For such a young country, New Zealand is home to a wide range of architectural styles.
Issue information
One architectural style dominated construction in the 1930s - Art Deco. Popular between 1925 and 1950, the style symbolised the early 20th century's fascination with speed, power, technology and progress.
The rise of Art Deco was in part brought about by the disastrous Napier earthquake of 1931, which reduced most of the town to rubble. Rebuilt, literally from the ground up, Napier became the home of some of the most beautiful and famous Art Deco buildings in the Southern Hemisphere. The town's reputation is now so well established that in February 1999, Napier hosted the Fifth World Congress on Art Deco.
Art Deco style reaches well beyond Napier as is evident in this four stamp issue. Classic and diverse examples of Art Deco architecture from around New Zealand are shown: the Civic Theatre in Auckland (40c); the Masonic Hotel in Napier ($1.00); the Medical and Dental Chambers in Gastings ($1.50); and the Buller County Chambers in Westport (1.80).
Product Listing for Art Deco Buildings
Click on image to enlarge.
Masonic Hotel in Napier - $1.00
Napier’s massive earthquake in 1931 was a disaster for the city and the province of Hawke’s Bay. By good fortune this happened when the Art Deco style was new to New Zealand and approaching the height of its popularity overseas. The new Napier arose when architects were seeking a new style for a new century and buildings were beginning to take on a new look, but ornament was not yet dead.
Technical information
Date of issue: | 10 February 1999 |
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Number of stamps: | Four |
Denominations and designs: | 40c Civic Theatre, Auckland; $1.00 Masonic Hotel, Napier; $1.50 Medical and Dental Chambers, Hastings; $1.80 Buller County Chambers, Westport |
Stamps and first day cover designed by: | Donna McKenna, Wellington, New Zealand |
Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print, New Zealand by lithography |
Stamp size and format: | 28mm x 44mm (vertical) |
Paper type: | 103gsm gummed red phosphor coated stamp paper |
Perforation gauge: | 14 |
Number of stamps per sheet: | 50 |
Cost of unadressed first day cover: | $5.20 |
Special blocks: | Plate/imprint, positional or value blocks could be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps. Colour blocks ('traffic lights') were included in plate blocks. Barcode blocks were available in both A and B formats. |
Period of sale: | These stamps remained on sale until 10 February 2000. |