Obock - Bud's Big Blue

Map salvaged from Gerben Van Gelder’s now sadly defunct 

"stamp world history" web site

Bud's Big Blue

Bud's Observations

Obock’s life as a philatelic curiosity is short. It began in 1892, 30 years after the French purchased the property from the Sultan of Obock for coaling steamships before and after a Suez Canal transit. First, eleven “Obock” overprints on French Colonies Commerce allegory stamps were issued which, shortly, had new values added, often inverted as in the example shown below. Then Commerce was joined by Navigation in 13 standard French Colonies key plate stamps – a design particularly apt for a coaling station. 

Scott #23, blue, inverted overprint

Over the next two years 20 spectacular stamps were issued; Big Blue has spaces for only four of these. The two designs feature camels and nomadic warriors complete with spears and shields. Although imperf, these stamps have crenellated surrounds much like a medieval fortress – imitation perforations.

Scott # 56, rose and blue

 After four years, Obock’s philately ended. The French decided to move their refueling station 28 miles across the Gulf of Tadjoura to a new settlement, Djibouti, and the colonial government followed along. Obock’s eye-catching pictorials continued to be used in Djibouti, however, both with and without overprints. These will appear in the forthcoming post on Somali Coast.

Scott #60, violet and orange, Djibouti cancel

World travelers, military strategists, and politicians have largely forgotten Obock. While Djibouti thrives, only about 17,000 (former nomads, fishermen, traders) live in Obock, a population recently increased by Yemini refugees. But, because of these unusual stamp designs, collectors have good reason to remember Obock’s moment as a strategic dot north of the Horn of Africa at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.

Census: twelve in BB spaces, 18 on the supplement page.

Jim's Observations

A 1894 issue of 18 stamps- thirteen with the "Somali Warriors" design, five with the triangular "Camel Scene" design - is interesting indeed. It is imperforate with "fake" perforations. 

The back of the stamps have quadrille lines. Twelve of the stamps in the issue have a CV ranging from $1+-$9

Obock Blog Post & BB Checklist

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