Czeslaw Slania
Encyclopedia
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
and banknote
Banknote
A banknote is a kind of negotiable instrument, a promissory note made by a bank payable to the bearer on demand, used as money, and in many jurisdictions is legal tender. In addition to coins, banknotes make up the cash or bearer forms of all modern fiat money...
engraver. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Słania was the most prolific of all stamp engravers, with over 1000 stamps to his credit. His 1000th engraved stamp, the painting "Great Deeds by Swedish Kings" by David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl (2000), is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest engraved stamp ever issued.
Life
Słania was born in CzeladźCzeladz
Czeladź is a town in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, near Katowice. Borders on the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with a population of 2 million. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river ....
near Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
in Poland, the son of a miner. During the Second World War he forged documents for the Polish resistance. He entered the Kraków School of Fine Arts, a renowned graphics arts center, in 1945. While still a student, Słania was employed by the Polish Stamp Printing Works, where he learned to engrave in steel. His first stamp was issued in Poland on 24 March 1951.
He was the Royal Court Engraver of Sweden since 1972.
His last work was a stamp in 2005 to commemorate the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Awards
Czesław Słania received many awards during his life, including:- Commander Order of Poland 1999
- Order of Saint Charles
- Order of the DannebrogOrder of the DannebrogThe Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
(Denmark) - Order Mérite Culturel (Monaco)
- Robert Stolz Music Prize (Sweden 1983)
- Rowland Hill Award 2002