Norfolk Island stamps are always good for top notch illustrations and 2023 follows that tradition. Australia Post digs deep into the archives to feature classic illustrators like George Raper and John Eyre, as well as great modern designers like Jo Muré.  This year starts off with works by an illustrator who was considered one of the best in the world by his contemporaries. 

Designer Sharon Rodziewicz opens the 2023 Norfolk Island stamp program with 2 illustrations by John Gerrard Keulemans (1842–1912). Keuleman was a Dutch born illustrator specialising in birds. He was renowned for his attention to detail and during his life, was considered one of the foremost bird illustrators in the world. He created these works (below) using the taxidermy bodies kept by museums in the UK, where he lived. Australia post used Plates 21 and 6 from the book Extinct Birds as the basis of their January stamps.

Keuleman also produced around 100 bird books and journals, as well as thousands of drawings and lithographic plates. He originally trained as in garment embroidery at his family’s Rotterdam business. Although not classically trained, Keuleman was encouraged to pursue his bird artwork by Dr Hermann Schlegel who was the Director of the Rijksmuseum of Natural History at Leyden.  You can read more about Keuleman’s career here Antique Print Club | J.G. Keulemans, fine bird illustrator. 

We can expect 2 more issues in 2023. If you collect Norfolk stamps, leave a note and let me know what you think of this year’s stamps. If you’d like to receive notification when the Norfolk page  is updated, sign up for my weekly Newsletter. All weekly updates are listed on the Sunday evening newsletter.

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Cheers
Catpaw

January

Lost Birds of Norfolk Island  

2 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
Offset lithography

Norfolk Island Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae spadicea)  – Last known sighting was 1901. Previously featured on a Norfolk Island stamp February 24, 1971

“The Norfolk Island Pigeon, Hemiphaga spadicea spadicea, is very similar to the New Zealand Pigeon, Hemiphaga spadicea novaezealandiae, but differs in having the hind-neck coppery or metallic green, sharply defined from the chestnut back, the wings and upper wing-coverts more greyish, less greenish, also the lower back and rump somewhat more greyish. As far as we know this pigeon was only found on Norfolk Island, the locality “Australia” being doubtless erroneous. Like so many other birds it became extinct on Norfolk Island, probably more than half a century ago.” From Extinct Birds. You can read it online courtesy Extinct Birds   p. 238 (1893).

Norfolk Island Kaka  (Nestor productus) – the last known Norfolk Island Kaka was a captive and died in London, UK in 1851.  Previously featured on a Norfolk Island stamp July 22, 1970 

“LATHAM’S original description is as follows: “Length above 12 inches. Bill very long and curved, thick halfway from the base, but tapering quite to a point at the tip, and under mandible truncated at the end, colour of both, dusky; head and neck dull green; sides under the eyes, chin and throat pale crimson; upper parts of the body, wings and tail dusky; breast yellowish; belly, thighs and vent more or less crimson; tail cuneiform; legs brown. 

 One of these was in possession of Governor Hunter, who brought it from Norfolk Island; from the bill it seems related to the other, but the tail is cuneiform in a much greater degree, without any bars across it.” From Extinct Birds. You can read it online courtesy Extinct Birds (gutenberg.org)

Both illustrations, by artist was John Gerrard Keulemans (1842–1912),are from LW Rothchild’s 1907 book, Extinct Birds.  [Lionel Walter Rothschild, Baron, 1868-1937 Full title: Extinct birds : an attempt to unite in one volume a short account of those birds which have become extinct in historical times, that is, within the last six or seven hundred years, to which are added a few which still exist, but are on the verge of extinction / by Walter Rothschild. Currently held by the State Library of Victoria]

Keulemans was the most sought-after bird artist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A prolific, talented, work-oriented illustrator, he produced quantities of excellent bird plates for books and journals of the period. Although he worked largely from bird specimens, he was adept at creating drawings that were anatomically correct as well as attractively presented. John Gerrard Keulemans – Chromolithography – Beautiful Birds exhibit (cornell.edu)

Designer: Sharon Rodziewicz

Release date: January 31, 2023

Norfolk Island Botanic Garden

2 stamps, souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, 2 gutter sheets of 10
Offset lithography

• Boardwalk trail and Pepper Tree (Macropiper excelsum psittacorum) – a shrub that can grow to 3 metres. The seeds from a pepper tree are spicy, similar to peppercorn 

• Boardwalk trail and Phillip Island Hibiscus (Hibiscus insularis) 

The original garden was owned by Mrs Pat Moore and covered 0.6 hectares. Mrs Moore (nee Annie Eliza Kirkpatrick) moved to Norfolk Island from New Zealand in 1949. She purchased the property and planted numerous species of plants found only on Norfolk Island, starting the the collection that became the basis for the Norfolk Island Botanic Garden.

Before she returned to New Zealand in 1975, Mrs Moore made it possible for the Norfolk Island Administration to take over the management of the area, ensuring that her hard work, dedication and vision would not be lost to future residents and visitors. Botanic Garden | Norfolk Island National Park (parksaustralia.gov.au)

The Botanical Gardens became part of the larger Norfolk Island National park. An estimated 200 plants, native to Norfolk can be seen in the Gardens. 40 of them are found only on Norfolk.  The park has a brochure you can download to learn more about the plants plant-brochure.pdf (parksaustralia.gov.au)

Designer: Sharon Rodziewicz
Photographers:  Ian Beattie/AUSCAPE/Alamy (boardwalk) and Daryl O’Connor (Phillip Island Hibiscus) and Nigel Greenup (boardwalk) and © M. Fagg, 2005 (Pepper Tree)

Release date: June 12, 2023

July

Norfolk Island Lookouts

2 stamps, souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel
offse

Captain Cook Lookout  and Queen Elizabeth Lookout

Designer: Jason Watts
Photographers:
QE Lookout – Ian Beattie/AUSCAPE/Alamy Stock Photo 
Captain Cook – Lookout Southern Lightscapes-Australia/Moment via Getty Images

 Release date: July 25, 2023