Rare Royal Wedding stamps shed light on Kuwait’s historic ties with Britain
Exhibition by Kuwaiti Philatelic and Numismatic Society unveils rare 1948 Royal Wedding stamps and Kuwait’s postal heritage
The Kuwaiti Philatelic and Numismatic Society held an exhibition and lecture on the Silver Jubilee stamps of the royal wedding as part of its cultural activities aimed at raising awareness of the history and culture of stamps in general, and Kuwaiti stamps in particular.
The Society’s Secretary, researcher in Kuwaiti-British relations, Issa Dashti, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the Society opened its exhibition and lecture on the Silver Jubilee stamps of the royal wedding on Tuesday as part of its cultural events.
On the sidelines of the exhibition’s opening, Dashti explained that the Silver Jubilee stamps of the marriage of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth are among the most prominent and beautiful issues in the history of Kuwaiti postal services, as they clearly symbolize Kuwait’s participation with its friend, Britain, in various occasions and embody the depth of the historical relations that have united the two countries.
He added that his lecture would explore the story behind the issuance of this stamp set, the reasons for its creation, its historical and artistic symbolism, the secrets of its design, and the documentation of its use in Kuwait in 1948.
He noted that the accompanying exhibition featured a collection of his personal belongings, including rare stamps, coins, and documents related to the Silver Jubilee stamps of the royal marriage, shedding light on an important aspect of Kuwaiti postal history.
Dashti expressed his gratitude to the association’s honorary member, Sheikha Hala Bader AlMohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and to the Kuwait National Library for their sponsorship and support of this cultural activity, emphasizing that the history of Kuwaiti postal services is rich with stories and events that form an important part of Kuwait’s history, particularly the history of Kuwaiti-British relations.
During the lecture, Dashti discussed the story behind the design of the stamp set issued in 1948 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the marriage of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
The British Royal Mail issued a set of two stamps bearing the images of the King and Queen, which were used in Britain, the Commonwealth countries, and territories then under British protection, including Kuwait, as well as several Arab countries such as Bahrain, Muscat, and Morocco.
He addressed the reasons for issuing this set and reviewed the stamps overprinted and dedicated to Kuwait, highlighting some of the most notable overprinting errors that are of great interest to stamp collectors. He also reviewed the types of Kuwaiti envelopes and postcards associated with this set.
Furthermore, he presented a rare collection of Kuwaiti stamps and envelopes related to these issues, explaining their historical significance. Kuwait Post used these stamps when it was managed by the British Postal Service, and their issuance and use coincided with the reign of the tenth ruler of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
This marked a historical milestone reflecting Kuwait’s participation with Britain in its national events, including the celebration of the silver jubilee of the royal marriage, thus embodying the depth and strength of the historical relations between the two countries.
The accompanying exhibition featured a collection of Dashti’s original holdings, described in a book containing detailed information about the collection.
Published by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters in cooperation with the Kuwaiti Philatelic and Numismatic Society, the book has won numerous medals from the Asian Philatelic Federation and the International Philatelic Federation, both official associations affiliated with the Universal Postal Union.
— KUNA
