POSTER STAMPS AND LABELS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES

1952 - XV Olympiad - Helsinki

July 19-Aug. 3

Official Poster and Emblem for 1952 Games in Helsinki Helsinki had been the runner-up for the 1940 Games, and *almost* hosted them that year when Japan bowed out, but World War II intervened. They had earned the right to host them, and were awarded the honor right after London, which had stepped into the breach in 1948. Note the poster they used, it's the same design as the one they picked for 1940. The following poster stamps and labels were issued for the 1952 Games: Click on image below to open an enlarged version in a separate window/tab Click on the DuBois number beneath the image to display technical data about that label.

1. Above: VARDSKAPET FORPLIKTAR. Below: VANLIGHET VARDERAS (Swedish text: The host is under obligation, courtesy is appreciated);
Vignette: a man with a red heart on his coat,tipping his hat;
a) with pink face or
b) with gray face.
- 20x39mm, perf 11, gray-blue & red.

c) Same vignette as No.l but Finnish text:
Above: "ISANNYYS VELVOITTAA;" Below "YSTAVALLISYYS VALLOITTAA;" 27x39.5mm, perf 11, colors: light blue coat & hat, red heart, pink face & hands, red text

(1 a,b,c are Olympic publicity labels issued by Finnish Post Office)

DuBois says these were issued by the Finnish Post Office, but I can find no confirmation of that. THIS PAPER says they were part of a campaign to encourage courtesy and friendliness towards tourists during the Olympics - one wonders why that was deemed necessary!

IMAGE SOURCE

#1952-02

DuBois listing:

2. A rectangular label:
"XV OLYMPIA / HELSINKI" below; Olympic rings and a tower, "1952" above. 17x26mm, imperforate, blue

I have never seen an actual label with this design. Could it be a cut-out of the cachet on the envelope above? Note the size he quotes - that's tiny, not even an inch tall! The cachet on this envelope is about that size.

12/02/17 - I found the image above on a Greek web site, and it fits the description, but DuBois says the item is imperforate, whereas this is perforated. Also, the perforations look too perfect. Is it a real stamp? The web owner does not provide contact data, so I cannot ask him.

#1952-02a?

2a. Same design as #2 but the Olympic rings are colored; and it is an air-label of larger size, 67x108mm

2/23/17 - The image above turned up in a recent Volk auction, with the description "Suitcase Label - 73 x 115 - ungummed" - DuBois gives the size of the vignette, while Volk gives it for the entire label, so this could be 1956-2a, though DuBois' comment that it is an air label is puzzling, especially since he does not have an image for it.

#1952- 03
DuBois listing:

3. In a circular border: "SUOMI 1952 FINLAND" - Olympic rings at bottom; vignette, in central circle: a tent and a flower. A 40mm round,imperf, round label, blue-green & orange, text & rings are black ... Rare

4. German Fund Label: "DEUTSCHE OLYMPISCHE GESELLSCHAFT" Olympic rings (double-line drawn) "1952" above; "HELSINKI SPENDENMARKE 10 PFG" across bottom; vignette, in middle: a hand holding a flaming torch. 28x42mm, perf 10, green background,text & design white
a) green ... $3.00
b) dark green... $3.00
c) screen-print,green ... $15.00

DuBois identifies three color varieties: Green, dark green, and screen-print green. There is also a significant difference in the design of the third stamp vs the first two - look at the torches.

#1952- 05
DuBois listing:

5. "NEDERLANDSCH OLYMPISCH COMITE" at bottom; Olympic rings at top; vignette, in middle: a Netherlandic lion; thick-lined border,the latter and the design have rounded corners. 34x41 mm, perf 14, color: red-brown ... $7.50

#1952- 06
DuBois listing:

6. FOR OLYMPISK FRAMGANG 1952 above; SVENSKA FRI-IDROTTS-FORBUNDET below.
Vignette, in middle: Olympic fire in a brazier, supported by three columns. 26x36mm, roulette 6.5; colors: fire is red & yellow, brazier and columns are yellow with blue details, background is dull ultramarine, texts and margins are white ... $5.00

(For Olympic Progress; Swedish Free Sports Association)

#1952-18
DuBois listing:

18. "MIT FLUGPOST PAR AVION" official Austrian flight label, above; "OLYMPIADE-SONDERFLUG WIEN-HELSINKI" below. Vignette, below: an airplane, Olympic rings and the Olympic fire. 40x36mm, imperf, blue background ... $5.00 (Special Olympiad flight - Vienna to Helsinki)

Cover below has imprint similar to this item.

