Preparations

The high value of the First Definitive
stamps, portraying Sheikh Makhtoum. This
is the only stamp in the set printed with
three colors. The others were done in two
colors.
 

The ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Makhtoum, signed an agreement with the Baroody Stamp Company of Beirut, Lebanon, after the British, who had maintained the Dubai post office, indicated they were withdrawing from the area. The contract gave Mr. Stephan the right to print, choose the subjects, determine the quantities and colors, and sell the stamps for the Government of Dubai. This was to take place under the guidance of Mr. Lorenzo and a Post Office board. The government was to pay all the expenses and Mr. Stephan was to pay the Sheikh $12,500 per month. He was permitted to purchase all the stamps he wanted at a 15% discount off the face value and resell them at full face value. Mr. Stephan was in actuality operating at two levels: 1) Representing the Government of Dubai and 2) Operating the Dubai Philatelic Agency where he was making money for himself.

• The above letter was mailed to the public on 1 May, 1963 by the Dubai Philatelic Agency announcing the agreement. The falcon image at the top was used as a center image for four of the first airmail stamps.

• The letter sent by the Ruler of Dubai announcing the appointment of the Baroody Stamp Company. This is dated 15, June, 1963, the date that Dubai took over control of the Post Office and the date of the first three sets of Dubai stamps.

Below is a copy of the agreement between Mr. Michel Stephan and the Sheikh of Dubai, for the production and sale of their stamps. Below the document is a translation in English.

• The above copy of the agreement between the Baroody Stamp Company and the Sheikh of Dubai was sent to me by Mr. Stephan. An English translation is directly below. My thanks to Khalid Omaira for providing the translation.
  

Baroody Stamp Company S A L
Paid-up Capital 100.000 L. L.
Beirut –Lebanon
P.O. Box: 844


The ruler of Dubai, H.E. Sheikh Rashid Bin Saaeed Al Maktoum;


Further to our meeting with Mr. Mohammed Mahdi Al Tager, concerning submitting the postage stamps of the government of Dubai project, we submit our proposals indicated below:


1- The company undertakes to provide purchaser of definitives and commemorative stamps amount to US$ 330.000 per year.


2- The company undertakes to perform all matters concerning propaganda such as printing brochures; and distributing cultural and advertising publications to all dealers, philatelist, the UN organizations, ANSCO and to the postal administrations on its own expense.


3- The company undertakes to prepare all drawings, to contact the owners of the printing press, to facilitate the task of those who responsible for issuing the stamps and to develop programs for each version in accordance with the consent of the government and under its supervision.


4- The company shall submit official letter for determining the date of meeting with the responsible persons for consideration and developing the program of versions intended to be issued, at least once each three months.


5- The company shall organize with the responsible agencies program for issuing one or more versions. The date of each version shall be pre-determined by the agreement of the two parties to enable the company to promote for the same previously.


6- The company undertakes to open credit equals to the full amount of the stamps intended to purchase one month before the date of delivering the stamps.


7- The purchased quantities shall be delivered by the company in Beirut or in the country where the stamps printed. Each party shall bear its incurred expenses of transportation.


8- The company shall sell a limited quantity of each publication to local traders and collectors by the post general manger.


9- Enabling the company to perform all its undertakings as per the provisions of the above mentioned items without facing any criticism by the traders of stamps all over the world, with the charge of monopoly, we think that it is most appropriate to produce the official legal form for our work by getting an official permit from your government granting thereby the company the right of representation in capacity of general agents for publishing propaganda and duly selling Dubai Stamps for requesters;


In our capacity as general agents, therefore, we shall show all quantities we hold until finishing with its name price after the pattern of the amateurs of the United Arab Republic Office and others.


10- In consideration of these services submitted by the company, the profits of the blocked funds, the expenses of broad propaganda including printing of publications, brochures and advertisements in various competent international papers, as well as the wages of employees and stationery services, the company asks to be granted legal share as per the value of one dollar, five robias and 75 besa.


11- This contract shall be automatically renewed unless one party notifies the other of non-renewal before three months of the expiry of the contract.


12- This contract shall be valid form June 15, 1963.


13- The company shall pay sixty thousand dollars upon signing this contract. This amount shall be counted of the purchases of the company from the initial issues by the post general manager when finishing stamps' printing.


We trust that our offer will receive your approval so as to be able to performing our undertakings and submitting the services you required.


