Sailing ship series - part five

Sailing ships remained popular in Åland between the wars. Two of them, the schooner Vineta and 4-masted barque Parma, are brought back to life by artist Allan Palmer’s stamps issued on 1 February.

AFTER WORLD WAR I, seaborne trade enjoyed a boom that provided an opportunity for a short-lived renaissance of the building of sailing vessels in Åland.

THE LARGEST ÅLAND peasant shipping company of the inter-war period was Varvs- & Rederi Ab Viking founded in Saltvik in 1917. Viking purchased several Baltic sailing ships and planned to build two new ships, but only realized 3-masted schooner Vineta. Built in the Bay of Kvarnbo and launched in November 1919, she sailed the Baltic and North Seas for eight years. The ship ran aground in a winter storm and wrecked on Gotland. In the same year 1927, the Viking company was dissolved when the board deemed the era of smaller sailing ships over. The artist’s illustration of Vineta, with rain-soaked sails in a dead calm, being overhauled by a fully loaded steamship, is a reminder of the new times. ONE OF THE LAST co-ownerships of Åland vessels emerged in 1931, when Åland captain Ruben de Cloux acquired the four-masted barque Parma from shipowner F. Laeisz of Hamburg. She was built in Glasgow in 1902 as Arrow. During her time under Åland flag, Parma was the world’s largest sailing cargo ship with a tonnage of over 5200 tons. The barque is famous for having made the fastest ever voyage in the 1900s’ wheat trade; in 1933, the passage to England took only 83 days with Captain de Cloux at the rudder, already then renowned for his fast sails. On the stamp, Allan has illustrated Parma on her record passage, sails unfurled and making 12-15 knots heading for the Cape Horn. The sailing era of the ship ended abruptly following an accident in Glasgow in 1936.

MAXIMUM CARDS NO. 119-120 PRICE: €2.80/CARD CODE: 445-201902/445-201903

SAILING SHIPS, VINETA & PARMA

DATE OF ISSUE: 1 February 2019 ARTIST: Allan Palmer

EDITIONS: 2 x 110 000

DENOMINATIONS: €1.40, €1.60 PRICE FDC: €3.80

STAMP SIZE: 40 x 30 mm

SHEET SIZE: 2 x 12 stamps PAPER: 110 g/m² PERFORATION: 12 per 2 cm PRINTING METHOD: 4-colour offset

PRINTING HOUSE: Bpost

The first day cover and maximum cards follow the earlier pattern of the series; the front and back of the cover show the vessels from different angles, whereas the maximum cards feature traditional ship’s portraits.

A binnacle is illustrated in the first day cancel, whereas the special cancel shows a seaman standing on the foot-rope of ÅLAND POST FRIMÄRKENa yard, stowing the sails. • 7