 
#1952-19a&b
2nd variety not in DuBois -
"HELSINKI" instead of "HELSINGFORS"
(Thanks to Philippe Pavard for pointing this out)
Vignettes 38x51mm

DuBois listing:

19. "SKYWAY TO THE OLYMPICS SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINE SYSTEM" at bottom; the vignette depicts the official Olympic flag, with correct colors and interlacing, atop the SAS flag; along the left edge of the flags,reading up: "OSLO 14/2-25/2 1952 HELSINGFORS 19/7-3/8" - to the right of the Olympic flag: a pale blue & white airliner; background color: varies gradually from a light blue at the bottom to a dark blue at the top. 38x52mm, imperforate, multicolored ... $6.00

1952-19c
New version - not in DuBois
Vignette 36x39mm

I asked Philippe Pavard, who supplied the images above, whether the third label might be a cutout from the first one - the design is the same as the top part of 1952-19a, and the size is correct - he replied "I think the third label is not a trimmed version of the larger label because the paper of the larger label is thicker and the colors of the backgrounds are different."

5/5/17 - Added the above labels to 1952 Winter page, as they belong there as well.

#1952- 20
DuBois listing:

20. "KESKIMAARIN 50 KPL" at top; beneath, a box on a coffee branch, on which: "OKA kahvia" olympic rings and a man with a coffee basket; a coffee mill below,on it: "0KA KAHVI OY" - below, in fine print: "PORIN TULITIKKUTEH-DAS OY" 31x53mm,an imperf match box label, multicolored ... $14.00 (Text is Finnish)

#1952-21
DuBois listing:

21. A Match-box Label: "HEHKUMATTOMIA TULITIKKUJA" across top; "KESKIM 50 TULITIKKUA" across bottom; vignette, centrally located: Olympic rings over a large "UKKO PRO OLYMPIA OSUUSTUKKUKAUPPA I.L." down panel. 51x31 mm, imperf,colors: panel background and upper & lower texts are gray- green; area outside panel and panel text are blue (except for lower line, OSUUST..., which is white),panel border and outer edge of label are white ... $11.00 (Printed on thin paper, the text is Finnish)

More Finnish matchbox labels with Olympic rings at bottom of page.

#1952- 23
DuBois listing:

23. "KESKIMAARIN 50 KPL" across top; "PORIN TULITIKKUTEDAS Oy" across bottom; vignette: a coffee container with text on lid (OKA KAHVI OY etc) and on side (S.I.NAPPIA.etc). 30x52mm(overall) ... $14.00

("PORIN TULITIKKUTEHDAS" means "match factory of Pori,Finland", KAHVI means "coffee").

 
#1952-24
DuBois listing:

24. Finland - a matchbox label: "OLYMPIC 50's PRICE 13P" above; "OLYMPIC MATCH WORKS VETHILAIYURANI VIA SIVAKASI" below. Vignette: red Olympic rings below Olympic fire, in a triangle with yellow background. 28x40mm, imperf, background is deep violet, text is yellow ... $14.00

DuBois calls this Finnish, but the origin is India - "VETHILAIYURANI VIA SIVAKASI" does indeed look like Finnnish, but is a place in India; and the pricing is in Pence, so this label is British. I doubt it had any connection with an Olympic event.

4/21/18 - The second image above showed up on eBay. The design is identical to the label DuBois owned, but the text differs - instead of"OLYMPIC MATCH WORKS" this one says "EVEREST MATCH FACTORY." Again, I do not think it was issued in connection with any Olympiad, it was just capitalizing on the word.

DuBois listing:

Postage Stamps:

 
Italy Sc. 599
Trieste (AMG-FTT) Sc. 143

1. An Italian stamp issued which commemorated the same occasion (First International Exhibition of Sports Stamps). This stamp depicts "Statues of an Athlete and the River God Tiber". The Italian text is identical to that on the above-discussed label, except for the initials C.O.N.I. Those initials indicate the National Olympic Committee of Italy issued the labels.
2. The "wolf-statue" appears on stamps of Italy which issued in 1929, 1944, 1945 & 1960.

