative postage stamp to honor the 125th anniversary of the birth of Sherlock Holmes. I have reproduced a copy of the proposed design, and it is attached. (My apologies for the poor quality of my reproduction). If you wish to assist Captain Brown ..... |  |
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Sherlock Holmes Center VisitCzyl's Penny Post
(ca. 1980s)
James Czyl, Posen, Illinois.
commemorating British Isles vist.
(from a sheet of 18 various)
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Mary Ellen Rabogliatti, in her article "The Philatelic Mr. Holmes" (Baker Street Journal, 9/81) cites Fred Boughner's article, "Calling all Holmes collectors," (Linn's Stamp News 9/22/80) as the source for this comment attributed to Commander Richard D. Lesh, designer of the Maiwand sheet, that he prefers the use of the term "Irenella" for these, rather than "Cinderella", in honour of the woman.
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Yeti Post
1987
Gordon H. Palmer, Thousand Oaks, California
"The Yeti Post was started in 1965 as an offshoot of my founding and being involved in a climbing club. We use the first Yeti Post labels when we went to Nepal, and elsewhere. I remember well that the (so-called) postmaster in Namche Bazar took pains NOT to cancel the labels on the cards... ($%#&%!). Yeti Post issues now number close to 1000 or more." GHP |
Thanks to Kevin von Bratt for suggesting this, and forwarding a copy the article.
 Stamp Magazine (UK)
May, 1987
Sherlock Holmes
Feeling frustrated because of the apparent lack of intended action by the British Post Office earlier this year in celebrating the centenary of the debut of the most famous (fictional) private detective ever, Gordon Palmer of One Thousand Oaks, California, USA, issued a Yeti Post Cinderella inscribed '100th Anniversary of the first / SHERLOCK HOLMES story – 1887'.
With a single-line frame of 46mm horizontally and 38mm vertically and printed in black on yellow paper, the stamp portrays the archetypal detective in characteristic pose, looking through a magnifying glass at a 'Yeti'.
The first day of issue, as close as can be ascertained, was during early January 1987...
Read the rest of the article here. The image is adapted from Benton Wood's Philatelic and Numismatic Holmes, New Revised Edition, 1993, p.15, color added.
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Various Cinderella Local Posts
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| Gordon H. Palmer (Yeti Post, above) has generously forwarded photocopies of a number of Local Post issues (and related labels) in his collection, along with some additional Yeti Post issues. They can be viewed here. |
Autumn in Baker Street (ABS) Local PostOctober 1992
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The Wigmore Street Post Office was set up at the 1992 Autumn in Baker Street and the stamps were designed especially for that event by Linda Crane. The cancellation stamp was designed for the occasion as well and was destroyed after the weekend, so that no additional issues could be made. Stamps could be purchased at the local post office, affixed to correspondence at the gathering and after cancellation, were delivered to the addressees. |
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"For example, observation shows me that you have been to the Wigmore Street Post Office this morning, but deduction lets me know that when there you dispatched a telegram."
SH to JHW
SIGN
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Thanks to Linda Crane for this material!
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221B
"Arthur Conan Doyle 1"
2000
Al R. Young
Al Young's Studio
numbered edition of 150
Black ink on German etching paper
1 5/8 in. × 2 1/8 in. image (approx.)
on 2 5/16 in. × 3 in. paper |
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Dennis Jordan "Test Sheet of 25 Stamps" printing variety #1 (above) and
Dennis Jordan "Test Plate of 5 Stamps" printing variety #2 (below).
Thanks to Ken Rozek for these two images. |
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East Timor (Para Timor)
2000"Sharlock" Holmes (animation)
[click to enlarge]
East Timor became an independent nation on May 20, 2002, and the first stamps were issued on that date, a set of four, commemorating independence. Pre-independence issues of East Timor (Para Timor) are therefore considered "Cinderella" issues, with no postal validity. see Linn's article.
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Spanish North Africa
2001
100 Anos - Sherlock Holmes
El Fennec de los Baskervilles
Ridiculous?
click on the image to visit the source (archive)
Sakhalin
(not a postal entity)
2003
Chess Sets offer Hoax
NOT Holmes!
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NOT Holmes!
Ken Rozek has reported this (Dec. '06) eBay hoax... a sheetlet of Sakhalin labels of chess sets claimed to include Sherlock Holmes (third from left in top row). The ad included a description of the pieces – "stamp picturing a Sherlock Holmes Chess Set - Professor Moriarty, Doctor Watson, Inspector Lestrade, Irene Adler, the Hound of the Baskervilles and more" – and an image of some of the pieces supposedly shown. (below) 
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| In fact, the set on the stamp is apparently a Studio Anne Carlton "History of Golf chess set". The same company, Studio Anne Carlton, does make a Sherlock Holmes chess set, from which the images for the stamp offer hoax were apparently taken.
Thanks to Ken Rozek for his fine detective work! |
DisneyRedonda
Easter 1984
Goofy as Sherlock
(Redonda not catalogued in Scott)
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St. Vincent Grenadines
"The Great Mouse Detective"
1992 souvenir sheets and sheetlet, listed in Dodson.
12/15/1992
Scott #989
Scott #990
Scott #986
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Detective Fiction
Philatelic Holmes
Bibliography
Title Index
Topical Index
Journal Index
Chronological Index
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