BARTOLOMEU DIAS MUSEUM
South Africa, Mosselbaai · 1988-02-03
Unofficial first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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This cover is postmarked on 3 February 1988 in Mosselbaai, with a special postmark depicting a caravel and marking "Dias 88". It carries the South Africa National Festival stamp commemorating the quincentenary of Bartolomeu Dias's landing, SAPO [number to confirm]. The date on this cover is a precise one, chosen to fall exactly five hundred years after Dias first came ashore at what is now Mossel Bay on St Blaize's day in 1488, an event that marked the first recorded contact between Western explorers and the peoples of southern Africa. Dias himself never realised he had rounded the southern tip of the continent, having been blown out to sea by strong winds before he could sight the coast.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet is a portrait of Bartolomeu Dias rendered in fine brown ink crosshatching, showing him from the chest up in period dress, a soft cap, layered tunic and patterned collar, gazing to one side. The linework is dense and shaded to give the portrait depth and texture rather than flat outline. Below the portrait, "Museum" and "Bartolomeu Dias" appear in an elegant script.
Information Card
BARTOLOMEU DIAS MUSEUM, MOSSEL BAY On 3 February 1988 it will be exactly five hundred years since the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias set foot on shore at Mossel Bay, the very first contact between Western civilisation and Southern Africa. This historic landing was the prelude to the establishment of the first White settlement at the Cape in 1652 and is commemorated in the new provincial museum complex at Mossel Bay, which will be known as the Bartolomeu Dias Museum from 3 February 1988. The museum complex, the development of which has been declared a matter of national importance, will form the nucleus of the National Dias Festival, which will be held in 1988 to mark the quincentenary of Dias's landing. Dias's voyage to the Cape was undertaken at the command of King João II of Portugal, who, like his great-uncle Prince Henry the Navigator, was determined to find a sea route to India round the southern tip of Africa so as to shift the centre of trade with the East from Venice to Lisbon. Dias sailed from Lisbon in August 1487 with two caravels and a bigger store-ship. He passed the southernmost stone cross left a few years earlier at Cape Cross by fellow countryman Diogo Cão, but thereafter sailed out into the open sea, probably driven by winds. Thus he went round the southern tip of Africa without realizing it. When, after steering eastwards, he could not find land, he took a northerly course and eventually anchored in a protected cove on the festival day of St Blaize. He named it Aguada de São Bras (watering place of St Blaize) because of the freshwater spring he found there. It was later renamed Mossel Bay by the Dutch. It is believed Dias turned back home at Kwaaihoek, near the mouth of the Bushman's River, because of a rebellious crew. BARTOLOMEU DIAS-MUSEUM, MOSSELBAAI Op 3 Februarie 1988 is dit presies vyf honderd jaar sedert die Portugese seevaarder Bartolomeu Dias by Mosselbaai voet aan wal gesit het, die heel eerste kontak tussen die Westerse beskawing en Suider-Afrika. Hierdie geskiedkundige landing was die voorspel tot die stigting van die eerste blanke nedersetting aan die Kaap in 1652 en word herdenk in die nuwe provinsiale museumkompleks op Mosselbaai, wat vanaf 3 Februarie 1988 as die Bartolomeu Dias-museum bekend sal wees. Die ontwikkeling van die museumkompleks is tot 'n aangeleentheid van nasionale belang verklaar en die museum sal die kern vorm van die Nasionale Dias-fees, wat gedurende 1988 ter herdenking van Dias se landing vyf honderd jaar gelede gehou word. Dias se vaart na die Kaap is onderneem op bevel van Koning João II van Portugal wat, soos sy grootoom prins Hendrik die Seevaarder, vasberade was om 'n seeroete na Indië om die suidpunt van Afrika te vind en sodoende die sentrum vir handel met die Ooste van Venesië na Lissabon te verskuif. Dias het in Augustus 1487 met twee karvele en 'n groter proviandskip uit Lissabon vertrek. Hy het by die suidelikste klipkruis wat sy landgenoot Diogo Cão 'n paar jaar tevore by Kruiskaap geplant het, verbygevaar maar is daarna waarskynlik deur suidelike winde die oop see ingedryf. Só het hy onwetend verby die suidpunt van Afrika gevaar. Toe hy nie land kon vind nadat hy ooswaarts gestuur het nie, het hy noordwaarts geseil en uiteindelik op die feesdag van St Blasius in 'n beskutte baaitjie anker gegooi. Hy het dit Aguada de São Bras (waterplek van St Blasius) genoem vanweë die varswaterfontein wat hy daar aangetref het. Later het die Hollanders dit tot Mosselbaai hernoem. Daar word allerweë aanvaar dat Dias as gevolg van 'n rebelse bemanning by Kwaaihoek naby die mond van die Boesmansrivier omgedraai en huiswaarts gekeer het.
Theme: Heritage
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
Stamp denomination: R0.16 (ZAR)
SG reference: 631–634
Estimated value: ~US$0.1
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 248 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
