French Polynesia Artist's Proofs

Artist's proofs of approximately 160 stamps from French Polynesia were produced during the period 1960-99. This resulted in about 960 different color artist's proofs (160 x 6) and about 4,160 total artist's proofs (160 x 26). The gallery shows 150 artist's proofs from French Polynesia.

French Polynesia produced relatively few engraved stamps compared to the two other French Pacific Islands, New Caledonia and Wallis & Futuna, preferring more colorful offset and heliogravure stamps. However, most of the engraved stamps that it did produce were of high quality. Particularly notable are the eight souvenir sheets produced between 1984 and 1991 to commemorate the international philatelic exhibition held during the year.

The main engravers of French Polynesia stamps during the period 1960-99 were:

• Bétemps - more than 20 Polynesian stamps, including the seven stamps in the sports series of 1969 and 1971, and the ten stamps in the first three series of "The World of the Mahi" issued between 1990 and 1992.
• Haley - 19 stamps, including the eight stamps of the 1967-68 native art series and the six stamps in the first two series of medicinal plants issued in 1986-87.
• Combet (13 stamps) and Béquet, Decaris, Larrivière,and Jumulet (5-10 stamps each).

The highlights for the period 1970-99 include:

• Souvenir sheets on oversize 160mm by 180mm paper - Espana '84 (1984) by Bétemps, Italia '85 by Lacaque (1985), map of Tahiti by Forget (1986), Capex '87 by Forget (1987), Noukhaiva cemetary by Forget (1988), mutiny on the Bounty by Forget (1989), New Zealand 1990 by Bétemps (1990) and Philanippon '91 by Larrivière (1991)
• native scenes - 1990-92 world of the Maohi by Bétemps (3 series of 10 stamps total), 1992 art festival by Jumulet, and Jumulet's four 1993 stamps showing engravings by Boullaire