Author: thedigitalphilatelist

MV Ilala II was the largest vessel to operate on Lake Malawi. It was built by Yarrow & Co. of Glasgow and launched on Lake Malawi in 1951. The vessel had a displacement of 620 tons, carried 720 tons of cargo, and 451 passengers (11 cabin class, 50 second class,…

View More Malawi Philately: M.V. Ilala II

The 9d stamp was a new addition to the 1964 Definitive Series. Victor Whitely and his design team conducted research at the British Museum of Natural History. However, there were difficulties determining the correct interpretation of the tree and production designs had to be re-submitted. Details Subject: Tung Designer: Victor Whitely…

View More Malawi Philately: 1964 Definitive Series – 9d Tung

The common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia), also known as the grey or bush duiker, is a small antelope found everywhere in Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the Horn of Africa and the rainforests of the central and western parts of the continent. Generally, they are found in habitats with sufficient…

View More Malawi Philately: Gray Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)

The red duiker (Cephalophus natalensis) is a small antelope found in central to southern Africa. While the red forest duiker is very similar to the common duiker, it is smaller in size and has a distinguishing reddish colouring. Additionally, the red forest duiker favours a denser bush habitat than the…

View More Malawi Philately: Red Duiker (Cephalophus natalensis)

The 6d image was a composite image taken from various images of tea pickers, plantations and tea leaves of Mlanje Mountain. Originally intended to be two colours, the artwork was endorsed by Colin Cameron with the provision blue was added to the sky. Photo A – taken from Kodachrome transparency…

View More Malawi Philately: 1964 Definitive Series – 6d Tea Industry

The bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) is a common and a widespread species of antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa. They have a light brown coat, with up to seven white stripes and white splotches on the sides. The white patches are usually geometrically shaped and on the most mobile parts of their body such as…

View More Malawi Philately: Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus)

The African green pigeon (Treron calvus) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, and one of five green pigeon species in the Afrotropics. The species has a wide range in Sub-Saharan Africa with around 17 accepted races. As with others in their genus, they frequent tree canopies where…

View More Malawi Philately: Green Pigeon (Treron calva)

The Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) is a large antelope found widely in sub-Saharan Africa. It is placed in the genus Kobus of the family Bovidae. It was first described by Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1833.  Their coat colour varies from brown to grey. Waterbucks are rather sedentary in nature. As…

View More Malawi Philately: Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus)

The Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus) is a savanna antelope found in western, central, and southern Africa. It is one of the largest species of antelope; only eland, bongo and large male greater kudu can exceed them in weight. Named for their roan colour (a reddish brown), they have lighter underbellies,…

View More Malawi Philately: Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus)

The Suni (Nesotragus moschatus) is a small antelope.  They are usually reddish brown, darker on their back than their sides and legs. The belly, chin, throat and insides of legs are white. The nostrils are prominent red, and there are black rings around the eyes and above the hooves. Females…

View More Malawi Philately: Livingstone’s Suni (Nesotragus Livingstonianus)