Dr. William R. 'Doc' Hanson stamp designer Palau: Links to Japan Japanese stamps, period cancellations 1987, Oct. 16, Litho. perf. 14×13½
[click on stamp images to enlarge]
Scott N° 164 Japanese Mobile Post Office Near Ngerchelechuus Mt. Scott N° 257 (Japan) and 1937 Datsun sedan used as mobile post office, near Ngerchelechuus Mountain. (Designer's initials can be seen on car's number plate in enlargement.)	Scott N° 165 Phosphate Mine, Angaur Scott N° 347 (Japan) and phosphate mine at Angaur.
Scott N° 166 Japan Airways DC-2 Over Badrulchau Scott N° B1 (Japan) and Japan Airways DC 2 over stone monuments at Badrulchau.	Scott N° 167 Japanese Post Office, Koror Scott N° 201 (Japan) and Japanese post office, Koror.
souvenir sheet, perf. 13½×14 (vert.) Scott N° 168 $1 - Aviator's Grave, Japanese Cemetery, Peleliu

 
A first day cover with the four stamps, signed by the designer, Dr. William R. Hanson.

Designing the Stamps

Dr. William R. 'Doc' Hanson

As can be seen in the base page below, this was designed as a se-tenant block of 4 stamps, to be all of the same denomination. At the last minute the agent called and said it had been decided to issue sheet stamps in 4 different values, 'so set type for those extra values.' Fortunately, in this case none of the art "bled" into the next stamp, so a clean edge was possible for all four stamps. The size and position instructions for where to drop out (to white) so that images of certain Japanese stamps can be dropped in, are indicated on the tissue overlay (at bottom).

Here's the first overlay, containing gray-scale images of the stamps to be superimposed over the background paintings. (In the final version, larger images of the stamps were used.)

This third overlay adds the type and the Japanese postmarks. Note the registration marks which keep them all perfectly aligned.

Here's the tissue (instruction) overlay, shown below on top of all the others.