With our best wishes


We approve the provisions of the abovementioned articles
Dubai Ruler
/Signed & Sealed/
13-06-1963


Post General Manager /Signed/ Financial Expert /Signed/
Managing director of Baroody Stamp Company /Signed & Sealed/
 

In 1962, Mr. Mahdi al-Tagir (Above), the then Secretary of Sheikh Rashid bin Makhtoum, the ruler of Dubai, made frequent business trips to Beirut, Lebanon. During these trips he allegedly contacted friends and business associates with the intention of locating an ex-Palestinian official to serve as a postmaster for Dubai as Sheikh Rashid had indicated he wanted an Arab for the position. The position was eventually offered to the late Mr. Edmund Lorenzo, a Palestinian then living in Beirut. Mr. Lorenzo contacted his old friend and neighbor in Palestine, Mr. Michel Stephan, who had the contract for producing Dubai’s stamps, and after discussing the situation, accepted the position.

Mr. Stephen met with Mr. Lorenzo (pictured above on the far right) and discussed possible stamp issues and the possible subjects of these issues. Later, they met with Mr. al-Tagir for two hours at the Phoenician Hotel in Beirut and went over the contract between the Government of Dubai and the Broody Stamp Co, which was to handle the production, distribution and sale of the new Dubai stamps. The three of them also discussed possible subjects for the stamps.

Mr. Stephan stated that Mr. al-Tagir frequently mentioned that the British office in Bahrain, that operated the postal services in the area, always declared that the Dubai Post Office was not self sufficient and always lost money. He was not convinced and wanted to prove to the British that stamps alone can produce a profit.

Within a short time, agreements by the Baroody Stamp Company and others were made with the remaining sheikhdoms. Since five of the seven Trucial States (Referred to in this catalog as Sheikhdoms) relied on their stamp issues to support their governments, the respective agents for the sheikhdoms began to flood the market with dubious issues, imperforate issues and souvenir sheets. Although Dubai was the first sheikhdom to issue and sell it’s own stamps, it was not one of those needing the revenue to survive. This multitude of dubious issues caused the stamps of many of the Gulf countries to be negatively referred to as “sand dune issues”.

Shortly thereafter, the newly created Dubai Philatelic Agency began to issue and sell the stamps of the new country. The goal of any stamp agency is to promote and sell the stamps of the county they represent, and at the same time make a profit for themselves. The new agent, Michel Stephan and his American partner, Ezzet Mosden, had been stamp dealers for years and began issuing stamps almost immediately, thus beating Sharjah in releasing it’s first stamps, even though Sharjah had been negotiating to release it’s own stamps for some time.

• The two small photographs of proposed designs mentioned below. It appears that they were done by two different artists. While the lettering is the same for "DUBAI", the frames are different. The design of the fort on the left is not of the same quality as the mosque. Size of photos: Left - 3 1/4 x 2 3/8ins. Right - 2 5/16 x 2 3/4ins. See the illustration below of the drawing and the comment. This Mosque view was never used on any of the stamps of Dubai.

The subject of how they obtained designs and drawings for the stamps was always avoided by Mr. Stephan whenever I broached the subject. He did state that he was permitted to keep the rejected designs, but not those that were accepted. He would never relate who ended up with the approved designs nor who submitted them. At one point he sold me two small photographs of proposed, unaccepted designs and years later sent me a stack of photostats of more unaccepted designs. He wrote that he would sell me reproductions of some of the designs as he had printed multiple copies to sell on the market. What he had printed was the center designs of some of the accepted sea life designs for the first issues.

Proposed Drawings for the Definitives

Please be aware that these are scans of photostats made many years ago and were "cleaned up", using a computer program to do so. The drawings were done in black and white. Also, all the drawing that were eventually selected for use were modified by shading, etc., but the images are basically the same.

• LEFT: One of the most amateurish drawings of the group.
  RIGHT: Note that the drawing shows a value. Neither drawing has a frame around the images
  

• LEFT: A drawing of al-Fahidi Fort, that was rejected, but a similar view of the fort, done in a better rendering was used for the 1R stamp. See below for the accepted design.
  RIGHT: Another view of the fort that was not used, but again, a better drawing from the same viewpoint was used on the 3R value. The accepted image is illustrated below.
  

• LEFT: A drawing of al-Maktoum bridge that was not used. A view of the bridge eventually was used for four of the Airmail values.
  RIGHT: This is the drawing that is illustrated above in the small photograph. While this design was rejected, a better quality drawing was accepted, but flipped horizontally and used for the issued 2R value.
  

