Souvenir sheets and miniature sheets

Several items included in this blog are not common stamps taken from larger panes (sheets of 20 or more stamps for example). Often times stamps related to organs are issued in smaller groupings. These go go by a couple of different names (or more), and are imprecisely delineated even by professional collectors and tradespersons. I tend to use the terms "souvenir sheet" and "miniature sheet" or "mini-sheet" rather interchangeably. As this is cropping up more in recent months, I decided to investigate a bit. I was gladdened to learn I am not alone in my uncertainty about the differences, and my tendency to be indiscriminate in my use of the terms. This article attempts to clarify. In the US most stamps are issued in panes of 20, though commemoratives that are featuring multiple visual examples on a specific theme may use fewer stamps in a pane (10, 12, 15, 16, etc). Recent examples might include 12 different works by an artist, or 15 different examples of energy conservation. These might include a top banner that identifies the stamps or the set. Those are all still "panes" in my estimation. The 2018 Art of Magic pane of 3 lenticular stamps is a recent example of a souvenir sheet: small number of stamps in the grouping, decorative selvage. Also the 2016 Classics forever sheet of six Washington-Franklin stamps would be a souvenir sheet of 6, and it includes a somewhat decorative selvage.

Poland: Historica organs, Pelplin

In 2017 Poland issued a second mini-sheet in its "historic organs" series, this time celebrating the instrument at the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in Pelplin. This instrument was complete in the late 1600's; the case and some of the facade pipes are from that instrument. The instrument was rebuilt in 2003 by the Mollin firm in Odry (SSW of Gdansk). The artwork for the mini-sheet is interesting: the selvage is the walls of the cathedral and part of the ceiling, as though looking up from the floor. The stamp takes the place of the central portion of the ceiling. A nice "substitution" effect.

Poland: Historic organs of Poland, Jedrzedow

In 2015 Poland began a series of stamps featuring historic organs. The first is the instrument in the Cistercian Abbey in Jedrzedow. I have not been able to find much detail on the "why" of the stamp issue. One suspects it has to do with renovations completed on the instrument perhaps, or an anniversary related to its construction. The instrument was build in the mid-1700's by Józefa Sitarskiego. The mini-sheet has two differently-denominated stamps. I have both the color version of the mini-sheet, and the black/white version, as well as a first-day cover. Sometimes FDCs issued by postal authorities will included information about the issue on the back or within, but that is not the case here. This site gives a good summary of the instrument. This site gives nice images of the stamps. The Polish philatelic shop has details on securing copies of the stamps.

This site deals with a recording of the organ, but also includes a nice image of the console. The stopknobs are compelling because they seem to be metal, as opposed to the more common wood. The site also dates the instrument originally from 1633, with a rebuild by Sitarski (Sitarskiego) "a hundred years later."