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Praying Hands

Christmas

Stamp Info

Name Value
Date of Issue October 12, 1966
Year 1966
Quantity 237,780,000
Denomination
Perforation or Dimension 12
Series Christmas
Series Time Span 1966
Printer Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited.
Postal Administration Canada

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Stamp Price Values

Condition Name Avg Value
M-NH-VF
Mint - Never Hinged - Very Fine Only available to paid users
U-VF
Used - Very Fine Only available to paid users
* Notes about these prices:
  • They are not based on catalogue values but on current dealer and auction listings. The reason for this is that catalogues tend to over-value stamps.
  • They are average prices. The actual value of your stamp may be slightly above or below the listed value, depending on the overall condition of your stamp. Use these prices as a guide to determine the approximate value of your stamps.

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Hidden Date

The hidden date for this stamp can be found in the shadow between the praying hands.

 

About Stamp

For the third consecutive year, the Canada Post Office is issuing a special set of two postage stamps especially designed for the Christmas season. The Christmas stamps are issued in October, and unlike regular commemoratives, these stamps have a relatively long period of sale at local Post Offices. A five cent and a three cent denomination have been issued, and both have been designed to contribute to the season by extending the Christmas spirit to the holiday mail. This year's Christmas stamps were designed by Geoffrey Holloway, of Arnott Rogers Batten Ltd. of Montreal. The stamp bears as its central feature a reproduction of Albrecht Dürer's drawing "Betente Hände", or "Praying Hands". Dürer, who lived from 1471 to 1528 was a great German Renaissance painter, engraver, woodcut and decorative designer. He was a master particularly of woodcut and copperplate engraving, and among his most widely known works of this type are the engravings "St. Jerome and His Study" and the "Prodigal Son". Dürer's talents included painting, scientific engraving and drawing as well. A prime example of the latter is the expressive work which appears on these stamps. The drawing shows the gnarled hands of an elderly man, held in prayer. The rendering is simple in concept, yet infinitely detailed. It expresses without pretension, man's acknowledgement of his blessings, and the spirit of Christmas. The story goes that as a young man, Dürer travelled with a friend who was also an artist, both seeking success in their chosen craft. In deference to what he felt was Dürer's greater talent, his friend offered to work at physical labour, in order to support them both, until Dürer could succeed in becoming a well-known artist and engraver. It took many years, and by the time Dürer was an acknowledged master, his friend was too worn physically to continue his own career. One day, Dürer saw him at prayer. The result was this drawing - a poignant representation of the work-worn hands of a humble and devoted man. The stamps, both of the same design, are of small size, and depict a Christmas star, the praying hands, the words "Noël", "Christmas", "Canada", and the denomination. The five cent denomination is orange in colour, and the three cent value has been issued in rose. The stamps were printed by the intaglio steel engraving method and produced for the Canada Post Office by the Canadian Bank Note Company, Ottawa.

Creators

Picture engraved by Yves Baril. Lettering engraved by Gordon Mash. Modeled by Harvey Thomas Prosser.

Original Artwork

Albrecht Dürer, "Betente Hände", 1508 Albertina, Vienna, Austria

Similar Stamps

Reference

Canada Post Office Department. [Postage Stamp Press Release], 1966.

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