Canada Stamp #CC6890 - Iroquois Mask (1955) 4¢

Imperforated essay

Absolutely fascinating unissued 4¢ Canadian stamp from 1955! This stamp is reported to have been printed in imperforated panes of 25 by the American Bank Note co. (Field Guide to the Cinderella Stamps of Canada by R. R. Lafrenière, p. 185.) It is also remarkable for a 1955 Canadian stamp, because it contains a stunning four different colours (possibly printed by lithography), which is quite spectacular for that time. Because it has a "CANADA" inscription and a facial value of "4¢", we think it is safe to assume that the stamp was intended for postage. Nevertheless, there are still many unsolved riddles around this essay. Was it officially commissioned to ABN by Canada Post for a trial run? Is it linked with the #351 Inuit and Kayak stamp from 1955? Was it rejected because of the high cost associated with the four-colour printing process? In any case, this stamp would be a superb addition to many advanced collections! Notice also that the red outline of the nose forms a "4", which is the same as the facial value, brilliant!