From the Son of a Polish Miner to the Royal Court of Sweden: Fascinating Story of World’s most prolific Stamp Engraver

Czeslaw Slania (1921 – 2005) was a Polish postage stamp and banknote engraver who, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was the most prolific of all stamp engravers with over 1,000 stamps to his credit.

In addition to creating stamps for Sweden (300 different issues) and 29 other countries (the remaining 1,000 or so issues), he designed 30 banknotes for 10 countries as well as received an array of high honors and awards from 5 countries. His work was of such recognized quality and detail that he is one of the very few household names among philatelists, a number of whom specialize in collecting his work.

Slania was born near Katowice, capital of Poland’s mining and industrial region, and he developed an early artistic talent. During World War II, he forged various documents for the Polish resistance and at war’s end in 1945, entered the Kraków School of Fine Arts, a renowned graphic arts center. While a student there, Slania worked for the Polish Stamp Printing Works, where he learned to engrave in steel. Using a traditional tool called a burin, he soon became known for his incredibly detailed and picturesque engravings.

In 1956 he left Poland for Sweden where, after working for the Swedish Postal Authority, he came to the attention of King Gustaf VI Adolf, who was so impressed by SÅ‚ania, that he named him Royal Court Engraver, a position he held until his death in 2005.

Among Slania’s awards were: Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland; Order of Saint Charles (Monaco); Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark); Order Mérite Culturel (Monaco); Robert Stolz Music Prize (Sweden); Rowland Hill Award (Great Britain).

Two Samples of Slania’s Sweden Stamps

Two Samples of Slania’s International Stamps

Samples of Slania’s Banknotes