Specialized Russia: The Igor Gorski Collection

1917 After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government sponsored a contest for best design of a postage stamp of the new country. Among the many masters of graphic arts to submit their sketches, was Rihards Zarins (a Latvian artist who created many stamp designs, including 5r and 10r Arms, 1913 Romanov series, 1914 Charity issues and others. He was a graduate of the Stieglitz Central School for Technical Drawing in St. Petersburg and studied lithography in Berlin, Munich and Vienna. In Paris, he honed his skills in watercolors and pastels. Employed by the Russian Imperial Printing Office in St. Petersburg for 20 years, Zarins became technical director, in charge of designing State Papers). One of his popular, but unapproved contestants was "The Russian Knight" (Ilya Muromets). A master die proof for inscriptions only (38x44mm) on white card, value tablets blank, v.f. -
Estimate price: $7500-7000