Edward Caruana Dingli's Melita stamps

Abstract

A few months after the granting of Self-Government in 1921, the Malta Postal Administration decided to issue a new Definitive Set of postage stamps. A Stamp Design Competition was announced and from the designs submitted, those chosen were Edward Caruana Dingli's allegorical figure of "Melita" for the 1/4d to 6d and the £1 values and Gianni Vella's symbolic design of Melita and Brittania embracing" for the 1/- to the 10/- values. On the 15th July 1921, Edward Caruana Dingli received a formal letter from the Lieutenant-Governor's Office in Malta informing him that "With reference to your letter of the 19th April 1921, I have the honour to inform you that you have been awarded the first prize of £20 for your design for Postage and Revenue stamps of Mala illustrative of the institution of Self-Government in these Islands. A draft on the Crown Agents for the colonies for the above amount is enclosed." [excerpt]