Other Olympic Labels (featuring the "she-wolf" statue) in this catalog:
The following were issued for the 1960 Olympic Games, Rome:
1. A Private Advertising, block of four, in four languages. Issued by P.F.Rampacher to advertise his Catalog of Labels of the Olympic Games - #'s 4,5,6, & 7.
2. #'s 9 to 20, twelve different languages at bottom. The latter series are markedly similar to five Olympic Games' stamps issued by Italy in 1960.
3. #s 21 to 32, twelve different languages at top.
Several other such labels are individually listed in the "1960 - Rome" section of this catalog.

Labels below are not listed in DuBois

NÄYTE means SPECIMEN

#1952-x1 and 2
Circular labels, "XV OLYMPIA 1952 above:
HELSINKI HELSINGFORS / SUOMI FINLAND below
Central images - Olympic stadium in Helsinki and Finnish flag over Olympic flag.

These look like window labels/decals.
Source says luggage labels, diam=10cm = 4".

#1952-x3
Olympic rings above, text below: 2 fr. TIMBRE OLYMPIQUE with "5" overprint on value.

The note that came with my copy of this stamp says "French Swimming Federation - Originally issued at 2 Francs to raise funds for French Swimming Federation in 1952. Surcharged 5 Francs and re-issued in 1953."

DuBois lists it as 1960-74, but Trory agrees with my source that the original label was for the 1952 Games. Whatever.

Here's the stamp that was issued.

 
1952-x5a, b & d

TIMBRU OLIMPIC

a) 50B orange... b) 1L dark blue c) 1.50L green d) 2L red

perf 13.5
Design 18x23mm

The text is in Romanian, and translates "Olympic stamp." These were a mystery when I found them on the www, but eBay seller "sova" from Romania told me they were issued for the 1952 Olympics, and romaniastamps.com agrees.

Missing an image of the 1.50L green.

1/19/17 - eBay seller maerkat sent scans of the relevant pages from the 2000 "Catalogul Timbrelor Fiscale Romanesti" by Mihai Cojocar and John Barefoot's 2003 "Bulgaria & Romania Revenues." Both list these stamps. Barefoot adds that the stamps were compulsory on some documents as a tax to aid the Romanian Olympic team.

Open Interior Games, Brazil, 1952

1952-x20

The Open Interior Games have been held yearly in Brazil since 1936. They were created to promote athletics.

As far as I could tell, they have no direct connection with the Olympics, so the use of the Olympic rings here is dubious.

NKB = Nederlandse Kano Bond
Dutch Canoe Federation

AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS - OLYMPIC DECATHLON TRYOUTS - NATIONAL RELAYS - Tulare, California - JULY 1,2 1952

This looks like a Danish Maerkat label, and probably has no direct Olympic Games connection - no rings, and just "Olympia" - but it's attractive, so I am adding it here as a peripheral item. I am dating it arbitrarily.

1952-x14a

Rectangle: 82x44.5mm, total: 90x55mm
Bluish label features the main stand of the Olympic Stadium, an Ancient style discus thrower, the Olympic rings in colour and the texts:

OLYMPIA; HIILIHAPPOINEN HEDELMÄJUOMA; KOLSYRAD FRUKTDRYCK; PERNIÖN VIRVOITUSJUOMATEHDAS, I. TÄHKÄVUORI, PERNIÖ; ROBERTSIN EKSTRAKTIA; EXTRAKTET FRÅN ROBERTS.

1952-x14b
height 55 mm; width 89 mm
-------------------
Olympia. Puhdas hedelmäjuoma
Kustantaja: Riihimäen Panimo

Olympia. Pure fruit drink
Riihimäki Brewery

1952-x26

Finnish coupon
Blue on white
Olympic rings at left beneath text "Hellas"
At right "2 pistettä / poäng"
------
Hellas - 2 points
------
Size: 57.5 x 42.5 mm 1952-x26

So I presume these were included inside packages of chocolate.