• LEFT: A crude drawing of Sheikh Makhtoum that was not used, but a similar image (A photograph), flipped horizontally was eventually used for the 10R value.
  RIGHT: This photo of al-Maktoum Bridge, that spans Dubai Creek, was somewhat similar to the drawing that was eventually used on four of the Airmail stamps.
  

Mr. Stephan sent the following photostats of drawings along with the ones illustrated above, but I have no idea if they were part of a group of drawings he had wanted for Dubai, or if they were done for the other sheikhdoms for which he had the contracts. Obviously, the images of Dubai would have been for Dubai, but in a telephone conversation we had he mentioned discussing with Mr. Lorenzo and Mr. al-Tagir, the possibility of using images of the local fauna on Dubai stamps. At least two of these images were used on the essays for some of the sheikhdoms and one of the two, also for Audhali.

• None of the above five drawings were used on any essays or stamps, for either Dubai, nor the three sheikhdoms.
  

The Following Drawings Were Considered, or Used, for Other Gulf Area Entities

• LEFT: The image of the flying cranes was used for the 5np value essay of Umm Al-Qiwain, but it most likely came out of the series of drawing of birds and animals of the Gulf area shown above.
  RIGHT: This drawing of a hawk, or falcon, was used for the 10np essay for Fujeira, and for a proposed issue of Audhali.
  

The drawing shown below on the left is of Fujeira Fort and could only have been prepared for the essays for Fujeira. It has the layout used in their design. The drawing on the right, of the camels, has been laid out with areas for the portrait of an individual, the name of the entity and in each bottom corner, areas for the values. Since this is the format for the essays of the three sheikhdoms he prepared, it creates a problem. Was this part of the series on Fauna of the Dubai area that he had discussed with Mr. Lorenzo and Mr. al-Tagir, or was this done as a possible design for the three sheikhdoms?

• LEFT: Fujaira Fort.
  RIGHT: Was this part of the series of Fauna that could have been done for Dubai, which was considered, but not used for one of the three sheikhdoms?
  

Click on photo to see other Emirate Essays

The First Definitives

The following drawings of sea life, plus the three similar drawings under the Postage Dues, were the final accepted designs used for the centers of the stamps. It was these images Mr. Stephan had reproduced and offered for sale.

• LEFT: The Hermit Crab was shown on the 1np and the 15np values.
  RIGHT: The image of a Cuttlefish was used on the 2np and 20np values
  

• LEFT: The 3np and the 25np values portrayed a Snail.
  RIGHT: A Crab was used for the 4np and the 30np values.
  

• LEFT: A Sea Urchin was portrayed on the 5np and 35np values
  RIGHT: For the 10np and the 50np the Murex was used.
  

• LEFT: A second design of the fort that was used for the 1R value of the first Dubai definitives. It was printed in salmon color with a blue frame.
  RIGHT: This second rendering of this view of the fort was eventually used but was flipped horizontally, and used on the 2R value in a red-brown with a yellow-bistre colored frame.
  

• LEFT: After being redrawn and flipped horizontally (Right), the above drawing of al-Fahidi Fort, the home of the Sheikh, was used for the 3R value and printed in black with a carmen frame.
  RIGHT: The final approved and printed image.
  

The M. Kamoo Essays

Mr. Mosden had several essays of unacceptable designs illustrated on his Dubai pricelist but they were quite expensive and he would never give me any details regarding them when I would raise the subject. When I finally met him I purchased all of the varieties that he had and he stated Mr. Stephan was responsible for printing them.

Mr. Stephan eventually told me they were submitted by a Mr. M. Kamoo, who was, or had been, a business partner/investor in the Baroody Stamp Company. He provided no more information regarding him, nor the nature of their relationship. From the discussion it was apparent that he and Mr. Kamoo were no longer affiliated. The designs had been worked up into essays and printed, but eventually rejected. The designs consist of a mosque with a view of Dubai City and the Gulf, and the Sheikh. None of the essays showed any value, nor the name of the country.

• ABOVE: Two composites, of which the left image was used to make the essays illustrated below. The Mosque and view of Dubai and the Gulf is a combination of photography and drawing. The image of the Sheikh is a photograph and was not used in this format. Note that the printed essay below of the Sheikh's head is taken from this photograph. The frames are the same as the printed essays. Size: Each is 6 3/4 x 8 7/8ins.
  

• These images are so similar to the image in the photo above it, it looks as if it is a manipulated photograph but it is a drawing of the above photo. Of all the Kamoo essays, this is the only one that has his name printed on it. It is to the left at the bottom, under the bar. Apparantly, a decision had been made to portray the sheikh in a larger portrait on the high value of the first set of stamps, as opposed to a small image in the corner of the other stamps in the set. The issued stamp has a similar image to the large black image above it, but was flipped horizontally so he is facing the opposite direction. The essays are exactly the same size but the one on the right is a larger image used to show the items. The left image is actually black and white, the right image a colored essay.
  

