My Favorite Federal Duck Stamp – Part Four

As we learned in Part One, the medium Edwin Kalmbach chose for his original artwork in 1941 was tempera with a black and white wash. For most collectors, the closest we can get to enjoying our favorite artists’ work is through a print copied from the original art and reproduced in an edition size that was…

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My Favorite Federal Duck Stamp – Part Three

In todays post, we will begin to explore artist signed stamps and prints. Once a mainstay of the market, artist signed material went a little soft during the great recession. However, if the results from Siegel’s (March 2016) Bill Webster sale are any indication – artist signed stamps and prints may be poised for a huge…

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My Favorite Federal Duck Stamp – Part Two

Aside from the proofs, singles, plate number blocks and sheets that we discussed in Part One, what else can be added to a specialized collection of (in this case) the 1941-42 federal waterfowl stamp (RW8)? A lot of things that can help to provide context and make the story more interesting – and some pieces that are just enjoyable…

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My Favorite Federal Duck Stamp – Part One

Yes, I know, I am one of the foremost persons crusading to change the way we refer to to these stamps and make it waterfowl rather than duck stamps. Waterfowl stamps is undeniably more correct, as the stamps have portrayed – and conveyed the right to harvest – various other waterfowl species besides ducks. However, there is a reason for…

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Michigan Bear Hunting Stamps

The Michigan bear stamps that were issued from 1959 through 1963 have always been popular with collectors. The stamps from this classic period are jumbo-sized pictorials and each features a large illustration of a bear or a bear being chased by hunting dogs. The stamps are similar to the wildly popular Michigan Cisco Netting stamps that…

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California Hunting & Fishing Licenses – Part Six

The legislation with the most profound effect on our story in 1918-1919 was not passed in California. It was passed in Congress and is known as The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. With this legislation, the federal government accepted the responsibility for the protection of migratory waterfowl in the United States. At this time,…

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California Hunting & Fishing Licenses – Part Five

In order to become more efficient, in 1915 the Board of Fish and Game Commissioners divided California into districts with each commissioner being responsible for one district. Also in 1915, the Department of Commercial Fisheries was established. This separated the administration and regulation of commercial fishing from sport fishing. As this concerned sport fishing, it allowed for an increased…

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California Hunting & Fishing Licenses – Part Four

Britton & Rey was not the only San Francisco lithographer and printer to put out stunning work in the middle teens. In fact, most – if not all – of the San Fransisco companies were at the top of their game during this time. There were two reasons for this. First, the devastating earthquake and fire had…

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California Hunting & Fishing Licenses – Part Three

During the years, 1911, 1912 and 1913, the Board of Fish and Game Commissioners oversaw the production of over 35 million trout at California fish hatcheries and directed the distribution of these trout to stock streams around the state. The commissioners “placed fish in streams previously barren, and kept up and even increased the stock in…

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