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TBVC
South African Homelands Philately 1976 - 1994
Informative Brochures (Booklets)
INTERSAPA produced an interesting and informative
brochure for each territory, although, reading between
the lines, it does emphasise what a ‘wonderful
job’ the apartheid Government was doing for
TBVC!
Non - related TBVC
Stamp Issues
INTERSAPA marketing and exploitation of the collector
introduced several series of commemoratives. The subject
might be interesting, but has nothing whatsoever to
do with the TBVC territories.
Transkei produced ‘Heroes of
Medicine’ eight issues (32 stamps).
Bophuthatswana took
on ‘History of the Telephone’ (four sets)
‘Easter Stamps’ (12 issues) plus ‘Old
African Maps’ (three issues) totalling 76 unnecessary
stamps.
Venda ventured into
‘History of Writing’ (7 sets) and when
that ran dry followed on with three sets of ‘Inventions’,
another 40 stamps to add to the tally.
Ciskei appears to
have had a fascination for outer space and includes
‘Halley’s Comet’ in a sheetlet of
ten; the 1991 second definitive features ‘The
solar System’ 15 values plus a miniature sheet.
The foregoing being rounded off with a set of four
‘Satellites over Southern Africa’. Another
series featured ‘British Military Uniforms’
three issues = 15 stamps and includes a set of four
‘Sail Troopships’.
The Joy for Thematic Collectors
The TBVC issues certainly catered for this group of
collectors and themes include plants, flowers, trees,
aloes, cycads, wild fruits. Then there are animals
(wild and domestic), birds, bees, butterflies, fish,
sharks, dolphins and crocodiles, followed by spiders,
chickens, cats and dogs.
There are aeroplanes, ships, cars and locomotives.
There are people at work or at play includes sport,
boy scouts and girl guides. Dams, waterfalls and scenic
views...so the list goes on...
Continued in
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Promoting
TBVC Philately on the Internet
I acquired the TBVC INTERSAPA albums with the view
to making web pages for each of the four Territories
plus a TBVC Philately page, the aim being to raise
an interest in Homelands Philately. It might be ‘modern’
but there is certainly more to it than at first meets
the eye. Already the Internet search engines has elevated
my TBVC offering to No 1 on page one, which was the
intention. The foregoing is an ongoing project of
promoting all Southern Africa Philately on the internet
and that in turn is supported by a journal entitled
Southern Africa Philately.
There is also an annual Southern Africa Philatelic
Conference weekend which takes place in November each
year. It enjoys support from all the Southern
Africa Philatelic Societies and of over 40 people
attended in 2017.
TBVC Study Group
Instigated in 2009 by the late Rev Cassie Carstens,
a small group of enthusiasts meet in Pretoria once
a month; I have made contact with a few of its members
in order to appreciate what they are currently doing.
Heinz Wirz informed me that he is writing a book on
each of the TBVC territories.
Bophuthatswana
Heinz wrote...The first edition of Bophuthatswana
has already been published, but before I was able
to gain access to the pencil drawings and subsequent
research in the post office museum and afforded the
opportunity to scan the original art work created
for the Bop stamps as well as the other homelands.
The Bop book is sold out and in need of a second edition
to include these artworks and an expanded postmark
section with a new map that includes the railway network...
...The Transkei book is progressing
very well and approaching 500 pages and is along the
same line as the Ciskei book and will hopefully be
published early in the New Year with Venda book following
later in 2018 and the Bop book probably in 2019...
Note - The Bophuthatswana
and Ciskei books were reviewed in The South African
Philatelist (June 2016 and August 2017).
Bophuthatswana 226 pages, fifty copies printed, cost
ZAR 400 and Ciskei 299 pages, sixty printed, price
ZAR 850. I hope to gain sight
of these publications and can then comment further.
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