Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller is a kids movie that was filmed in Canada. The storyline follows a group of kids as they discover that they are able to explore the world by jumping into postage stamps that are on an envelope, which takes them to the country where the letter is going. Due of the complicated nature of the rules related to this ability as well as a series of random events involving the stamps, they soon become lost in far away places such as Australia and China.
Some of the stamps that are featured in the movie include the Diamond Jubilee commemorative series (Scott 50-65), pictured in the image slider below. The series, which was released in 1897 on June 19. These stamps were actually the first commemorative series issued by Canada to celebrate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee. Because the highest weight category for postage during this time was 3.59-dollars, the two highest values of the series did not actually serve any postal purpose. In addition, speculation of the lower values made the series initially unpopular. Today, however, it is considered one of the most famous and recognizable series released by the country.
Perforate and imperforate varieties of the Bluenose stamp
Another extremely famous stamp that is the main focus of the movie is Scott 158, or the Bluenose stamp. It is part of a series issued in 1928 to replace the Admirals series, which was being used since 1911. This new series, also known as the 'Scroll' issue, included images of the Quebec Bridge, Ottawa's Parliament Building, Mount Hurd and the food harvest, but perhaps the most memorable image is that on the 50-cent stamp.
It shows the Bluenose, a 258-ton vessel built at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in 1921 as a dual-purpose cod-fishing and ocean-racing schooner. Although it might sound impossible, the vessel was used for both fishing the Grand Banks, bringing in record catches of cod, and competing for the $4,000 first place prize in the International Fisherman’s Cup Race. The Bluenose actually won the race and even stayed undefeated for eighteen years.
The Bluenose was the obvious candidate to represent Canada's maritime provinces, and the stamp designer, Herman Schwartz, aimed to illustrate her victory over the New York Yacht Club contender Columbia. Despite two magnificent photographs of Bluenose by the distinguished marine photographer Wallace R. MacAskill being available, Schwartz could not find a suitable image of the Columbia, and instead used a different angle of the Bluenose for the second schooner on the stamp.
Thus, dominating the stamp's intricate scrolled frame is the Bluenose, shown from the starboard side, whilst bringing up the rear is none other than the Bluenose, seen from a different angle! The specific stamp mentioned in the movie, as well as its sequel The Return Of Tommy Tricker, is known as the Man on The Mast variety of the Bluenose. A used very fine version of this stamp has a catalog value of $1500.
On June 29, 2021, Canada Post celebrated 100 years since the launch of the ship with an unveiling of new stamps. This was not the first time that the Bluenose has reappeared on stamps throughout the decades. The stamp is considered one of the more well known stamps of Canada and the legacy of the Bluenose lives on.
Perforate and imperforate varieties of the R.C.M.P. stamp
Another stamp that was shown in the film is the Scott 223, also known as the R.C.M.P. stamp. It was designed by Herman Herbert Schwartz, who is the same artist who designed the Bluenose, and was issued in 1935. The stamp serves as a continuation of the series highlighting Canadian scenery and history.
The image on the stamp features a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (R.C.M.P.) constable on horseback with prairie in the background. The force, organized in 1873, was built on a tradition of service, courage, and integrity. Originally known as the North West Mounted Police, the men limited their duties to the Northwest Territories. The term Royal was prefixed to the title in 1904, and in 1920 the name was changed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the abbreviation for which appears in the bottom-left corner. The horse and landscape on the stamp were engraved by Harold Osborn, and the figure of the officer was engraved by Sydney F. Smith. A hidden date can be seen in the bottom-right corner of the image.
Details of the hidden date in the stamp image.
Other stamps that are mentiond in the movies sequel include stamps made by private islands, since in the movie Tommy is attempting to create his own post office on a private island in order to sell stamps to collectors. A real life example that is mentioned in the movie is Lundy island, which is a British island in the Bristol Channel with an interesting history. In fact, while technically always administered by Britain, it was privately owned by several people over the years.These stamps were printed two years after the British postal system stopped servicing the island due to its dwindling population. The owner of the island, Martin Coles Harman, covered the cost of moving mail personally from 1927 to 1929, but then decided to require payment from customers in the form of these local stamps. Rather than use a standard denomination like regular postage stamps, Lundy's stamps are denominated in "puffins," with one puffin equivalent to one British penny. "Puffin" was probably chosen due to the fact that "Lundy" is the old Norse word for "puffin island."
Lundy Island Puffin stamps
Another island mentioned in the movie is Kaulbach Island, which is an Island off the coast of Nova Scotia situated in Lunnenburg Country, south of Halifax. Spelled Kaulack on some maps, it was originally known as Heisler's Island, named after the lighthouse keeper James Heisler. From 1971 to 1984, local postal labels were issued by the Kaulbach Island Local Carriage Service on mail that was being transported to and from the island to the mainland. Mail could be sent from the island to Canada provided that Canadian Stamps were also present on the envelopes.
Kaulbach Island stamps
Overall, the two movies are great for both kids and adults who are interested in stamp collecting but are new to the hobby. It introduces the audience to some of the basics of stamp collecting and shows some interesting and well-known stamps, not just from Canada, but from around the world. If you are interested in learning more about the postal history of countries such as Canada,China, and Australia, click here to read our Worldwide in a Nutshell column from The American Philatelist.
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