Ukraine #1-5, The Narbut Issue (1918)

[I.M. DeBear]

widmerpoolmycat, Cancels do get faked, and that may be the case here. It's also possible that the canceller just wound up in unauthorized hands at some later point, and was backdated to convert common unused stamps into more desirable 'cancelled while current' items, especially blocks.

[I.M. DeBear]

Ukraine Narbut 40sh block, Kamenets-Podolsk 28OCT1919 cancel.
Baillie considers this cancel 'doubtful'.

[I.M. DeBear]

Ukraine Narbut 50sh block, Kiev 07AUG1918 cancel.

[I.M. DeBear]

Ukraine Narbut 50sh block, Kamenets-Podolsk 28OCT1919 cancel.
Baillie considers this cancel 'doubtful'.

[I.M. DeBear]

The five beloved Narbut designs have been resurrected over and over again for a variety of purposes, official and otherwise, as shown below.

75 years first postage stamps of the Ukrainian state (souvenir sheet - 115.00). Printed on paper with security inclusions. I believe these were created for a Ukrainian Philatelic and Numismatic Society convention, but I could be wrong about that.

[I.M. DeBear]

75 years first postage stamps of the Ukrainian state (souvenir sheet - 50.00 + 20.00). The security inclusions in the paper are quite prominent on this piece.

[I.M. DeBear]

Private label commemorating the 80th anniversary of Shevchenko Scientific Society. Produced by the anti-communist Ukrainian Pidpilna (underground) Post.

[widmerpoolmycat]

What a great use of the “Ukrania” figure. Thanks for sharing this.

“When I die, then make my grave
High on an ancient mound,
In my own beloved Ukraine,
In steppeland without bound:
Whence one may see wide-skirted wheatland,
Dnipro's steep-cliffed shore,
There whence one may hear the blustering
River wildly roar.
Till from Ukraine to the blue sea
It bears in a fierce endeavour
The blood of foemen — then I'll leave
Wheatland and hills forever:
Leave all behind, soar up until
Before the throne of God
I'll make my prayer. For till that hour
I shall know naught of God.
Make my grave there — and arise,
Sundering your chains,
Bless your freedom with the blood
Of foemen's evil veins!
Then in that great family,
A family new and free,
Do not forget, with good intent
Speak quietly of me.”

—Taras Shevchenko

[I.M. DeBear]

Inscription strips of modern fantasy Narbut overprints on Russian 1k and 2k stamps, allegedly issued for use in Sumy Ukraine.

[I.M. DeBear]

Privately produced 1993 Narbut overprints for Sumy on Russian 1k and 2k stamps, including the scarce 150.00/2k value.

[I.M. DeBear]

In 1992, the recently resurrected Ukrainian Republic revived Narbut's Ukrainia for their first issue of definitive stamps.

The 'New Narbuts' of 1992, #118-30, perf. 12x12.5, 8v complete.

[I.M. DeBear]

A nice New Narbut piece, #128, 122, 124.

[I.M. DeBear]

Top-value New Narbuts sporting Narbut's Ukrainia First Day cancel.

[I.M. DeBear]

New Narbut 1.00 and 15.00 imprints on postcards.

[I.M. DeBear]

New Narbut 1.00 imprints on envelopes.

[I.M. DeBear]

Top two New Narbuts on DOUBLE PRINTED envelope stationery.

[I.M. DeBear]

New Narbut DOUBLE PRINT on envelope stationery (cover crop).

[I.M. DeBear]

The New Narbuts got themselves overprinted much more than the old ones ever did. A few examples from Crimea are shown below.

In early 1992, Ukraine waltzed away from the fragmented Soviet Union with Crimea on its arm. However, Crimea's own ideas about its political status were never far beneath the surface (Cyrillic text = Republic Crimea).

[I.M. DeBear]

Simferopol Crimea 23NOV1999 cover to Jersey UK with full set of Crimea ARMS overprints on New Narbuts.

[I.M. DeBear]

Simferopol Crimea 23NOV1999 cover to Jersey UK with full set of Crimea MAPS overprints on New Narbuts.


(Cyrillic text: Republic Crimea)