Film buffs may recall the lines from that timeless classic “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” when Robert Redford and Paul Newman exchange:
Sundance: What\'s your idea this time?
Butch: Bolivia.
Sundance: What\'s Bolivia?
Butch: Bolivia. That\'s a country, stupid! In Central or South America, one or the other.
Indeed, whenever I am describing a stamp collection and get to the Bolivia section, this line pops into my head! Oh “Simple things amuse simple minds” I believe the phrase is.
Our pair of ne’er-do-wells eventually flee to Bolivia when the law gets too close for comfort and there they meet their last stand.
Recently when describing some material for our April 6th sale I came across some of the finest examples of the first issue of Bolivia that I have seen for many years. The Condor design was engraved in La Paz by Estruch and they have an almost childish simplicity to them. With generous margins and in fine unused condition, three have old RPS certificates and have to be my “pick” for this sale. A bargain at the estimate of £200. We will see.
It then occurred to me that these stamps were printed in 1867, the year “the Sundance Kid” was born!! You couldn’t make that up could you?
Oh and by the way, South America, not Central, just for the record.
by Joseph Cottriall
