Poland
2006

A nice tribute to Czeslaw Slania by his native Poland

1950-1952          1953-1954          1955-1956;  1993;  1997-1999;  2000         2002-2003          2006

In commemoration of Czeslaw Slania, Poland has issued in 2006 a postcard with a stamp portraying Slania himself. The card is prepaid by a printed stamp of 1.30 zl., and on the two adjoined labels are shown his burin and a gold portrait of the polish Nobel Prize Laureate in Literature (1996) Wislawa Szymborska. The cancel shows Czeslaw Slania's name and the years 1921-2005. Blank postcards without cancel are also available. The prepaid stamp is produced from a photograph of Slania, taken in his later years. I am not informed about the photographer's identity. The original photograph is copyrighted by Svenskt Fotoreportage. 

Wislawa Szymborska has been portrayed on a Swedish stamp in 2000 (Scott # 2399a), engraved by Czeslaw Slania. A replica of this stamp was issued by Poland in 2003. 

• Poland 2006. Postcard (stationery) with a prepaid stamp of 1,30 Zl., valid for first domestic rate in Poland. The card is not intended for international mail. 

This card, although not printed from a die created by Slania, should all the same be included in any Slania collection, simply because of the commemorative context. If not included in the Polish section of a Slania- collection, it would belong to the category of "Polonica" in any collection of the master engraver's extensive work. Whichever category is chosen, it is a very nice tribute to the Swedish engraver by his native Poland. 

A similar postcard, also stationery from Poland, was issued in 1996, to honour Slania on his 75th birthday. The prepaid stamp of 40 gr. shows Slania's self-portrait engraved by himself for his 60th birthday. 

• Poland 1996. Postcard (stationery) with a prepaid stamp of 40 gr., valid for the then first domestic rate in Poland. Neither was the card is not intended for international mail. The vignette on the left shows a fragment of Slania's diploma work "The Grünewald Battle", after a painting by the Polish painter Jan Matejko. 

These cards being stationery, they are not listed in major catalogues. The two cards are the only items with valid postage stamps, showing Slania himself. 

1950-1952          1953-1954          1955-1956;  1993;  1997-1999;  2000         2002-2003          2006