One of the things the Czechoslovakian engraver Bohumil Heinz was known for, was that he liked to hide all sorts of stuff in many of his stamp engravings. His name in the trunk of the tree on the 1935 Sudan stamps is a well-known secret, and in his biography on this site you will also find the case of the H in King George VI's ear.
I have just received Heinz' 1936 engraving for a pair of stamps marking the death centenary of the poet Macha. I routinely scan all stamps I get, if only to enjoy them as blow-ups on my computer. And so I was admiring this particular engraving when I noticed what I would say are Heinz's initials in the shrubbery. Quite obvious, I would say, I never even looked for it.
So I thought I'd do a little googling, to see if this had been commented on already. But all I could find was the tomfijala website which does indeed mention Heinz' initials in this engraving, but places those at the bottom of the bouquet the poet is holding.
So I had another look at the stamp but must say I think 'my' initials are way more clearer and obvious. Although I will admit, that if we could have a look at a sharper die proof, the bouquet theory might of course well be right. But then, why bother adding your initials twice?!
Anyway, I add enlargements of both possibilities here, so you can make up your own mind, or maybe you've some information to add to this!?
And then there's the information in Ivo Sedlacek's exhibit, that Heinz also added the initials of his good friend Ervin Hirsch, in the wreath. Again, the die proof will probably make this clearer, so I really need to find one of those!
Seems Master Heinz was rather busy adding all sorts of extra information to his engravings! And here's us thinking Slania was the master of all that sort of thing!
:-)
Adrian
UPDATE!
I have since been reliable informed that my shrubbery theory is a delusion, and that what I thought was BH are just lines which happen to look like initials. Heinz furthermore used his initials as HB, not as BH. So the bouquet theory was right after all!
And: the hidden E, a tribute to Heinz' friend Ervin Hirsch, was not where I was led to believe where it was, but it can be found just above the top left corner of the pedestal, where it is actually quite clear to see, even on a regular stamp printing.
:-)
Adrian
So I had another look at the stamp but must say I think 'my' initials are way more clearer and obvious. Although I will admit, that if we could have a look at a sharper die proof, the bouquet theory might of course well be right. But then, why bother adding your initials twice?!
Anyway, I add enlargements of both possibilities here, so you can make up your own mind, or maybe you've some information to add to this!?
Seems Master Heinz was rather busy adding all sorts of extra information to his engravings! And here's us thinking Slania was the master of all that sort of thing!
:-)
Adrian
UPDATE!
I have since been reliable informed that my shrubbery theory is a delusion, and that what I thought was BH are just lines which happen to look like initials. Heinz furthermore used his initials as HB, not as BH. So the bouquet theory was right after all!
:-)
Adrian