FISHING-FLIES CRAFTED IN TRANSKEI 2

Transkei, Butterworth · 1982-01-06

Official

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front

Cachet: The cachet on this cover shows a large fish leaping clear of the water, jaws wide and body arched mid-strike, with spray thrown up around it. Behind the action a small motor boat sits calmly on the water with an angler standing at the helm, fishing rod in hand, giving the scene a sense of the moment just before or after the catch. The series marking "1.25" appears in the lower left corner beside a small logo, with no additional text accompanying the illustration. Five stamps run across the top of the cover, each showing a different hand tied fishing fly, from the Montana Nymph to the Light Spruce, all produced at the Butterworth fly factory. Three Butterworth postmarks, each built around a detailed fish head design, cancel the stamps.

Info card

FISHING-FLIES CRAFTED IN TRANSKEI This set of five 10c stamps, printed se-tenant in one sheet, is the third in the Transkei fishing-fly series, and follows the 1980 and 1981 issues. The fishing-fly factory at Butterworth supplies a world-wide export market. The patterns depicted on these stamps are well-tried and popular dressings used mainly in fly-fishing for trout and salmon. Blue Charm This pattern is an old favourite with salmon fishermen around the world. The Blue Charm is a fully dressed salmon fly with a simple wing construction of only two types of feathers, unlike many other salmon flies having up to ten different materials built into their wings. The Blue Charm on this stamp is a depiction of the original 19th century dressing. Royal Coachman The Royal Coachman dry fly is a variation of the original Coachman pattern presumably designed by a coachman to the British Royal Family many years ago. The most distinctive difference between the Coachman and Royal Coachman patterns is the band of scarlet floss silk around the middle of the Royal Coachman's body. Light Spruce The Light Spruce is a streamer fly originally named the Godfrey Special, after the designer who lived in Seaside, Oregon. It was first used in the Oregon mountain streams for catching trout, but soon became widely known. It was renamed the Spruce, after the spruce timber of Oregon, and is dressed in light and dark versions, the Light Spruce being the more popular. Montana Nymph This North-American pattern is also known as the Montana Stone. It is an imitation of the nymph of the stonefly found on rocky bottoms in clear streams. The stonefly nymph grows to a very large size, sometimes over 50 mm long, therefore the imitation is dressed on large hooks and is fished deep. Butcher The Butcher, which originated in Britain, is one of the best-known patterns in the world. It is used extensively in lake, river and sea trout fly-fishing and is especially productive during early-season spring fishing.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 6 January 1982 in Butterworth. It carries a set of five Transkei stamps, printed se tenant in one sheet, marking the third series of fishing flies produced at the Butterworth factory. The Royal Coachman featured on this cover takes its name from an original Coachman pattern said to have been designed for the British Royal Family, distinguished by a band of scarlet floss silk wound around the middle of its body.

Theme: Other

Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.

Addressed: No

Signed: No

Estimated value: ~US$0.1

This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.