• LEFT: The frame and oval to carry the Sheikh's portrait. All one had to do was print this image in various colors and change the denominations to have a set of stamps. The minaret of the mosque and the wall at the bottom are a drawing, as is the frame. RIGHT: The center for the composite stamp consisted of a portrait of the Sheikh, the city and the Gulf. These three elements are from photographs, whereas the frame and mosque mentioned above are drawings. I have never seen a composite of any of the stamps with the red center shown above, but they most likely exist.

 

• The three blocks of essays are the only composite copies of the image I had seen until Thomas Johansen made me aware of the single item above. What is unusual is that there is no mention of Dubai on the essay, even though the mosque is in Dubai and the view in the background is of Dubai. All three of these essays are signed on the reverse by Mr. Kamoo.
  

• The mosque in the Kamoo essay was used in a different format on the issued stamp. Again, the mosque is a drawing but the background is a photograph. The issued stamp has more details in the background and has clouds in the sky, that were drawn in as in the other approved drawings.

The First Airmails

Mr. Stephan did not send me any copies of drawings for the Airmail designs. I have taken the two images below from the centers of the two issued stamps. The al-Makhtoum Bridge drawing is different from the other drawing that was considered for one of the two Airmail designs, but closer to the photograph illustrated near the top of this page.

The falcon image was used exactly like this for both the airmail image illustrated on the First Announcement and for the revised, issued design. This image was also used on the stationery for the Dubai Philatelic Agency.

• LEFT: The al-Makhtoum Bridge design that was used for the 20np, 50np and 75np values. In the First Announcement sent out by the Dubai Philatelic Agency, a different image of the al-Makhtoum Bridge was to have appeared on the 20np, 30np, 50np and 75np values.
  RIGHT: The falcon appeared on the 25np, 40np, 60np, and 1R values. It was also portrayed at the center, top of the stationery of the Dubai Philatleic Agency.
  

The First Dues

• LEFT: The image of the Common European Cockle was used on the 1np, 4np and 15np values.
  RIGHT: The Common Blue Mussel was used on the 2np, 5np and 25np values.
  

• ABOVE: The Portuguese Oyster is portrayed on the 3np, 10np and 35np values.
  

• The frames of each of the three sets - Definitives, Airmails and Postage Dues, have different designs, which one does not readily notice. The clever addition of the small rectangle to the right of the Sheikh's portrait squared off the center space, whereas the frame portrayed on the first announcement, while the same, had a different appearance. The Dues has an interesting pattern of different shells, which is related to the center images of various shells. Surprisingly, I have never seen copies of these frames offered by any dealer and was unaware of them until I obtained the worksheets of the NCR, of which a link is provided below this image. These images were taken from the worksheets for the purpose of illustrating the different frame designs.
  

Click above image to view the NCR Worksheets

Additional Designs

Other designs with different sizes of the frames were prepared and actually illustrated and mailed out on the first announcement for the forthcoming stamps. The announcement was mailed on May 15, 1963, two weeks prior to the planned hand-over of the Post Office to the Sheikh on May 31st. That date was later changed to June 15, 1963. What is interesting is that they must have been in a hurry to release the information, to the extent that only one of the stamps illustrated on it was similar to what was actually issued. All of the images below have been taken from the first announcement and enlarged for clarity. Some of these images were used in the Official Trucial States Stamp Catalog and the Minkus Trucial States Stamp Catalog and as far as I know, never corrected.

• LEFT: The image of the Hermit Crab was stated to appear on the 1np and 15np values. It did, but in a revised design quite similar to this one.
  RIGHT: The Cuttlefish was scheduled to appear on the 2np and 20np values and it did, but also on a revised design similar to this one. In the revised designs the stamp was made wider and the Sheikh's portrait was slightly different. In some instances there were modifications made to the intricate border aroudn the stamp.
  

• LEFT: The Snail was to apear on the 3np and the 25np values and did, but in a revised design.
  RIGHT: The Crab image is totally different from the one that appeared on the revised 4np value. This design was scheduled for the 4np and 30np values. The new crab image was used for these values in the revised designs
  

• LEFT: The Sea Urchin did appear on the 5np and 35np values as stated, but on the revised design similar to this one.
  RIGHT: The Murex was to be on the 10np and 50np values and was released on the new design of those values.
  

