Antwerp 1894

1894 Antwerp International Exhibition

Already in 1891 some of the contributors to the 1885 Antwerp Exhibition had thought had thought of a second exhibition there. They wanted it to follow the 1893 Chicago one, so that the European exhibitors on returning to Europe would be able to show off their wares on the Continent, as well as celebrating the continuous expansion of the maritime facilities in Antwerp.

26 nations with 12,095 exhibitors attracted some 3 million visitors for a financ ial break even result.

The John Cockerill Society showed models of boats plying the river Congo along with statues representing natives transporting pieces of a cannon and a modular boat. Drawings by native children were also shown. A Congolese artist had engraved an ivory plate with the signatures of the delegates of the 17 nations, who had signed the antislavery treaty in Brussels on 2 July 1890. This had been convened by King Leopold II.

The most striking architectural exhibit was a faithful recreation of an old Antwerp neighbourhood using furnishings etc and 15th century costumes for the workers therein. At 10 pm each night a curfew was sounded by trumpets and drums as festivities stopped. The success of this was such that all Belgian Exhibitions held thereafter had such an exhibit, including the last in 1958.

*** insert image(s) here ***

Advertising stamp for 1894 Antwerp Exhibition

On 20 February 1894 a 5c stamp was issued to commemorate this exhibition and a month later the 1O & 25c were released. Officially, only the 5 & 25c come in two shades, but they exist in the 1Oc too. They were printed in sheets of 300 stamps consisting of 6 panels of 50 stamps (5 x 10). Design was by Henri Hendrickx. They were engraved on copper by Victor Lemaire and printed by !’Atelier du Timbre at Malines. 6.365,300 (5c), 8,289,300 (10c) and 2,810,000 (25c) were printed.

*** insert image(s) here ***

Letter from Antwerp to Canada

With blue / deep pink stamp

Anvers 4 Jun 1894 cds
London Ju 8 94 in red (verso in red)
Hamilton / Canada/ 2 / Ju 18 / 94 transit cds (verso – Ju = July)
Hamilton / Ontario / Ju 18 / 94 (arrival cds for Box 53 PO)

Postage        25c (≤ 20 gm)

Letter bears a black imperforate sticker of the type shown on previous page

*** insert image(s) here ***

Letter from envelope on previous page
complaining that he had not received the stamps in reply for which he had paid with 50 Belgian stamps earlier. If Chas Henry was not going to send him the stamps requested, would he please return the Belgian stamps.

*** insert image(s) here ***

Privately printed Expo postal card from Antwerp to Brussels
Anvers 23 Jun 1894 cds (8 pm)         Bruxelles 23 Jun 1894 cds (midnight)
Internal postage 5c

*** insert image(s) here ***

EP 33 postal card with verso privately printed and sent to Leipzig

Anvers (Station) 15 Sep 1894 cds          Leipzig 17 Sep 94 cds

External postage 10c

Upper card shows main building facade, lower advertising Capt Boyton’s World’s Water Show

*** insert image(s) here ***

Privately printed EP 33 postal card from Antwerp to Shanghai
Anvers (Exposition) cds dated 3 Sep 1894
Arras a Paris B TPO cds of 3 Sep
Shang-Hai Chine arrival cds (verso) of 4 Oct 1894

10c carmine/blue stamp affixed as private card

*** insert image(s) here ***

Chromolithographic print featuring Congolese natives on reverse

*** insert image(s) here ***

EP 23 postal card from Antwerp to Bonn

Anvers cds dated 31 Aug 1894

5c internal card uprated for use abroad with 5c green / deep pink exhibition stamp

*** insert image(s) here ***

Unposted card to Brussels

Privately printed postcard without prepaid postage
showing two Sudanese native soldiers in ceremonial dress.
They were from Equatorial Province, which abutted the Lado Enclave

1c was the correct internal rate for ≤ 5 words other than the address

*** insert image(s) here ***

Postcard to Switzerland

Anvers cds of 25 Aug 1894
Bern arrival cds of 26 Aug
Card only took some 36 hrs, which would undoubtedly better today’s time.

10c was the correct postage abroad

*** insert image(s) here ***

Postcard to Kadina in South Australia

GPO Adelaide, S A & S. Australia duplex cancel of 10 Aug 1896

A rare survivor to Kadina (Yorke Peninsula)