Fishing Spear

The Canada Post Corporation will issue a new set of low-value definitives featuring Canadian artifacts. The new 1-cent stamp features a decoy; the 2-cent stamp, a fishing spear; the 3-cent stamp, a stable lantern; the 5-cent stamp, a wooden bucket; the 10-cent stamp, a weathercock; and the 20-cent stamp, a pair of skates. The artifacts stand for various aspects of eighteenth and nineteenth century Canadian life such as hunting, agriculture, domestic labour, and recreation. Relatively small artifacts were chosen so that they could be shown to advantage in the small stamp size required for low-value definitive stamps. The level of interest in Canadian heritage is indicated by the success of institutions such as Upper Canada Village in Ontario, King's Landing in New Brunswick, and Heritage Park in Calgary. But people have long enjoyed the artifacts of previous generations. For example, the ancient Romans collected antiques from the Etruscan period. In Canada, the centennial celebrations of 1967 generated an unprecedented interest in antiques and other physical remnants of our heritage. People suddenly realized that what seemed to be a young country was actually one hundred years old, and also that Canada was a worthy field of endeavour for the antique collector. They became fascinated with the age of the artifacts and admired the craftsmanship and artistry of those who made them. Mass production may have resulted in higher living standards, but many believe its products lack the charm of earlier, handmade efforts. Thus, the six artifacts shown on these stamps not only illustrate aspects of life in bygone days, but also pay tribute to those who made the objects and to those who preserve and make known the culture of Canada's past. The artifacts stamps were designed by Jean-Pierre Beaudin et Jean Morin of Montreal. The designs succeed in capturing the beauty and visual interest of these humble handmade objects which were a part of domestic life in Canada in times past. The subtle background colours, duotone images, and simple dignified typography of the stamps permit the objects to speak for themselves.