• LEFT: This view of the Fort was to appear on the 1R value but was replaced for the new 1R design. A view of the fort somewhat similar was used, but flipped horizontally in the used design.
  RIGHT: This image was to be used on the 2R value, but was used on the 3R value in the revised design. The revised designs had some touch-ups (Clowds in the sky and shading) in various areas, that these drawings did not have.
  

• LEFT: This view of the Fort was to be used on the 3R value but a more sophisticated drawing was used for the revised 1R value. This design is listed near the top of this page.
  RIGHT: This image, was to appear on the 5R value but in the revised design was totally changed. The same "Kamoo" minaret is used in both designs but the view of the city is different.
  

• ABOVE: Evidently it was decided early in the planning to portray the Sheikh on the high value of the first definitives and this image when finally worked up, was kept. This design was the only design with a value on it on the first announcement. This is the image from the first announcement and there were no changes to the design of the actual stamp, as there were with all the other stamps in the lengthy set. The final issued stamp is the first image on this page at the top.
  

• LEFT: This Airmail design has the center that was used for the revised design. This image of a falcon was also used on the stationery of the Dubai Philatelic Agency. Note the protrusion in the upper right corner of the design into the center area. This was eliminated in the revised, issued stamp by placing a rectangle stating "Airmail" between the portrait of the Sheikh and the left side of the protrusion.
  RIGHT: This drawing of the al-Maktoum Bridge is illistrated near the top of this page. The huge bird has been added to the image in this design. In the revised stamp design, a different view of the bridge was used, but a bird was also inserted into the sky.
  

• LEFT: The image of an Europeon Cockle was to appear on the 1np, 4np and 15np values of the Postage Due stamps, and did so in the revised designs. Note the small shells in the border of the stamp. The revised design has a shell motif as well, but it is different.
  RIGHT: The Blue Mussel was to apear on the 2np, 5np and 25np values and did so on the revised designs.
  

• ABOVE: The Portuguese Oyster was to appear on the 3np, 10np and 35np values and did so on the revised designs.
  

The announcement for the first stamps has only one image that is similar to the actually issued stamps. That is the 10R high value portraying the Sheikh.

What is shown here are the 16 different proposed designs. The numbers under each image are listed below, informing one of the alleged design of that value. While most of the centers were eventually used on the issued stamps, they were smaller, in relation to the frames.

The portrait of the Sheikh on all but the high value, which is the only illustration showing a value, is slightly different from the one actually used. Note numbers 1, 4 and 8. The first two centers were never used and for number eight, a different image of a crab. Additionally, the over-all width of the stamps, except for the high value are smaller.

• This letter accompanied the flyer announcing the first stamps. The date of the memo is 5 May, 1963 and it states the stamps were to be issued by the end of that month. That was the date announced as the hand-over date of the post office to the U.P.U. in Mr. Lorenzo's letter. Since the British had told Sheikh Rashid they would need two months to effect the transfer, a negotiated date of June 15th was agreed upon and the stamps were issued on that date. This letter contains the quote used by Neil Donaldson in his book describing the situation in Dubai.

• The quantity of stamps to be produced appears to be accurate and Mr. Stephan quoted these numbers to me years before I had seen this announcement. The low number of imperforated stamps was a selling tool for them. One was required to purchase ten sets of the perforated stamps to be able to purchase an imperforated set. In the early ads for the stamps by dealers in the stamp papers and journals, the imperforated set was never listed. The comment about the stamps to be issued "on special American gummed paper" was not totally accurate. After the printing of the definitives it was decided that it was too expensive to use the same paper for the airmails and the postage dues. The paper for the definitives appears to have no gum, but in fact it is a dull gum that is not apparant to the eye. The other two sets have typical shiney gum used on the remaining stamps issued under the Baroody contract. The perforation size also was not totally accurate. The definitives were perforated 12 x 11 1/2, except for the 10R value which was 11. The airmails and postage dues were perforated 12, as stated.
  

• Directly above on the bottom left, is a very awkwardly worded statement that makes no sense to most readers. What they intended to convey was that one had to purchase ten sets of the definitives, airs and dues to be eligible to purchase one set of the same, imperforate.

• ABOVE: This block of four of the frame for the 5np value, is the only frame that I have ever seen, until I purchased the NCR worksheets. It is printed on a thicker, very white shiney paper. What is also diferent about it is the image of the Sheikh in the upper lert corner. The top of his head is closer to the top frame. This was never used for any stamp and has been offered by various dealers over the years.

Ill Feelings and Skepticism

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